A LEADING Scottish botanist warned that the hazel tree could start flowering as early as autumn because of
global warming.
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Dr Geoffrey Harper, a botanist at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, made the prediction following new research which shows the spring-flowering plant has advanced by 55 days in just three years.
The hazel tree, which is native to Scotland, was recorded flowering as early as November last year.
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The finding has "horrified" experts who said it would have a serious knock-on effect to the birds and insects in its ecosystem.
The change in such a short timespan last night led to calls from environmentalists to "seriously address" the issues of global warming.
Dr Harper said: "Ongoing observations suggest spring really is arriving earlier. The results are particularly noticeable for early spring plants, with an extreme example being the hazel.
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"The first flowering of one tree has advanced by 55 days in three years, from 21 January, 2002, to 26 November, 2004: that’s 18 days a year.
"This is almost certainly caused by warmer temperatures in late winter and early spring."