Specimen Trees UK
Specimen trees vary from one country to another. Moreover, different gardeners might have varying ideas as to what specimen trees include. Some believe that specimen trees are those trees which are older than others, whereas others focus mainly on their height. Then there are gardeners and plant specialists who will place trees under the category of specimen trees purely because of their features, which may make them stand out when compared to other trees.
In the UK there are a number of specimen trees that are regarded as such consensually. These include:
The “Snakebark Maple”
– this is an interesting looking tree that is not that big. Its main feature is the noticeably striped bark of a whitish colour. This type of tree grows commonly in the UK and it has dark green leaves with rhubarb-red stalks. It has a habit of growing quite openly and its branches spread out considerably.
- this is quite a small tree which stands out in formal and elegant settings especially because of its height and uniformity. It is often planted in narrow streets as it does not take up much space, but manages to decorate an area nicely. In autumn it turns into a beautiful orange and yellow hue and it does not require much pruning. It has short branches but as the tree matures the crown becomes quite wide.
- this small, mop-headed tree grows slowly, with its leaves opening up into a striking pinkish colour, which eventually changes into a golden-bronze and pale green colour. This tree is used in small gardens and areas.
The Cypress Oak
– used a lot for urban planting, this tall, upright tree is columnar and looks very large, thus being ideal for restricted places.
The Weeping Willow
– very graceful and popular specimen tree in the UK. It is highly resistant to scab and canker. From an oval-shaped crown this tree changes into more pendulous branches which seem to be hanging down, thus its name.