Tuesday 14 May 2019

Growth spurt

Our two horse chestnuts burst into life in April. All last year they built up their strength and stored it over winter in a 'sticky bud'  ready to shoot out in spring.


You could see the open scales of the bud like an open hand.  
After this spring extravaganza they will not extend much more.  The tree will just prepare for NEXT spring.   


Now fully open.


First two photos taken 18/04/2019; third photo 09/05/2019

The two horse chestnut, or conker, treelets are in the top meadow where you can also find several self seeded oak trees, which we have surrounded with stakes to help us avoid mowing them off.



There is also one Sweet Chestnut, which is very small but looks pretty healthy and vigorous after many years of standing still. 



It only superficially resembles the horse chestnut and they are not related.  You can compare the leaves which are born singly, not like the spreading fingers of the horse chestnut leaf.









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