Majestic Trees gifts rare Chinese Ironwood to King
Majestic Trees will present His Majesty King Charles III with a rare Parrotia subaequalis (Chinese Ironwood) at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026, celebrating the nursery’s longstanding relationship with the Royal Estates.
The critically endangered species will be donated to Balmoral Castle as part of wider efforts to support ex situ conservation and preserve rare tree species for future generations.
Native to fragmented mountain forests in China, Parrotia subaequalis is considered one of the rarest trees in cultivation, with fewer than 100 mature specimens believed to remain in the wild. Habitat loss, disease pressure and declining seed production have contributed to its classification on the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered.
Majestic Trees has supplied specialist trees to Royal Estates including Sandringham, Windsor, Highgrove and Buckingham Palace, with Royal horticultural teams seeking unusual and climate-resilient species for their collections.
The nursery said the Balmoral planting will help broaden the genetic provenance of the species within UK collections while allowing horticulturists to monitor performance across differing climates and growing conditions.
The presentation coincides with Majestic Trees’ first Great Pavilion exhibit at RHS Chelsea, themed “Trees of the Future,” which focuses on species selected for climate resilience as Britain’s growing conditions continue to evolve.
Featured trees include Zelkova serrata (Japanese Zelkova), Taxodium distichum (Swamp Cypress) and Corylus colurna (Turkish Hazel), all chosen for their adaptability and long-term suitability for future landscapes.
Majestic Trees believes greater species diversity will play a key role in helping Britain’s treescapes adapt to climate change, rising temperatures and increasing pest and disease pressures.
The Hertfordshire nursery was recently featured on Gardeners' World alongside the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew for its work on climate-resilient tree cultivation and conservation.
Founded as a specialist supplier of mature and semi-mature trees, Majestic Trees now grows more than 600 varieties and over 13,000 specimens for both trade and retail customers.