Banksy’s urban tree artwork defaced with white paint

As with many of Banksy’s works, the latest piece caused a debate and range of opinions, including from some conservation campaigners who say the Cherry tree was pruned back, or pollarded, too much.

Gio Lozzi, from Haringey Tree Protectors, said the Cherry tree had been cut back “really, really, really brutally”.

“Cherry trees do not respond well to this kind of pollarding,” she said.

“It should be in blossom, it should be in full blossom, it’s March.”

Islington Council explained the cherry tree chosen by Banksy was 40 to 50 years old and in declining health, with decay and fungi damage.

The local authority said it would continue to work to try to keep the tree alive and that it should re-bud across its crown.

The boss of the firm responsible for pruning the tree back to its current shape on behalf of the council said his team had used an “ancient form of pruning”, known as pollarding, where the upper parts of the tree were removed.

Lawrence-Thor Stephen, who runs Thor’s Trees, explained the practice limited the tree’s growth and stopped weak branches from falling off.

He said it was a “really good way of increasing the lifespan of the tree” and that he hoped it would “burst with growth in the spring”.