Deciduous British tree with Large white conical flowers

[Blaze]

For an expert identifying this tree will be easy. I have no idea but it displays fantastic large cream conical flowers in Spring. It is a very large tree so I havn't ever seen them in small house gardens. Could anyone help please Thanks

[Hedge Witch]

Horse Chestnut?



Image from the Gallery courtesy of escafeld.

[Blaze]

Oh dear ovious isn't it That's the one. Now you know how little I know... Thanks

[Hedge Witch]

We all have to start somewhere, Blaze. No question is "too stupid" here, that's what makes the forum so special. Welcome to WAB, hope you stick around.

[Blaze]

The reason I ask is starting in February each year I get terrible hay fever. Someone told me " Must be a tree that early in the year " So I started looking around for trees that start flowering early in the year. This may be a candidate for my hayfever maybe.

[Hedge Witch]

Not really. Birch is a better one.

You are looking for a tree that doesn't have showy flowers, and is wind pollinated. This is the sort of tree that sheds lots of pollen and causes problems.

[Blaze]

Ah that's interesting because In my ignorance I assumed that a showy flower
meant lots of pollen and the large flower was a good radiator of fine pollen ?

[Hobjob]

Originally Posted by Blaze

Ah that's interesting because In my ignorance I assumed that a showy flower
meant lots of pollen and the large flower was a good radiator of fine pollen ?

The showiness is to attract insects that do the pollinating.
Wind pollination is highly inneficient so the trees shed large
amounts and the "flowers" (and they are technically flowers)
are inconspicuous.

Wind pollinaters include
Alder, Ash, Beech, Birch, Elm, Hazel, Oak, Poplar, Plane and some Willows,
and I think most conifers - I bet someone will come up with exception to that
though