Branching out - huge plant fossil moved
The UK s largest plant fossil - a 330 million years old tree trunk - is loaded on to a truck at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. PIC: SALTIRE NEWS AT 330 million years old and 10 tonnes in weight, it s not exactly easy to move. But the UK s largest plant fossil - an enormous tree trunk - has successfully been transported to a new home for safekeeping during restoration work at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). The ancient remains of Pitys withamii is the oldest tree in the RBGE. Known as the Craigleith Tree, after the former sandstone quarry where it was excavated, the 10.5m long fossil has been part of the RBGE collection for almost 200 years.