DISCOVER THE SEX LIVES OF MAPLES
We all know that spring works its magic on the animal kingdom, but have you ever considered the effect that this seasonal sexual awakening has on trees?
At Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire, it’s clear. Trees burst into bloom and produce a spectacular array of flowers to maximise their chances of reproducing.
It’s all quite straightforward in terms of biology (male meets female with a little help from the insect world, and produces a fertile seed), but some species are hell-bent on baffling observers – and among the gender-benders are some maples.
Although some trees, such as hollies, are definitely one sex (dioecious), most bear male and female flowers on the same plant (monoecious). Many maples, on the other hand, are more ambiguous about their sexual identity – sometimes dioecious, other times monoecious, and even changing sex from one year to the next! Biologists argue long and hard about the evolutionary basis for such strange behaviour, but it must somehow give these trees an advantage over their competitors.
Westonbirt Arboretum has a world-renowned collection of maples, and every spring they produce their beautifully delicate, but often overlooked, flowers.
“People always associate maples with autumn leaves, but the flowers are well worth a closer look,” says Westonbirt Arboretum’s curator, Simon Toomer. “Who would guess they have such confused sex lives?”
Red maple is one of the first trees to flower in the spring. The flowers are small, red or, rarely, yellowish, with petals and slender stalks, and they appear from March.
With so many big flowers to marvel at in Westonbirt’s spring collection, it’s easy for people to miss out on the small, more delicate blooms, Simon said. But, as the story proves, there’s a lot more to maples than meets the eye!
Westonbirt is open all year between 10am and 8pm, or dusk if earlier. The normal cost of admission for adults is £6.50, children £1, concessions £5.50. For more information, visit www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt or call the Arboretum on 01666 881220.
· Westonbirt 2006 – The National Arboretum anniversary year.
Notes to Editors:
1. Westonbirt Arboretum is three miles south west of Tetbury on the A433 (Tetbury to Bath Road). It is 10 miles north-east of Junction 18 of the M4 and south-east of junction 13 of the M5.
2. Westonbirt Arboretum, the National Arboretum, is renowned worldwide for its tree and shrub collection. It contains about 18,000 specimens, including almost half of those woody plants known to grow in the world’s temperate climate zone, and covers 600 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. Its importance is recognised by English Heritage’s Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historical Interest as a Grade 1 Listed Landscape.
3. Westonbirt Arboretum was established in 1829 by Robert Holford, and later developed by his son, George Holford. Much of Westonbirt’s renowned autumn colour can be traced back to Sir George’s plantings of Japanese maples between 1850 and 1875, some of which are still alive today. Unlike many arboreta, Westonbirt is laid out according to aesthetic appeal rather than scientific or geographical criteria, and the Holfords’ legacy is open for all to enjoy - a beautiful, relaxing and unique day out amongst some of the tallest, oldest and rarest trees and shrubs in Britain.
4. Westonbirt is home to the National Maple (Acer) Collection, with 180 different types in the collection. The Forestry Commission opened Westonbirt Arboretum to the public in 1961, and in 1966 a new Acer Glade was established alongside the original one planted by Robert and George Holford in 1870.
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e-mail: simon.toomer@forestry.gsi.gov.uk |