Tree of the Month

This Sweet Chestnut tree grows on the triangle at the top of Hill Road where it joins the Christmas Common Road. It was planted by the parish council around the time of the millenium. Sweet Chestnut trees are common, especially in the south of the UK and are of the same family as oaks and beeches. Although they are not native to the UK they have been here for very many years and may have been introduced by the Romans. They are a tremendously useful tree. Not only are the flowers an important source of nectar and pollen for bees and other insects but also the leaves provide food for a large number of micro moths.

In southern England, they are coppiced to provide a versatile range of timber fencing and gates. The coppiced poles are cleaved to make chestnut

palings, which are wired together for fencing. Larger, cleaved rails are used for post and rail fencing, and the timber is also used for furniture making. In addition to all these benefits the nuts which grow in prickly green cases are edible. The nuts don’t usually grow as large in the UK as they do in warmer parts of Europe but when they are ripe they are delicious roasted and are a rich source of vitamin C. What a wonderful tree!

Gill Bindoff