Largest plant fossil is moved

THE UK’S largest plant fossil – a 10 tonne tree trunk – has been transported to a new home for safekeeping during restoration work at Scotland’s leading Botanical garden.

The 330 million years old remains of Pitys withamii is the oldest tree in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE).

Known as the Craigleith Tree, after the former sandstone quarry where it was excavated, the 10.5m long fossil dates from when Scotland provided a swampy, tropical, forest habitat.

The RBGE’S Nigel Larkin said: “It is a very delicate process.”