Wild Wednesday - European Spindle Tree
The European spindle, or common spindle, is a species of flowering plant native to much of Europe, where it inhabits the edges of forests, woodland clearings, hedges and gentle slopes, thriving on nutrient-rich, chalky and salt-poor soils. It is a deciduous shrub or small tree that lives up to 100 years.
It grows to 3–6 m (10–20 ft) tall, in some cases up to 10 m (33 ft), with a stem up to 20 cm (8 in) in diameter.
The leaves have a finely serrated edge and are dark green in summer, and in autumn, the colour ranges from yellow-green to reddish-purple, depending on the weather.
The yellowish-green flowers are produced in late spring and are insect-pollinated. The capsule-shaped fruit ripens in Autumn and is red to purple or pink, and once ripe, its four lobes split open to reveal the orange seeds. This makes it a popular ornamental plant in gardens and parks.
European spindle wood is hard and can be cut to a sharp point; in the past, it was used to make spindles for wool-spinning and for butcher skewers.
Charcoal produced from this plant is popular with artists due to its density and strength.
Read more here: https://ow.ly/cnqv50Qk763