5 trees with interesting winter bark
Words: Colin Crosbie, Curator - RHS Garden Wisley
The bark of some trees is an amazing sight in the depths of winter. Here are five of my favourites.
Platanus x hispanica (London plane)
This wonderful large tree is seen growing in many parks and streets. It is also one of the most iconic trees of the London landscape. It is a tree which is beautiful at any time of the year, but especially in winter when passers-by can admire the patchwork quilt effect of its flaking bark, highlighting different colours of green, grey and brown.
Betula utilis var. jaquemontii 'Silver Shadow' (Himalayan birch)
The Himalayan birch is one of my favourite trees for winter bark interest. It has an elegant upright habit and during the winter months its bright white bark reflects the low winter sun to dazzling effect. This small to medium sized tree would have a place in my list of top 10 trees.
Acer griseum
This tree is also known as the paper bark maple due to the fact that the bark peels off the trunk and older branches. The peeling bark reveals a wonderful mass of cinnamon red colours underneath. This small tree can be a real architectural highlight in the garden during the winter months. Again, it is another of my favourite trees and one that I have been lucky enough to see growing in the wild in China. I can just imagine the delight when Ernest Wilson first discovered it in China in 1901. It is a tree that takes my breath away every time I see it.
Eucalyptus pauciflora (snow gum)
The snow gum is one of the hardiest Eucalyptus to grow in British gardens. This evergreen tree has the most beautiful creamy white bark which peels off the tree leaving a patchwork effect of green, grey, white and cream. A dazzling picture is created when the low winter sun reflects off the trunk.
Prunus rufa (Himalayan cherry)
This small Himalayan cherry tree has the most magnificent mahogany-coloured bark. In the garden every visitor who sees it wants to touch and feel the bark. By doing this, the oils in their hands contribute towards the highly polished surface of the trunk. The flowers on the tree are of no particular merit, but the deep, rich, red bark and very visible lenticels (small pores in the stems) make it a winter highlight.