Jubilee Trees: Queen's Green Canopy and King's Coronation Oak
The Trust has planted 8 new trees as part of the ‘Queen’s Green Canopy’ initiative and in honour of the coronation of King Charles III. These are located in different areas of the Box Moor Trust estate.
Trees 1-7 are intended to commemorate the 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and each of the seven species was chosen partly for its suitability for the location in which it was planted but also for a connection to the traditional anniversary gifts for each decade.
Tree 8 is an English Oak that has been planted to mark the coronation of King Charles III on May 6th 2023. An oak was chosen as it was the type of tree in which the future King Charles II of England hid to escape the pursuing Roundheads following the Battle of Worcester in 1651.
Alnus GluTINosa ‘Imperialis’
OK, this is a tenuous link – a deciduous tree with mid-green foliage and produces catkins in the spring. It is tolerant of most soil conditions and is happy in a sheltered or exposed location facing any aspect. It is also one of the few trees that can cope with waterlogged ground.
Acer platanoides ‘Emerald Queen’
A hardy fast growing large deciduous tree, has good upright form with a dense, symmetrical, rounded to oval crown. The bark is beautifully patterned with vertical and interlaced ridges. Clusters of yellow-green scented flowers appear on bare branches in spring before the leaves appear followed by green winged fruits.
Sorbus cashmiriana
An open branched, spreading tree with dark green, pinnate leaves that turn rich russet and gold in autumn. In late spring the tree is covered in clusters of pink or white flowers, followed by large, white berries that resemble bunches of pearls and last well into winter.
Gleditsia triacanthos ‘Ruby Lace’
A medium-sized deciduous tree with glossy, bronzy-green leaves turning yellow in autumn. New foliage is ruby-red becoming purplish. Can tolerate urban sites, air pollution, moderately saline soils, low levels of drought and occasional wetness. Performs best in moist, deep fertile soils in a full sun position.
Malus x zumi ‘ Golden Hornet’.
Towards the end of April, this small deciduous tree erupts with brilliant white flowers that envelop the entire canopy, followed in autumn by a profuse crop of bright, deep yellow fruits which persist well into winter. A great pollinator and one of the most well-known crab apple varieties.
The black poplar (Populus nigra),
A tall tree native to Europe, has diamond-shaped leaves. It can reach up to 40m at maturity but usually grows 20m to 30m tall. Our native black poplar is a massive tree, with a thick, fissured trunk, that can be found on floodplains, around flooded gravel pits and along ditches. It is particularly prevalent in Shropshire, Cheshire, Somerset, the Vale of Aylesbury and East Anglia, but populations have declined massively over the years.
English oak (Quercus robur)
Reliable and steadfast, as was our Queen, the wise old English oak holds a special place in our culture, history and hearts. It supports more life than any other native tree species in the UK; even its fallen leaves support biodiversity. A large, deciduous tree growing up to 20-40m tall. Also known as common oak, this species grows and matures to form a broad and spreading crown with sturdy branches beneath. Flowers: long, yellow hanging catkins which distribute pollen into the air. Fruits: acorns are 2-2.5cm long, on long stalks and in cupules (the cup-shaped base of the acorn).
The planting of trees on the moor has been an historic tradition, with the iconic horse chestnut avenues around the estate all dating to the 19th and early 20th centuries. Nowadays, with the benefit of modern botanical knowledge, planting is arranged in a much more naturalistic manner and tree species are carefully matched to the prevailing environmental conditions and habitat.