What is a conifer cone?

A conifer cone contains the male or female cells of conifer trees. In nonflowering plants such as pine trees, cones are the equivalent of a flower. The seeds of conifers are not contained in fruits but develop between the scales of the pollinated female cones. The scales protect the seeds until they are fully developed, then open up to release their seeds.

Closed cone scales ❯ The female cones contain ovules (clusters of female cells) that will develop into seeds if they are fertilized by pollen. Blown on the wind, the pollen grains are small enough to slip between the scales and enter each ovule.

Male and female cones

Male cone The tough scales enclose ovules, which form on thin scales inside.

Pollen sac Ovule

These soft scales carry pollen sacs that contain the pollen grains.

Female cone

Most conifer trees have separate male and female cones. The long, soft male cones produce pollen, while the woody female cones contain ovules that will become seeds when fertilized. The pollen grains are tiny, like dust, so they are easily blown on the wind.

Other cone-bearing trees

Cycads Sometimes living for 1,000 years, these slow-growing, palmlike plants develop structures called strobili, which are similar to conifer cones.

Welwitschia Found only in the Namib Desert in Africa, these plants are either male or female. Although not true conifers, the females have seed-bearing cones. Ginkgo These trees are either male or female. The males have pollen-bearing cones, but the females produce seeds that swell up to look like the fruits of flowering trees. What is a conifer cone?

Open cone scales ❯ When the seeds inside a cone are ready, dry weather triggers the cones to open up or even fall off the tree, so the wind can blow the seeds away.

Tough, woody scales grow all around the cone. They open slightly to allow fertilization and then close again to protect the developing seeds.

Seed ❯ Conifer seeds can take up to two years to mature. They are attached to thin scales that act like wings, allowing the seeds to be carried away in the wind when the time is right.