This tree is one of those eternal landmarks of my front garden. It creates shade and one can mark the seasons by the performance of the tree, whether it's the berries on the ground in autumn or the lilac flowers on the tree (spring) which then drop their small flowers in light off-white profusion (autumn). The falling blossoms create a floral carpet on the lawn. The flowers appear in the spring and have a light scent but by this time of the year (late March) have given way to the berry fruit. The prolific seeds produce small yellow round berries, several in a cluster on a stalk. In the photo below, berries are still on the tree. Come April they will fall and blanket the lawn and we take out a rake to sweep up the berry clusters. A single tree produces huge mounds of berries.
The berries hang on a cluster around a stalk
Each Berry has the ability to produce a new tree shoot. It's a tree that quickly seeds itself and is a fast growing trees. The berries are highly toxic to children, dogs and other domestic animals but goats have been known to eat the berries and survive when there is no other grass or food for survival. It is one of those trees where you have...
