Wild Pear and Crab Apple

The wild service tree has a similar range to that of the whitebeam, though it does not extend as far north and east. It requires a mild climate and thus is found in hilly country only up to 500 metres. Ideal conditions arc provided by limestone soils and sun-facing slopes, though in Britain it is often found on clay soils.

A comparatively small tree, it grows to a height of 10 to 20 metres, and develops a dome-like crown with erect branches and thorny twigs. The bark is furrowed in squares. The alternate leaves have a stalk almost as long as the blade. The abundantly borne white flowers appear in April and early May. The rounded fruit is borne on long stalks, and is yellow-green when ripe. The wild pear has deep roots and favours light, deep soils.

The wild service tree has a heart-shaped root system with long lateral roots, and reproduces also by root suckers. The wood is heavy and very hard, and is used for woodcarvings and making rulers, gauges and instrument components. An ornamental tree, it is also suitable for planting alongside roads and in tree avenues. In southern Europe it often hybridizes with the whitebeam to produce the hybrid broad-leaved whitebeam

The whitebeam is widespread in southern, central and western Europe, including Great Britain, the southern tip of Sweden marking the northernmost limit of its range. Throughout this area, however, it occurs fairly sparsely. A light-demanding and warmth-loving species, it is often found growing on chalk or limestone hills facing south. In such conditions, it may be found at elevations even over 1000 metres.

The crab apple is a small tree growing to a height of only 5 to 10 metres. It has a broad crown and grey-brown bark that peels off in thin scales. The flowers, borne in clusters, arc usually pinkish outside, white inside, with yellow stamens, and open one to several weeks later than those of the pear. The fruit is a small greenish yellow apple, sometimes flushed red, with a short stalk and brown, drop-like seeds.

The crab apple thrives best in moist fertile soils, and requires ample light for good growth. It is the main species, and has given rise to many cultivated varieties. Fruit-growers to this day use it as a frost-resistant dwarfing rootstock for grafting the garden varieties. In the wild, its fruit is eaten by forest animals, and many of its lovely, richly coloured, flowering forms are frequently planted in parks as ornamentals.