MAPLE, FIELD (Acer Campestre)
Pollution fighter, autumn stunner, syrup maker. The field maple is a sturdy broadleaf which supports caterpillars, aphids, and all their predators, all while resisting air pollution. The bark is light brown and flaky, and twigs are slender and brown and develop a corky bark with age. Small, grey leaf buds grow on long stems. Field […]
CHERRY, SOUR (Prunus Cerasus)
Acidic fruits that are adored by birds. This tree gives astonishing displays of blossom in spring along hedgerows and woods. Sour cherry is smaller than sweet cherry cultivars and can reach up to 10m high. It grows best in moist, rich soil as it requires more nitrogen and water than sweet cherries. The bark of […]
ELM, WYCH (Ulmus Glabra)
Decimated by Dutch elm disease, the sweeping and majestic wych elm is a much rarer sight these days. Its loss goes hand-in-hand with the decline of the elusive white-letter hairstreak butterfly, whose caterpillars rely on elm leaves. Trees can grow to a height of 30m. The bark is smooth and grey when young, becoming grey-brown […]
JUNIPER (Juniperus Communis)
A cosy home for wildlife and a gin-drinker’s delight, the juniper is a much-loved evergreen that brightens up the winter months. Common juniper is an evergreen conifer. Mature trees can reach a height of 8m and live for up to 200 years. Its bark is grey-brown and peels with age, and its twigs are reddish […]
Hornbeam (Carpinus Betulus)
Gnarled and mighty, the hornbeam is as tough as they come. It’s beautiful, useful, and its year-round leaf cover makes it a winter haven for wildlife. Common hornbeam is a deciduous, broadleaf tree which has pale grey bark with vertical markings, and sometimes a short, twisted trunk which develops ridges with age. The twigs are […]
HEMLOCK, WESTERN (Tsuga Heterophylla)
Dense and graceful, the western hemlock is a handsome tree with drooping branches of soft needles. Introduced in the 1800s, the tree casts such heavy shade that not much can live beneath it. Broadly conical in habit with a narrow crown, mature trees can grow to 45m (taller in their native habitat), and have characteristic […]
HAZEL (Corylus Avellana)
Catkins resembling lambs tails, and late-summer nuts. Hazel is one of the most useful trees for its bendy stems and as a conservation saviour. And its nuts are loved by people, squirrels and hazel dormice. Hazel is often coppiced, but when left to grow, trees can reach a height of 12m and live for up […]
HAWTHORN (Crataegus Monogyna)
Named after the month in which it blooms and a sign that spring is turning to summer. The pale green leaves of this hedgerow staple are often the first to appear in spring, with an explosion of pretty pale-pink blossom in May. It simply teems with wildlife from bugs to birds. Mature trees can reach […]
SYCAMORE (Acer Pseudoplatanus)
Familiar, romantic, sticky. Sycamore might have been introduced by the Romans or in the 1500s. Since then, it’s colonised woodland becoming a source of food and shelter for wildlife including aphids that leave behind their tacky honeydew. They generally have a lifespan of 200-400 years in the wild. However, in cultivation, they can live for […]
FIR, DOUGLAS (Pseudotsuga Menziesii)
A fragrant home for wildlife, the Douglas fir isn’t just for Christmas. First introduced in the 1800s, it’s been a valuable timber source and provided homes for the likes of red squirrels and pine martens. Douglas fir is an evergreen conifer that can grow to 55m and live for more than 1,000 years. The bark […]