Strawberries and Cream Tree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Strawberries and Cream Tree |
|
|---|---|
The Strawberries and Cream Tree in full bloom in April 2020, showing its distinctive pink and white blossoms.
|
|
| Species | Wild cherry (Prunus avium) + Kanzan (P. serrulata 'Kanzan') graft hybrid |
| Location | Rodney Road, Backwell, North Somerset, England |
| Coordinates | 51°24′52.3″N 02°44′42.2″W / 51.414528°N 2.745056°W |
| Date seeded | c. 1950s |
| Custodian | North Somerset Council |
The Strawberries and Cream Tree is a special cherry tree found in Backwell, North Somerset, England. It's famous because it grows two different colors of flowers: pink on one side and white on the other! This happens every spring when the tree blooms. Kids in the village thought it looked like strawberries and cream, so they gave it that fun name.
This tree is a rare type called a "graft hybrid." It's one of only two known cherry-Kanzan graft hybrid trees in England. The other one is in Portchester, Hampshire.
How the Tree Grows
The Strawberries and Cream Tree is a mix of two different cherry trees. Part of it is a native wild cherry tree, called Prunus avium. This part produces the white flowers. The other part is an ornamental cherry tree from Japan, called Prunus 'Kanzan'. This part grows the pink flowers.
This special tree was created using a technique called grafting. Grafting is like joining two different plants together. Usually, people graft fruit trees onto a stronger tree's roots. This helps the fruit tree get more water and nutrients. For the Strawberries and Cream Tree, the root part grew along with the top part. This created a unique tree with two types of blossoms.
History of the Tree
The Strawberries and Cream Tree was planted on public land in the village of Backwell. This land is now owned by the North Somerset Council. No one knows for sure who planted or grafted the tree. However, experts believe it was planted in the late 1950s.
Protecting the Tree
Because the Strawberries and Cream Tree is so rare, it received a special protection order. This is called a tree preservation order. It was put in place on December 14, 2019. This order means no one can cut down, trim, or cut the top off the tree without permission. The council might make this protection permanent in the future. This helps keep the unique tree safe for everyone to enjoy.
