The UK's oldest tree appears to be undergoing a sex change.
The tree, in Perthshire, has always been recorded as male, but it has recently started sprouting berries – something only a female would do.
The Fortingall Yew is believed to be between 3,000 and 5,000 years old, and is one of the oldest living organisms in Europe.
Experts at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh have now taken a sample for analysis.
Dr Max Coleman, of the Royal Botanic Garden said “Yew trees are male or female usually and it is pretty easy to spot which is which in autumn – males have tiny things that produce pollen and females have bright red berries from autumn into winter."
“This process may have happened before but we know the Fortingall Yew has been classed as male for hundreds of years through records."
“The sex change isn’t the amazing bit in this case, it’s the fact it’s this particular tree", he told the Guardian.
