If you do not qualify for trade rates, immediate payment by credit or debit card via Sage Pay is required, or you may request contact from the office to make payment over the phone.
For customers who have been accepted for trade rates, we offer several ordering and payment options, including:
Immediate payment by credit or debit card via Sage Pay, our payment service provider.
Order on account (available to credit account customers only).
Request contact from the office & make payment over the phone.
Place order to reserve stock & request a call back to discuss timings, with payment only required upon despatch.
Note: Plant specifications and prices below relate to last season and will be updated ahead of the 2022-2023 season once availability has been determined.
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Minimum Order Value
Please note that there is a minimum order value of £50.00 + VAT, excluding delivery.
Delivery
Delivery to UK mainland is included for stock orders over £1500.00 + VAT (subject to postcode zones & surcharges). For full details on delivery please view our delivery page.
A native deciduous tree with upright sweeping branches and a rounded canopy, the Wild Service Tree is generally found in old woodlands and hedgerows but can sometimes be found within parks and large gardens. It grows to a medium-sized tree on a wide variety of soils. For much of the year, the Wild Service Tree is inconspicuous but it comes to life in spring with a display of pretty white blossom, and provides strong autumn colour as the leaves turn a rich, coppery red colour before falling to the ground.
Site and soil
Sorbus torminalis is suitable for sandy and clay soils but does prefer well-draining soil. It can grow in semi-shade or no shade and is tolerant of strong winds and is resistant to frost.
Height and spread
Below are the approximate stages of growth, assuming sited in suitable conditions for this species;
After 10 years: 5m x 3m
After 20 years: 12m x 8m
Leaf and bark
The leaf buds on a Wild Service Tree are green and round, and form on short leaf stalks. Leaves are lobed, like maple, which turn a coppery red colour before falling in autumn.
The bark is smooth and a greyish colour, peeling away in square plates to reveal darker brown layers underneath.
Flower, seed and fruit
Small white five petal flowers form in clusters in late spring to early summer, which are pollinated by insects. The flowers develop into green-brown small oval shaped fruits, also known as Chequers, which are patterned with tiny pale spots when mature in autumn.
Uses
The Wild Service Tree is normally planted within woodlands, but it can also be used within a hedgerow, or planted within parks or large gardens. The timber can be used as firewood, burning slowly with good heat.
Wildlife
The flowers of the Wild Service Tree provide pollen and nectar for insects, whilst the fruits are eaten by birds.
The main reasons for buying protection is to protect the plants against:
Pests
Spraying
Strimming
Pests
When it comes to deciding what protection to choose the golden rule is to choose the product dependent on which pest you are protecting against. The below will help you in deciding what height of protection you will need.
Vole, Mice 20cm
Rabbit 60cm
Hare 75cm
Roe Deer, Muntjac 1.20m
Fallow Deer 1.50m
Pest & Minimum Protection Height
Protection Type Where more than one size is listed, the wider diameter protection is recommended for taller, bushier plants.
Support Required Taller support is recommended for use in sandier, lighter soils and wider/stronger support should be used at exposed sites.
Tubex tree shelters offer the benefit of not only protecting against animal damage, they also ensure that herbicides do not come into contact with the plants during spraying.
The main reason for spraying is weed control, however, there are other options available to suppress weeds, such as weed control matting.
Strimming
Young plants should be protected from damage caused when strimming. To protect plants solely for strimming, our strimmer guards are the ideal product.
The Wild Service Tree rarely needs pruning but if it is required, light pruning should be undertaken during late winter and early spring, outside of the growing season. Hard pruning is not recommended for this tree.