Caucasian Wingnut - Pterocarya fraxinifolia

A vigorous, broadly spreading deciduous tree with large, rather glossy, pinnate leaves (which resemble Ash leaves) and small green flowers in drooping racemes to 50cm long, followed by winged fruits. This species has distinctive ‘chambered’ pith which can be seen by slicing diagonally across a twig.

Introduced in parks and large gardens and sometimes planted by water, it can sucker vigorously.

Flowers from May or June and fruits in early autumn.

Deciduous tree. Reproduction is by seed and its abundantly produced suckers.

Occasional, mainly in the southern half of Britain.

Rare in Leicestershire and Rutland. It was not recorded in the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire and was first noted in VC55 at Ketton in Rutland in 2000.