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We think blossom is one of the best things about spring – so join us on a deep dive to discover the different types and how to identify them.
Spring has sprung, and with it, pretty petals of blossom are turning our trees into clouds of pink and white.
But what is it, where can you spot it and how can you tell which is which?
Join us as we take a deep dive to discover Britain’s beautiful blossoms!
Essentially blossoms are flowers, but the difference botanically is that blossoms refer specifically to the flowers of fruiting trees.
These trees include species like Cherry and Apple which you might have in your garden or spot at a local community orchard. It also includes trees such as Rowan, Hawthorn and Blackthorn which you can spot in hedgerows, scrubland and woodlands across the UK.
These flowers are the beginning of the tree’s reproduction. The more blossoms that are pollinated in the spring, the more fruit the tree will produce.
The good news is that many blossom trees are quite common.
One of the best places to visit is orchards where can you spot lots of fruit trees together –you could even volunteer at your local community orchard to give back to nature and your neighbours. Local parks are also great, places like Greenwich Park in London or the Alnwick Garden in Northumberland typically have great displays.
But it’s also worth keeping your eyes out on walks or when you’re in the car. Native trees can pop up along roadsides, in hedgerows and woodlands, so you can spot some of the most beautiful blossoms in the most unexpected places.
It depends on which blossom you’re looking for, but generically speaking these stunning floral shows can be enjoyed from late February right the way through until early June.
The exact bloom times depend on the season, weather and temperature, but Blackthorn can usually be seen from February to March. Hawthorn and Crab Apples can be spotted from April to May, and Rowan from May to June.
Here we’re going to take a closer look at a few of our most beautiful native blossoms which can look quite similar – Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Cherry Plum.
Firstly looking at Cherry Plum, the bark of an adult plant is dark grey and new growth is green and hairless. The sepals of the flowers bend backwards away from the petals – this is known as being ‘reflexed’. The flowers are also around 20mm wide, whereas the Blackthorn and Hawthorn are both smaller at around 10 – 12mm.
Hawthorn and Blackthorn both have similarities too. Their trees produce pale creamy flowers in the spring, which each have 5 petals. Though Hawthorn blossom petals are more rounded than Blackthorn.
One great way to tell the blossoms apart is that Blackthorn starts flowering before its leaves appear and Hawthorn flowers after.
Looking at the two trees, Hawthorn is a common tree that is found in woodlands, hedgerows and scrub. Like the name suggests, its branches are thorned, but they’re much smaller than the thorns found on Blackthorn. Hawthorn’s bark is a grey to brown colour. It flowers from April until May, which is slightly later than Blackthorn, though they can overlap.
Blackthorn on the other hand, which can be found in the same habitats, has darker bark and larger sharp thorns. It flowers from February to March, which is slightly earlier, though as mentioned above, they can overlap.
The Blossoms of our native trees are great for pollinators. Blackthorn for example, with its earlier flowering time is a great food source for early spring butterflies such as Small Tortoiseshell.
We’re sure you’ll agree that blossom is one of the best things about spring. So keep an eye out and feel free to share your beautiful photos with us by tagging us on social media.
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