Garden Q&A: My whitethorn tree has never blossomed. Why not?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions

The whitethorn can survive 250 years, writes Peter Dowdall. File picture

Question

A kindly bird planted a whitethorn seed in my garden. It has now grown to about four feet tall and looks very healthy. However, no white blossom ever appeared. Is there a male/female thing going on here, or is it simply too soon for me to expect it to flower?