Are Your Trees Dropping Green Acorns Like Crazy?
Green acorns? What does it mean, and what does it mean for the upcoming winter?
Do falling acorns have anything to do with predicting the weather? If you have oak trees in your yard, you are probably familiar with the task of raking up tons of acorns in the fall. However, sometimes many small green acorns fall from oak trees like crazy, even in the middle of summer. What does this mean and does the amount of green acorns mean anything about winter weather?
Typically, acorns fall during the autumn season, serving the purpose of planting new trees and providing food for critters. However, if green acorns are dropping prematurely, it indicates that the tree is stressed due to adverse weather conditions.
Normally, acorns ready to drop are brown or tan. Premature shedding suggests that the trees are prioritizing other tasks over seed production.
Summer Tree Stressors
A tree’s stress can be from too much rain, too little rain, a too-hot summer, or other factors. But it’s usually dependent on local conditions. In fact, just like “mast years” can happen in Virginia but not in neighboring North Carolina, the same is true for stressed-out trees dropping green acorns. It’s not happening everywhere.
Acorns and Winter Weather Folklore
In our article, 20 Signs of a Bad Winter Coming, we delve into the folklore surrounding nature’s indicators of harsh winter weather. One such sign is the profuse dropping of acorns, which typically refers to brown acorns falling during autumn months. According to tradition and lore, seeing an abundance of brown acorns falling means a severe winter is predicted.
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What are the acorns like by you?
Are you seeing lots of green acorns on the ground in your backyard?
Let us know in the comments below!
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I live in Northern California. I have tons of acorns. The wild animals can’t keep up with what is on the ground. I can’t let my horse out of the barn due to all of the acorns on the ground. I pick them up regularly, but when you have 6 acres and work full time Ican’t get to all of them.
Tampa Bay Florida area. My giant Oak has been continually dropping of acorns for several months- hundreds and hundreds-they are everyplace. Even now at the end of December!
In Northern California about 45 minutes south from Lake Tahoe copious amounts…EVERYWHERE
Here in the Sierra Foothills the acorns have been huge and falling like rain. There are so many on my steep driveway that my car does a little fishtaling coming up the driveway.
Tons of acorns on my walks in northeast Ohio also. Much more than other resent years. Covers some driveways.
I have lived on an acre and half of a wooded lot for 21 yrs. I have never never seen so many healthy acorns on the ground. I thought someone was breaking in the other night cause of the noise. No wind to disturb them, they just keep falling off the trees. Its the strangest thing I have seen in Northeast Ohio.
I’m seeing more acorns in this area of Southern Lancaster County than at any time in the last 30 years. And it’s a lot!
Many large brown acorns. They are dropping like rain drops. It’s dangerous walking in the backyard for fear of getting pelted on the head. I have never seen as many as this year.
Here in Maine it is sometimes called “Helmet Season” for exactly that reason. An acorn falling from a 50+ foot oak can be painful!
You won’t die from acorns falling on your head!
A little over paranoid?
Raindrops keep falling my ,head,just like the guy,who’s feet are to big for his bed,( never did make any sense, but it’s a ryme,but substitute,”acorns”! for raindrops!!!
I’ve seen tinny brown ones, and larger Green ones, the last few weeks. I tell you I believe the squirrels throw them at me and my friend if we stand around chatting to Long.
We joke that we need helmets when we’re outside. They do have very good aim!
I have acorns raining down at 10 plus at a time. We can’t walk 2” without out steeping on them.
Last time I saw this was in 2015 when the northeast got crushed with snow.
I’m filling buckets just like 2015. May be nothing but I’m hoping for some snow this winter.
Usually it has been regarded as a sign of a hard winter ahead. Buckets full of acorns here in Maine as well!