BRITAIN’S oldest tree has unexpectedly undergone a sex change, surprised botanists have revealed.

    The Fortingall Yew is a tree of international renown and thought to be between 3,000 and 5,000 years old with connections to early Christianity in Scotland. It is also believed to be one of the oldest living things in Europe.

    According to local legend, Pontius Pilate was born in the shade of the iconic tree and he is said to have played there as a child.

    But after thousands of years as a male, the tree, or part of it, is turning female as researchers have discovered a branch which has suddenly grown berries.

    Dr. Max Coleman, science communicator at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, said, “Yews are normally either male or female and in autumn and winter sexing yews is generally easy.

    “Males have small spherical structures that release clouds of pollen when they mature. Females hold bright red berries from autumn into winter.

    “It was, therefore, quite a surprise to me to find a group of three ripe red berries on the Fortingall Yew this October when the rest of the tree was clearly male.

    “Odd as it may seem, yews, and many other conifers that have separate sexes, have been observed to switch sex.

    “Normally this switch occurs on part of the crown rather than the entire tree changing sex.

    “In the Fortingall Yew it seems that one small branch in the outer part of the crown has switched and now behaves as female.”(SD-Agencies)