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February: Two Trees to Love or Hate

There are some plants that have both passionate advocates and on the other hand people who really cannot stand them, these two trees are probably fall into that category.

The first is either a small multi-stemmed tree or large shrub depending how you grow it – Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’, also know as the corkscrew hazel. This is a slow growing small tree suitable for small gardens. The branches are curiously twisted in spirals which make the tree an unusual garden specimen but one that can be hard to place with other plants sometimes. Best pruned to three main stems it is a strong architectural statement in the winter when the contorted stems stand out against a clear sky and then develop their fine catkins before the spring foliage appears. At this time of year it is particularly prized by flower arrangers.

A form of the common cobnut discovered in Gloucestershire in the mid nineteenth century and made popular by the plantsman E A Bowles. Fully hardy, this shrub prefers sunny or semi-shaded sites in fertile, well-drained soil. If it gets too big it can be hard pruned, also any really straight stems should be removed in the winter. It looks good under planted with spring bulbs, particularly yellow or orange crocus to complement the catkins. It would also perform well as a pot specimen, at least for a few years.

Another small tree that is at its most distinctive in the spring is Acer negundo ‘Flamingo’.

This Acer has leaves which open pink quickly turning to green and white variegated but with a distinct shrimp pink margin. It can be pruned hard each winter to maintain it as a large bushy shrub.

It is probably best grown as a specimen in the lawn unless the pink colouring that is at its brightest in the spring but fades somewhat during the summer would go well with your other plants. A fast growing Acer with a broad open habit, happy in most soils but needing a sheltered and lightly shaded position as the leaves could scorch in strong sun. Any branches where the leaves revert to solid green must be pruned out completely or the whole tree is likely to eventually revert to the species and become much more vigorous.

CAF