Manx Native Trees

NATIVE TREES

Manx Native Trees provides trees native to the Island from local seed sources, “honorary native” trees (non invasive trees native to the rest of the British Isles), windbreak trees and a large selection of hardy, mainly heritage, apple, pear, plum and damson trees known to succeed here.

Plants vary genetically between each geographical location. Within one species a genetic variation, although slight, occurs from one valley to the next or from one end of the Island to another. Hence, the plant life of the Isle of Man has developed its own unique variation.

The vast majority of broad leaf trees planted on the Island since Victorian times were imported from tree nurseries in England and Scotland. Often the seeds used by these nurseries were collected, for economic reasons, from as far afield as Holland or Poland. This activity has diluted the local genetic tree stock and Manx Native Trees is attempting to reverse this situation by growing native trees only from locally collected seed. For Oaks a program of genetic tests has been undertaken.

Ancient Manx Oak on the cliffs at Dhoon Glen.

HONORARY NATIVE TREES

We grow a selection of non invasive honorary native trees mainly for use in hedges, fruiting hedges and for their value to wildlife (early pollen and berries and habitat niches for example.)

WINDBREAK TREES

Wind (and sheep!) is the biggest challenge to establishing woodland on the Island so we grow some trees to plant as windbreaks or nursery trees.

FRUIT

We graft a constantly expanding number of mainly heritage apple trees, tested in our own orchards. These are apples noted for their taste, vitamin content, hardiness or keeping qualities. In stock we have the native Manx varieties: 'Andrew Johnson' and 'Manx Codlin' unavailable elsewhere! Also available, a large variety of hardy plums, gages, pears and damsons known to succeed here.

Manx Nature Conservation Forum