Rare trees in parks
In 2004, a survey of trees in our parks was undertaken by Dr. Owen Johnson, the author of the Collins Tree Guide, to identify interesting, unusual and exotic trees in parks. The survey was sponsored by the Royal Horticultural Society.
The City's parks have been found to be home to a diversity of tree species, from wide-ranging native species to unusual and rare specimens.
Alexandra Park:
-
Variegated American Green Ash - this extremely rare tree and potential Champion tree was planted at the turn of the 20th century;
-
Railway Poplar - this tree is one of the biggest of its type in England and takes its name from the common practice of planting this species on railway embankments in Victorian England.
Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens:
-
Adam's laburnum - this unique tree is a hybrid species of the Laburnum tree and flowering Broom shrub. When flowering, it may have branches of yellow flowers, purple flowers or mixed. This particular specimen is a designated Champion Tree within the Tree Register of the British Isles;
-
Amur cork tree - this rare Chinese tree thought to only grow well in south England can be seen as a glorious specimen standing at 55 feet in height;
-
Silver Birch 'Golden Cloud' - this very rare tree can be identified by its lovely golden foliage.
Fog Lane Park:
- Aspen Poplars - these are some of the tallest specimens in England;
- Crimean Silver Lime - these are some enormous specimens can be seen which are of national importance;
- Northern Catalpa - this rare species from the southern states of America can be seen with large leaves and beautiful white flowers in mid-summer months;
- Scotch laburnum - one of the tallest in England.
Heaton Park (Parkside):
-
Eucalyptus tree - this tree is potentially the biggest of its species.
Hawthorn - Manchester has a number of rare species of Hawthorn trees in its parks that are noted for their national importance.