Ehretia dicksonii

Obscure and rarely offered, this Asian member of the Borage family deserves wider planting. A fast growing small tree with broad corymbs of fragrant white flowers borne in June, followed by fat yellow fruit in autumn. Leaves are large, lustrous and roughly hairy, potentially up to 23cm long, and the bark on old specimens is deeply and ornamentally fissured, making a rugged looking little tree to about 6m. Suited to any ordinary soil and fully hardy once established.