Spring Colour Watch Blog: glorious trees
Spring colour is abundant amongst the tree collection at the moment.
Main Drive is a good place to start and is home to some great specimens of Davidia involucrata, also known as the Dove Tree or Handkerchief Tree because of the white bracts that surround the small spherical flowers.
Along the way, look out for the flower spikes of Aesculus x carnea, or Red Horse Chestnut (pictured above left). The flowers are just starting to bloom and should be looking good this weekend if the forecasted good weather comes to fruition.
Also look out for the Horned Maple, Acer diabolicum (above right). The flowers look like bright green and red tassels.
If this week’s weather has put you in any doubt about spring’s arrival, you need look no further for reassurance than this Cercidiphyllum Japonicum (known as Katsura, pictured above left), which has a snug coating of soft new leaves all the way along the main branches.
You’ll have to step off the path so see the first tiny bracts emerging on Cornus kousa (above right). The view below was also taken in this area of the Old Arboretum and should help you track it down.
As you can see, bluebells still feature prominently in the landscape at the moment – more unusually, white variations can also be found frequently enough not to feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Enjoy our spring trees this weekend – it may be damp under foot but the arboretum is now a very green and leafy place.
Useful links
More information about spring at Westonbirt
Become a member of the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum
