Found in hedgerows and mainly on calcareous soils, Spindle is a particularly stunning sight in autumn. At that time its narrow, toothed, oval-shaped leaves turn a flame red colour and its distinctive four-lobed coral-pink berries open up to reveal bright-orange seed-coverings inside. It all goes to create an amazingly colourful picture which is hard to forget. These much-branched trees can grow to six metres, bearing inconspicuous, green four-petalled flowers (7–10mm) in May and June. This little tree is a native and it belongs to the Celastraceae family.
I first recorded and photographed this plant on the slopes of Slieve Carron in County Clare in 2010.
If you are satisfied you have correctly identified this plant, please submit your sighting to the National Biodiversity Data Centre
