Glasgow is the first city in the UK to have installed environmentally friendly CityTrees.

Created by Berlin-based Green City Solutions, one CityTree is said to have the same environmental benefits as 275 real trees.

Costing around £20,000 each, the two large free-standing installations are made up of mosses which have a larger green surface area than any other plant and so can remove more pollutants from the air.

The four-metre high structures have been installed next to Buchanan Bus Station, on Killermont Street, and outside the Gallery of Modern Art on Royal Exchange Square.

The mosses can remove dirt and nitrogen dioxide from the air. Solar panels meet their electrical requirements and rainwater is collected to irrigate them.

Glasgow City Council welcomed the arrival of the CityTrees.

Councillor Anna Richardson, convener for sustainability and carbon reduction, said: "We have set a target of making Glasgow one of Europe's most sustainable cities and the arrival of these installations is a massive boost.

"Poor air quality is a significant public health concern, but also a major social justice issue for Glasgow. Pollution affects some of the most vulnerable people in our city; including the old, the sick and those experiencing poverty.

"The council is a key partner in the Scottish Government's Cleaner Air for Scotland Strategy, which defines the path to achieving full compliance with the relevant air quality standards over the next few years.

"There is a wealth of evidence to show that cities that prioritise healthy, liveable streets benefit not only from better health outcomes, but from more resilient economies and reduced inequality. That's the goal."

Funding for the CityTrees has been secured from the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council.