Description:
A decidious Tree growing to 15m at a medium rate.

Distribution and habitat:
Woodland Garden; Canopy.
Service Tree grows in Europe in woods and bushy places.

Hystory:


Parts used:
Fruit.

Constituens:


Edible Uses:
Edible Parts: Fruit.
Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit is usually bletted if it is going to be eaten raw. This involves storing the fruit in a cool dry place until it is almost but not quite going rotten. At this stage the fruit has a delicious taste, somewhat like a luscious tropical fruit. The fruit will often begin its bletting process whilst still on the tree and we have eaten delicious fruits straight from the tree in mid-September. The fruit can also be dried and used like prunes. The fruit is up to 3cm across.

Medicinal Uses:
None known

Others Uses:
Tannin; Wood.
The bark is a source of tannin. Wood - fine grained, very heavy, hard to split. Used for furniture, screws, wine presses etc.

Safety:
The seeds probably contain hydrogen cyanide. This is the ingredient that gives almonds their characteristic flavour. Unless the seed is very bitter it should be perfectly safe in reasonable quantities. In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death.