Fresh growth on the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park
After a recent cold snap with hailstorms the weather is getting warmer here in South Wales.
Of course that means it is slightly damper and it started to drizzle when I arrived at Cardiff’s Victoria Park to visit the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) this week.
I was delighted to find the tree now had a distinct green tinge.
Here are the pictures from my latest visit…
Approaching the tulip tree from the north
A green tinge
Little leaves against the trunk
Celandine beneath the tree, half closed with no sunshine
The distinctive leaves seem to be accompanied by budding flowers with a touch of red
Leaves, flower buds and an old fruit case
A dead twig
A distorted branch
Looking back at the tree from the south…
That’s it for now – we’ll meet again in May…
The Squirrelbasket 
I’m a bit jealous. It will take another few weeks before our trees get to the green tinge stage.
I finally got around to looking up “celandine”, after reading reports of it every spring from across the pond 🙂 Here it’s called fig buttercup, an introduction and even a noxious weed in places. That’s too bad … such a nice bright face is welcome this time of year! However, it doesn’t grow here in Wyoming.
I find it hard to believe that anyone could take offence at the lesser celandine – mine grow freely on a grassy bank in the garden and give great ground cover and pretty colour. But then, I don’t have any livestock, so no danger of poisoning.
I see Ficaria, its Latin name, does mean fig, but I can’t think why…
All the best 🙂
It’s always good to see new leaves starting to appear, and these are also a very distinctive shape. xx
Indeed, hence the name saddle-leaf tree, although to me they look more like a saddle blanket than the saddle itself…
Best wishes 🙂