Pecan Tree (Carya illioinensis) Photo JMK, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0&gt;, via Wikimedia Commons

Dear Readers, following on from my post yesterday about Kew Gardens trying to future-proof its tree collection, today I’m looking at the future of street trees. Paul Wood, author of London’s Street Trees, has excellent form on  this subject – in 2019 he suggested that the Bee-bee Tree (Tetradium daniellii) might become a popular planting in London, and so it has – this Korean tree has flowers that are abuzz with bees in June and July, followed by masses of berries. You can now see it in Bermondsey, Islington and Hammersmith and Fulham, to name but a few spots.

Bee-bee Tree (Tetradium danielli) Photo By Chhe (talk) – Own work (Original text: I created this work entirely by myself.), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18213196

In his latest edition, Paul Wood bets on four species that might become popular in London, due to drought-resistance and tolerance for all the usual ills of urban trees (pollution, traffic, shallow root systems etc). First up is the Pecan Tree, originally from the southern states of the US – from the photos it looks as if it can grow into a very fine tree, but it’s probably one for broad avenues rather than side roads. You can see it in the photograph at the start of the blog, and there is apparently at least one in London already, on Pitfield Street, Hoxton.

Next is the Katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum), a tree with bronze buds that ripen to crisp green in the spring, and fantastic autumn foliage, which apparently has a biscuity fragrance. Plus, very impressive bark! What’s not to like? You can see this tree in a few places already, including Highbury in North London.

Katsura – Spring foliage (Photo Meneerke bloem, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Katsura – autumn foliage (Photo S. Rae from Scotland, UK, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Katsura bark (Photo I, Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Wood’s third tree(s) are Chinese or American Yellow-wood (Cladrastis sinensis or Cladrastis kentuckea). At the moment both species can grow happily in the UK, but with warmer temperatures and milder winters they may well flower, which would be quite something. These are actually members of the Fabaceae or bean family, which would be obvious if they did flower – just look at those leguminous blooms! There is currently at least one of these trees in Wood Green.

American Yellow-wood flowers (Photo By செல்வா – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69850278)

And finally, a South American tree, the  Maiten (Maytenus boaria) – an evergreen tree with a weeping habit. Wood thinks that it could be an ideal street tree – relatively small and hardy. Apparently a trio of the trees have recently appeared in Highgate, just around the corner from me, so when I’m a bit more mobile I must hobble over to have a look. The Maiten is in the same group of trees as the Spindles (Euonymus), another splendid small tree that I’m surprised doesn’t pop up more often as a street tree. Maybe I should start making my own list!

Maiten (Maytenus boaria) Photo by By Daderot – Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37701308

It is very interesting to see how much more varied street trees are becoming in London, and probably in other parts of the UK. On my road alone, we’ve suddenly acquired some Crape Myrtles, a Hibiscus and several Amelanchiors (including the one that fell over outside my house). Local residents are increasingly being invited to sponsor street trees, which is an interesting idea. What’s going on where you live? Have you noticed any new species? And how well are your street trees doing?