Table Of ContentDo the needles
Pines YES grow together in
pairs, threes or
fives?
Corsican
pine
Long, drooping
leaves Upper
bark scaly
Lodgepole orange-
pine brown
Scots
pine
Dark red-brown
bark
Are the^'N.
s'*
' needles thin and \
sharply pointed, with
ya white band on the/
\upper side?^/
Juniper
Western
red
cedar ^
YES
-^"iAre the^v.
'T)o crushed n. leaves like small N
leaves smell of ) YES pointed scales,
v pineapple? J completely covering
the stem?
Cypress
Start here
trees
Larches lose
their needles
/iVre the needlesX.
' Do older twigs ' in winter
pale grey-green on the
have very short side
underside, and the Larches
shoots with clumps
^voting twigs yellow to,
V of needles? S
'•-----orange?
Twigs: f '
pale yellow = European larch
pale orange = Hybrid larch
Does the needle
dark orange-red = Japanese larch
have a round Sucker-like
sucker-like base? base labelled
Noble
fir
Hard dark
green needles
Crushed
green
leaves smell
of oranges
Norway
spruce
Grand
fir
Bluish leaves stick out to
make the twig hedgehog-like
Is a little
peg left on the twig
when a needle is
N. removed? s' Sitka Stiff blue-green
leaves with pointed
spruce tips. Two whitish
lines along
1 underside of leaf
Do the^"'^^
needles stick up and
out sideways, so that Western
the twig looks like hemlock
N^a hedgehog?^/
Douglas
fir
/ Are there two \
whitish lines along
the underside of
V the needle? S
London
plane v
Field
maple
s Do the
leaves occur in ^Does the leaf\v
opposite pairs on have a toothed YES
-v the twigs? edge? y
Sycamore
y Is the leaf"\ r Horse
chestnut
made up of 5 to 7
separate elongated
\ leaflets? y
Poplar
y ^ Is the leaf
'divided into lobes or' ' Does the ^
Is the leaf
leaflets (like a hand), leaf have large
stalk
with veins fanning out teeth along its
flattened?
v. from the top of the y
X^leaf stalk?
Lime
YES
Hazel
Aspen
yAit the leaves'^
(including leaflets)
about as long as
\they are wide?,X
Leaves made up of WIDTH
small leaflets W
are called
compound leaves^.
Leaflets have <r
very short stalks. LENGTH
^ Acorn
I without
' stalks
Base of leaf
Acorn
Hawthorn tapers to
on
Is the leaf stalks stalk
broadest at or above èJÊA l.
the middle, and i,
tapered toward the,
Pedunculate
Twisted i® ' oak
rounded base^^
Acorn cups
of leaf with very
whiskery'
short stalk Turkey
oak
Tops of
f Is the leaf made^N lobes pointed,
leaf often deeply divided
up of 5 pointed lobes \
(like a hand), with side ) YES
. veins branching off /
v. the mid vein?^y
Rowan
tree
jVtIH /\ra, ; mQ„ JÆm..f Arj'é i iiÉii' È U■ Ê tr-Êl-J-ÊeaËr
; vÿ/
y^ Is the leaf
y^ Do the
' deeply lobed to form \ Does the leaf
leaves grow in
pairs of leaflets? (A leaf have only 2 or 3
opposite pairs on
, has a bud at the base of/ pairs of leaflets?
v the twigs?
\. the leaf stalk.) S
Elder
yes
Is the leaf
divided into
. lobes? v
Holm
oak
/ Is the stem \
grey-brown and
densely covered in
short pale-brown
hairs?
Whitebeam
Downy
birch
y^ Does the^v'v
y Is the leaf ^N
' leaf have a dark ' /Is the leaf
thin with white
green upper surface YES •. softly hairy
hairs on stem and
and a white woolly, \lwoolly)? .
''^underside? ^y N. leaf stalk? y
Elms
Goat
willow
y Does the n^
leaf have a shiny,
smooth upper
spines
N. surface? y
' Is the leaf ^
a very elongated
ival or spear-heac
v in shape? .
Silver
birch
/ bud at the base of \ ^ _ f Is the leaf \
\ the leaf have a ) V stalk red? J
/ . Is the leaf N
thick, dark green
above, and whitish
V underneath? S
Crab
apple
Hornbeam
'Is the leaf dark'
green with a flat,
v blunt tip? y
Wild
Bird cherry
Common cherry
alder №
Red
alder
' h i t the^
twigs shiny
dark brown?
/ D oes the leaf \
have two red spots
at the top of the
V leaf stalk?
Willows
Sweet
chestnut
Tree
More about
name trail identification features
Trees can be divided into two main groups:
those that have flattened and wide leaves
Text by Jonathon Oldham (known as broadleaves), and those that have
Illustrations by Carol Roberts needle-like leaves (known as conifers). Most
broadleaved trees lose their leaves in the winter
Introduction and are called deciduous; but most conifers keep
their leaves in the winter and are called
evergreen. As well as the leaves, it is helpful to
You do not need to be an expert to use this guide. look at other features such as the tree shape,
Even if you are a beginner you should be able to put bark, buds, flowers (all trees have them in some
a name to the common trees found in your area. form, mostly in spring and summer), fruit and
But, please don't stop at just finding the name. The seeds (mostly in late summer and autumn). Use
guide will show how trees of different types can be whatever you can.
useful to us in many ways. The fact that most of us
now live in or near large towns and cities means In the following chart, under other notes:
that we may be unaware of the importance of trees I = introduced to Britain from another country.
and woodlands. By discovering the names of nearby Native indicates that the tree species has been
trees all sorts of interesting facts can be uncovered, growing in Britain before the island separated
from Europe with the formation of the English
hopefully leading to action to protect and conserve
Channel. Flowers: O' = male, Q = female.
our woodlands in the future.
How to use this key
Broadleaves
First, you need to decide whether your specimen
is a tree or a shrub. Generally, trees can grow to
over 5 metres high and have one stem. Shrubs
are usually smaller and have several stems.
Trees which have been cut back
may cause problems at first,
but you will soon spot the
differences. Having
decided it is a tree, the
coloured flow chart on the
other side will provide
you with a name. You can
then check your
identification using the table
on this side. The chart includes 34
of the most common species (out
of a total of 138 found in Britain). Sometimes
you may be looking at a tree that isn't included
in the chart (especially if you are
Shrub in a park or garden which has
been planted with imported
'decorative' trees). If you
think that this has happened,
the only thing that you can
do is to check with a guide
which includes all trees - some are listed at the
bottom of the last page.
Clumped
r NAME AND SPECIES BARK FLOWERS FRUITS WHERE FOUND OTHER NOTES*
AND SEEDS
1
‘False’ cypresses Vertical ridges/ Parks, gardens, Commercial occasionally,
ill
Chamaecyparis species cracks, some A churchyards and mainly Leyland cypress.
Cypress species form stringy or hedges 1: North America or Far East
Cupressus species scaly strips
c
Щ,
Western red cedar Very thick and 1 Parks, gardens. Commercial. Lightweight, low
Thuja plicata soft, ridged, Hedges strength uses, e.g. garden
dark purplish buildings. 1; East North America
Juniper Greyish to Basic soils, Native: shallow peat
Juniperus communis reddish-brown, e.g. chalk and (N Scotland), limestone (North),
flaky limestone chalk (South). Rarely >6m.
y
Fruit flavouring, e.g. gin
Scots pine Pinkish plates f f f Old parks, Commercial. Uses: poles,
Pinus sylvestris to dark ridged. heaths and flooring, joinery, Christmas trees.
Upper trunk N uplands; Native; Scottish uplands,
orangey planted woods English heaths (seml-wlld)
Lodgepole pine Fine scaly, i Planted woods, Commercial. Uses: pulp,
Pinus contorta dark red-brown especially NE construction, flooring, joinery,
var. latifolia Britain poles. 1: West North America
Corsican pine Finely flaking, ш Parks, gardens, Commercial. Uses: poles,
Pinus nigra pink-grey; old f planted woods building, packing boxes,
var. maritima trees grey and fencing, chipboard.
heavily ridged 1: Sicily, Corsica, S Italy
Larch Grey-brown Parks, gardens, Commercial. Uses: poles,
Larix species to red-brown, planted woods outdoor construction, pulp,
vertical flakes flooring. Deciduous.
%
1: Japan or mid-Europe
\f
Cedars Greyish to dark Parks, large Not commercial. Uses: joinery,
Cedrus species brown, with small gardens and furniture, veneers, landscaping.
scaly plates 0 churchyards 1: Atlas Mts, Syria or W Himalayas
Noble fir * Dull grey or & Large gardens Commercial. Uses: kitchen
Abies procera purple; forms and planted fittings, joinery and interior
Grand fir ♦ small plates. woods construction, Christmas trees.
1
Abies grandis Resin blisters 1: Western USA
Norway spruce ★ Coppery with Planted woods Commercial. Uses: paper,
Picea abies papery scales, or I and shelter-belts pulp, plywood core, structural
Sitka spruce ❖ purplish and work and joinery, Christmas trees.
Picea sitchensis coarse scales 1 1: mid/E Europe (pre-1500) or
W coast North America
* л !
Douglas fir Purple-brown, % Gardens, Commercial. Uses: plywood,
Pseudotsuga menziesii darker if old, shelter-belts and joinery and structural work.
vertical cracks planted woods I: W coast North America
deep if old
Yew Red-brown Churchyards, Native on chalk (South),
tí
Taxus baccata and purplish, gardens and Limestone (North), and In
patchy 1 parks and hedges; oak woods. Uses: furniture,
widespread veneer, craftwork, archery bows
Western hemlock Purple-brown Gardens, planted Commercial. Uses: paper, pulp, y
Tsuga heterophylla circular flakes woods (often structural work and plywood.
with hardwoods) I: West North America
v________________________
” NAME AND SPECIES BARK FLOWERS FRUITS WHERE FOUND OTHER NOTES
AND SEEDS
Horse chestnut Red-brown or Parks and Decorative. Little commercial
Aesculus hippocastanurr dark grey-brown; gardens use; turning.
long plates 1: Greece (17th C)
%
London plane Grey-brown, Parks, large Pollution tolerant. Little
Platanus x hispánica large flakes and gardens, town commercial use; tool handles and
yellow-white streets and veneer. Hybrid.
patches squares I: Spain (17th C)
Sycamore Dark grey, Widespread Tall, fast growing, seeds freely.
Acer pseudoplatanus curling square Not commercial. Uses: musical
scales instruments and kitchen utensils.
I: Europe (by Romans?)
%
Field maple Pale orange- Common on Native in England, not Scotland;
Acer campestre brown, ridged basic soils rare in Wales and Scotland.
Limited use; turning
Ш
Hazel Shiny grey-brown Widespread; Native, multi-stemmed, large
Corylus avellana with small, curling often coppiced shrub. Edible nuts. Uses: fencing
strips hurdles, charcoal, thatching spars
£
Aspen Smooth, green- Widespread Native. Common on damp sites.
Popuius trémula grey, horizontal Can be commercial.
pitting Uses: plywood, veneers, pulp,
baskets and matches
9
Lime Smooth grey, Town streets, T. cordata native, others native or
Tilia species then network of parks and gardens I early. Commercial. Uses: carving,
fine ridges turning, musical instruments
Poplar Grey to dark 0* River valleys, P. nigra Is native (only as males);
Popuius species green-grey, shelter-belts, others I: Europe and America.
furrowed or planted woods, Commercial. Uses: structural
Í f f
ridged parks work, plywood, pulp and joinery
Wild service tree Dark brown and Ancient woodlands Native In England. No commercial
Sorbus torminalis pale grey, scaly In England value. Used as indicator species
plates for ancient woodland
Hawthorn Dark orange- Widespread; parks, Native shrub or small tree.
Crataegus monogyna brown, narrow scrub, hedges Uses: walking sticks and rake
rectangular teeth; decorative planting (often
plates hybrids)
Sp
Turkey oak Dull grey, deep Hedgerows and Not commercial. Timber of
Quercus cerris cracks form small parks; more limited use. I: S Europe and
dark plates common In South SW Asia
Pedunculate oak Pale grey, Widespread in Commercial timber tree.
Quercus robur cracked into short, lowlands; parks, Native - old trees often marking
narrow, vertical woods and boundaries as pollards. Used In
plates gardens joinery, structural work, furniture,
gates, boats, flooring, barrels and
Sessile oak Grey, with fine Widespread, smoking foods. Important for
Quercus petraea vertical cracks particularly N and wildlife
and ridges W Britain
Ï
v____________________ _________/
NAME AND SPECIES BARK FLOWERS FRUITS WHERE FOUND OTHER NOTES
AND SEEDS
Elder Grey-brown, Widespread; Native shrub. Timber of little
Sambucus nigra soft, corky, common under use; turning. Edible; flowers and
vertical ridges trees, woods, fruits used for wine-making and
hedges flavouring
Rowan Light grey, Streets, parks, Native of little commercial
Sorbus aucuparia smooth, later a gardens, woods value. Uses: turning; decorative
network of and hillsides to in streets and gardens, along
ridges 1,000m with other cultivated species
Ash Pale grey, Widespread; Native. Commercial.
Fraxinus excelsior smooth, later less frequent Uses: vehicle frames, sports
interwoven on acid soils equipment, tool handles and
ridges steam-bent work for furniture
and boats
Holly Dull grey, Widespread; Native of little commercial value.
Ilex aquifolium often warty woods, parks, Uses: turning and engraving;
gardens decorative planting (many
cultivated varieties). Once
grown as winter fodder
Beech Silver-grey, Parks, hedges, Native commercial tree.
Fagus sylvatica smooth or with gardens and Uses: furniture, kitchen tools,
fine ripples woods (chalk- flooring and veneer. Fruit (‘mast’)
land dominant) once used as autumn pig food
Elm Grey to dark Widespread in Native and I: probably very early.
Ulmus species brown, smooth England, rarer Commercial. Uses: wet dock work,
to small flakes elsewhere; boats, coffins, furniture, flooring,
or thick ridges hedges turning. Rare as a tree due to
Dutch elm disease
Goat willow Pale grey, Widespread; Native shrub of little commercial
Salix caprea shallow cracks damp woods, value. Uses: thin coppice or
pale brown scrub and pollard shoots for hurdles and
hedges basketwork
Whitebeam Smooth, grey, Streets and Native in S England.
Sorbus aria later with scaly gardens; basic Uses: turning, carving, handles
ridges soils and veneer, decorative planting
Holm oak Blackish, thin, Parks, gardens Not commercial, usually.
Quercus ilex square, curling and southern Uses: structural work, furniture.
plates coastal areas Evergreen. I: S Europe (16th C)
Hornbeam Silver-grey, fine Woods and Native to SE England. Not
Carpinus betulus network pattern hedges, also commercial. Uses: cogs, pulleys,
in pale brown gardens tools, turning, piano actions and
drumsticks
Silver birch Shiny red-brown Widespread on Native. Not commercial.
Betula pendula early, pink-white acid light soils and Uses: plywood, turning, furniture,
later with grey peats; woods, besom brooms, packing cases,
Downy birch horizontal bands moors and heaths aircraft frames, pulp for writing
Betula pubescens (mostly on paper. The two species can
damper soils) produce hybrids
