Dawn Redwood leaves
Have you noticed the new trees that have been planted in the Park in the last few weeks?
Dawn Redwood in winter
The City of Edinburgh Council have planted over 30 new trees mostly along the burn side. Two of these are Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) and are located near the middle bridge. These trees are unusual in that they are the only living species in their genus and were only known from fossil records until the 1940s. In 1941 a Mr Chan discovered the trees growing in a village in central China and in 1944 other trees were discovered and seed collected. These seeds were grown at the Arnold arboretum in the USA and the resulting trees planted out. The trees are easily propagated and quick growing so they soon became popular as an ornamental tree and were planted throughout Europe and the USA. Although a conifer they are deciduous and so shed their needles in winter like a larch which creates a striking winter profile.
The other trees that have been planted are hazel bushes, again along the burn side, which will produce lovely catkins (‘lambs tails’) in the spring. They are small native trees which are good for wildlife.
Replacement trees have been provided for some of the new cherry trees that failed in the last couple of years. Most of these died due to vandalism but a few also succumbed to the weather Some of these are the native Gean (Prunus avium), and some are ornamental Japanese cultivars.
The final species planted is Swamp cypress (Taxodium distichum) along the burn side near the stage area. This is another deciduous conifer that grows well by water and is native in the southern USA, particularly the Everglades. They will give good shelter for wildlife but hopefully not alligators!