Wild Service Tree Seed

Wild Service Tree is an attractive medium sized deciduous tree with Maple like leaves. They turn from a glossy dark green to bronze yellow in the autumn. The fruits start spherical and when ripe become elongated and are russet brown with darker spots, hence the name ‘Chequer Tree’. They need to be ‘bletted’ (left to go almost bad and soft) to render them edible! Pubs called ‘The Chequers’ are named after the tree rather than the board game, possibly because they used to serve beer/wine made from the fruit.  The timber is used as a reddish/orange decorative veneer. There is a great specimen in the environs of Lower Brockhampton Manor  (National Trust), but generally the tree is quite rare