The cottonwoods in NE Illinois are having a “mast seeding event” this year. This happens when conditions are particularly hot and dry at the moment when buds are differentiating between becoming leaves or seeds. And Chicago just had one of the driest Mays on record. #ilwx pic.twitter.com/zYF3CguZzr

— Jeremy Glover (@JGrantGlover) June 3, 2023