Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum

Tree of the Month - May 2017

Posted: April 28, 2017 at 17:30 pm

What is tree of the month?

Whitebeam or Sorbus dunnii

Whitebeam

Why is it tree of the month?

One of the most spectacular whitebeams in foliage, with leaves that have distinctly white (hence the name) undersides and near gold veins. They flush a bronzey red on the upper surface, before quickly turning green. Native to parts of China, it is extremely rare in cultivation, with plants that are growing elsewhere in cultivation all deriving from our oldest tree here at Westonbirt.

This itself is a grafted plant that was also propagated from a grafted plant that derived from the introduction of the species some 35 years ago. Are you still with us?!

Whitebeam

Where can I find it?

Here at Westonbirt, we have 3 plants, all in Silk Wood. One is on Waste Drive (tree no. 45.1024), one on Barn Walk (tree no. 42.0634) and another on Willesley Drive (tree no. 30.0703).

Find the plant using the Westonbirt map.