Plant · P-387

Whitebeam

Aria edulis

Whitebeam is a tough, sun-loving tree that thrives on thin, chalky ground where most fruit trees struggle - it even acts as a pioneer species on bare limestone. Its red-orange autumn fruit looks tempting but has to be bletted, held until nearly overripe, before it turns edible, eaten raw, cooked into preserves, or dried and ground into a flour additive. Spring flowers draw a heavy run of pollinators, and it copes with wind, heat, drought, salt spray and pollution well enough to double as an excellent windbreak. It also regrows readily after hard cutting, which makes it a reliable coppice tree as well.