Glasgow ash crowned Tree of the Year after public wildcard vote

An unusually graceful 170-year-old ash on Glasgow’s Argyle Street has been crowned Tree of the Year after being nominated by the public as this year’s wildcard entry. The annual competition’s nine-strong shortlist featured trees of varying ages and species, but the public vote propelled the Glasgow tree to the top and earned it a place representing the United Kingdom in the European Tree of the Year finals in early 2026.

The Argyle Street Ash traces its fame to a 1951 reference in James Cowan’s From Glasgow's Treasure Chest, which described the tree as “unusually graceful for an Ash... It is quite the most graceful ash I have seen.” The public vote for the wildcard entry underscores how a single tree can become part of a place’s cultural fabric. The Glasgow tree narrowly beat the “King of Limbs” oak, which inspired a Radiohead album, and finished ahead of other contenders such as a “Lonely Tree” near Llyn Padarn in North Wales. The top five also included the ancient “Lady Jane Grey Oak” in Bradgate Park and a cedar in London associated with Beatles photographs at Chiswick House.

Winning the title will boost the Argyle Street Ash’s profile, and the tree will symbolize the UK at the European Tree of the Year competition in early 2026. Organizers said the theme this year, “rooted in culture,” celebrated how trees shape the cultural landscape in literature, music, poetry and art.

In recent years, ash trees across the UK have been dying out due to a fungal disease called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. But the Argyle Street Ash appears to be lasting under adverse urban conditions. The Tree Wise Street Surgeons noted that, despite harsh urban environments and its isolated location, the Argyle Street Ash shows no significant dieback symptoms. After years of close observation, it appears to be resisting the disease that has brought down millions of others. Some researchers suggest that urban stressors—pollution, drought, hard surfaces—may, paradoxically, select for the most resilient individuals. This tree might be living proof.

The Glasgow tree’s victory came as part of a broader nod to how urban trees contribute to communities. The Woodland Trust emphasized that the “rooted in culture” theme demonstrates how trees inspire stories and art while connecting people to place, biodiversity and wellbeing. Adam Cormack, the charity’s head of campaigning, said: “Trees really matter to people, and this is clear from the response we’ve seen to the Argyle Street Ash. Trees inspire us to write stories and create art, whilst connecting us to cultural legacies and a sense of place. We encourage people to notice and enjoy the trees around them, and learn more about how they benefit us—from boosting biodiversity and wellbeing, to mitigating the effects of climate change.”

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, which supported the competition, added: “These trees, rooted in culture, show how valued they are by their communities, and the significant importance they have in our wider cultural history. What a worthy winner the Argyle Street Ash is.”

The Argyle Street Ash’s win highlights the enduring role of urban trees in climate resilience. While ash dieback reshapes landscapes across Britain, the tree’s apparent health in a busy city street offers a counterpoint to broader ecological losses and underscores the value of city trees in supporting biodiversity, shade, air quality and mental well-being. As the UK prepares for the European finals, conservation advocates emphasize that public engagement can help protect more trees in streets and parks from disease and development pressures, ensuring that iconic urban trees continue to anchor communities through climate-related challenges.