Mulberry Tree of Cripps Court Requires Emergency Works

Over the summer, we had a sudden change in scenery when the Mulberry Tree in the centre of Cripps Court suffered a major natural break. The heavy weight of the fruit and the sheer width of the limbs meant it could no longer support itself. This is a common occurrence for Mulberry trees, as they are known to have brittle branches that grow out wide rather than vertical, as such the Gardening team at Queens’ has propped and strapped the tree over the years, but ultimately the prolonged dry weather combined with the fruit season became too much, and the central trunks gave way.

Emergency work has been carried out to pollard the tree as an initial phase to assess the tree’s condition and remove the damaged limbs to make the area safe. While the change is dramatic, it will enable the College to work on saving the remaining young growth to allow the tree to flourish over the next few years.