Landmark set to go

The ‘Monkey Puzzle’ tree at the junction of Governor’s Road/Hillsborough Road is to be cut down, with two independent reports stating the vast majority of the crown is now dead.

Most visitors to the City and certainly residents will have passed this well known landmark which is growing on a hillock and towers over the traffic below.

The “Monkey Puzzle” tree (or Chilean Pine) has been a feature of this part of Lisburn for many years, although it was more than likely planted in Victorian times, when this area was residential.

Sadly the tree has shown recent signs of crown dieback, and has started to shed its dead branches perilously close to cars parked at the retail shops car parking area.

The owners of the retail park commissioned two independent reports on the health and condition of tree, and after close inspection, both consultants concluded that the vast majority of the crown is now dead, and upon perusal of the trunk they found evidence of significant weeping cankers indicating the presence of a wilt disease.

The recommendation is that unfortunately the tree needs to be removed to ensure the safety of the Public, and this operation will take place shortly, as the Planning Service has also surveyed the tree and has agreed that it poses a potential danger to the public.

However, consideration is being given to replacing the Monkey Puzzle with another (smaller) specimen of the species or perhaps a Cedar or Redwood.

Monkey Puzzles are a legacy of the Victorians, who during their “Grand Tour” of the Americas were offered the seeds of this tree (often roasted) as an after dinner treat, but as well as eating them, they brought back some of these seeds and planted them.