Unusual native British trees to mark 250th anniversary

The three wild service trees (Sorbus torminalis), planted in the Natural Areas close to Queen Charlotte’s Cottage at the Royal Botanic Gardens, were a gift from Henry Girling on behalf of the Arboricultural Association.

The trees were planted by Henry Girling (one of the elder statesmen of arboriculture), Tony Kirkham, the Head of the Arboretum, our Head of Arboriculture and one of the Arboricultural Association`s Technical Officers (from right to left in the photograph). Henry grew the presentation trees from seed, from particularly good examples of the species, which he got in exchange for tying some fishing flies for the trees’ owner.

Jonathan Hazell said "While plenty of attention is focused on rare and declining wild animals, scant regard is given to Britain’s uncommon wild trees. The gift to Kew is of three wild service trees (Sorbus torminalis) a tree with long, but often forgotten, links to Britain’s past.

These are the trees that gave the name to pubs called ‘The Chequers’, because their brown speckled fruit, called checkers, were fermented and used to sweeten and flavour beer. The common name ‘service’ tree may be a corruption of cervisia the Latin for beer, or of the botanical name of Sorbus."

Checkers need to be bletted - left on the tree until after a good frost- before they are palatable to humans. They are sometimes described as tasting rather like dates. There is evidence that these strange-looking fruits once had medicinal uses, including treating indigestion, although some
sources say that they might have been the cause of indigestion when eaten straight from the tree.

In the past, many wild service trees were coppiced - regularly cut back to near ground level to produce a fresh crop of poles used to make everything from tools and houses to charcoal. Now remnant populations and individual trees can be found mainly in woodlands and hedgerows, sometimes indicating that the site is an ancient woodland.

The demise of the wild service tree in the wild might be partly attributable to changes in the use and need for wood products and the subsequent decline of coppicing, which prolongs a tree’s life. It might be, however, because the tree’s fertile seed does not readily germinate in cool summers, or is not dispersed far enough to new suitable growing conditions. Any new trees that do reach maturity tend to have grown from suckers."

“These are modest trees of great beauty,” says Henry. “They are medium sized, so could be grown in gardens. They have pretty flowers in spring, attractive leaves, wonderful autumn leaf colour and fruits, which the birds like. But these trees are worth growing and conserving in their own right, not just to hang bird boxes in."

“They are also an ancient link to the past a bit like me. But if I knew I was going to die tomorrow, I’d still plant a tree today. Trees create an important part of the future, and we need to look after that future today. We should all give trees as presents, as a matter of principle.”

The three wild service trees form part of a ‘chain’ of trees that Henry has given as gifts throughout the country over the past 20 years, and puts into practice his motto that where trees are concerned the spade is mightier than the saw.

Jonathan Hazell commented: "I think the event went very well indeed, and I`m sure it made Henry very happy to see the fruits of his labours planted in such an ideal spot."

For further information, call Jonathan on 01789 450085.
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