Small, pear-shaped fruits adorn the wild service tree beside the South Walk.
Sorbus domestica (syn. Cormus domestica), or service tree, is a member of a complex group of closely related trees which includes the genera Sorbus, Cormus and Aria. It is a native of the Mediterranean, extending into the Caucasus, and there is debate about whether it is also a native of the United Kingdom. In the wild it occurs in small numbers in isolated populations. This species can survive for several hundred years, and is larger than many other Sorbus species, reaching up to 18m in height. It has attractive pinnate foliage comprising between thirteen and twenty-one leaflets, and produces panicles of white flowers in May, and small green or brown-tinged fruits to 3cm in length. The fruits are edible if bletted (or softened beyond ripeness), and are used to make jams and alcohol, and also in the treatment of intestinal problems.