dk pocket nature - trees

TREESP O C K E T N A T U R E

ALLEN COOMBES

DORLING KINDERSLEY

TREESP O C K E T N A T U R E

LONDON, NEW YORK, MUNICH, MELBOURNE, AND DELHI

DK LONDONSenior Art Editor Ina Stradins

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First published in Great Britain in 2004 byDorling Kindersley Limited

80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL

A Penguin Company

Copyright © 2004 Dorling Kindersley Limited

All rights reserved. No part of thispublication may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system, or transmitted in any form

or by any means, electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording or otherwise,without the prior written permission

of the copyright owners. A CIP cataloguerecord for this book is available from the

British Library

ISBN 0-7513-3872-9

Reproduced by Colourscan, SingaporePrinted and bound by South China

Printing Co. Ltd, China

see our complete catalogue atwww.dk.com

CONTENTS

How This Book Works 6

Identification 8

Conifers with Needles 12

Conifers with Scales 47

Broadleaved Compound 56

Broadleaved Simple 90

Glossary 217

Index 218

Acknowledgments 224

6 I N T R O D U C T I O N

1 3 6 B

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 25m.BARK Dark grey, rugged, and deeplyfissured.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woodland in S.E. EurSIMILAR SPECIES None – its deeply leaves make it highly distinctive.

GREY-BROWN in colour,the bark can becomecorky in some forms, afeature inherited fromthe Cork Oak.

LucoQuercus x

A hybrid bthis is a seshape andglossy, darThe flowe

and pend

HunQuercus

This largeIts obovatlobes, the green aboin catkinsfemales inshort-stalk2cm long,the first y

DEEPLY lobed leavesare clustered towardsthe end of the shoots,and turn yellow-brownin autumn.

malecatkin

notched, largerlobe

leaf to 20cmlong

SCIENTIFIC NAME

DETAIL PICTURESThese tinted boxes showindividual parts of the tree in greater detail, and mayinclude leaves, flowers, or fruit.

CORNER CAPTIONDescribes the feature picturedabove, adding to the informationprovided in the main description.

How this book worksThis guide covers over 300 of the most commonly seen tree species inEurope. At the beginning of the book is a short introduction whichfocuses on the process of identification in the field. The trees are thendivided into four easily recognized groups: Conifers with Needles,Conifers with Scales, Broadleaved Simple, Broadleaved Compound.Within each group, the trees are arranged by family and by genus sothat similar looking species appear together for ease of comparison.

GROUP INTRODUCTIONSEach of the four chapters openswith an introductory pagedescribing the group’s sharedcharacteristics. Photographs ofrepresentative species showthe diversity in the group.

SINGLE-PAGEENTRIES Species that exhibitgreater or morecomplex features, or are of special interest,are given a full page.

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NOTESDescribe striking or uniquephysical features that willhelp you identify the species,or provide other interestingbackground information.

This chapter includes a group of birds that are called waders in Europe and shorebirds in North America. Most species havelong legs that enable them to wade in shallow water, whiletheir bills range from short to very long, and may be straight,upcurved, or downcurved. There are a number of distinct typesin this group, including the Oystercatcher, Avocet, plovers,sandpipers, “shanks”, snipes, godwits, and curlews. While

Conifers with Needles

ABIES LASIOCARPA LOREM IPSUMDOUGLAS FIR CALIFORNIA REDWOOD

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 20m. BARK Grey-brown, deeply fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Riversides and meadows all over Europe; also commonly planted. SIMILAR SPECIES Hybrid Crack Willow (p.202), which has slightly largerleaves that soon become smooth below; Crack Willow (p.203), whichhas larger leaves, smooth below, and shoots that snap when bent.

spreadinghabit

B R O A D L E A V E D S I M P L E 2 0 1

LONG, narrow leavesare commonly foundon riverbanks wherethe slightest breezeshows their blue-greenundersides.

White WillowSalix alba (Salicaceae)

The common large waterside willow of Europe, WhiteWillow is a vigorous, spreading, deciduous tree, often withdrooping shoots. The slender, lance-shaped, finely toothedleaves end in long, tapered points. They are silky and hairywhen young, becoming dark green above and blue-greenbelow. The tiny flowers are borne in small catkins as theleaves emerge; the males are yellow, while the females aregreen and are borne on separate trees.Small green fruit open to releasecottony seeds. The Scarlet Willow(Salix alba ‘Britzensis’) hasorange-red winter shoots.

NOTE

The White Willow is pollarded toencourage thegrowth of youngshoots; the wood ofSalix alba var.‘caerulea’ is highlyvalued as it is used for makingcricket bats.

droopingbranches

yellowmalecatkin

greenfemalecatkin

leaf to10cmlong

leaves taperto fine point

CORNER PICTUREProvides a view of one of thecharacteristic features of the tree,seen in situ.

SCALE DRAWINGTo give an indication of theplant’s height, a scaled drawingof the tree is set next to adrawing of an adult human. See panel above right.

H O W T H I S B O O K W O R K S 7

R O A D L E A V E D S I M P L E

y

rope.y lobed

ombe Oakx hispanica (Fagaceae)

between Turkey Oak (p.134) and Cork Oak (p.143),emi-evergreen tree. Its leaves are very variable ind size, and are edged with pointed teeth. They arerk green above and grey-white with hairs beneath.rs are borne in catkins, the males yellow-green dulous, the females inconspicuous. Acorns, up to 2cm long, in cups covered by

bristly scales, ripen in the second year.

ngarian Oakfrainetto (Fagaceae)

, deciduous tree has stout, slightly hairy shoots.te to oblong leaves have numerous blunt-tippedlarger ones sometimes notched, and are dark

ove and grey-green beneath. The flowers are bornes; the males yellow-green and pendulous, thenconspicuous. Theked acorns, to, ripen in ear.

broadlyspreading habit

roundedtop

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 30m.BARK Grey-brown, fissured, sometimes corky.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woodland, usually with parentspecies; commonly cultivated; native to S. Europe. SIMILAR SPECIES Turkey Oak (p.134), CorkOak (p.143).

leaf to12cmlong

COLOUR BANDSBands are colour-coded, with a different colour for each of the four chapters.

DESCRIPTIONConveys the main features and distinguishing characteristics of the species.

CHAPTER HEADING

ANNOTATIONCharacteristic features of the species are picked out in the annotation.

PHOTOGRAPHSIllustrate the tree in its natural setting.

COMMON NAMESome species do not have an English common name. In these casesthe scientific name is given as the entry heading.

FAMILY NAMEThe botanical family name is given in brackets after the scientificname. Where opinions differ, more than one name may be listed.

SCALE MEASUREMENTSTwo small scale drawings are placed next to eachother in every entry as a rough indication of treesize. The figure represents a 6-ft human. The treeillustration represents the tree at maturity in thewild. Bare branches on one side mean the tree isdeciduous; full foliage means the tree is evergreen.

Tree height20m

Humanfigurerepresentsa height of1.8m (6ft)

SPECIES ENTRIESThe typical page describes twospecies. Each entry follows the sameeasy-to-access structure. All have onemain photograph of the species,which is taken in the plant’s naturalsetting in the wild. This is supportedby one or more detail pictures thatshow the individual parts of the tree inclose-up. Annotations, scale artworks,and a data box add key informationand complete the entry.

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OTHER KEY INFORMATIONThese coloured panels provide consistent informationon the following points:HEIGHT: the tree’s height in the wild.SPREAD: the width of the tree in the wild.FLOWERING TIME: the season in which the treeproduces flowers.OCCURRENCE: the habitat in which the tree canbe found and its geographic distribution. Some treesare not native to Europe and may only be found incultivation in the region. In these instances thespecies’ native origin is also given.SIMILAR SPECIES: lists species that look similarto the one featured, often providing a distinguishingfeature to help tell them apart. Species not profiled in this book may be listed, in which case adistinguishing feature is always given.

Leaf ShapeTree leaves are extremely diverse. Check if the leaf is simple (one individualblade) or compound (divided into leaflets) and how any leaflets are arranged(pinnately or palmately, for example). Assess the shape and size of all its elements.

Identification8 I N T R O D U C T I O N

Trees have many characters that can be used to identify them, someobvious, some less so. Note the shape of the tree and where and whenit is growing, but also study closely the leaves, flowers, fruit, and bark.Remember that most plants are variable and features such as leavescan differ in size and shape, even on the same tree.

Leaf Colour and MarkingsLeaf colour and markings vary both between and within species. Some leaveschange colour as they mature, or just before they fall in autumn; some leaves aremarked with prominent veins or are variegated, consisting of patches of colour.

MARITIME PINE

COMMON ASH

GRECIAN STRAWBERRY TREE

RED MAPLE GIANT FIR

RAULI

ITALIAN CYPRESS JUDAS TREE SPANISH CHESTNUT REDBUD

COMMON BEECHRED HORSECHESTNUT

MOUNT ETNABROOM

PAPER BIRCHCRACK WILLOW MAGNOLIA OBOVATA

oblong

roundedscale-likeheart-shaped

pinnateleaflet

simple

palmate

parallel-sidedwithblunttip

broadestbelow themiddle

slenderandwidestabovethemiddle

slender andwidest belowthe middle broadest

abovethemiddle

white line onunder-side

prominentveins

youngleavesbronze-green

needle-like

JAPANESE CRAB APPLE

broad,narrowingat bothends

autumnred

NORWAY MAPLE

variegatedolder leaves

SPRING CHERRY

silver greenunderside

SILVER MAPLE

greenupperside

I D E N T I F I C A T I O N 9

Flowers

The leaf margin can vary from untoothed to wavy, toothed, spiny, or variouslylobed, depending on the species. Look at them, but also touch and smell the leaves. Plant parts can be characteristically rough, hairy, or scented. Forexample, evergreens usually have rather leathery leaveswhile some species ofpoplar may be hairyor downy on one or both sides.

Note their size, colour, andform, but also consider howand where flowers are borne on the plant. Some trees mayhave separate male and femaleflowers, on the same or ondifferent plants.

Leaf ArrangementLeaf arrangement can provide clues to a tree’s identity. Allmaples and ashes, for example, have leaves that grownopposite one another, while oak leaves are alternate andsometimes in a cluster towards the ends of the shoots.

Leaf Margin and Texture

glossymatt

COMMON BEECH HOP HORNBEAM WHITE POPLARPYRENEAN OAK

HUNGARIAN OAK

ATLAS CEDAR

opposite

femaleopensred

maleopensyellow

MOOSEWOOD

whorls

LAWSON CYPRESS

flattenedsprays

NORWAY SPRUCE

femaleplant

separatemale plant

flowers at end ofshoots

flowers inleaf axil

cluster single

STRAWBERRY TREE ALDER BUCKTHORN MALUS FLORENTINA MEDLAR

BAY LAUREL

toothed

wavymargin

ORIENTAL BEECH COMMON HOLLYSILVER BIRCH

hairy

alternate

DOWNY OAK

clustered

irregularsprays

1 1

spiny

ITALIAN CYPRESS

2

2

lobed

1 0 I N T R O D U C T I O N

While different types of cone help to distinguish conifers, other treesbear very different forms of fruit,including fleshy, characteristicallycoloured berries, hard-shelled nuts,and flattened pods. Fruits protectthe tree’s seeds and facilitate seeddistribution; some fruits havewings to aid wind-borne dispersal.Even fruits that have fallen to theground can help identification.

Observing a tree’s shape, or habit, canhelp species identification,but be aware that shape canvary greatly: a tree growingin the open will differ inshape to one of the samespecies growing in adense forest. Age canalso affect the shapeof a tree. Take note ofall external factors.

AUSTRIAN PINE SPANISH FIR

ENGLISH OAK BLACK WALNUT WALNUT

RED GUM

OrientalSpruce

Silver Fir

singleuprightcone

egg-shapedcones

acornin cup

greenhusk

hardshell

cylindricalpods

CAROB

smallandwoody

Habit

CONICALLike most youngconifers, this NorwaySpruce is conical.

COLUMNARThe IncenseCedar is taller

than it iswide.

containsmultipleseeds

containssingleseeds

CHERRY LAURELCULTIVATED APPLE

Fruit

DIFFERENTFRUITSWhen not in bloom,the Indian HorseChestnut and the Red Horse Chestnutappear similar, untilyou observe their verydifferent fruit. INDIAN

HORSECHESTNUT

REDHORSECHESTNUT

broadwings

SPREADINGMany evergreen trees,like this Cretan Maple,are spreading in habit.

SHRUB-LIKEThis exposedPhoenician Junipergrows as a shrub.

PAPERBARK MAPLE FALLEN FRUITThese cones look similar, but sprucecones fall from the tree intact whilefir cones break up on the tree.

smooth

sparselyspiny

enclosed in bracts

woodyhusk

ORIENTAL BEECHHORNBEAM

I D E N T I F I C A T I O N 1 1

SeasonsFlowering time and leaf persistence can be defining features for a tree. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in autumn but evergreensretain them, at least until the following season’s leavesopen. A tree may produce its flowers before its leavesopen; another similar-looking tree may flower onlyafter the young leaves are produced.

HabitatSome trees are naturally widespread but others, due to their preference forspecific environmental conditions, may be confined to certain habitats andparticular geographical regions. Tree species found in a lowland valley are likelyto be very different to those found high in the mountains.

BarkAs a tree grows, its trunk expands causing the exterior layers of dead bark to peelor crack. This expansion creates various characteristic bark patterns; it alsoproduces colour and textural differences between young and old specimens.Some trees, such as the Tibetan Cherry, have very distinctive bark colour.

RIVERBANKSThe Alder tree is likelyto be found by riversand in other wet areas.

COASTLINESThe Aleppo Pine isnative to the slopes ofthe Mediterranean coast.

MOUNTAINSConifers, such as theBosnian Pine, thrive inmountainous regions.

SEASONALITYThe Holm Oak is evergreenwhile its cousin the TurkeyOak is deciduous.

GREY BIRCH WINGNUTJAPANESE

CEDARHIMALAYAN

BIRCHSMOOTH

ARIZONA CYPRESS

smooth

ridgesandfissures

peeling(vertical)

peeling(horizontal)

flaking (plates)

DATE PLUMSILVERBIRCH

TIBETANCHERRY

GREY-BUDDEDSNAKE-BARK MAPLE

squares

patchy

oldglossyred-brown

young

HOLM OAK TURKEY OAK

NORWAYMAPLE

SYCAMORE

FLOWERINGThe Norway Maple flowersbefore its leaves appear; theSycamore flowers open later.

This widely distributed group contains many of the mostfamiliar conifers. Most are evergreen, such as the pines, firs,spruces, and cedars but there are a few deciduous examples,such as the larches. The evergreens usually have leatheryleaves marked with white lines of pores on one side, bothfeatures that help them to reduce water loss. The Aleppo Pine(pictured) is an example found on the Mediterranean coast.

Conifers with Needles

SUBALPINE FIR KOREAN FIRGIANT FIR CALIFORNIA REDWOOD

C O N I F E R S W I T H N E E D L E S 1 3

MATT GREEN leaves arefan-shaped with veinsradiating from thebase; in autumn theyturn bright yellow.

OVERLAPPING leavesoften remain attachedto the trunk for many years.

Monkey PuzzleAraucaria araucana (Araucariaceae)

Also known as the Chile Pine, this evergreen tree has shootsthat are densely covered by oval, glossy dark green leaves

ending in sharp points. The cone-like flowers are green but

gradually turn brown. Maleand female flowers are

borne on separate trees –the cylindrical males on side shoots, therounded females at the ends of the shoots.

Maidenhair TreeGinkgo biloba (Ginkgoaceae)

The only survivor of an ancient group of trees widespreadbefore the conifers, Maidenhair Tree has distinctive notchedleaves borne on slender stalks. The long shoots bear singleleaves while the short side shoots bear leaf clusters. Theflowers of this deciduous tree are small and yellow-green;males are in catkin-like clusters and females aresingle or in pairs. Female trees produce fleshy,plum-like seeds with edible kernels. Therotting fruit has a particularlyunpleasant odour.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Grey and wrinkled.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to S. Chileand S. Argentina.SIMILAR SPECIES None – very distinctiveamong commonly grown trees.

HEIGHT 30m or more. SPREAD 20m. BARK Grey-brown and smooth at first, later ridged and fissured.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (in gardens andcity streets); native to China.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

shoots denselycovered withleaves

roundedtop

spreadinghabit

conecovered bythin scales

leaf to5cm long

male flowercluster

leaf to 7.5cm long

1 4 C O N I F E R S W I T H N E E D L E S

slender, brightgreen leaves

ROUNDED cones to4cm wide, greenripening to brown, areborne at the end of the shoots.

Chinese FirCunninghamia lanceolata (Cupressaceae)

Conical when young, the evergreen Chinese Fir is latercolumnar. Its bright green leaves, marked with two whitebands beneath, have pointed tips,and spread on either side of theshoot. While male flowerclusters are yellow-brown,females are yellow-green;both are borne at the endsof the shoots.

Japanese CedarCryptomeria japonica (Cupressaceae)

A conical evergreen, this tree hasslender, bright green leaves that arebroadest at the base, tapering to a soft point. Male flowers insmall yellow-green clustersare borne in the leaf axils,while the females formrounded cones, green at

first, ripening to brown.

yellow-brownflower clusters

columnarhabit

conicalhabit

leaf to1.5cmlong

SLENDER needles curveforward along theshoot and female cones are borne at the shoot tips.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Red-brown, peeling in fibrous strips.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES Taiwania cryptomerioide,which has similar foliage when young buthas more sharply pointed leaves.

red-brown,peelingbark

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Red-brown, ridged.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to S. Chinaand Vietnam.SIMILAR SPECIES None – its long, pointedleaves and rounded cones are distinct.

leaf to6cm long

leavesarrangedspirally

leavesarrangedspirally

cone to 2cmwide


HEIGHT 6m. SPREAD 1–3m.BARK Red-brown with longitudinal ridges; peeling in vertical strips.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Heaths and chalky hills throughout Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Prickly Juniper (p.16), which has leaves with twowhite bands above and red-brown fruit; it is much more common in S. Europe than the Common Juniper.

bushy,spreadinghabit

NOTE

This is the onlyjuniper native to N. Europe. The fruittakes two years toripen, and is foundat any time of theyear.

PROSTRATE andcreeping, or a bushyshrub, or sometimes atree, this species is ofvery variable habit.

Common JuniperJuniperus communis (Cupressaceae)

This evergreen conifer is of variable habit, from bushy andspreading, to upright and tree-like. Its sharp-pointedneedles are glossy green on both surfaces, marked with abroad white band on the upper surface, and arranged inwhorls of three on the shoots. The flowers are very small;males are yellow and females green, growing in clusters onseparate plants. Female plants bear fleshy, blue-black berry-like cones up to 6mm long, covered at first with a whitebloom. Many selections aregrown in gardens and thecreeping J. communis var.montana is common inArctic and alpine regions.

leaf to1.2cmlong

cone to6mmlong

glossy greenneedles


PURPLE when ripe, theberry-like cones nestleamong the whorls ofdark green, sharp-pointed leaves.

Prickly JuniperJuniperus oxycedrus (Cupressaceae)

An evergreen, large shrub or small tree of conical tospreading habit, this juniper has needle-like leaves in whorlsof three; they are glossy, dark green beneath and have twoblue-white bands on the upper surface. The flowers, bornein clusters, are small; males yellow and females

green, on separate plants. Roundedberry-like cones, up to 1.5cm

long, turn from red-brownto purple when ripe.

Syrian JuniperJuniperus drupacea (Cupressaceae)

This evergreen tree has a dense,conical to columnar and uprighthabit. Its needle-like, sharp-pointed leaves are green beneathand marked with two blue-whitebands above. Its large, fleshycones, distinct among junipers, are green and bloomy at first,ripening to purple-black.

glossygreenfoliage

leaf to2.5cmlong

cone to 2.5cmlong

ORANGE-BROWN incolour, the bark of thisspecies, like that ofmany junipers,peels in thin,vertical strips.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Red-brown to purple-brown, peeling in long strips.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Dry hillsides in S. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Juniper (p.15),which has shorter leaves, with only one white band on the upper surface.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 3m.BARK Orange-brown, peeling in thin strips.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Dry hillsides in S. Greece.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Juniper (p.15),which has similar flowers; other needle-leaved junipers (Juniperus), which havesmaller cones.

leaf to2.5cmlong

slender,pricklyleaves

conicalcrown

conical tospreading habit


HEIGHT 30m.SPREAD 10m. BARK Red-brown; peeling in thin strips on mature trees.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to C. China.SIMILAR SPECIES Swamp Cypress (p.19), which has alternate side shoots, comes into leaf much later, and produces “cypressknees” at the base.

TURNING yellow-brownor red-brown beforefalling in autumn, theleaves are borne onshoots that arethemselves deciduous.

Dawn RedwoodMetasequoia glyptostroboides (Taxodiaceae)

A large, deciduous tree, conical in habit, the DawnRedwood’s slender, soft leaves emerge pale green early in the year, but turn dark green later. They are borne onoppositely arranged side shoots that fall in autumn after theleaves turn yellow- to red-brown. The flowers are small, withthe males in drooping, catkin-like clusters, and usuallyfound only in areas with hot summers. The greenfemale flowers develop even in the absence ofmale flowers, producing rounded green conesthat ripen to brown.

NOTE

The habit, distinctivebark, and theopposite shoots orbuds make this treeeasily recognizable,even in winter.

dark greenfoliage

conicalhabit

red-brownbark

cone2.5cmwide

leaves oneither sideof shoot

leaf to 2.5cmlong


HEIGHT 30–50m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Red-brown, thick, soft, and fibrous.FLOWERING TIME Late winter to early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to USA(Oregon and California).SIMILAR SPECIES Giant Redwood (below),which has very different foliage and muchlarger cones.

California RedwoodSequoia sempervirens (Taxodiaceae)Also known as the Coast Redwood, thisevergreen is the world’s tallest tree,exceeding 100m in its native habitat.Its dark green leaves are markedwith two white bands beneath.The flowers are borne in clustersat the end of the shoots, themale yellow-brown; femalesgreen, developing intored-brown, woody cones.

FIBROUS and rough intexture, the outer barkgives Redwood forestsa unique earthy smell.

Giant RedwoodSequoiadendron giganteum (Taxodiaceae)

Variously known as the Big Tree or Wellingtonia, thisconical evergreen reaches a massive 80m ormore in its native California. Thedark green leaves are small andslender, to 8mm long, endingin sharp points, and the foliageis rough to the touch. Theflowers are small; the male isyellow, while the green femaledevelops into egg-shaped,

woody cones, green atfirst, later ripeningto brown.

NEEDLE-SHAPED leaves,with pointed tips, arearranged on both sidesof the shoots.

columnarhabit

HEIGHT 30–50m.SPREAD 15m.BARK Red-brown, thick, soft, and fibrous.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to USA(California).SIMILAR SPECIES California Redwood (above),has smaller cones and different foliage.

cone to7.5cm long

red-browncone to 3cmlong

leavesto 2cmlong

conicalhabit

dark greenfoliage

yellow maleflower


HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey-brown to red-brown, thin, and rough, peeling in verticalstrips; often buttressed at the base.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to S.E. USA.SIMILAR SPECIES Dawn Redwood (p.17), which has leaves onopposite shoots, comes into leaf much earlier, and does not produce“cypress knees”.

columnarhabit

deciduousfoliage

NARROW, soft, andflattened, the leavesare arranged on eitherside of the shoots.

Swamp CypressTaxodium distichum (Taxodiaceae)

The Swamp or Bald Cypress is conical when young, butbecomes columnar with age. Its deciduous shoots arearranged alternately on the branches. The small maleflowers hang in catkins up to 20cm long. The green femaleflowers are found in small clusters at the base of the malecatkins and develop into rounded green cones up to 3cmwide, which ripen to brown. When grownnear water, trees commonly develop“cypress knees” – woody protuberancesthat grow vertically from the soilaround the tree trunk.

leaf to 2cm long

leaves arrangedon either side ofshoot

NOTE

The deciduousfoliage, as well asthe alternate shootsand “cypressknees”, (the knee-like bumps onolder trees), aredistinctive features.

alternateshoots

yellowmaleflowers


Silver FirAbies alba (Pinaceae)

This evergreen tree is conical at first, becoming columnarwith age. Its shoots have a dense covering of hairs and endin red-brown buds that are not usually sticky. Slender and

glossy dark green above, the leaves aremarked with two white or greenish white

bands beneath. The yellow male flowerclusters hang beneath the shoots, while

female clusters are green and upright,developing into erect, cylindricalcones with bracts projecting

outwards. The ripe cones breakup on the tree before falling.

WHITE or greenishwhite bands on theundersides of theleaves make them looksilvery; the long, flatleaves, notched at thetips, spread outwardson both sides of the shoots.

glossy, darkgreen foliage

NOTEOne of thecommonest firs in Europeanmountains, theSilver Fir is oftennaturalized and iswidely planted forforestry. It is usedas a Christmas tree in many parts of Europe.

HEIGHT 50m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey and smooth; cracked plates may develop on older trees.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Mountain forests, from the Pyrenees and Alps to theBalkan Mountains.SIMILAR SPECIES King Boris Fir (right), which has bolder whitemarkings on the leaves; spruces (Picea), are sometimes confused withfirs but have pendulous cones that fall intact.

leaf to3cmlong

conicalhabit,becomingcolumnarwith age

cone to15cmlong

pointedcrown


SHARPLY pointed andlinear, the glossy, darkgreen leaves, with whiteundersides, spread

outwards on bothsides of the

hairy shoots.

King Boris FirAbies borisii-regis (Pinaceae)

Possibly of hybrid origin, this conical, evergreen tree hasfeatures that are intermediate between the Silver Fir (left)and the Greek Fir (below). Its leaves have two white bandsbelow and are borne on hairy shoots that end in stickybuds. Male flower clusters are yellow; female clusters are

green and develop intocylindrical cones up to15cm long.

Greek FirAbies cephalonica (Pinaceae)

Conical when young, this evergreen tree tends to becomecolumnar with age. Slender, sharp-pointed leaves, with twowhite bands beneath, are borne on smooth shoots that end

in sticky buds. Male flower clustersare yellow, while the female flower

clusters are green and developinto upright, cylindrical conesthat break up on the treebefore falling. The tips ofdownturned bracts protrudebetween the cone scales.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey and smooth; cracks with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Mountains from Bulgaria to N. Greece.SIMILAR SPECIES Silver Fir (left), which hasfainter white bands on its leaves; Greek Fir(below), which has smoother shoots.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark grey and smooth; cracks intoplates on older trees.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Mountains in Greece.SIMILAR SPECIES King Boris Fir (above),which has hairy shoots.

greybark

leaf to 3cmlong

evergreenleaves

narrowoutline

leaf to3cm long

conicalshape

BROWN and upright,the cylindrical conesare 15cm long,narrower at both ends,and have protruding,downturned bracts.

whorled,spreadingbranches

whitebands


SLENDER leavesspread out in tworanks on eitherside of the shoots.

Giant FirAbies grandis (Pinaceae)

The slender leaves of this fast-growing, large, evergreentree are bright green above, with two white bands

beneath. The leaves are arranged neatly on eachside of the shoots. Hanging beneath the shootsare the male flower clusters, which are yellow,

or red before they open. The upright, greenfemale flower clusters mature into erect,cylindrical cones. These are green whenyoung, ripening to brown.

Colorado White FirAbies concolor (Pinaceae)

Conical when young, this evergreentree becomes columnar with age.The slender leaves are blue-green to grey-green on both sides withblunt tips. Hanging beneath theshoots, the yellow male flowerclusters are red at first; thefemale clusters are yellow-green and upright, maturinginto erect, cylindrical greencones that ripen to brown

and then breakup on the tree.

LONG, needle-like,leaves with roundedtips, are upsweptabove, and spreadingbeneath, the shoots.

HEIGHT 50m or more. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey-brown and smooth on youngtrees; cracks with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (in gardens and forforestry); native to W. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES None – the leafarrangement is quite distinct.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey and smooth on young trees;scaly and ridged with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to W. USAand Baja California.SIMILAR SPECIES None – no other specieshas leaves that are blue-green on both sides.

conicalhabit

maleflower cluster

leaf to6cmlong

columnarshape

2 white bandsbelow leaf


Korean FirAbies koreana (Pinaceae)

A small, conical, evergreen tree, the Korean Fir has rathershort, slender leaves with blunt, sometimes notched tips.They are dark green above, with two broad, silverywhite bands beneath. The yellow male flowerclusters hang under the shoots and the uprightred-purple female flowers ripen to purple. Thedistinctive, small cones turn brown whenmature, later breaking up on the tree.

leaf to2cm long

LONG, narrow leavesare upright above theshoots, with thecentral leaves pointingforwards, spreadingbeneath.

Subalpine FirAbies lasiocarpa (Pinaceae)

This narrowly conical, evergreen tree becomes columnarwhen old. Its slender leaves are grey-green, with two whitebands beneath and a notched tip. Male flower clusters are

yellow, tinged with red before theyopen. In separate clusters, the

females are purple, maturing toupright, cylindrical cones up to10cm long. These are purple atfirst, brown when ripe, andbreak up on the tree.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 8m. BARK Grey and smooth, with resin blisters.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to W. NorthAmerica.SIMILAR SPECIES Noble Fir (p.27), has largercones; Corkbark Fir (A. lasiocarpa var.arizonica), has bluer leaves and corky bark.

leaf to 4cmlong

HEIGHT 10m.SPREAD 3m.BARK Dark grey-brown, smooth at first;cracks with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to South Korea.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

UPRIGHT cones, purplewhen young, are borne

in clusters amongthe shiny, dark

green leaves.

branchesslightlyascending

cone to 7cmlong

conical habitbecomingcolumnarwith age

pointedcrown


stout, nearlysmoothshoots

Sicilian FirAbies nebrodensis (Pinaceae)

A very rare species, reduced to a few trees in its nativehabitat, the Sicilian Fir is a broadly, conical, evergreen treewith stout, nearly smooth shoots ending in sticky buds.The rather short, alternate leaves are dark green above withtwo greenish white bands beneath. Male flower clusters areyellow-green, below the shoots, while females are green and

upright, maturing to an upright, cylindrical,cone that breaks up on the

tree when ripe.

STOUT shoots bear therigid, pointed leaves,cylindrical, darkbrown cones, roundedat the apex, and maleflower clusters.

NOTE

This is the onlyspecies of fir native to Sicily,where it has beenreduced to a smallpopulation by fellingand grazing.

HEIGHT 15m.SPREAD 10m.BARK Orange-brown, cracking with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Mountain slopes in N. Sicily.SIMILAR SPECIES Silver Fir (p.20), which has longer leaves and lacksthe sticky buds on the shoots and is much more widely distributed inthe mountains of Europe.

two palebandsbeneath

conicalhabit

leaf to1.5cm long


broadlyconicalhabit

LINEAR and notched atthe tip, the leaves areglossy and dark green,with two white bandson the lower surface ofeach needle.

Caucasian FirAbies nordmanniana (Pinaceae)

This vigorous, evergreen tree is of conical habit. Itsalternate, slender leaves are densely arranged; those on the underside of the shoots spread horizontally, thoseabove point forwards. Yellow male flower clusters,which may also be red at first, hang beneaththe shoot. The female flower clusters aregreen and upright, borne separatelyat the shoot tips. The broadlycylindrical, upright cones areinitially green, maturing to purple-brown. They have conspicuous,protruding, downcurved bractswhich emerge from between thescales. The cones break up onthe tree when ripe.

dense, darkgreen foliage

NOTE

The lush foliage withforward-pointingleaves, and theconspicuous conebracts, distinguishthis species fromother firs.

HEIGHT 30m or more. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey and smooth, cracking into small plates with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (sometimes planted for forestry and grown asa Christmas tree); native to the Caucasus and N.E. Turkey.SIMILAR SPECIES Certain uncommon species such as Greek Fir(p.21) and Noble Fir (p.27) are two of the most similar species; theclosely related A. bornmuelleriana has smooth shoots.

leaf to 4cmlong

white lines

yellow maleflower cluster

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Dark grey, smooth, cracking into small, square plates with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Mountain slopes around Ronda in S. Spain; also plantedin the streets.SIMILAR SPECIES The only native fir in its range, it can only be confusedwith some uncommon relatives found in N. Africa. Also, other firs haveleaves spreading either side of the shoot, or at least with a parting above.

grey-green toblue-greenfoliage


Spanish FirAbies pinsapo (Pinaceae)

A very distinctive, broadly conical, evergreen tree, theSpanish Fir has linear, rigid, grey-green to blue-greenleaves. These are densely arranged and stand out all aroundthe smooth shoots; they are sharp-pointed in young plantsbut blunt in mature ones. Male flowers, borne in clusterson the undersides of the shoots, are red at first, lateropening yellow. Borne in separate clusters, the female

flowers are green and upright. The cones have pointedtips and ripen from green to brown, finally

breaking up on the tree.

SHORT and rigid, thegrey-green to grey blueleaves are bluntlypointed, standing outall around the shoot.

NOTE

The short, rigidleaves arrangedaround the shootdistinguish thisspecies from otherfirs; some formssuch as ‘Glauca’have bluer foliage.

male flowercluster

leaf to 2cmlong

cone to 15cmlong

dense habit


UPRIGHT brown cones,up to 25cm long, aredensely covered withlong, downward-pointing bracts.

Noble FirAbies procera (Pinaceae)

Narrowly conical when young,the evergreen Noble Fir becomescolumnar with age. The slender,linear leaves are blue- to grey-green above, with two silverywhite bands beneath, andare densely arranged onhairy shoots, radially aboveand spreading to either sidebelow. Male flower clustersare red tinged with yellow andborne on the undersides of theshoots; female flowers, inseparate clusters, are reddishor green and upright. The ripecones break up on the tree.

BARREL-SHAPED conesbreak up on the treeonce they ripen, beforefalling off.

Atlas CedarCedrus atlantica (Pinaceae)

This evergreen has dark to blue-green leaves that areslender, needle-like, and to 2cm long. They are borne singly

on long shoots, and in whorls on theshort side shoots. The shoots

have upcurved tips. The maleflower clusters are yellow-brown and upright. Clusters

of tiny female flowers maturein one year to barrel-shaped

cones, green at first, ripeningto brown over two tothree years.

HEIGHT 40m or more. SPREAD 15m. BARK Pale silvery grey, cracking with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in gardens and forforestry; native to W. USA.SIMILAR SPECIES Other Abies species suchas Subalpine Fir (p.23), have smaller coneswith less conspicuous bracts.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m. BARK Dark grey, cracking into scaly plateson old trees.FLOWERING TIME Autumn.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to the AtlasMountains in Algeria and Morocco.SIMILAR SPECIES Cedar of Lebanon (p.28),which has a flattened and tiered habit.

tapering on top

columnarhabit

male flowercluster to5cm long

cone to8cm long

broadlyconicalhabit

leaf to3cm long

densefoliage


SPREADING branchesgive the tree itsdistinctive layeredappearance.

Cedar of LebanonCedrus libani (Pinaceae)

This evergreen tree is conical when young, but with agedevelops its characteristic broad head with flattened andtiered branches. The leaves are dark green to grey-green,slender and needle-like, borne singly on long shoots and in dense whorls on short side shoots. The male flowerclusters, yellow-brown when open,are upright, to 5cm long.The females are tiny,maturing to brown,barrel-shaped cones.

DeodarCedrus deodara (Pinaceae)

A broadly conical, evergreen tree, the Deodar has largerleaves than other cedars. Green to grey-green, slender, andneedle-like, they are borne singly on young shoots and indense whorls on short side shoots. The upright

male flower clusters, to 7cm long, arepurple, but turn yellow-brown when

open and shedding pollen. Theclusters of tiny female flowersmature in one year to barrel-shaped cones.

UPRIGHT, barrel-shaped cones, green at first, later ripen to purple-brown.

cone to12cm long

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m. BARK Dark grey; cracking on older trees.FLOWERING TIME Autumn.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Lebanon,Syria, and Turkey. Replaced in Cyprus by C. brevifolia with shorter leaves and cones.SIMILAR SPECIES Atlas Cedar (p.27), whichhas upcurved shoot tips.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark grey; vertical cracks develop with age.FLOWERING TIME Autumn.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to theHimalayas, from Afghanistan to Tibet.SIMILAR SPECIES Other cedars (Cedrus), butnone has its distinctive nodding shoot tips.

flattenedbranches

leaf to 4cmlong

leaf to3cm long

yellow maleflower cluster

conicalhabit

cone to 12cmlong


HEIGHT 30–40m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey and smooth; becoming red-brown and cracking into scalyplates with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Mountain forests in C. Europe; commonly planted fortimber elsewhere.SIMILAR SPECIES Japanese Larch (p.30), which has cones with thescales curved outwards.

OVAL red young coneswith upright scales areclearly visible on theslender, droopingbranches, interspersedwith needle-like leavesin clusters.

European LarchLarix decidua (Pinaceae)

This fast-growing species is deciduous. Its slender, soft,bright green leaves, each up to 4cm long, open in earlyspring, turning yellow in autumn. They are arrangedsingly on distinctive, long yellow shoots but are borne indense whorls on short side shoots. Male flower clusters,on the underside of the shoots, are yellow, while theupright female clusters are red or yellow.The egg-shaped cones have upward-pointing scales and ripen in the first autumn afterflowering.

thin, droopingbranches

NOTE

It is the deciduousleaves, upright conescales, and yellowshoots thatdistinguish thisspecies from theother larches.

coneto 4cmlong

femaleflowercluster

maleflower cluster

conicalhabit


conical habit

leaves indensewhorls

Dunkeld LarchLarix x marschlinsii (Pinaceae)

This deciduous tree is a hybrid between the EuropeanLarch (p.29) and Japanese Larch (above), hence itsalternative common name Hybrid Larch. Its slender,

soft grey-green to green leaves, which turn yellowin autumn, are arranged singly on long shoots,

but are borne in dense whorls onshort side shoots. Male flowers are

drooping and yellow, while theupright female flowers are creamto pink or red.

Japanese LarchLarix kaempferi (Pinaceae)

This deciduous tree is characterized byslender and soft, blue- to grey-greenleaves that open in early spring,turning yellow in autumn. Theyare arranged singly on longshoots, but are borne in densewhorls on short side shoots.Male flower clusters are yellow,borne on the undersides ofthe shoots, while upright,creamy to pink female flowers

are borne in larger clusters ontop of the shoots.

conicalhabit

CONE scales curvebackwards, making the cones look likerosettes.

green togrey-greenfoliage

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Red-brown, growing scaly with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; often occurs whenseed is collected from Japanese Larch(above) growing near European Larch (p.29).SIMILAR SPECIES None – it is intermediatebetween its parent species.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Red-brown, cracking into scaly plates with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (particularly fortimber); native to Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES European Larch (p.29) hasupright cone scales and bright green leaves.

coneto 3cmlong

maleflowers

femaleflowers

cone to 3cm long

female flowercluster

UPRIGHT, egg-shapedcones have scalescurved slightlyoutwards.

leaf to4cmlong


HEIGHT 50m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Purple, developing scaly plates when mature.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Forests, from Scandinavia to the Alps and Greece; onmountains in the south of its range. Widely planted for timber and as anornamental species in gardens.SIMILAR SPECIES Serbian Spruce (p.32), which has smaller cones.

large, uprighttree

CYLINDRICAL, hangingbrown cones havescales that are notchedat the tips, and fallintact from the treewhen ripe.

Norway SprucePicea abies (Pinaceae)

A vigorous, upright evergreen, the Norway Spruce growsvery large and has many cultivars and varieties. Its slender,four-sided, dark green leaves, with pointed tips, arearranged on stout orange-brown shoots. Flowers of both sexes bloom separately on the same tree.The male flower clusters are upright, reddishat first becoming yellow when ripe andreleasing pollen; the female flower clustersare also upright and red, developing intopendulous green cones that turn brownwhen ripe.

NOTE

The Norway Spruceis the commonspruce of Europeand frequently usedas a Christmas tree.Many gardenselections aregrown, particularlydwarf forms.

leaf to2cm long

conical tip

cone to15cmlong

femaleflowers

maleflowers


Serbian SprucePicea omorika (Pinaceae)

Conical when young, the evergreen Serbian Spruceeventually becomes narrow and columnar, with pendulousshoots. Slender, flattened, and needle-like, the leaves areglossy, dark green above with two white bands beneath.

Male and female flowers are borne in separateclusters; the male flowers are red at first,

yellow when open and releasing pollen; thefemales are red and ripen the same year toform pendulous, narrowly egg-shaped,purple-brown cones, to 6cm long, thatfall intact from the tree when ripe. P. omorika ‘Pendula’ is a garden selectionwith conspicuously drooping shootsthat can spread across the ground at thebase of the tree.

FLATTENED leaves liemostly above the hairy,pale brown shoots butsome are all around.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Purple-brown, cracking into scaly plates with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Native only to limestone mountain slopes near the RiverDrina in Serbia; commonly planted elsewhere.SIMILAR SPECIES Sitka Spruce (p.34), which lacks the downswept branches.

leaf to 2cmlong

NOTE

This species isfound very rarely in the wild and is now beingthreatened byhybridization withthe planted NorwaySpruce (p.31).

conical tocolumnarhabit

two whitebands on leafunderside


HEIGHT 40m or more. SPREAD 10m. BARK Pinkish brown, eventually flaking into small plates as the tree ages.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to the Caucasus and N.E. Turkey.SIMILAR SPECIES None – the very short leaves and narrow cones ofthis spruce make it distinctive.

narrowlyconical habit

NEEDLE-LIKE, very shortand rigid leaves areglossy, dark green andhave four sides whichend in a blunt point.

Oriental SprucePicea orientalis (Pinaceae)

An evergreen tree of dense habit, the Oriental Spruce isconical at first, becoming columnar with age. The leavespoint forward on hairy pale shoots. Male and femaleflower clusters are borne separately on the same tree. Maleflowers are red at first, yellow when open; female flowersare red, ripening to a slender, pendulous cone. Thecylindrical cone is purple at first, later brown and stickywith resin, and falls from the tree intact when ripe. NOTE

Commonly plantedin large gardens.‘Aurea’ is a verystriking form withbright yellow young foliage.

cone to10cmlong

leaf to8mmlong


Sitka SprucePicea sitchensis (Pinaceae)

Vigorous and large, this evergreen treewith a conical habit has smooth shootsthat are white to pale brown. Its slender,glossy, dark green leaves are flattened,with a pointed tip and two whitebands beneath. The clusters of male flowers are red, while the female clusters are green,maturing into pendulous,pale brown cones.

Blue SprucePicea pungens (Pinaceae)

Narrow and conical when young, this dense,evergreen tree becomes columnar with age.Its four-sided leaves are rigid and sharp-pointed, ranging in colour from grey-green to bright silvery blue, particularlywhen young. Male flowers are red turning yellow; females are green, in separate clusters.Mature cones fall fromthe tree intact.

leaf to 3cmlong

cone to10cmlong

PENDULOUS, elongatedgreen cones are covered with tooth-tipped scales and ripen to brown.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 7m. BARK Purple-grey, scaly.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to W. USA(Rocky Mountains).SIMILAR SPECIES None – the blue foliageand sharp leaves are distinctive.

HEIGHT 50m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Purple-grey, flaking in large plates.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (particularly as aforestry tree); native to W. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES None – no other commonspruce has flattened, pointed leaves.

CYLINDRICAL, hanging,and pale brown, themature cones fall fromthe tree intact.

conicalhabit

leaf to 3cmlong

cone to10cm long

narrowlyconicalhabit


MATURE trees canreach a large size intheir native habitat.

Calabrian PinePinus brutia (Pinaceae)

A conical to columnar, evergreen tree, the Calabrian Pine hasslender, pointed, dark green leaves in pairs. The yellowflowers are in clusters, the males at the base of the shoots,females towards the tips. Borne on short stalks and pointingforwards along the shoots, the glossy brown cones ripen in

the second autumn and fallfrom the tree intact.

leaf to 15cm long

cone to 11cmlong

DISTINCTLY conicalwhen young,these pinesgrow on thevolcanic

mountain slopesof the Canary

Islands.

Canary Island PinePinus canariensis (Pinaceae)

This evergreen tree is conical at first later becomingcolumnar. It has slender, dark green leaves withrough margins, borne in clusters of three.Young plants have bright silvery blue leaves,borne singly, and this foliage is sometimesretained for several years. Long-stalkedcones, to 20cm long, ripen in thesecond autumn.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Orange-brown, cracking with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to early summer.OCCURRENCE E. Mediterranean region fromBulgaria to Greece and Turkey.SIMILAR SPECIES Aleppo Pine (p.37), is morewidespread and has bright green foliage.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Orange-brown, thick.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (in plantations inthe Mediterranean region); native to CanaryIslands.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

roundedcrown

male flowercluster leaf to 30cm

long

columnarhabit ofmature tree


Swiss Stone PinePinus cembra (Pinaceae)

Narrow and conical when young, this evergreen treebecomes columnar with age and has greenish shootscovered in orange-brown hairs. The slender, bright green,aromatic leaves are arranged in forward-pointing clustersof five on densely hairy shoots. The male flower clusters

are purple-red, opening yellow whenreleasing pollen; females are red

and in separate clusters. Thesemature to an egg-shaped,

purple-brown, woodycone, up to 8cm long,

which fall intactfrom the treewhen ripe.

SLENDER, pointed, anddensely arranged inclusters of five, theleaves are bright greenon the outer surfaceand blue-grey on theinner surfaces.

leaf to10cmlong

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Grey-brown, scaly with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Forests on mountain slopes, the Alps and Carpathians.SIMILAR SPECIES Macedonian Pine (p.40), which has longer leaves,and larger, less woody cones. The closely related and similar P. sibricagrows over large areas of Siberia.

narrow,conicalhabit

NOTE

The cones do notopen – the largeseeds are eithertaken by birds orare released whenthe cone has fallenand decayed.


EGG-SHAPED, palebrown cones point

backward alongthe shoot; the

cone scalesend in asharp point.

Beach PinePinus contorta (Pinaceae)

The evergreen Beach Pine is usually bushy andspreading when small, later becoming conical. Theshort, twisted, dark green leaves are densely bornein pairs on the shoots. Male flower clusters areyellow; the red female flowers mature in thesecond autumn into brown cones, up to 5cmlong. These often persist, open, for some timeon the tree.

broadlyconicalhabit

LARGE, conical conespoint backwards alongthe shoots and often

persist on the tree.

Aleppo PinePinus halepensis (Pinaceae)

This evergreen, conical tree of open habit, spreads withage. The very slender, bright green pine needles aresparsely borne in pairs towards the ends of the shoots.Male flower clusters are yellow, while the female flowers

are pink and mature to brown cones whichare borne in whorls of three on short,stout stalks.

open, spreading habit

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Grey, later red-brown and fissured.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to early summer.OCCURRENCE Dry slopes in theMediterranean region.SIMILAR SPECIES Calabrian Pine (p.35),which has cones that point forwards.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Red-brown, cracking into squares.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to W. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Mountain Pine (p.38) hasdark brown cones); Lodgepole Pine (P.contorta var. latifolia), has unopened cones.

leaf to12cm long

cone to12cmlong

male flowerclusters

leaf to 5cmlong

younggreencone


SMALL and darkbrown, the egg-shapedcones develop fromfemale flowers,ripening in autumn.

Mountain PinePinus mugo subsp. uncinata (Pinaceae)

This is an evergreen tree of narrow, conical habit withneedle-like, short, rigid, dark green leaves densely arrangedin pairs on the shoots. The male flower clusters are yellowand female clusters are red-purple, maturing to

small, dark brown, egg-shaped conesin the second autumn. Pinus mugo

subsp. mugo, a shrub up to about3m tall, is found from the Alps

to the Balkans.

Bosnian PinePinus heldreichii (Pinaceae)

An evergreen, conical tree of dense habit, thispine becomes columnar with age. The rigid,dark green leaves are densely borne in pairs.While the male flower clusters are yellow,females are red-purple, maturing to egg-shaped cones that are deep blue inthe first autumn, ripening toorange-brown in the next year.

red-purple femaleflower

THIS species ischaracteristic of highmountain regionswhere it often grownon limestone.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-pink; black and scaly in old trees.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Rocky mountain slopes fromthe Pyrenees to the Alps.SIMILAR SPECIES None – the basal scalesof the cone curve downwards making iteasily recognizable.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey and smooth when young;cracking with age.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Mountain forests in limestoneregions of S. Italy and the Balkans.SIMILAR SPECIES None – its blue youngcones are very distinctive.

conicalhabit

leaf to 9cmlong

cone to10cmlong

narrow, conicalhabit

cone to 5cmlong

leaf to 6cmlong

maleflowercluster


DENSE stands ofAustrian Pine can befound in the Europeanmountains.

Austrian PinePinus nigra (Pinaceae)

A stoutly branched, large, evergreen tree, the Austrian Pineis conical when young, becoming broadly columnar with

age. It is often seen with several stemsemerging from a trunk that is

sometimes short. The rigid, darkgreen leaves have a sharp pointedtip and are borne in pairs. Whilemale flower clusters are yellow,females are red, maturing to egg-shaped brown cones in the second autumn, thatfall intact from the treewhen ripe.

PINKISH grey at first,the bark graduallydarkens with age,developing ridges and scales.

Corsican PinePinus nigra subsp. laricio (Pinaceae)

This large, evergreen tree is conical when young and laterbecomes broadly columnar, usually with a single trunk.The slender, flexible grey-green leaves are borne in pairs.Male flower clusters are yellow or red-tinged, while females

are pink, maturing to egg-shaped, dark brown cones,

up to 8cm long, in thesecond autumn. The

cones fall intact fromthe tree when ripe.

leaf to 18cmlong

HEIGHT 40m and more. SPREAD 15m. BARK Pinkish grey; becomes dark grey,deeply ridged, and scaly with age.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Rocky mountain slopes inCorsica and Italy (Calabria, Sicily).SIMILAR SPECIES Austrian Pine (above),which has more rigid, shorter leaves.

HEIGHT 40m or more. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark grey to nearly black, ridged.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Rocky slopes in themountains of C. Europe, from the Alps to theBalkans; also commonly cultivated.SIMILAR SPECIES Corsican Pine (below), hasslender, more flexible, grey-green leaves.

broadlycolumnarhabit

cone to8cm long

leaf to 15cmlong



CONICAL and glossybrown, the cone hassharp scales thatend in a point.

Maritime PinePinus pinaster (Pinaceae)

The evergreen Maritime Pine is conical when young, whileold trees usually have a long, bare trunk and a domed head

of branches. The very long, needle-like, grey-green leaves are rigid and end in a sharp

point. They are borne in pairs, pointingforwards along the shoots. While the

male flower clusters are yellow,females are red, maturing to prickly,glossy brown cones that may persiston the tree for many years.

Macedonian PinePinus peuce (Pinaceae)

An evergreen, narrowly conical tree of dense habit, theMacedonian Pine has slender, rigid blue-green leaves bornein clusters of five on the smooth green shoots. Male flower

clusters are yellow or purple-tinged, while females arered. The female flowers mature in the second autumn

to slightly curved, cylindrical to conical, palebrown cones.

leaf to 20cmlong

conical habitwhen young

GREEN and resinousat first, the drooping cones later ripen to pale brown.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-green and smooth; purple-brownand cracking into plates with age.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Mountain slopes of the BalkanPeninsula (Bulgaria, Serbia, and N. Greece).SIMILAR SPECIES Weymouth Pine (p.42)has narrower leaves and hairy shoots.

HEIGHT 30m or more. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey when young, becoming red-brown and deeply fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Coastal regions and mountainslopes of S.W. Europe, from Portugal to Italy.SIMILAR SPECIES None – it has the longestleaves of any native European pine.

cone to15cmlong

leaf to10cmlong

grey-greenfoliage

conical, densehabit


HEIGHT 20m or more.SPREAD 20m.BARK Orange-brown; deeply fissured on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Coastal regions in sandy soils throughout the Mediterranean region.SIMILAR SPECIES None – the flat-topped and spreading head isunique and makes this tree instantly recognizable.

umbrella-shapedhead

GREEN at first, the ripe cones are nearlyrounded, heavy, andglossy brown. Theycontain large, edible seeds.

Umbrella PinePinus pinea (Pinaceae)

This evergreen tree has an umbrella-shaped head ofbranches, unlike any other pine. Its grey-green leaves areneedle-like, stout, rigid, deeply grooved on both sides, andand are borne in pairs on smooth orange-brown shoots.Young trees, and occasional shoots on old trees, havesilvery blue leaves that are arranged singly. The flowers areborne in separate clusters on young shoots. While maleflower clusters are yellow-brown, the female clusters aregreen, ripening in the third autumn to broadly egg-shapedto rounded cones.

NOTE

The seeds of thisspecies are theedible pine nuts orkernels that arecommonly sold andoften used inMediterranean food.

cone to10cmlong

leaf to15cmlong

glossybrowncone

nut-likeseeds

broad, spreadinghabit


RIPE, pale brown cones are cylindrical,curved, and stickywith resin.

Weymouth PinePinus strobus (Pinaceae)

The very slender leaves of this conical, evergreen tree aredensely arranged in clusters of five on smooth shoots. Theyare grey-green on the outer surface and grey-white on theinner one. The male flowers are yellow, whilefemales are pink, and are found in separate clusters

on young shoots. The female clusters maturein the second autumn to pendulous,

cylindrical, pale brown cones.

Monterey PinePinus radiata (Pinaceae)

This fast-growing, evergreen tree is conical when young,later becoming broadly columnar. The slender, flexible,bright green leaves are densely arranged in clusters of threeon smooth grey-green shoots. While the male flowerclusters are yellow-brown, females are red, ripening in thesecond autumn to conical,pale brown cones thatpersist on the branchesfor many years.

leaf to 12cmlong

conicalhabit

leaf to15cmlong

UPRIGHT male flowerclusters are conspicuouson the tree in earlysummer.

HEIGHT 30m or more. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark grey and deeply furrowed.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (for ornamental useand timber); native to USA (California).SIMILAR SPECIES None – its bright greenfoliage, with leaves in threes, and persistentcones distinguish it from other pines.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark grey and smooth; later fissured.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (sometimes forforestry); native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES None – although may beconfused with less common Bhutan Pine (P.wallichiana) that has larger leaves and cones.

cone to12cmlong

cone to15cmlong

bright yellowmale flowers

broadly columnarhabit


HEIGHT 30m or more. SPREAD 15m.BARK Purple-grey, orange to pink towards top of trunk; deeply cracked,and fissured, flaking into small plates with age.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Heaths and mountains in sandy soils; throughoutEurope, extending east to Turkey.SIMILAR SPECIES Distinct in the wild; may be confused with plantedJapanese Red Pine (P. densiflora) which has longer green leaves.

cone to 8cm long

maleflower

YELLOW male flowersnestle among the rigidand twisted blue-greenleaves that are bornein pairs on the shoots;sometimes they have asilvery tinge.

Scots PinePinus sylvestris (Pinaceae)

An evergreen tree, with branches that grow in whorls, theScots Pine is conical when young, developing a rounded,spreading head on a tall trunk with age. The stout, needle-like leaves are blue-green to blue-grey. Male flower clustersare cylindrical and yellow, and found at the base of youngshoots. Female clusters are upright and red, and arescattered in ones or twos at the tips of the young shoots.They mature in the second autumn to egg-shaped, woody green conesthat are brown when ripe.

leaf to7cmlong

femaleflower

orange topink bark onupper trunk

NOTE

Many selections, particularly dwarf forms, are cultivated in gardens. Of those that growinto trees, P. sylvestris ‘Aurea’ has brightyellow leaves in winter, while P. sylvestris‘Fastigiata’ is narrowly columnar in habit.

rounded,spreadinghead

irregularhabit


Douglas FirPseudotsuga menziesii (Pinaceae)

A fast-growing, large, evergreen tree, the Douglas Fir isconical when young, taking on an irregular and flat-toppedshape with age. Its slender, dark green leaves have twowhite bands beneath and are arranged radially, all aroundthe shoots. Male flower clusters are yellow and found onthe underside of the shoots. Clusters of female flowers aregreen or flushed with pink and borne at the ends of

shoots. They later form longand pendulous cones

with three-prongedbracts. Green at

first, they becomered-brown, and

fall intactwhen ripe.

GREY- to purple-brown,the bark is thick,developing deep red-brown cracks with age.

NOTE

The three-prongedbracts on the conesmake identificationof Douglas Fir easy.The bracts, or theirremains, canusually be foundunder the tree atany time of year.

HEIGHT 40m or more. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey-brown to purple-brown, deeply fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (very commonly for forestry); native to W. North America, with a variety extending to Mexico.SIMILAR SPECIES Blue Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var.glauca), which is smaller, has shorter cones, and blue-green foliage.

narrow-tippedbranches

cone to10cm long

femaleflowercluster

leaf to3cmlong

male flower cluster


PENDULOUS, egg-shapedcones persist on the tree after shedding

their seeds inautumn.

Eastern HemlockTsuga canadensis (Pinaceae)

The leading shoot at the top of this conical, evergreen treeis distinctly drooping. Arranged flatly on either side of theshoots, the leaves taper slightly from the base and have a blunt tip. On top of the shoot, the upturned darkgreen leaves point forwards, exposing their blue-green undersides with two white bands. Maleflower clusters are yellow, while females aregreen, maturing to small, light brown cones.

cone to 2cm long

Western HemlockTsuga heterophylla (Pinaceae)

Like the Eastern Hemlock (above), this conical, evergreentree is also characterized by a distinctly drooping leadingshoot at the top. Spread on either side of the shoots, the

dark green, blunt-tipped leaves haveparallel sides and two white bands

beneath. Both male and femaleflower clusters are reddish;

males are borne beneath theshoots, while the females are

borne at the shoot tips andmature into small cones.

SMALL and egg-shaped,the hanging conesmature from purplishred to pale brown.

leaves to2cm long

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Purple-grey, flaking in scaly patches.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (with many dwarfforms); native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Western Hemlock (below),which lacks the overturned leaves above theshoots and has parallel-sided leaves.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Purple-brown, flaking and ridged as it matures.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (particularly forforestry); native to W. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Eastern Hemlock (above),which has tapered leaves and smaller cones.

drooping leadingshoot


broadly conical habit

cone to2.5cmlong

leaf to 1.2cmlong

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Purple-brown, smooth, and flaking.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Hills and mountains, on chalk or limestone soil,throughout Europe; also cultivated.SIMILAR SPECIES None – it is not easily confused with other species,especially when bearing fruit.

leaf to3cmlong

fleshy redaril withseed

yellow aril

‘LUTEA’

uprightbranches


YewTaxus baccata (Taxaceae)

A broadly conical, evergreen tree, the Yew is often many-trunked. Linear and pointed at the tip, the leaves are darkgreen above, with two pale bands below, mainly spread intwo rows on either side of the shoots. Male flowers growbeneath the shoots, while the tiny green female flowers areborne singly at the ends of the shoots on separate plants.The fruit is a single seed, held in a fleshy, usually red aril. It is open at the top, exposing the green seed, ripening thefirst autumn. All parts (except the arils) are poisonous.

‘Fastigiata’, or Irish Yew, is aselection with upright

branches and leavesgrowing all around

the shoots.

ROUNDED, pale yellowmale flower clusters,about 3–4mm wide,are found in the leaf axils beneath the shoots.

conicalhabit

NOTE

The Yew is oftenseen in gardens ashedges or topiary.Many selectionshave been made,including severalwith variegatedfoliage. ‘Lutea’ is anunusual form withyellow fruit.

This group of evergreen conifers has tiny, scale-like leaves,and includes the cypresses and their relatives, as well as some,but not all, of the junipers. It is important to note that allconifers with scales have needle-like leaves during theirjuvenile phase as seedlings, onlydeveloping scale-like leaves asthey mature. The StinkingJuniper (below) is a goodexample of this; theChinese Juniper is lessclear-cut, retainingsome of its needles into maturity.

Conifers with Scales

LAWSON CYPRESS WESTERN RED CEDAR

PHOENICIAN JUNIPER

CHINESE ARBOR-VITAE

4 8 C O N I F E R S W I T H S C A L E S

SMALL red male flowerclusters are oftenconspicuous at theshoot tips in spring.

Lawson CypressChamaecyparis lawsoniana (Cupressaceae)

The conical, evergreen Lawson Cypresshas dark green foliage in drooping,flattened sprays. The tiny leaves arepointed, with white markingsbeneath and are denselyarranged around the shoots.Male flowers are red; femalesare blue, ripening torounded cones with eightscales, blue-green at first,later brown.

Incense CedarCalocedrus decurrens (Cupressaceae)

A distinctly narrow and columnar habit, taperingtowards the top, characterizes this evergreen tree.The aromatic, bright green foliage in flattenedsprays is composed of tiny, scale-like leaves pressedagainst slender shoots. The flower clusterscomprise tiny yellow males and green females,both borne at the tips of the shoots. The yellowcones, ripening to red-brown, are oblong with sixscales that open out when ripe.

denselyarrangedleaves

DARK and glossy green,the leaves are in sets oftwo pairs, and have atriangular, sharp-pointed tip.

HEIGHT 30m or more. SPREAD 10–15m. BARK Purple-brown and smooth, laterflaking in vertical strips.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (large number offorms); native to USA (Oregon and California).SIMILAR SPECIES Western Red Cedar (p.57),has glossy foliage and egg-shaped cones.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 5m. BARK Smooth, red-brown, and later scaly.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to westernUSA, extending south to Baja California. SIMILAR SPECIES Some forms of LawsonCypress (below), but the habit and foliageare different.

cone8mmwide

conical habit

leaf to3mmlong

cones openwhenmature

taperingtowardstop

dense, narrowhabit

C O N I F E R S W I T H S C A L E S 4 9

RED-BROWN, verticallyfissured bark starts to flake in strips onolder trees.

Hinoki CypressChamaecyparis obtusa (Cupressaceae)

The dark green foliage of this conical, evergreen tree isarranged in flattened sprays. The tiny, scale-like leaves,which densely cover the shoots, have blunt tips and are marked with white beneath. While the male flower

clusters are reddish yellow, femaleclusters are pale brown ripening

to rounded cones – green atfirst, later turning brown.

dense leafcover

coneabout1cmwide

RED-BROWN barkbecomes fissured

and starts peelingin vertical stripson old trees.

Sawara CypressChamaecyparis pisifera (Cupressaceae)

A broadly conical, evergreen tree, the Sawara Cypress hasglossy green foliage arranged in flattened sprays. Thetiny, scale-like leaves have small, pointed, freetips and are marked with whitebeneath. Male flower clusters are

brownish while femalesare green, ripening to

small, rounded,brown cones that are

green when young.

broadlyconicalhabit

glossygreenfoliage

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 8m. BARK Red-brown, peeling in vertical strips.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (many selectionsare grown in gardens, particularly dwarfforms); native to Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES More common LawsonCypress (left), which has pointed leaves.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 8m. BARK Red-brown, peeling in strips with age.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (many selectionsare grown in gardens, including forms withjuvenile foliage); native to Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES None – the small conesand free leaf tips make it distinctive.

narrow,conicalhabit

leaves withblunt tips

leaves atangle toshoot

cone to8mmwide

HEIGHT 30m or more.SPREAD 10m.BARK Red-brown and smooth, ridged and flaking with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Known only in cultivation (several forms are grown, withvarious foliage colours, especially yellow).SIMILAR SPECIES None – this species is quite distinct in its shape,vigour, and foliage.


Leyland Cypressx Cupressocyparis leylandii (Cupressaceae)

A very fast-growing, evergreen tree, the Leyland Cypresshas a dense, narrow, columnar habit, tapering towards thetop. The tiny, scale-like, dark green leaves have pointed

tips. They are borne in small, flattened spraysdensely arranged all around the shoots.

While male flower clusters are yellow,females are green; both are clustered at

the tips of the shoots. The glossybrown cones (which are not alwaysproduced on some forms) aregreen when young.

SPHERICAL green youngcones, when produced,ripen to brown thesecond year afterflowering and soappear clustered onthe old shoots.

denselyarrangedleaves

cone 2cmwide

narrow,columnarhabit

NOTE

This evergreen treeis a garden hybridbetween theMonterey Cypress(p.52) and theNootka Cypress(Chamaecyparisnootkatensis).

yellow maleflowers

REDDISH purple to red-brown bark flakes inrounded scales as it ages.

Smooth Arizona CypressCupressus arizonica var. glabra (Cupressaceae)

This conical, evergreen tree of compact habit has slender,reddish shoots densely covered with irregular, aromaticsprays of tiny, scale-like, grey-green leaves. Each leaf has a pointed tip, and a small fleck of white resin is usually visible in the centre on the underside. The smallbut conspicuous male flower clusters are yellow whilethe females are green – both are borne at the shoottips. Glossy brown, later grey, the rounded conesripen in the second autumn.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 6m.BARK Red-purple, flaky with age.FLOWERING TIME Late winter.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to USA(Arizona).SIMILAR SPECIES Arizona Cypress (C. arizonica), is less frequently grown, hasfibrous bark, and lacks resin on the leaves.

VERTICAL ridgesdevelop on the bark as

it peels in fibrousstrips with age.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Brown, peeling in vertical strips.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Mexicoand Central America.SIMILAR SPECIES None – the bloomy young cones with pointed scales make iteasily recognizable.

cone 1.5cm wide

cone 2.5cmwide

smallflowerclusters

dense leafcover

openhabit


compacthabit

Cedar of GoaCupressus lusitanica (Cupressaceae)

Also called the Mexican Cypress, this large, conical,evergreen tree has a rather open and sometimes weepinghabit. Its foliage is dark grey-green, the tiny, scale-likeleaves with free, pointed tips arranged in spraysall around the shoots. While male flower clustersare yellow-brown, females are blue-white and

ripen in the secondautumn to bloomy,rounded cones, withdistinctly pointedtips to the scales.

grey-greenleaves


cone to4cm wide

bright greenfoliage

Monterey CypressCupressus macrocarpa (Cupressaceae)

A large, vigorous evergreen tree of usually dense, columnarhabit, the Monterey Cypress spreads with age. Its aromatic,

bright green foliage is composed of tiny, scale-likeleaves with pointed tips, densely arranged in

sprays all around the shoots. Male flowerclusters are yellow, while females are green,

both borne at the tips of the shoots. Therounded purple-brown cones have scales

with small, blunt points. They ripen inthe second autumn and usuallyremain on the tree for several years.Although a rare species in the wild,the Monterey Cypress is commonlycultivated in Europe.

FOLIAGE is arrangedaround the shoots asin all Cupressusspecies, and not inflattened sprays as inChamaecyparis trees.

NOTE

Several gardenselections of theMonterey Cypressare frequently seen, particularlythose with yellowfoliage, such as‘Goldcrest’.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Red-brown with shallow ridges.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to USA (coastal areas near Monterey, California). SIMILAR SPECIES Italian Cypress (right), which has a narrowlycolumnar habit and egg-shaped cones.

spray of leavesaround shoot

pointedtips

dense,columnarhabit


narrow,columnarhabit

CONES, borne inclusters, are usuallyslightly longer thanwide, with prominentprojections on the large scales.

NOTE

The Italian Cypressis a characteristictree of theMediterraneanregion. Although thenarrow formdescribed here ismost commonlyseen, some aremuch broader andopen with a conicalor pendulous habit.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 4m or more. BARK Grey-brown with shallow, longitudinal, spiralled ridges.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Rocky mountain slopes, S.E. Europe; also commonly cultivated.SIMILAR SPECIES Monterey Cypress (left), which has a denser habitand smoother cones.

Italian CypressCupressus sempervirens (Cupressaceae)

The narrow, columnar habit and tapered top make theevergreen Italian Cypress easily recognizable. Heavilyfruiting branches may bend out fromthe tree under the weight of cones.The dark green foliage is composed oftiny, scale-like leaves with blunt tips,which are borne in irregular sprays allaround the shoots. Male flowerclusters are yellow-brown, whilethe females are green, both borneat the shoot tips. The egg-shapedto nearly rounded brown coneshave 6–12 scales, each with aprojection in the centre. Theyripen in the second autumn.

taperedtop

cone to4cm wide


HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 6m.BARK Red-brown, peeling in vertical strips.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native toMyanmar, China, Korea, and Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES Pencil Cedar (p.56) alsohas both types of foliage on the same tree,but the cones ripen in one year.

conicalhabit

RED-BROWN in colour,the bark peels in longstrips as thetree ages.

Stinking JuniperJuniperus foetidissima (Cupressaceae)

The aromatic, dark green foliage of this dense, conical,evergreen tree is composed of tiny, scale-like leaves(needle-like in juvenile plants). Male flower clusters areyellow-brown, while the females, borne on separate plants,are green. These ripen in the second year to purple-black,rounded, berry-like cones up to 1cm wide, covered with awhitish bloom when young and bearing up to three seeds.

Chinese JuniperJuniperus chinensis (Cupressaceae)

This conical, evergreen tree often bears twotypes of foliage. Juvenile plants have needle-like leaves in threes or sometimes in pairs,marked with two white bands above.Mature plants, on the other hand, havetiny, blunt-tipped, scale-like leaves, andusually some juvenile foliage. While maleflower clusters are yellow, females arepurple-green and borne on separateplants. The berry-like cones, 8mm long,are covered with a white bloom and

ripen the second year.

conical, densehabit

scale-likeadult foliage

LONG, vertical stripspeel off the bark,which is red-brown onmature trees.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 6m.BARK Red-brown, peeling in strips.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Rocky mountain slopes in S.E. Europe and S.W. Asia.SIMILAR SPECIES Phoenicean Juniper(right), which has red-brown cones, foetidfoliage, and a different distribution.

leaf to 5mmlong

juvenile leaves to8mm long


TINY scale-like, darkgreen leaves arearranged in pairs or in whorls of three.

Phoenicean JuniperJuniperus phoenicea (Cupressaceae)

This evergreen tree is conical or sometimes shrubby, withdark green, slightly foetid foliage. While the leaves onadult plants are tiny and scale-like, on juvenile plants theyare needle-like. Borne on separate plants, the maleflower clusters are yellow and females aregreen. The rounded, berry-like conesare red-brown and sometimesslightly bloomy. They ripenin the second yearand contain up to nine seeds.

DARK brown inappearance, the barkpeels in vertical stripsas it grows older.

Spanish JuniperJuniperus thurifera (Cupressaceae)

The aromatic, dark green foliage of this narrow, conical,evergreen tree is composed of tiny, scale-like leaves, often

marked with a fleck of white resin. Theplants may also bear juvenile foliage

composed of needle-like leaves. Maleflower clusters are yellow, while thefemale clusters are green, borne onseparate trees. The rounded,purple, berry-like cones, to 8mmwide and each with up to fourseeds, are bloomy when youngand ripen in thesecond year.

conicalhabit

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 5m.BARK Grey-brown, peeling in vertical strips.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Coastal regions from CanaryIslands and Portugal, throughout S. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Stinking Juniper (left) andSpanish Juniper (below), which have cones indifferent colours and aromatic foliage.

cones to1.4cm wide

shrubby habit

HEIGHT 12m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark brown, peeling in vertical strips.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Dry hillsides in Spain and theAlps of S.E. France.SIMILAR SPECIES Phoenicean Juniper(above), which has red cones, foetid foliage,and a coastal distribution.

juvenile leaf to5mm long

adultfoliage


HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 4m. BARK Red-brown, peeling in vertical strips.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Chinese Juniper (p.54),has cones that ripen in the second year.

TINY, dark green leaves are arranged on the shoots inupright sprays.

Chinese Arbor-vitaePlatycladus orientalis (Cupressaceae)

Usually rather shrubby with several main branchesemerging from the base, this evergreen, conical tree hastiny, scale-like, dark green leaves. While the male flowerclusters are yellow, the females are green and

ripen to large, upright, egg-shaped browncones, which are bloomy when young;

each of the scales has a prominenthook on the back. These conespersist on the tree over winter.

Pencil CedarJuniperus virginiana (Cupressaceae)

This evergreen tree has a dense, conical tocolumnar habit. The aromatic foliage variesfrom green to blue-green and consists ofboth tiny, scale-like leaves and somejuvenile leaves, which are needle-like andarranged in pairs. Male flower clustersare yellow, while females are green andborne on separate plants. The rounded,berry-like cones are blue-purple with awhite bloom and ripen in the first year.

conicalhabit

cone 2cmlong

leaf to6mmlong

RED-BROWN in colour, the bark peels off in vertical strips.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 5m. BARK Red-brown, peeling in vertical strips.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to China,Korea, and E. Russia.SIMILAR SPECIES Western Red Cedar (right), which has aromatic foliage andsmaller cones.

cone to2cmlong



TINY, scale-like leavesare dark green above,and have whitemarkings beneath.

Western Red CedarThuja plicata (Cupressaceae)

Fast-growing and conical, the evergreen Western Red Cedarhas pleasantly aromatic foliage and its dark green leavesare borne in flattened sprays. While male flower clustersare blackish red, turning yellow when open, the females are yellow-green; both are borne at the ends of the shoots. The upright, egg-shaped cones ripen the same yearfrom yellow-green to brown. Eachcone has 10–12 leathery scales.

HEIGHT 35m or more. SPREAD 15m. BARK Purple-brown, peeling in vertical strips.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to W. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Lawson Cypress (p.48), which has rounded coneswith eight scales; Chinese Arbor-vitae (left), which has larger cones,and lacks the aromatic foliage.


NOTE

A popular gardentree making aneffective largescreen. There areseveral selectionsincluding ‘Zebrina’which have yellow-striped foliage.

darkgreenleaves

cone to1.2cmlong

A broadleaf tree with compound leaves has broad leaves (asopposed to needles or scales) that are made up of at least twoleaflets. The leaflets may be arranged pinnately, and appearfern-like, such as on the Black Walnut, or they may be palmateand fan-like, as on the Horse Chestnut (below). Related treespecies often have similar leaf types, but this is not always thecase. For example, the Rowan has compound leaves, but therelated Whitebeam does not.

Broadleaved Compound

BLACK WALNUT

JAPANESE ROWAN PINK SIRISSTAG’S HORN SUMACH

B R O A D L E A V E D C O M P O U N D 5 9

REDDISH to palecinnamon-brown, thebark peels in wafer-thin, papery flakes.

Paperbark MapleAcer griseum (Aceraceae)

A deciduous species, this maple is broadly columnar atfirst, spreading with age. The leaves are divided into threeleaflets edged with blunt teeth. They are dark green above,grey-blue and hairy beneath, and turn red in autumn.Small yellow-green flowers open in drooping clusters withthe young leaves. They are followed by conspicuous fruitwith broad, pale green wings that are usually seedless.

SMALL clusters ofdownward-pointing,curved fruit are borneon female trees.

Box ElderAcer negundo (Aceraceae)

This deciduous tree, also known as the Ash-leaved Maple,has pinnate, opposite, dark green leaves, with 3–7 leafletson smooth or hairy, often bloomy, shoots. Tiny, green topink flowers, without petals, are borne in clusters before oras the leaves emerge, with males and females on separate

plants; female plants bear two-wingedfruit. Variegated, yellow-leaved formssuch as ‘Elegans’, ‘Flamingo’, and ‘Variegatum’ arecultivated in gardens.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Reddish to brown, peelingconspicuously in thin flakes.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to China.SIMILAR SPECIES None – its peeling bark is unmistakable.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to North America.SIMILAR SPECIES None – no other maplehas leaves with more than three leaflets.

fruit wing to3cm long

leaflet to10cmlong

dark greenfoliage

wide habittassel-likemaleflowers

red anthers

‘ELEGANS’

leaf to20cmlong

6 0 B R O A D L E A V E D C O M P O U N D

RED at first, the egg-shaped fruit, up to 7mm long,become purple-brownwhen ripe.

Turpentine TreePistacia terebinthus (Anacardiaceae)

Deciduous and spreading, the Turpentine Tree hasalternate, pinnate, dark green leaves, with up to nineuntoothed leaflets, each of which ends in asmall, pointed tip. The small green flowershave no petals, and are borne inelongated clusters from the axils ofthe leaves, males and females on

separate plants.

Mastic TreePistacia lentiscus (Anacardiaceae)

Also known as the Lentisc, this small, evergreen tree ofspreading habit is often shrubby. The alternate, leathery,dark green leaves are pinnate with up to six pairs ofuntoothed leaflets, which end in a small point, with noterminal leaflet. Each leaf stalk has a distinct wing. Small redor yellow flowers, without petals, appear in dense clusters inthe axils of the leaves, males andfemales on separate plants.

flower to 3cmlong

spreading habit

SMALL and rounded,the fruit, 5mm wide, is red at first, ripening to black.

HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 6m or less.BARK Grey-brown.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Dry places, slopes, and woodsin the Mediterranean region.SIMILAR SPECIES Turpentine Tree (below),which is deciduous and has pinnate leaveswith a terminal leaflet.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 8m. BARK Grey-brown.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Dry slopes and woods aroundthe Mediterranean, from France to Turkey.SIMILAR SPECIES Mastic Tree (above),which is evergreen and has leaves that lacka terminal leaflet.

spreading habit

flowercluster to 15cmlong

leafletto 6cmlong

leafletto 3cmlong


BRIGHT red fruit arematted together withlong hairs, formingconical clusters.

Stag’s Horn SumachRhus typhina (Anacardiaceae)

This deciduous, spreading tree of open habit, is oftenshrubby, producing numerous suckers from around thebase. The alternate, pinnate leaves have up to 27 leaflets,which are dark green above and blue-green beneath, borneon stout, velvety shoots. Tiny green flowers are borne

in dense, conical, upright clusters,on the same plant or on

separate plants, followedby the fruit.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Dark brown, smooth.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Smooth Sumach (Rhus glabra), which has smooth, bloomyshoots and minute hairs on the fruit.

leaf to60cmlong

flowercluster to 20cmlong

ROUNDED, aromatic,small, glossy red fruit,to 5mm wide, areborne on female trees.

Pepper TreeSchinus molle (Anacardiaceae)

The slender, pendulous shoots create a weeping effect inthis broadly columnar to rounded, evergreen tree. Thealternate, pinnate, dark green leaves have as many as 30 ormore slender leaflets, which may be toothed, sometimeswith a terminal leaflet. Tiny, creamy white flowers open inlarge, pendulous clusters in spring and summer, males andfemales are borne on separate plants.


broadly spreadinghabit

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Red-brown, flaking when mature.FLOWERING TIME Spring and summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (particularly in theMediterranean region); naturalized in parts of S. Europe; native to Central and South America.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

pinnateleaf to30cmlong


HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey and prickly.FLOWERING TIME Autumn.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (slow-growingvariegated forms); native to E. Asia.SIMILAR SPECIES Devil’s Walking Stick (A. spinosa) has conical, upright flowerheads.

DISC-SHAPED seedpods, about 6cm wide,are dark brown andwoody when ripe.

JacarandaJacaranda mimosifolia (Bignoniaceae)

A deciduous, spreading tree, the Jacaranda has opposite,fern-like leaves, which are twice pinnate with numeroussmall, bright green leaflets, to 1cm long; the leaf stalks are spiny beneath. Purple-blueflowers are arranged inbroadly pyramid-shapedheads at the shoot tips,usually before the leaves.

Japanese Angelica TreeAralia elata (Araliaceae)

This deciduous tree or shrub of spreading habit has stout,spiny branches, and usually produces numerous suckersaround the base. Opposite and twice pinnate, the leaveshave numerous, dark green leaflets that turn yellow, red, or purple in autumn. The flowers are followed by tiny,rounded purple-black fruit, 5mm wide.

spreadinghabit

SMALL white flowerclusters, about 2.5cmwide, are borne at theend of shoots, thewhole flowerhead up to 60cm long.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Dark brown with shallow ridges.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Argentinaand Bolivia.SIMILAR SPECIES Pink Siris (p.71), whichhas similar foliage but is not as large andhas pink flowers with long pink stamens.

leaf to30cm long

spreadinghabit

leaf 1mor morelong

flower to3cm long


HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 8m.BARK Grey-brown, deeply furrowed, and corky.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Moist woods and hedgerows all over Europe; commonly grown in gardens (and often escaped from cultivation).SIMILAR SPECIES Danewort (S. ebulus), which is herbaceous; S. racemosa which is shrubby with red berries.

broadly columnarto rounded head

SMALL, creamy white,fragrant flowers areborne in broad,flattened heads up to 25cm wide.

creamy whiteflowers

NOTE

Both the flowersand fruit are used to make wine. Many selections aregrown in gardens,including thepurple-leaved,variegated, andcut-leaved forms.The ripe fruit areoccasionally green.

ElderSambucus nigra (Caprifoliaceae)

With a broadly columnar to rounded head, a rathertwisted growth, and arching branches, the deciduous Elder tree is often shrubby, with several stems sproutingfrom the base. The leaves, borne in opposite pairs on stoutgrey-brown shoots, are pinnate, with 5–7 sharply toothed,oval, elliptical, and pointed leaflets, each up to 20cm long;they have a rather unpleasant smell. The flat heads ofwhite flowers, each about 6–10mm wide, are followed byglossy black, edible berries, which are green when unripe,and have red stalks.

leaf to30cm long berry about

6mm wide

leaflet to 12cmlong


fruit to 4cmwide

Red Horse ChestnutAesculus x carnea (Hippocastanaceae)

This hybrid between the Horse Chestnut (right) and Red Buckeye (p.66) is a deciduous, broadly columnar torounded tree. Its dark green leaves are opposite andpalmately divided into 5–7 sharply toothed leaflets. Theflowers emerge creamy white streaked with yellow, butlater turn deep pink, blotched with red. They have fivepetals and are borne in conical, upright clusters. Roundedfruit contain up to three seeds (“conkers”) and have few orno spines; they ripen from green to brown. ‘Briotii’, agarden selection that is occasionally seen, has deep red

flowers and darker,glossier leaves.

REDDISH pink flowersare a feature inheritedfrom one of the RedHorse Chestnut’sparent species, the much smaller Red Buckeye.

columnar torounded habit

deep pinkto redflowers

finelytoothedmargin

leaf to25cmlong

flower clustersto 20cm long

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Red-brown, rather rough, and often develops burrs. FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Known only in cultivation (grown in parks, streets, and gardens). SIMILAR SPECIES Horse Chestnut (right), which has whitish flowersand spiny fruit; Red Buckeye (p.66), which is a much smaller treewith flowers that have four petals.

NOTE

In winter, the RedHorse Chestnut canbe identified by itsonly slightly stickybuds, as opposed tothe very sticky budsof the HorseChestnut (right).


HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Red-brown to grey; flaking in scales on large trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Mountain forests in N. Greece and Albania; commonly cultivated.SIMILAR SPECIES Red Horse Chestnut (left), which has pink flowersblotched with red, and few or no spines on the fruit.

columnar tospreading shape

vigoroushabit

Horse ChestnutAesculus hippocastanum (Hippocastanaceae)

The familiar Horse Chestnut is characterized by the large,glossy brown and very sticky buds that appear in winter. Its flowers are white with a yellow blotch that turns red.They are borne in large, upright, conical clusters and arefollowed by distinctive green fruit that contain up to threeglossy brown seeds or conkers. A deciduous tree with abroadly columnar to spreading habit, it has palmate, darkgreen leaves each with 5–7 large, sharply toothed leafletswith short stalks. The leaves turn orange-red in autumn.‘Baumannii’, a selection of this species, has double flowers and no fruit.

flower clusterto 30cm long

NOTE

Although commonlyplanted in parksand large gardens,the origin of this treewas unknown formany years, until itwas discovered inthe wild in themountains of N.Greece. The seedsare used in thegame of conkers.

LARGE, creamy whiteflower clusters make a spectacular show in spring, in parks,streets, and gardens,where this tree iscommonly planted.

leaf to 30cm long


HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to N.W. Himalaya.SIMILAR SPECIES Horse Chestnut (p.65),which flowers earlier and whose flowers donot have protruding stamens.

FOUR-PETALLED, narrowred flowers are borne inupright clusters about15cm long.

Red BuckeyeAesculus pavia (Hippocastanaceae)

Five sharply toothed, glossy green leaflets, each with ashort stalk, characterize the palmately compound, oppositeleaves of this small, spreading, deciduous tree. The leavesturn red in autumn. The smooth, rounded to pear-shapedfruit each contain up to two glossy brownseeds and ripen from green to brown.

Indian Horse ChestnutAesculus indica (Hippocastanaceae)

The young, lance-shaped, bronze-coloured leaves of thisdeciduous tree are finely toothed and turn dark green withage. They are opposite and palmatelycompound, usually with 5–7 leaflets. Theclustered white flowers have long stamens.

The smooth, pear-shapedfruit contain up to three

glossy brown seeds.


WHITE flowers have ayellow blotch that turnsred as the flower ages,and are borne inupright conical spikes.

HEIGHT 5m. SPREAD 6m. BARK Dark grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to S.E. USA.SIMILAR SPECIES Red Horse Chestnut (p.64), which has larger, five-petalled flowersas well as larger leaves.

fruit to7cmlong

fruit to5cmlong

flower to4cm long

broadlyspreading

habit leaflet to15cm long

leaflet to25cm long



GREY and smooth, thebark becomes thick,furrowed, ridged, andscaly with age.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 20m. BARK Grey and smooth when young; laterridged and scaly.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Other hickories, which donot have bright yellow winter buds.

CONSPICUOUS greenbuds to 1cm longappear among the

pinnate leaves,which havetaper-pointedleaflets.

Shagbark HickoryCarya ovata (Juglandaceae)

This broadly columnar, deciduous treehas opposite, deep yellow-greenleaves with five to seven toothedleaflets. The flowers are small,green, and lack petals – malesin pendulous catkins to12cm long in clusters ofthree at the base of theyoung shoots, femalesat the tip of theexpanding shoots.The fruit is an ediblenut enclosed in athick green husk.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Grey-brown; peels in vertical flakes.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to earlysummer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. NorthAmerica.SIMILAR SPECIES None – its peeling barkand leaves with five leaflets make it distinct.

BitternutCarya cordiformis (Juglandaceae)

This conical, deciduous tree becomes broadly columnar withage. Its opposite, pinnate, dark green leaves have 5–9

toothed leaflets. Yellow in bud, the smallpetalless flowers turn green – males

in pendulous catkins to 8cmlong in clusters of three at

the base of the youngshoots, females at the tipof the expanding shoots.The fruit is an inediblenut in a thin husk.

leaf to 30cmlong

leaf to40cmlong

femaleflowergolden yellow

autumn colour


malecatkin


SLENDER, pointed, sharply toothed leafletsare glossy, dark green.

Black WalnutJuglans nigra (Juglandaceae)

This vigorous, deciduous tree is conical when young, butwidens with age. The large, pinnate leaves have up to 23leaflets, with the terminal one sometimes missing. Theflowers are small and green, without petals; the males are inhanging catkins, and the females in small clusters at theends of the young shoots. The fruit is anedible brown nut in a rounded green husk.

Japanese WalnutJuglans ailantifolia (Juglandaceae)

A spreading, deciduous tree, the Japanese Walnut has stout,sticky shoots, densely hairy when young. The large, pinnateleaves have up to 19 toothed, dark green leaflets that arehairy on both sides. The flowers are small and withoutpetals. The males are green, in hangingcatkins up to 30cm long, on oldshoots; female clusters are red,at the ends of young shoots.The fruit is an ediblebrown nut enclosed in asticky green husk.

GREY-BROWN barkdevelops deepinterlacing ridges onolder trees, separatinginto small plates.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Dark grey-brown, ridged with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to earlysummer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (as a forestry treefor timber); native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Japanese Walnut (above),has sticky hairs on its shoots and less leaflets.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 20m. BARK Grey-brown, becoming fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to earlysummer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES Black Walnut (below),which does not have sticky, hairy shoots.

fruit to5cmlong

leaf to 90cmlong female

flowers

dark greenfoliage

leaf to 60cmlong

fruit to5cmlong

catkin to 10cm long

broadcrown


HEIGHT 25m.SPREAD 20m.BARK Pale grey, smooth on young trees, becoming fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to early summer.OCCURRENCE Mountains and hillside forests in S.E. Europe; widelycultivated for their ornamental value, fruit, and wood; often naturalized.SIMILAR SPECIES None – no other walnut has leaves with so few,untoothed leaflets.

dark greenleaves


MALE and femaleflowers are clustered inseparate pendulouscatkins on the sametree, the femalesshorter than the males.

WalnutJuglans regia (Juglandaceae)

A deciduous tree, the Walnut has pinnate, dark greenleaves with 5–9 leaflets, which are bronze when young.They are borne on stout, smooth shoots and are aromaticwhen crushed. The yellow-green flowers are small andwithout petals; males hang in conspicuous catkins up to10cm long from the ends of old shoots, while the shorterfemale catkins form at the tips of new shoots as the leavesare expanding. The fruit is the familiar creamy whitewalnut, enclosed in a rounded green husk that ripensto brown. There are many garden selections grownfor their fruit.

NOTE

Walnuts can bedistinguished fromthe related hickories(Carya) by thechambered pith,which can be seenif shoots are cutlengthways.

fruit to5cm long

leaf to 45cmlong

greenhusk


HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 30m. BARK Grey and smooth when young,becoming ridged with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to theCaucasus and N. Iran.SIMILAR SPECIES Hybrid Wingnut (below),which has slightly winged leaf stalks.

RIPENING fruit clustershang below the glossy,dark green foliagein summer.

Hybrid WingnutPterocarya x rehderiana (Juglandaceae)

A garden hybrid between Wingnut (above) and ChineseWingnut (P. stenoptera), this is a vigorous tree with suckersat the base. The alternate, pinnate leaves have up to 19

toothed, unstalked leaflets and upright,winged stalks. The small, petalless

flowers are borne in separatecatkins, males yellow and

females green. Borne inhanging clusters, the fruitis a small, green-wingednut that ripens to brown.

WingnutPterocarya fraxinifolia (Juglandaceae)

A fast-growing, deciduous tree, the Wingnut usuallyproduces suckers from the base. The large, pinnate leaveshave numerous unstalked, glossy, dark green leaflets thatturn yellow in autumn. The small, petalless, flowers are inhanging catkins, the males yellow and the females green.Small, green-winged nutsripen to brown and areborne in long, slender,hanging clusters.

wingedfruit inhangingcatkin

BARK of matureWingnut trees developsdeep, interlacing ridgesover the years.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 25m. BARK Purple-brown, developing crossingridges with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Known only in cultivation.SIMILAR SPECIES Wingnut (above) andChinese Wingnut (P. stenoptera), lack anupright wing on the leaf stalk.

broadlyspreadinghabit

fruitcluster

leaf to60cmlong

leaf to50cmlong

spreadinghabit

male catkinto 45cmlong


SMOOTH and blue-green on young trees,the bark becomesnearly black with age.

Silver WattleAcacia dealbata (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

An evergreen, broadly conical to spreading tree, SilverWattle has alternate, bipinnate blue-green leaves dividedinto numerous tiny leaflets, each about 5mm long. Borne

in large heads composed of manysmall, rounded clusters, the

individual flowers are tiny.The fruit is a flattenedpod, ripening from greento brown.

leaf to 12cmlong

fruit to8cmlong

HEIGHT 12m. SPREAD 12m. BARK Dark grey-brown and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to S.W. Asiaand China.SIMILAR SPECIES Silver Wattle (above),which has blue-green leaves and bark.

SMALL flowers inclusters are madeconspicuous by long,silky pink stamens.

Pink SirisAlbizia julibrissin (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

Also known as the Silk Tree, this deciduous tree has anopen, spreading habit. The alternate, bipinnate, fern-like,dark green leaves have numeroussmall leaflets. Dense, fluffy clustersof flowers appear at the ends ofthe shoots. The fruit is aflattened pod, to 15cm long,that is brown when ripe.

leaflets to1cm long

flowercluster

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Smooth and blue-green; becomingnearly black with age.FLOWERING TIME Late winter to early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (Mediterraneanregion); native to S.E. Australia and Tasmania.SIMILAR SPECIES Pink Siris (below), has darkgreen leaves and dark grey-brown bark.


fragrant yellowflowers


FLATTENED, pod-likefruit, green whenyoung, later turnpurple-brown.

CarobCeratonia siliqua (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

An evergreen tree of broad, spreading habit, the Carob is alsosometimes shrubby. Its alternate, leathery, glossy, dark- tomid-green leaves are composed of up to six pairs ofuntoothed leaflets and lack a terminal leaflet. Small greenflowers are borne in cylindrical clusters, up to 15cm long,males and females usually on separate trees. The

fruit, which does not split open, containshard seeds in a sweet pulp.

Pea TreeCaragana arborescens (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

More often a large shrub, the deciduous Pea Tree is uprightwhen young, spreading with age. The alternate, pinnateleaves, dark- to mid-green, have 4–6 pairs of untoothedleaflets, the terminal one being replaced by a bristle-like,slender spine. The flowers are borne on the previous year’swoody growth and are followed by cylindrical

brown pods up to 5cm in length.

leaf to8cmlong

spreading habit

YELLOW peaflowers up to 2cm in lengthare produced on slender stalks in small clusters.

fruit to 20cmlong

HEIGHT 6m. SPREAD 4m.BARK Grey-brown, smooth, and glossy.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in gardens andsometimes naturalized; native to N. Asia.SIMILAR SPECIES C. arborescens ‘Lorbergii’is a selection with very slender leaflets andsmaller flowers.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 12m.BARK Dark brown and rough.FLOWERING TIME Summer to autumn.OCCURRENCE Dry, rocky areas and hillsidesof the Mediterranean region; widely cultivatedand naturalized in S. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES None – the foliage andfruit are very distinct.

leaflet to6cm long

shrubby growth


DARK grey and scaly,the bark is rough andusually has clusters of branched spines.


FRAGRANT, goldenyellow flowers areborne in slender,pendulous clusters.

Alpine LaburnumLaburnum alpinum (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

Also known as the Scotch Laburnum, this small, spreading,deciduous tree, or shrub, has alternate leaves divided intothree leaflets that are deep- to mid-green above, and glossygreen, smooth, and slightly hairy below. The pea-likeflowers, about 2cm long, are borne in hanging clusters thatgrow up to 45cm in length. The fruit is a pale brown pod,

up to 8cm long, and isnarrowly winged above.

HEIGHT 6m or more. SPREAD 5m.BARK Dark grey and smooth; later fissured.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Mountains of the Alps and Balkans.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Laburnum(p.74), which has leaves that are silky andhairy beneath.

pointed tip

3 leaflets

leaf to10cm long

spreading habit

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Dark grey, rough and scaly; sometimes spiny.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES ‘Sunburst’ and many othergarden selections which are spineless.

leaflet to4cm long

Honey LocustGleditsia triacanthos (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

A deciduous tree with a columnar to spreading crown, theHoney Locust has a trunk that often bears large, branchedspines. Alternate, pinnate or twice pinnate leaves made up of bright green leaflets turn yellow in autumn. The small

flowers are yellow-green, males andfemales in separate cylindrical clustersabout 5cm long. The fruit is a darkbrown, often twisted, flattenedpod up to 45cm long.

leaf to20cmlong


HEIGHT 7m. SPREAD 3m.BARK Smooth and dark grey, fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to early summer.OCCURRENCE Woods and thickets in mountainous areas of S. and C. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Voss’s Laburnum (right), which has slightly longerflower clusters and smaller fruit pods; Alpine Laburnum (p.73), whichhas leaves that are green and smooth beneath.

leaflet to9cm long

Common LaburnumLaburnum anagyroides (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

Also known as the Golden Rain Tree, this deciduous,spreading tree has alternate leaves with three leaflets, eachrounded at the tip. They are deep green above, grey-greenand whitish beneath, and covered with silky white hairswhen young. Golden yellow flowers are borne in denseand showy leafless clusters. The fruit is a slightly rounded,hairy, pale brown pod, up to 8cm long, with black seeds,and hangs in clusters. Although known as CommonLaburnum, in gardens this species haslargely been replaced by Voss’sLaburnum (right).

PEA-LIKE, fragrant,golden yellow flowersare borne in slender,pendulous clusters upto 25cm long.


NOTE

All parts of this treeand of otherLaburnums arepoisonous.

flower to2.5cm long


DARK grey and smooth,the bark becomes

shallowly fissuredwith age.

Voss’s LaburnumLaburnum x watereri (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

The alternate leaves of this deciduous, spreading tree havethree leaflets to 8cm long. They are deep green above withsilky hairs pressed close to the leaf surface. Golden yellow,fragrant, and pea-like, the flowers hang in clusters 30cm ormore long. The fruit is a brown pod, up to 6cm long, withfew seeds, and is often sparsely produced. This tree is ahybrid between Alpine Laburnum (p.73) and Common

Laburnum (left). ‘Vossii’ is thecommon form in gardens, withflower clusters up to 60cm long.

DARK blue-green leaveshave many ellipticaluntoothed leaflets, upto 5cm long, that aregrey-green beneath.

Black LocustRobinia pseudoacacia (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

Often spreading widely by means of suckers, this is avigorous, deciduous tree with a broadly columnar head.The alternate, pinnate leaves, on red-brown shoots, have

up to 21 leaflets, usually with a pairof spines at the base. It has

pea-like, fragrant whiteflowers in hanging

clusters to 20cmlong, and darkbrown pods upto 10cm long.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey-brown with deep furrows.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated, and widelynaturalized; native to S.E. USA.SIMILAR SPECIES Japanese Pagoda Tree(p.76) has green shoots without spines andproduces smaller pods.

HEIGHT 7m. SPREAD 3m.BARK Smooth, dark grey; fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to earlysummer.OCCURRENCE Mountains in S. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Alpine Laburnum (p.73),Common Laburnum (left).

flowerto 2cmlong

leaf to30cmlong

columnarhabit

flower to2.5cm long



FRAGRANT lilac flowers are profuselyborne in large, open clusters.

Bead TreeMelia azedarach (Meliaceae)

A deciduous tree of graceful, spreading habit, the Bead Tree has glossy, dark green leaves that are alternate andtwice pinnate, divided into numerous toothed or lobedleaflets. Small lilac flowers, each with five spreading petals,are borne in clusters that are up to 20cm long. The rounded

orange-yellow fruit, 1.5cmwide, often persist on the

tree over winter.

Japanese Pagoda TreeSophora japonica (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

The smooth, spineless green shoots of this deciduous treeare bloomy when young and have alternate, pinnate leaveswith up to 17 sharply pointed, untoothed leaflets darkgreen above, blue green below. Thepea-like, white or pink-tingedflowers are about 1.5cm long.The fruit is a brown podwavy-marginated, upto 8cm long.

spreadinghabit

FRAGRANT flowersopen in large clustersto 30cm long at theends of the shoots.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey and furrowed.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (particularly in theMediterranean region) and occasionallynaturalized; native to S. Asia.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Dark grey-brown with prominent ridges.FLOWERING TIME Summer; early autumn inregions with cool summers.OCCURRENCE Cultivated and occasionallynaturalized in Europe; native to China. SIMILAR SPECIES Black Locust (p.75),which has angled, spiny red-brown shoots.

leaf to70cmlong

yellow autumnfoliage

leaf to25cmlong

spreadinghabit


HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 25m.BARK Grey-brown with narrow ridges.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (with several selections grown for their habitand autumn colour); native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Green Ash (p.81), which has leaflets that are green below, not whitish.

broad, columnarhabitbluish green

foliage

leaf to35cmlong

GREY-BROWN, thetrunk develops narrow,interlacing ridges as it ages, unlike manyother ash species,which have a smooth bark.

White AshFraxinus americana (Oleaceae)

This large, deciduous tree is of broadly columnar habit. In winter, its stout, smooth, green or brown shoots end insmall, dark brown or nearly black leaf buds. The opposite,pinnate leaves have up to nine short-stalked and sparselytoothed, oval leaflets. Dark green above, they are blue-green beneath. The foliage turns to yellow, red, or purplein autumn, creating a spectacular sight. The tiny, petallessflowers of the White Ash are purple or green and borne inclusters, with males and females found on separate trees.The fruit, which are up to 5cm long, have a flattened wing,and ripen from green to brown.

short-stalkedleaflets

NOTE

The White Ashprovides a usefulwood that istraditionally used inthe making of sportsequipment such asbaseball bats.


colourfulautumnfoliage


Narrow-leaved AshFraxinus angustifolia (Oleaceae)

This deciduous, broadly columnar tree has shoots that endin brown buds. The opposite, pinnate leaves have up to 13 sharply toothed, taper-pointed leaflets, glossy brightgreen above, hairless beneath. Tiny, green or purple flowerswithout petals open in clusters before the leaves, males andfemales on separate plants. The winged fruit, up to 4cmlong, are green ripening to brown. The leaves of the similarCaucasian Ash are often in threes, with slender leaflets thathave hairs beneath near the base; a selection of this knownas ‘Raywood’ is often grown for its elegant foliage andpurple autumn colour.

GREY-BROWN, the barkof the Narrow-leavedAsh has numerous,prominent ridges.

leaflet to7.5cmlong

HEIGHT 25m.SPREAD 20m.BARK Dark grey-brown, with prominent ridges.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Woods and river banks of S. and E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Ash (right), which has distinct black buds;Caucasian Ash (F. angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa), which has differentfoliage and occurs from S.E. Europe to the Caucasus.

NOTE

A widely distributedand variablespecies, theNarrow-leaved Ashis generallyrecognizable by itsnarrow and sharply-toothed leaflets.

leaf to25cm long


HEIGHT 30m or more.SPREAD 20m.BARK Smooth and pale grey when young, developing deep fissures with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Moist woods and river banks throughout most of Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Narrow-leaved Ash (left), which has brown buds andnarrower leaves; Manna Ash (p.80), which has grey buds.

TINY and purple, theflowers have no petals;they are borne in denseclusters, and openfrom almost blackbuds before the leavesemerge.


Common AshFraxinus excelsior (Oleaceae)

A large, deciduous tree of broadly columnar to spreadinghabit, the Common Ash has stout, smooth shoots andprominent black buds. The opposite, pinnate leaves haveup to 13 sharply toothed, dark green leaflets, each 10cmlong, with a slender, tapered point at the tip. Vigorousshoots from the base may be produced in summer andthese often have purple foliage. The male and femaleflowers are separate, and may be on the same or differenttrees. Glossy green, winged fruit, produced in clusters, areup to 4cm long and ripen to brown.

fruit to 4cmlong

NOTE

The distinctiveflower buds formdense, nearly blackclusters before they open and areeasy to spot in early spring.

leaf to30cmlong


GREY-BROWN, the barkis initially smooth, butgradually becomesfissured with age.

Fraxinus pallisiaeFraxinus pallisiae (Oleaceae)

The young shoots of this deciduous, broadly columnar treeare densely covered with soft white hairs. Pinnate and

opposite or in whorls of three, the darkgreen leaves are up to 25cm long

and have up to 13 toothed,slender-pointed leaflets that

are densely hairy beneath.The tiny green flowers inclusters have no petals andopen before the leaves.They are followed bywinged fruit in autumn.

Manna AshFraxinus ornus (Oleaceae)

Also called Flowering Ash, this deciduous tree with aspreading habit has shoots with grey buds. The opposite,pinnate leaves, up to 25cm long, have up to nine darkgreen, taper-pointed, and sharp-toothed, stalked leafletswith hairs along the main vein beneath. They becometinged with purple andyellow in autumn. Thefragrant flowers arefollowed by wingedfruit to 4cm long.


leaflet to 12cmlong

FRAGRANT flowers withfour white petals areborne in droopingclusters to 20cm longwith the leaves.

columnarhabit

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Smooth and dark grey.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to earlysummer.OCCURRENCE Woods on dry slopes in theMediterranean region and E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Ash (p.79),which has black buds.

HEIGHT 30m.SPREAD 20m.BARK Grey-brown becoming fissured.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE River banks in S.E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Narrow-leaved Ash (p.78), which does not have densely hairyshoots and leaves.

green fruitripens to brown

leaflet to6cm long

densely hairy shoot


HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Grey-brown with narrow ridges.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to North America.SIMILAR SPECIES White Ash (p.77) is often confused with thisspecies, but differs in having pointed buds, and leaves that are blue-green beneath.


NOTE

Two forms of thisspecies were oncerecognized: GreenAsh with smoothshoots, and Red Ash with downyshoots; they are now regarded asone species.

GREY-BROWN, the bark of the Green Ash has narrow, interlacing ridges.

Green AshFraxinus pennsylvanica (Oleaceae)

A fast-growing, deciduous tree of broadly columnar habit,the Green Ash has shoots with blunt brown buds. Large,opposite, pinnate leaves have up to nine toothed oruntoothed, distinctly stalked leaflets. They are glossy, darkgreen above, paler beneath, and turn yellow in autumn.The tiny, green or purple flowers have no petals and openonly after the leaves. Male and female flowersare borne in clusters on separate plants.The winged fruit, up to 5cm long,ripen from green to brown.

stalkedleaflets

leaf to30cmlong

leaflet to12cmlong


Canary Island PalmPhoenix canariensis (Palmae/Arecaceae)

This evergreen palm has a stout, single stem and a large, rounded head. The leaves, clustered at the end of anunbranched stem, are large and arching with up to 200pairs of dark green, pointed leaflets to 50cm long, thosetowards the leaf base reduced to spines. Small creamyyellow flowers, 1–2cm long, are borne in large clusterswhich hang among the leaves. Male and female flowers areborne on separate trees. The Date Palm (P. dactylifera),which is taller, and is cultivated. P. theophrasti has bluegreen leaves and dry fruit. It makes a small tree to 10m tall with several slender stems and is only found incoastal areas of Crete.

EGG-SHAPED, dry-fleshed, orange fruit,up to 2.5cm long, areborne on female trees.

leaf to 6mlong

NOTE

One of the mostcommonly grownpalms, CanaryIsland Palm isdistinguished by itsvery stout trunk andlong, arching leaves.

HEIGHT 20m.SPREAD 10m BARK Grey and rough, prominently marked by old leaf bases.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Valleys in the Canary Islands; commonly cultivated in theMediterranean region and other warm areas.SIMILAR SPECIES Date Palm (P. dactylifera) is larger, to 30m, often withsuckers from the base, and has larger, succulent fruit to 7cm long.

large, archingleaves

old leaf basesmarked on bark


GREY bark is mostlyobscured by old leafbases densely covered

in brown fibres.

Windmill PalmTrachycarpus fortunei (Palmae/Arecaceae)

Also known as Chusan Palm, this evergreen palm has asingle, slender trunk and a small head of clustered leaves.The leaves are cut almost to the base into many, rigid, dark green segments, on a stalk to 45cm long.Small, creamy yellow flowers open in large

clusters, males and females onseparate plants. The fruitcontains a single seed.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 3m.BARK Grey and ridged.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in Europe; native to China.SIMILAR SPECIES Petticoat Palm (below),which is larger and lacks the fibrous trunk.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 3m.BARK Grey, ridged, mostly obscured by oldleaf bases.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to earlysummer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to China.SIMILAR SPECIES Windmill Palm (above), issmaller with fibrous leaf bases on the trunk.

leaf to 1mwide

LARGE, fan-shaped,grey-green leaves to 2mwide, are divided intoabout 50 segments.

Petticoat PalmWashingtonia filifera (Palmae/Arecaceae)

The stout, single trunk of the evergreen Petticoat Palmends in a rounded to hemispherical, open head. The lower,dead leaves are long-persistent and hang against the trunk.The leaves, on a stout, spiny stalk to 2m long, are divided

more than half way to the base intonumerous segments. Small

creamy white flowers areborne in large, hanging

clusters to 4m longfollowed by egg-shapedbrown fruit.

fan-shapedleaf

deadleaves

fruit to1m long

ridgedbark

maleflowers


HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Glossy grey and smooth, becomingridged with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woodland, mountains, andheaths on acid soils across most of Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Japanese Rowan (below),Service Tree (right).

ROUNDED orange-redfruit, 8mm wide, are borne on red stalks.

Japanese RowanSorbus commixta (Rosaceae)

Broadly conical when young and spreading with age, thisdeciduous tree has shoots ending in sticky, glossy red buds.The alternate, pinnate leaves have up to 15 finely toothed,pointed leaflets, glossy green above and blue-green below,turning red and purple in autumn. Flat heads of smallwhite flowers are followed by orange-red fruit in autumn.

RowanSorbus aucuparia (Rosaceae)

Spreading with age, this deciduous, conical tree has shootsthat end in purple buds covered in grey hairs. Alternate,pinnate leaves have up to 15 sharply toothed, taper-pointed,dark green leaflets, which are blue-green beneath. The smallwhite flowers, each with five petals andconspicuous stamens, open in broadheads and develop into berries,which are poisonous when raw.

conical tospreadinghabit

fruit to 8mmwide

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Pale grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Japanand Korea.SIMILAR SPECIES Rowan (above), which hasmatt green leaves and buds with grey hairs.

leaf to 20cmlong

broadlyconicalhabit

HEAVY clusters ofrounded orange-redberries, attractive tobirds, often weighdown the branches.

flowerhead to15cm wide


leaf to20cmlong


HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Dark brown, cracking into scales with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Native to S. Europe; occasionally grown as anornamental tree or for its fruit, and sometimes naturalized.SIMILAR SPECIES Rowan (left), which has smoother bark, and smaller, orange-red fruit that are poisonous when raw.

NOTE

While mainlyconfined to theEuropean mainland,this tree has alsobeen found in SouthWales. The relativelylarge apple- or pear-shaped fruit aresometimes eatenwhen slightly rotted.

GREEN or flushed with red, the large,apple- or pear-shapedfruit have a grittytexture.

Service TreeSorbus domestica (Rosaceae)

The green shoots of this deciduous, broadly columnar tospreading tree end in sticky green buds. The alternate,pinnate yellow-green leaves have up to 21 oblong, toothedleaflets which are smooth above and hairy beneath whenyoung, turning red or purple in autumn. Small whiteflowers, up to 1.5cm wide, each with five petals, are bornein rounded to conical clusters.

fruit to3cm long

leaf to22cmlong


flowercluster to10cm wide


HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Grey and smooth, cracking towardsthe base.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woodlands in Scandinavia.SIMILAR SPECIES S. meinichii, has four orfive pairs of free leaflets; S. x thuringiaca(right), has larger leaves.

FLATTENED whiteflowerheads, 10cmwide, are followed byrounded red berries.

Sorbus teodoriiSorbus teodorii (Rosaceae)

This deciduous shrub or tree has an oval head when young,later becoming conical to rounded. Its stout shoots end inpurple buds covered in grey hairs. The alternate,pinnate leaves are dark green above with greyhairs below. They usually have four or five pairsof toothed leaflets, with a larger, three-lobed,pointed, and toothed terminal leaflet.

Bastard Service TreeSorbus hybrida (Rosaceae)

This deciduous, broadly conical tree, becomesrounded with age. The alternate, oval,dark green leaves are covered withgrey hairs beneath andnormally have two pairs offree, toothed leaflets atthe base, above whichthe lobes decrease in sizetowards the leaf tip. Theflowers are in broad,flattened heads.

leaf to 10cmlong

ROUNDED, bright redfruit about 1.2cm wide follow the smallwhite flowers.

HEIGHT 12m. SPREAD 8m. BARK Grey-brown and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods in Sweden.SIMILAR SPECIES S. meinichii, which hasleaves with a blunt-tipped terminal leaflet;Bastard Service Tree (above), whichnormally has two pairs of free leaflets.

flowerheadto 10cmwide

roundedwith age

fruit1cmwide

leaf to 10cmlong

ovalhead


ROUNDED bright redfruit up to 1cm wideare borne in archingclusters and make an attractive autumn feature.

Sorbus x thuringiacaSorbus x thuringiaca (Rosaceae)

Deciduous with an oval to rounded head, this tree hasalternate, narrow, oval leaves, usually with one or morepairs of free leaflets at the base. These are present onvigorous shoots but often absent on short, floweringshoots. The rest of the leaf is lobed, more shallowlytowards the tip. The leaves are dark green above,grey and hairy beneath. Small white flowersare borne in flattened heads. ‘Fastigiata’is a commonly grown selection, theupright branches making adense, oval crown.

HEIGHT 12m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Grey and smooth, cracking with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woodland in Europe. A hybrid between Whitebeam(p.191) and Rowan (p.84) occasionally found where the parents grow together.SIMILAR SPECIES Bastard Service Tree (left) has smaller leaves.

rounded head

NOTE

The compact,upright habit of‘Fastigiata’ hasmade it a popularamenity tree,particularly wherespace is restricted.

leaf to 15cmwide



HEIGHT 12m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Pale brown with narrow fissures.FLOWERING TIME Mid- to late summer.OCCURRENCE Known only in cultivation; native to China and Korea.SIMILAR SPECIES None – very distinct tree in all its features,particularly so in late summer and autumn when the characteristicflowers and fruit appear.

YELLOW, four-petalledflowers, about 1.2cmwide, are borne in large, conicalpanicles at the ends of the shoots.

Pride of IndiaKoelreuteria paniculata (Sapindaceae)

The graceful shape of this deciduous tree, columnar with abroadly spreading head, makes it hard to mistake. Thealternate leaves are pinnate, often with some leafletsfurther divided or lobed. Toothed and downy, they emergebronze when young, turning dark green above, and finallyyellow in autumn. Small yellow flowers are followed bybladder-like fruit capsules, up to 5cm long, yellow-green at

first, becoming green orred, and eventually

yellow-brown.

NOTE

There are a few garden selections. ‘Fastigiata’is an uncommon form of narrowly uprighthabit. ‘Rose Lantern’ is generally grown for its red fruit pods.

leaf to45cmlong

flowerclusters to45cm long

3-sided fruitcapsules

fruit to 5cmlong



HEIGHT 20m or more.SPREAD 15m. BARK Grey-brown with fine streaks, becoming darker and rougher with age.FLOWERING TIME Late summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to China.SIMILAR SPECIES Walnut (Juglans) and ash (Fraxinus) species,which have opposite leaves without notches.

columnarcrown

dark greenpinnate leaves

PINNATE, dark greenleaves have manypairs of leaflets, whichare tapered at the tipand untoothed except for 1–3 notches nearthe base.

Tree of HeavenAilanthus altissima (Simaroubaceae)

This fast-growing, large, deciduous tree has a broadlycolumnar crown. The alternate, pinnate, dark green leaveshave 15 or more pairs of leaflets. Flowers are small, withfive or six yellow-green petals and are borne in largepanicles at the end of the shoots. Male and female flowersusually grow on separate trees, and the females arefollowed by winged fruit, up to 4cm long, similar to thoseof ash (Fraxinus). The fruit are green at first, becomingyellow-brown flushed with red.

NOTE

This vigorous treethrives in warmcities where it ismuch planted, andoften naturalized. In cooler areas, itmay not flower orfruit well.

notch atleaflet base

leaf to 60cmor longer

Most broadleaved trees have simple leaves – leaves that are notdivided into leaflets. Both deciduous and evergreen trees fallinto this group, and their leaf shapes range from slender towide, untoothed to toothed or spiny, round to heart-shaped,and deeply lobed to shallowly lobed, such as the Red Oak(below). Technically, fan-leaved palms belong in this groupbut, in this book, they are included with the broad-leafcompound trees because of their superficial physical similarity.

Broadleaved Simple

BROAD-LEAVED LIME

GREY ALDER COMMON BEECHNORWAY MAPLE

B R O A D L E A V E D S I M P L E 9 1

HEIGHT 15m.SPREAD 10m.BARK Pale brown, with orange fissures, and somewhat corky.FLOWERING TIME Mid- to late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods and hedgerows throughout Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Montpelier Maple (p.97), which usually has leavesthat are three-lobed and lacks the milky sap in the leaf stalk.

round crown

fruit about5cm wide

HANGING in clusters,each fruit has twohorizontal, spreadingwings and ripens fromgreen to reddish.

Field MapleAcer campestre (Aceraceae)

Also known as Hedge Maple, this round-crowned,deciduous tree of spreading habit is sometimes shrubby.The opposite leaves are dark green above, paler and hairybeneath, and turn yellow in autumn. They are heart-shaped at the base and deeply cut into five lobes, the largerof which have smaller lobes towards the tips. The leaf lobesare usually untoothed and end in fine points. When cut,the leaf stalk exudes a milky sap. Upright clusters of smallgreen flowers open with the young leaves. The fruit is upto 2.5cm long, with two widely spreading wings, andhangs in clusters.

NOTE

This species is oftenplanted for hedging.Garden selectionsinclude forms withvariegated foliagesuch as ‘Carnival’,with leaves edgedcreamy white and‘Pulverulentum’,which has leavesspeckled white.

leaf to10cmwide

spreadinghabit

9 2 B R O A D L E A V E D S I M P L E

bright redautumncolour

OPPOSITE, bright green,leaves have 5–7 finetaper-pointed,untoothed lobes andturn yellow in autumn.

Cappadocian MapleAcer cappadocicum (Aceraceae)

This broadly columnar to spreading, deciduous tree, withgreen shoots, often produces suckers at its base. White sapexudes from the leaf stalks when they are cut. Small yellow-green flowers are borne in upright, rounded clusters with theyoung leaves and are followed by green fruit with spreadingwings. Garden selections include ‘Aureum’with yellow foliage, and ‘Rubrum’ withdeep red young leaves.

Snake-bark MapleAcer capillipes (Aceraceae)

The upright branches and young green shoots of thisdeciduous tree give it a broadly columnar to spreadingcrown. The opposite leaves have three taper-pointed,toothed lobes and are rich green above, smooth beneath.Small green flowers are borne in slender, drooping clusters,

and followed by red-tinged fruit with spreadingwings to 2cm long.

leaf to 15cmlong


SMOOTH, green andgrey bark with verticalwhite stripes, on thisand other maples hasbeen likened to asnake’s skin.

columnar tospreading habit

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native from Turkeyto Iran and the Caucasus, with formsextending to the Himalayas and China.SIMILAR SPECIES Lobel’s Maple (p.96),which is upright in habit with bloomy shoots.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Green with white vertical stripes.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES Grey-budded Snake-barkMaple (p.102), which is also cultivated, hasleaves that are hairy beneath and youngshoots covered in a white bloom.

fruit to2cmlong

leaf to 15cmacross


HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Green with slender, vertical white stripes and marked withhorizontal cracks.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to China.SIMILAR SPECIES Grey-budded Snake-bark Maple (p.102) andMoosewood (p.99) both of which have lobed leaves.

conical habit

NOTE

This species isvariable in its leaf shape and it is also one of the most commonlyseen snake-barkmaples.

ONE of the severalmainly Asiatic treesknown as snake-barkmaples because of theirattractive bark.

Père David’s MapleAcer davidii (Aceraceae)

A small, deciduous tree of conical to widely spreadinghabit, this maple has opposite, glossy, dark green leaves.The leaves are oval, with a taper-pointed tip, and with orwithout small lobes at the base. They can turn yellow toorange or red in autumn. Slender, drooping clusters, 10cmlong, of small green flowers appear with the young foliage.These are followed by green fruit that become flushed withred, then brown, and have spreadingwings. Several forms are grownin gardens. ‘Ernest Wilson’has pale green leavesturning bright orangein autumn. ‘GeorgeForrest’ has large,dark green leaveswith littleautumn colour.

leaf to15cmlong

fruit wings to3cm long

HEIGHT 20m.SPREAD 15m.BARK Smooth and grey-brown, becoming fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Mountain woodlands in the Balkans.SIMILAR SPECIES Sycamore (p.101), which has less deeply dividedleaves and pendulous flower clusters; Red Bud Maple (A.h. subsp.trautvetteri), which has less deeply cut leaves and bright red fruit wings.


Heldreich MapleAcer heldreichii (Aceraceae)

With a broadly columnar to spreading crown, thisdeciduous tree has opposite leaves that are deeply cut,almost to the base, into three to five prominent, toothedlobes, the lower ones smallest. They are glossy, dark green above and blue-green beneath, turning yellow or red inautumn. The small yellow flowers are borne in upright,conical clusters as the leaves emerge and are followed bywinged fruit. Red Bud Maple (A. heldreichii subsp.trautvetteri) from the Caucasus, is occasionally cultivated.

HANGING in droopingclusters from slenderstalks, the winged fruitripen from green to redin the subspeciestrautvetteri.

columnar tospreadinghead

NOTE

The HeldreichMaple is distinctfrom other maplesin the very deeply cut leaves which may be dividedalmost to the base.

reddish twig

leaf to20cm ormore wide

yellow autumnleaf

Balkan MapleAcer hyrcanum (Aceraceae)

Often shrubby, this deciduous, spreading tree has oppositeleaves that are divided into sometimes three, usually five,lobes that are edged with few prominent teeth. They are darkgreen above and blue-green beneath and turn yellow inautumn. Small yellow-green flowers open in droopingclusters as the young leaves emerge, followed by fruit withtwo wings, which are green at first ripening to brown.


GREY-BROWN andsmooth, the barkbecomes scaly withage.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods on dry mountainslopes in S.E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Field Maple (p.91) has smaller leaves; Spanish Maple (A. granatense) has smaller, hairy leaves.

HEIGHT 10m.SPREAD 10m.BARK Smooth and grey-brown.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES Japanese Maple (p.98),which has leaves with fewer lobes and tuftsof hair at the vein axils beneath.

ROUNDED and lobed,the opposite dark greenleaves are edged with

sharp teeth.

Fullmoon MapleAcer japonicum (Aceraceae)

This is a deciduous, spreading tree, with rounded leaves thatare silky and hairy on both sides when young. They have7–11 pointed dark green lobes, which reach less thanhalfway to the base, and turn orange to redand purple in autumn. The small red-purpleflowers are borne in hanging clusters as theyoung leaves emerge and are followedby fruit with two green or red-flushedwings. The large leaves of the gardenselection ‘Vitifolium’ are richlycoloured in autumn.

shrubby tospreadinghabit

leaf to 10cmwide

fruit wingsto 3cm long

leaf to13cm long

spreadinghabit

flowercluster

fruit wingsto 2.5cmlong

yellow-greenflowers

narrowcolumnarhabit


Lobel’s MapleAcer lobelii (Aceraceae)

Deciduous with a narrowly columnar habit, this tree hasyoung shoots which are covered in a blue-white bloom,becoming green the following year. The opposite leaveshave five wavy-edged lobes which taper abruptly at theend to a fine point and have no or few teeth. They areglossy, dark green above, paler beneath, and turn yellow in

autumn. A milky sap is exuded fromthe leaf stalk when cut.

Upright clusters of smallyellow-green flowers openwith the young leaves.These are followed byfruit with spreadinggreen wings, which areup to 2.5cm long.

SMOOTH and pale grey,the bark of Lobel’sMaple has shallow,vertical fissures, whichappear on the surfaceas the tree ages.

NOTE

This tree is verydistinct in its habit,and is occasionallyplanted in gardensfor its shape andautumn colour.

HEIGHT 20m.SPREAD 6m.BARK Pale grey and smooth; developing narrow fissures with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Mountain woodland in S. Italy.SIMILAR SPECIES Cappadocian Maple (p.92), which has a spreadinghabit and does not have bloomy shoots; Norway Maple (p.100), whichhas several taper-pointed teeth on its leaf lobes.

leaf to 15cmlong

wingedfruit


DARK grey or blackish,the bark of this maplestarts developingcracks in older trees.

Montpelier MapleAcer monspessulanum (Aceraceae)

Sometimes shrubby, this deciduous, spreading tree has adense, rounded head. Leathery in texture, glossy, dark greenabove, and blue-green beneath, the small, opposite leavesare rounded at the tip with three untoothed lobes. Droopingclusters of small, slender-stalked, yellow-green flowers are

followed by fruit with nearlyparallel wings, up to

1.5cm long.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Dark grey or blackish; cracks with age.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Sunny slopes on hills andmountains in S. and C. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Cretan Maple (p.104),which is evergreen; Field Maple (p.91), whichhas toothed leaf lobes.

WINGED fruit followthe flowers; up to 4cmlong, they are formedin pairs, in branchedclusters.

Italian MapleAcer opalus (Aceraceae)

This deciduous tree has a broadly columnar crown. Theopposite leaves are shallowly divided into three bluntlytoothed lobes, sometimes with two smaller lobes at the base.They are glossy, dark green above, with few hairs beneathexcept on the veins when mature, and yellow in autumn.Clusters of bright yellow flowers open before the leaves.

Subsp. obtusatum has leaves thatare hairy beneath, with

shallow, rounded lobes.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey-tinged pink, peeling in large,square plates.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Woodland on hills andmountains in S.W. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Sycamore (p.101), whichhas more deeply lobed and toothed leaves.

brightyellowflowers

leaf to 10cmlong andwide

leaf to7cmlong

spreadinghabit



HEIGHT 10m or more. SPREAD 10m. BARK Grey-brown, smooth; slightly fissured on older trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Japan, China, and Korea.SIMILAR SPECIES Fullmoon Maple (p.95) has less deeply cut leaveswith more numerous lobes, which, along with the shoots, are denselycovered in silky hairs when young.

Japanese MapleAcer palmatum (Aceraceae)

A deciduous tree with a graceful, spreading habit, thismaple has slender shoots that end in small, paired buds.Borne in opposite pairs, the leaves are divided into 5–7tapering, pointed, and toothed lobes, and have tufts of hairin the vein axils beneath. The small red-purple and whiteflowers open in clusters with the young leaves, followed byfruit with green or red wings, to 2cm long. Among themany selections grown in gardens are ‘Atropurpureum’,with purple foliage, ‘Dissectum’, a shrubby form withfinely cut leaves, ‘Osakazuki’, with very good autumncolour, and ‘Sango-kaku’ (‘Senkaki’), with bright pinkwinter shoots.

BRIGHT green above,the leaves turn yellow,orange, or red inautumn. The autumncolour is furtherenhanced by the greenor red winged fruit.

NOTE

This is a commonlyplanted species,popular in gardensfor its autumncolour. The leavesvary in the depthand toothing of the lobes.

autumnleaf colour

leaves to10cm long

tiny, red-purpleand whiteflowers

spreadinghabit


HEIGHT 10m.SPREAD 8m. BARK Green with vertical stripes.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Grey-budded Snake-bark Maple (p.102), which hasbloomy young shoots, smaller leaves with coarsely-toothed lobes, andyellow-green flowers.

GREEN with red-brownand white verticalstripes, the bark of theMoosewood becomesgrey with age.

MoosewoodAcer pensylvanicum (Aceraceae)

This is a deciduous tree with upright, arching branchesand a broadly columnar habit. The opposite leaves aredivided at the tip into three tapering, pointed, andtoothed lobes. Deep green above and paler beneath, with some red-brown hairs, they turn butter-yellow inautumn. Pale green flowers in slender, drooping clustersare followed by fruit with green wings up to 2.5cm long.‘Erythrocladum’, a form sometimes seen in gardens, hasyellow bark, yellow-green leaves, and bright pink winter shoots.



leaf to 15cmlong

green fruit wings

NOTE

This species is oneof the snake-barkmaples, which aremainly native to E. Asia. TheMoosewood (p.99)is the only one thatoccurs naturally inNorth America.

1 0 0 B R O A D L E A V E D S I M P L E

Norway MapleAcer platanoides (Aceraceae)

A large, vigorous, deciduous tree with a broadly columnarcrown, the Norway Maple has shoots ending in red buds.The large, opposite leaves are divided into five lobes, eachwith several tapered teeth; bright green above, they arepaler and glossy beneath, and turn yellow, orange, or redin autumn. The leaf stalk exudes a milky sap when cut.Clusters of small, bright yellow flowers open before theyoung leaves emerge, followed by fruit with large wings.Several forms are grown in gardens, such as ‘Crimson

King’, with purple foliage, and‘Drummondii’, which has leaves

broadly edged creamy white.

YELLOW or red inautumn, the broad,bright green leaveseach have five lobes,ending in several teeth with long, slender points.

autumnfoliage

NOTE

This tree is oftenconfused in winterwith the Sycamore(right). Both arecommon trees, butthey are easilydistinguished by thebuds – red in theNorway Maple andgreen in theSycamore.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Mountain woodland in Europe; commonly planted andsometimes naturalized.SIMILAR SPECIES Lobel’s Maple (p.96), which has bloomy shoots;Sugar Maple (p.103) lacks milky sap in the leaf stalk and has leavesthat are blue-green beneath; Sycamore (right), which has green buds.

bright yellowflowers

fruit to5cm long

leaf to18cm long


HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Pinkish to yellow-grey, flaking in irregular plates when old.FLOWERING TIME Mid-spring.OCCURRENCE Mountain woodland of Europe; commonly planted and naturalized.SIMILAR SPECIES Italian Maple (p.97), which has yellow flowers andbark which peels in square plates; Norway Maple (left), which has red buds.

broad,columnarhead

densefoliage

YELLOW-GREEN flowershang in pendulousclusters from theslender shoots; theleaves are heart-shapedat the base andpalmately lobed.

SycamoreAcer pseudoplatanus (Aceraceae)

The broad crown of this large, deciduous tree spreads withage. Its shoots end in green buds and the opposite leavesare divided into five sharp-toothed lobes. The leaves aredark green above and blue-grey beneath, turning yellow inautumn. Small yellow-green flowers are borne in dense,drooping panicles, followed by fruit with green or red-flushed wings. Several selections are grown in gardens,such as ‘Atropurpureum’, which has leaves with purpleundersides, ‘Brilliantissimum’, a small tree with bright pink young foliage, and ‘Erythrocarpum’, which has red fruit wings.

leaf to15cmwide

fruit wing to 3cm long

5-lobedleaf


NOTE

This species is known as a plane tree inScotland but has no connection with the trueplanes (Platanus). The leaves are very ofteninfected by tar spot fungus, which causesconspicuous black blotches.

‘ERYTHROCARPUM’


HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Silver Maple (right), whichhas larger, more deeply cut leaves, usuallyturning yellow in autumn.

VERTICAL white stripesand diamond-shapedmarks appear on thebark, which turns fromgreen to grey with age.

Grey-budded Snake-bark MapleAcer rufinerve (Aceraceae)

The young shoots and buds of this deciduous tree have a blue-white bloom. The opposite leaves have threeprominent, toothed lobes; dark green above, they have red-brown hairs onthe veins beneath. Small yellow-greenflowers appear with the young leaves,

followed by fruit withtwo green, red-

flushed wings.

Red MapleAcer rubrum (Aceraceae)

The red to red-brown shoots of this large, deciduous treehave opposite leaves with three or five toothed lobes thatreach halfway to the base of the leaf. Glossy, dark greenabove, they are blue-white beneath. Dense clusters of smallred flowers, males and females sometimes on separate trees,open before the leaves, and are followedby red-winged fruit that appearon elongated stalks.


BRIGHT red foliage inautumn gives the RedMaple its commonname.

leaf to10cm long

broadlycolumnarcrown

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 8m.BARK Green with long white stripes; greyand fissured on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Mid-spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES Moosewood (p.99), whichhas similarly shaped but larger leaves.

yellow-greenflower cluster

fruit to 2cmlong

leaf to13cm long

slenderflower stalks


SILVERY WHITE on theunderside, the finelyhaired leaves aresharp-toothed.

Silver MapleAcer saccharinum (Aceraceae)

Characteristic light green leaves with a silvery whiteunderside lend this fast-growing, large, deciduous tree itsname. The opposite leaves are divided into five deeply cut lobes, reaching more than halfway to the base of the leaf, and turn yellow in autumn. Small, yellow-green to reddish flowers open in clusters before theleaves, followed by two-winged fruit that areabout 5cm long.

columnarhabit

lobes reach belowcentre of leaf

leaf to 15cm long

DEEP fissures appearon the grey-brown barkwith age; on youngertrees it is smooth.

Sugar MapleAcer saccharum (Aceraceae)

Maple syrup is made from the sap of this deciduous tree in its native North America. The opposite leaves have fivelobes, the three larger ones bearing few round-tipped teeth.Deep matt green above, they are pale blue-green beneath,and turn yellow then to orange or red in autumn. Small

yellow-green flowers openin pendulous clusters,

followed by fruit withtwo wings, up to2.5cm in length.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Grey and smooth; flaking on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Red Maple (left), whichhas smaller, less deeply cut leaves that turnred in autumn.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Grey-brown and smooth; fissured andscaly on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Norway Maple (p.100),whose leaves are green below.

leaf to 13cmlong



HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Dark grey.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Dry rocky slopes in the hillsand mountains of Greece, including Crete.SIMILAR SPECIES Montpelier Maple (p.97), which has leaves that are blue-green beneath.

SHARP-toothed andoval, the leaves oftenturn orange or red in autumn.

Tatarian MapleAcer tataricum (Aceraceae)

This bushy-headed, small, deciduous tree of spreadinghabit, is sometimes shrubby. The opposite, bright greenleaves are unlobed or have a small lobe on each side.Small, upright clusters of white or greenish white flowersopen after the leaves have emerged and are followed by

fruit which are green when uripe, oftenturning red, then brown, with

two green or red-tingednearly parallel wings.

Cretan MapleAcer sempervirens (Aceraceae)

This is an evergreen or nearly evergreen, spreading tree,often of shrubby, bushy habit. The opposite, short-stalked,

leathery leaves are shallowly three-lobedor unlobed, often with wavy margins.

Glossy, dark green above, they arepaler below. Yellow-green flower

clusters are followed by smallfruit, which have two greenor red-tinged wings up to1.5cm long.

CLUSTERS of tinywinged fruit follow the small yellow-green flowers.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woodland and among shrubsin S.E. Europe and Turkey.SIMILAR SPECIES None – it is very distinctfrom other Acer species, especially in itswhite, fragrant flowers.

bushyhabit

spreadinghabit

leaf to 10cmlong

fruit wings to 2.5cm long

3-lobedleaf

leaf to5cmlong


YELLOW-splashed, the leaves of the femaleform ‘Lawsoniana’have a nearly spineless margin.

Highclere HollyIlex x altaclerensis (Aquifoliaceae)

An evergreen, broadly columnar to conical tree, theHighclere Holly has alternate, oblong to broadly oval leaves,that may or may not have spine-tipped teeth on themargins. They are glossy, dark green above, and variegatedin some forms. Small, fragrant, white or purple-flushedflowers are borne in clusters, the male and female flowerson separate plants. Female trees bear bright red,rounded berries. Popular forms of this hybrid include‘Golden King’, a female with yellow-margined leaves,‘Camelliifolia’, a female with glossy dark green, nearly

spineless leaves, and‘Hodginsii’, a male

tree with purpleshoots and large

leaves withfewer spines.

NOTE

A hybrid betweenthe various forms ofholly and MadeiraHolly (p.107), thistree was first raisedin Britain when thelatter was grown inglasshouses.

HEIGHT 15m.SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (in gardens); almost entirely represented byselections which are often variegated.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Holly (p.106), which is found in the wildand has smaller, more spiny leaves, and smaller fruit.

berryabout 1cmwide

leaf to 13cmlong

‘CAMELLIIFOLIA’

‘GOLDEN KING’

columnarto conicalhabit

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Pale grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods and hedgerows in Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Highclere Holly (p.105), which has larger leavesand fruit; Madeira Holly (right), which has winged leaf stalks and isfound only in Madeira, although forms of it are found on the Azoresand the Canary Islands.


Common HollyIlex aquifolium (Aquifoliaceae)

This broadly columnar to conical, evergreen tree issometimes shrubby, with green or purple shoots. Glossy anddark green, its alternate leaves vary in shape, from oval tooblong. Young trees and lower shoots tend to have veryspiny leaves while on older trees and higher shoots, theleaves are smooth, so the same tree may carry both toothedand untoothed leaves. White or purple-flushed, fragrant

flowers are borne in clusters,with males and females

on separate trees.

SHINY, usually brightred berries are denselyclustered on thebranches of femaletrees. The 1cm-wideberries may also beyellow or orange.

NOTE

Many decorativeforms exist ingardens, often withvariegated foliage,such as ‘Bacciflava’,which bears yellowberries and hasspiny leaves, and‘Handsworth NewSilver’ with redberries, purpleshoots, and cream-edged leaves.

leaf to10cmlong

white maleflowers

green ovaryof femaleflower

columnar toconical habit


OVAL leaves areuntoothed or edged,with few, short, spinyteeth towards the tip.Female trees bearclusters of smallberries, 1cm wide.

Madeira HollyIlex perado (Aquifoliaceae)

This evergreen tree with a conical to broadly columnar headhas alternate, dark green leaves that are borne on distinctlywinged stalks. Clusters of small white flowers, males andfemales on separate plants, are followed by green berriesthat turn red. Subspecies azorica with smaller leaves is found

in the Azores while subsp.platyphylla with larger

leaves is found in theCanary Islands.

leaf to10cmlong

WOODY, brown, cone-like fruit canpersist until thefollowing year.

Italian AlderAlnus cordata (Betulaceae)

A vigorous, deciduous tree, this alder is easily recognizedby its distinctive rounded, alternate leaves that are finelytoothed and heart-shaped at the base. They are glossy, darkgreen and smooth above, and paler with hairs in the vein

axils beneath. The tiny flowers areborne in catkins before the

leaves emerge, the malesyellow and drooping, the

females small, red, and upright.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 12m. BARK Grey and smooth, developing shallowfissures with age.FLOWERING TIME Late winter to early spring.OCCURRENCE Woods in the mountains of C. and S. Italy and Corsica; frequently planted.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

HEIGHT 8m SPREAD 6m.BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woodlands in Madeira.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Holly (left),which does not have winged leaf stalks buthas spinier leaves on young trees.

leaf to10cm long

male catkinto 7.5cmlong

fruit to 3cmlong

crowded, glossygreen leaves

conicalhabit

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 12m. BARK Dark grey; cracks into square plates on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE River banks and other wet places in Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES None – the leaves, broadest at the end with anotched tip, are distinct in shape from other European species of Alnus.


AlderAlnus glutinosa (Betulaceae)

The Alder is a deciduous tree of conical habit, whoseyoung green shoots and alternate leaves are slightly stickyto the touch. The dark green, mature leaves, paler beneath,are up to 10cm long; they are widest at the tip, which maybe indented, and have a tapering base. The tiny flowers areborne in separate male and female catkins formed duringthe summer. The males are pendulous and yellow, to 10cm

long; the upright, red females aremuch smaller, only about

5mm long.

SMALL green unripefruit are borne inclusters and mature towoody, dark browncones that remain onthe tree during winter.

greenunripefruit

ripe fruit2cmlong

NOTE

This is thecommonestEuropean alder.‘Imperialis’, agarden selection, is a smaller treewith leaves deeplycut into pointedlobes. It is oftengrown in gardensand parks as anornamental tree.

conical habit


OVAL and tapering tothe base, the darkgreen leaves are greyand hairy below, and

double-toothed orslightly lobed at

the margins.

Grey AlderAlnus incana (Betulaceae)

This deciduous tree with a broadly conical habit has youngshoots covered in grey hairs. Its alternate leaves are darkgreen. The tiny flowers are borne in catkins: the malesdrooping and yellow; thesmaller females upright andred. The brown, woody,cone-like fruit, to 2cmlong, may persist untilthe following year.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 12m. BARK Dark grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late winter to early spring.OCCURRENCE River banks and other wetplaces in the mountains of Europe, east up tothe Caucasus.SIMILAR SPECIES Speckled Alder (below),which is a smaller tree.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Dark grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated and, in C. Europe,sometimes naturalized; native to Canada andN.E. USA.SIMILAR SPECIES Grey Alder (above), whichhas more sharply toothed leaves, grey below.

SMALL flowers areborne in catkins; themales pendulous and

yellow, femalessmall, upright,

and red.

Speckled AlderAlnus rugosa (Betulaceae)

This sometimes shrubby, small, deciduous tree of spreadinghabit has slightly hairy young shoots. Its alternate, oval

leaves are dark green and deeplyveined above, greenish whitebeneath, and are edged with small,double teeth. The cone-like fruit isshort-stalked, dark brown, andwoody, and often remains onthe tree during winter.

leaf to10cmlong

malecatkin to10cmlong

fruit to1.5cm long

broad,conicalhabit

spreadinghabit

leaf to 10cmlong


CREAMY white, withhorizontal lenticels,the bark peels inpapery strips.

Erman BirchBetula ermanii (Betulaceae)

The young shoots of this deciduous, broadly conical tree arerough with small, glossy warts. Its alternate, oval, coarselytoothed leaves are taper-pointed, andglossy green above. The malecatkins are drooping and yellow,the smaller females are uprightand green. Small brownfruit clusters, up to3cm long, breakup when ripe.

Yellow BirchBetula alleghaniensis (Betulaceae)

A deciduous, broadly columnar to spreading tree, the YellowBirch has hairy young shoots that smell of wintergreen whenscratched. The alternate, oval, taper-pointed, finely toothedleaves are matt, dark green above, paler beneath, and turnyellow in autumn. Tiny flowers are borne in catkins:

the males large, drooping, and yellow; thesmaller females upright and reddish

green. The small brown fruit incylindrical, upright clusters, up

to 3cm long, break up when mature.

columnar tospreadinghabit

YELLOW-BROWN incolour, the bark peelshorizontally in thin,flaky strips.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Yellow-brown, peels in horizontal strips.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to N.E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Sweet Birch (Betulalenta), which has aromatic foliage, but thebark is dark red-brown and does not peel.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 15m.BARK White with obvious, horizontal lenticels,peeling to reveal creamy to pink inner bark.FLOWERING TIME Mid-spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to N.E. Asiaand Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES Himalayan Birch (p.114),has sharper-toothed leaves and hairy shoots.

malecatkin to10cm long

fruiting catkinleaf to7.5cm long

toothedmargin

toothedmargin

conicalhabit

leaf to10cmlong

malecatkin to10cmlong


PINK-GREY bark peelsin papery layers, andbecomes dark brown

and ridged onold trees.

River BirchBetula nigra (Betulaceae)

This deciduous tree is conical when young, later becomingbroadly columnar to spreading. Its blue-green leaves turnyellow in autumn, and taper to the base and the tip, givingthem a diamond-shaped outline; they are deeply double-toothed above the middle. The female catkins aresmall, upright, and green, while the large malecatkins are drooping and yellow. The smallbrown fruit are in cylindrical, upright

clusters, up to 4cmlong, and scatteron ripening.

WHITE with darklenticels, the bark peelsin horizontal strips,exposing a pinkishorange inner bark.

Paper BirchBetula papyrifera (Betulaceae)

Also known as Canoe Birch, this deciduous, fast-growing,conical tree has young shoots that are warty and often hairy.The matt, dark green, oval leaves are sharply toothed andtaper to a point at the tip, turning yellow in autumn. The

yellow male flowers are indrooping catkins; the greenfemale flowers in uprightto spreading catkins.Cylindrical, droopingclusters of brown fruit,up to 5cm long, breakup as they ripen.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m. BARK White with horizontal lenticels.FLOWERING TIME Mid-spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Canadaand N. USA.SIMILAR SPECIES Silver Birch (p.112),which has more sharply toothed leaves andwhite bark with dark cracks at the base.

HEIGHT 15m.SPREAD 15m.BARK Cream to pink-grey; brown with age.FLOWERING TIME Mid-spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES None – this species hashighly distinctive foliage and bark.

male catkinto 10cmlong

male catkin to7.5cm long

femalecatkin

leaf to 10cmlong

conicalhabit

spreadinghabit

leaf to10cmlong

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m. BARK White, often developing diamond-shaped, black markings at the base of mature trees.FLOWERING TIME Mid-spring.OCCURRENCE Woodlands, heaths, and mountains in Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Downy Birch (right), the other common birch ofEurope, which has hairy shoots and leaves; the bark lacks the darkmarkings at the base of the trunk and remains white even on old trees.

femalecatkin


Silver BirchBetula pendula (Betulaceae)

This large, deciduous tree has gracefully weeping branches.The young shoots are rough to the touch, with numeroussmall warts. Glossy and dark green, the leaves turn yellowin autumn. They are oval to triangular and edged withprominent double teeth. Tiny flowers are borne in catkins,the males yellow and drooping, and the green femalesupright, later drooping. The brown fruit clusters break upwhen ripe. Several selections are grown in gardens, such

as ‘Laciniata’ with finely cut leaves and‘Tristis’ with very pendulous shoots.

WHITE bark of maturetrees is prominentlymarked with darkscars, has deep cracksand knobbly bumpstowards the base, andbecomes black at thebase on old trees.

narrow,weepinghabit

fruit clusterto 3cm long

male catkinto 6cm long

NOTE

The Silver Birch isthe only birchspecies with anaturally penduloushabit compared toother Betula trees,giving it an easilyrecognizable form.

leaf to6cmlong


WHITE or grey-whitebark has black marksand long lenticels; it

darkens at the basewith age, but

does not peel.

Grey BirchBetula populifolia (Betulaceae)

A small, narrowly conical, deciduous tree, the Grey Birchhas hairless, warty shoots. The oval, sharply toothed, glossy,dark green leaves are borne on slender stalks and end in long, tapered points. Tiny flowers are borne in

catkins, the males drooping and yellow,the females smaller, upright, andgreen. The spreading, cylindricalclusters of small brown fruit, up to3cm long, break up when mature.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 4m. BARK White or grey-white, does not peel.FLOWERING TIME Mid-spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Silver Birch (left), is largerwith black marks at the base on old trees.

narrow,conicalhabit

male catkin to 7.5cm long

femalecatkin

Downy BirchBetula pubescens (Betulaceae)

Softly hairy young shoots and leaves give this conical,deciduous tree its name. Its broadly oval, dark green leaves,edged with single teeth, turn smooth and yellow in autumn.Tiny flowers are borne in catkins, the males drooping and

yellow, the females smaller,upright, and green. The

upright, cylindricalclusters of small brown

fruit, up to 3cm long,break up when ripe.

conicalhabit

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 12m. BARK White, sometimes with grey or pinkishcracks at the base.FLOWERING TIME Mid-spring.OCCURRENCE Woodland, moors, andmountains in Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Silver Birch (left), has warty,hairless shoots and double-toothed leaves.

WHITE bark may havegrey or pinkish cracksat the base; it stayswhite at the base evenon old trees.

leaf to7.5cmlong

femalecatkin

male catkin to10cm long

leaf to6cm long

fruitingcatkin


HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Pinkish white to coppery brown.FLOWERING TIME Mid-spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to theHimalayas and W. China.SIMILAR SPECIES Erman Birch (p.110),which has shoots that are hairless or nearlyso, with many warts.

CONICAL clusters ofbell-shaped whiteflowers have yellowand purple spots.

Indian Bean TreeCatalpa bignonioides (Bignoniaceae)

A deciduous, wide-spreading tree with stout shoots, theIndian Bean Tree has large, rather light green, broadly ovate,untoothed leaves, arranged in whorls of three on long stalks.

The flowers at the ends of the shoots arefollowed by slender, hanging, bean-like

pods, which ripen from green tobrown and persist on the tree

over winter. ‘Aurea’ is aselection with bright

yellow young foliage.

Himalayan BirchBetula utilis (Betulaceae)

This deciduous tree with a conical to columnar crown hassilky, hairy young shoots. The often glossy, dark green,

broadly oval, alternate leaves taper at the tip, are sharplytoothed, and turn yellow in autumn. Tiny

flowers are borne in catkins: the males yellow and drooping, the

females smaller, green, andupright. The cylindrical

clusters, to 3cm long, ofsmall brown fruit, breakup when mature.

conical tocolumnarcrown

PINKISH white tocoppery brown, theflaky bark makesthis a popularornamental tree.

femalecatkin

malecatkin to 12cmlong

fruitingcatkin

leaf to10cmlong

spreadinghabit

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 20m. BARK Grey and scaly.FLOWERING TIME Midsummer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to S.E. USA.SIMILAR SPECIES Empress Tree (p.205),which has opposite leaves densely coveredin sticky hairs.

leaf to25cmlong

flower to5cm long fruit pod

to 40cmlong


WITH their yellowanthers, the maleflowers are showierthan females.

Balearic BoxBuxus balearica (Buxaceae)

Of conical to columnar habit, often low-growing andshrubby, particularly in very dry places, this evergreen treehas square young shoots. The opposite, leathery leaves are

oval and dark green. The tiny greenflowers are petal-less, males and

females separate on the sameplant. The male flowershave conspicuous yellow

anthers. The small greenfruit are about 8mm longand topped with threehorns, which are nearlyas long as the fruit.

OFTEN a shrub,particularly in exposedpositions, but canbecome a tree insheltered woodland.

Common BoxBuxus sempervirens (Buxaceae)

This is evergreen plant is more often a shrub than a tree. Itsopposite, dark green leaves are often blue-green when young.The flowers of both sexes are separate but in the same cluster,the males with conspicuous yellow anthers. The small greenfruit are topped with three horns, which are much shorterthan the fruit.

HEIGHT 6m. SPREAD 5m.BARK Grey and smooth, cracking into smallsquares on older trees.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Scrub and woodland, usuallyon alkaline soils, throughout Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Balearic Box (above),which has larger leaves.

HEIGHT 10m.SPREAD 5m or less.BARK Pale grey-brown.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Dry, rocky hillsides of S. Spain, Balearic Islands, and Sardinia.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Box (below), hassmaller leaves and a wider distribution.

leaf to 3cmlong

conical tocolumnar habit

leaf to 4cmlong

male flowers

fruit to 8mmlong

conical to columnaror spreading habit


NODDING clusters ofbright pink fruit splitwhen ripe to revealorange seeds.

Broad-leaved Spindle TreeEuonymus latifolius (Celastraceae)

This deciduous, spreading tree is often shrubby and itsshoots end in prominent, slender, and pointed buds, about1cm long. The opposite, dark green leaves, up to 15cm long,are oval to oblong and edged with fine teeth. They turnreddish purple in autumn. The small pinkflowers have five petals and areborne in clusters. The showypink fruit have fournarrow wings.

Spindle TreeEuonymus europaeus (Celastraceae)

This often low-branching or shrubby, spreading, deciduoustree has green shoots ending in small leaf buds, to 5mmlong. The dark green, opposite leaves are oval to lance-shaped and edged with fine teeth. They turn orange-red orpurple in autumn. The tiny, greenish white flowers, eachwith four petals, open in smallclusters, males and femalesseparately, sometimes ondifferent plants.

FOUR-LOBED, brightpink fruit, up to 1.2cmwide, open to revealorange seeds.

HEIGHT 6m. SPREAD 8m. BARK Grey and smooth, fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to earlysummer.OCCURRENCE Scrub, woodland, andhedgerows throughout Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Broad-leaved Spindle Tree(below), which has much larger buds.

leaf to10cmlong

orange autumnfoliage

fruit to2cm wide

HEIGHT 6m. SPREAD 8m. BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to earlysummer.OCCURRENCE Woods and thickets of S. andS.E. Europe and Turkey.SIMILAR SPECIES Spindle Tree (above), whichhas smaller buds.

leaf to15cmlong

shrubbyhabit

smallgreenishflowers


ROUNDED, blue-greenleaves emerge early inthe year, turningyellow to orange andpurple in autumn.

Katsura TreeCercidiphyllum japonicum (Cercidiphyllaceae)

This fast-growing, deciduous tree of conical to roundedhabit, produces slender young shoots. The rounded, blue-green leaves are opposite or nearly so, edged with fineteeth, and heart-shaped at the base. Fallen leaves have acharacteristic aroma of burnt sugar. The tiny petallessflowers emerge early in the year on bare shoots, males andfemales on separate plants. Maleflowers have numerous redstamens. The female treesbear small, green, pod-likefruit clustered along the shoots.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 20m. BARK Pale grey-brown with shallow fissures, flaking on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to the Himalayas, China, and Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES Judas Tree (p.147), which has alternate, rather thanopposite, leaves that are not toothed.

yellowautumnfoliage

conical toroundedhabit

leaf to8cmwide

femaleflowers

NOTE

The name Cercidiphyllum refers to theresemblance of the leaves to those of theJudas Tree (p.147).


HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Dark red-brown, cracking into smallsquare plates on mature trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native toE. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Japanese Strawberry Tree(below), Pacific Dogwood (right).

FLESHY red fruit hang in clusters onlong, slender stalks in autumn.

Japanese Strawberry TreeCornus kousa (Cornaceae)

The leaves of this deciduous, broadly conical to columnartree are opposite, oval, dark green, and wavy-edged, theundersides with tufts of brown hairs in the axils of theveins. Tiny, long-stalked, greenish white flowers in denseclusters appear after the leaves emerge, each cluster

surrounded by four conspicuous,creamy white or pink-tinged

bracts. The red, strawberry-like fruit clusters are

up to 2.5cm wide.

Flowering DogwoodCornus florida (Cornaceae)

The young shoots of this small, deciduous tree are coveredwith a blue-white bloom. Dense clusters of tiny greenishflowers open with the young leaves, each cluster surroundedby four conspicuous bracts, which are usually white butoccasionally pink, and are notched at the tip. The egg-shaped, glossy red fruit, up to 1.5cm long,form in clusters, separating when ripe.Cultivated selections may havevariegated foliage or pink todeep pink bracts.

leaf to 10cmlong

OPPOSITE, oval leavescolour richly inautumn, from darkgreen above, greenishwhite and hairybeneath, to orangeand red or purple.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 8m.BARK Red-brown, flaking in patches.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Flowering Dogwood(above), whose fruit is not fleshy; C. kousavar. chinensis, which has larger leaves.

leaf to7.5cmlong

4 taper-pointedbracts

clusters offlowers


whitebracts

spreadinghabit


CLUSTERS ofunpleasantly scentedtiny, four-petalledyellow flowers openbefore the leaves.

Cornelian CherryCornus mas (Cornaceae)

A deciduous, spreading tree or, more often, a shrub,Cornelian Cherry has opposite, oval, dark green leaves.Small flower buds are visible on the shoots during winterand open in clusters before the leaves emerge. The edible,fleshy, bright red fruit, up to 2cm long, each with a singlestone, are borne in clusters. Garden selections aresometimes grown for their larger fruit or variegated foliage.

leaf to10cmlong

TINY, greenish whiteflower clusters aresurrounded by usuallysix showy bracts.

Pacific DogwoodCornus nuttallii (Cornaceae)

This deciduous, conical tree has opposite, oval, dark greenleaves, which turn yellow or red in autumn. The flowersare borne in dense clusters as the leaves appear. They aresurrounded by six (sometimes four or eight) large, creamywhite or pinkish bracts. The flowerhead can grow up to

15cm wide. The egg-shaped red fruit, up to1.5cm long, are borne in clusters,

which break up when ripe.

HEIGHT 10m.SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown and flaky.FLOWERING TIME Late winter to early spring.OCCURRENCE Woodland edges and thicketsin C. and S.E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to W. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Flowering Dogwood (left),which is smaller and has flowerheads withonly four bracts, notched at the tip.

shrubbyhabit

leaf to 15cm longreddishautumnfoliage


BRIGHT red or yellowleaves in autumnmakes this one of the

finest treesfor richseasonalcolour.

TupeloNyssa sylvatica (Cornaceae)

Variously known as Black Gum, Sour Gum, or Tupelo, thisdeciduous tree has a broadly conical to columnar crown andslender, spreading branches. Variable in shape, the smooth,untoothed, dark green and often glossyleaves are clustered on shoots.The flowers open in small,rounded clusters onslender stalks. Bunchesof berry-like, egg-shaped, blue-blackfruit, up to 1cmlong, ripen in autumn.

Dove TreeDavidia involucrata (Cornaceae)

Showy white bracts around clusters of small flowers makethis deciduous, broadly conical tree easily recognizable.Also known as the Ghost or Handkerchief Tree, large,

bright red buds make this tree conspicuous inwinter. Its stout shoots have heart-shaped leaves,

dark green above andcovered with white hair

below. The roundgreen fruit, 2.5cm

wide, ripen topurple-brown.

ROUNDED clusters of tiny flowers aresurrounded by twoshowy white bracts.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Orange-brown, peeling in small flakeson mature trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to China.SIMILAR SPECIES None – no other treeshares similar features.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Dark grey-brown, deeply ridged andfurrowed on older trees.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

broadlyconicalhabit

broadly conical tocolumnarhabit

ovate toellipticleaves

tinygreenflowers

bract to20cmlong

leaf to15cmlong


HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 25m. BARK Pale grey and smooth, fluted on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Deciduous woodlands and commonly in hedgerows, all over Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Oriental Hornbeam (p.122), the only other Carpinusspecies native to Europe, which is a much smaller tree or shrub; Hop Hornbeam (p.124), which has rough bark and hop-like fruit.

NOTE

A Hornbeamwithout fruit can beidentified by itsfluted trunk. Whenused in hedges, thisspecies can berecognized by itssharply double-toothed leaveswhich are foldedalong the veins.

PENDULOUS fruitingclusters, which aremade conspicuous by their three-lobedgreen bracts, are bornein summer.

HornbeamCarpinus betulus (Betulaceae)

Conical when young, the deciduous Hornbeam develops amore rounded outline, the slender shoots often droopingat the tips. The oval to oblong leaves have prominent veinsand are sharply double-toothed at the margins. They aredark green above, paler beneath, and turn yellow inautumn. The tiny flowers are borne in pendulous catkinsas the young leaves emerge; males are yellow-brown,females are green and shorter. Small fruit, in hangingclusters, ripen from green to yellow-brown, each hidden atthe base of a conspicuous bract with three untoothed lobes.


malecatkinto 5cmlong

femalecatkin

fruitcluster to7.5cmlong

leaf to10cmlong


HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Purplish grey, smooth.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Deciduous woodland andthickets from S.E. Europe to the Caucasus.SIMILAR SPECIES Hornbeam (p.121), whichis a larger tree with larger leaves and 3-lobed bracts.

PALE yellow pendulouscatkins hang from bareshoots, and containthe male flowers.

Common HazelCorylus avellana (Betulaceae)

Frequently shrubby and forming thickets, this spreadingtree has several stems from the base and is often coppicedfor its shoots. The alternate, heart-shaped, hairy, dark greenleaves turn yellow in autumn. Male flowers appear before

the leaves open and female flowers are tiny,with only the red stigmas showing.

Partially enclosed in a deeplylobed pale green husk, the

edible nuts (cobnuts)are carried in clusters

of up to four.

Oriental HornbeamCarpinus orientalis (Betulaceae)

Often shrubby and forming thickets, this deciduous treehas alternate, sharply-toothed leaves that turn yellow inautumn. Tiny flowers are borne in pendulous catkins as theyoung leaves emerge; the males are yellow-brown, to 5cm

long, females shorter and green. The fruit is asmall nut, about 4mm long, hidden at the

base of leaf-like, sharply toothed bracts,in pendulous clusters, ripening toyellow-brown.

SMOOTH purple-greybark, graduallybecomes fluted onolder trees.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown, glossy, peeling in strips.FLOWERING TIME Late winter to early spring.OCCURRENCE Woodlands and their margins,and thickets; throughout Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Filbert (right), has fruit in atubular husk; Turkish Hazel (right), has aslender-pointed, toothed, lobed husk.

leaf to10cm long

ediblenuts

multiplestems

spreadinghabit

dark greenleaves leaf to

5cmlong


COARSELY double-toothed leaves areheart-shaped at thebase; fruit are indeeply-lobed bracts.

Turkish HazelCorylus colurna (Betulaceae)

This deciduous tree with a compact, conical head has youngshoots covered in sticky hairs. Before the alternate, broadlyoval, dark green leaves open, the male flowers hang inpendulous, pale yellow catkins from the bare shoots. Female

flowers are tiny, with only the red stigmasshowing. The edible nuts are in

clusters, each enclosed inpale green husk with

long, tapered lobes.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey-brown, flaking in small plates.FLOWERING TIME Late winter to early spring.OCCURRENCE Deciduous woodlands of S.E. Europe; frequently planted in parks and streets.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Hazel (left) andFilbert (below), which are generally smaller.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown.FLOWERING TIME Late winter to early spring.OCCURRENCE Woodlands and thickets of S.E. Europe; cultivated for its edible nuts.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Hazel (left), hasa shorter husk which does not hide the nut.

leaf to15cmlong

HEART-shaped, darkgreen leaves have adouble-toothed marginand are carried onhairy stalks.

FilbertCorylus maxima (Betulaceae)

Usually with several main stems and more often a shrub, thisspreading, deciduous tree has alternate, dark green leavesthat turn yellow in autumn. Male flowers open in paleyellow, pendulous catkins before the leaves; females are tiny,with only the red stigmas showing. The edible fruit are inclusters, each enclosed in a tubular pale green husk.‘Purpurea’, with purple foliage, is sometimes seen in gardens.

conicalhead

fruit in tubularhusk

malecatkinto 8cmlong

leaf to12cmlong

male catkinto 10cm long

HEIGHT 20m.SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey-brown and smooth when young; flaking on older trees.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Deciduous woodland of S. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Hornbeam (p.121), which has smooth bark, andproduces nuts surrounded by three-lobed bracts.

matt, darkgreen foliage


Hop HornbeamOstrya carpinifolia (Corylaceae)

A distinguishing feature of this deciduous tree is its hop-like fruit clusters. These have creamy white husks that completely enclose the small nuts. The alternate, oval leaves, which are finely toothed at the margin, end in a short, tapered point. They are matt, dark greenabove, paler beneath, and turn yellow in autumn. Tinymale and female flowers are borne in separate catkins;

male catkins are pendulous andyellow, while the females are

shorter and green.

DISTINCTIVE, hop-likefruit clusters composedof inflated, creamywhite husks make an attractive feature as they ripen during summer.

NOTE

This tree derives itscommon name fromits hop-like fruitclusters and from itsresemblance to the Hornbeam(p.121), which has similar leavesand wood.

malecatkin to8cm long

leaf to10cm long

fruit to5cm long

broadly conical tospreading habit


JUICY, tomato-like,edible fruit are yellowto orange or red, andhave pointed tips.

KakiDiospyros kaki (Ebenaceae)

This is a deciduous tree with a spreading to columnarhead. The alternate, glossy, dark green leaves are oval witha pointed tip and untoothed margin and turn red ororange in autumn. The bell-shaped yellow flowers, about1.5cm long, have four sepal lobes, which persist on thefruit. Male and female flowers are borne on separate trees,the males in small clusters, the females singly.

fruit to7.5cm wide

SMOOTH and greywhen young, the bark

turns dark with age,fissuring into

square plates.

Date PlumDiospyros lotus (Ebenaceae)

Deciduous, with a spreading to columnar head, the DatePlum has alternate, untoothed, glossy, dark green leavesthat are lance-shaped, elliptical, oroval, and end in a taperedpoint. The bell-shaped,pink to orange-yellowflowers are four-lobed.Male and femaleflowers are borne onseparate trees, themales in small clusters,the females singly. Therounded, edible fruitend in a point and ripenfrom green to orange-yellow or blue-black.

orange-redautumn foliage

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey and smooth; becomes dark andcracks into square plates with age.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated and sometimesnaturalized in S. Europe; native to Turkey,S.W. Asia, and N. Iran.SIMILAR SPECIES Kaki (above) has larger fruit.

HEIGHT 14m.SPREAD 12m.BARK Grey and scaly; fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated for its edible fruit,especially in warm areas; native to China.SIMILAR SPECIES Date Plum (below), whichhas much smaller fruit and is a larger tree.

fruit 2cmwide

leaf to20cm long

spreadingcrown

leaf to15cmlong

female flowerabout 5mmlong


ROUNDED, fleshy,bright orange fruit are densely clusteredalong the shoots.

OleasterElaeagnus angustifolia (Elaeagnaceae)

Also known as Russian Olive, this broadly conical tospreading, deciduous tree has spiny shoots covered in silverscales. The alternate, willow-like leaves are narrowly oblongto lance-shaped and are dark green above and silvery withscales beneath. Clusters of small, fragrant,bell-shaped yellow flowers open inthe axils of the young leaves.The egg-shaped yellow toreddish fruit, up to 2cmlong, are edible.

fragrantyellowflowers

leaf to 8cmlong

HEIGHT 12m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Red-brown, fissured, and scaly.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to earlysummer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; often naturalized inS. and C. Europe; native to W. and C. Asia.SIMILAR SPECIES Sea Buckthorn (below),has smaller leaves and rounded orange fruit.

ROUGH, red-brown bark becomes fissuredand scaly, shreddingwith age.

HEIGHT Up to 10m. SPREAD Below 6m.BARK Brown to nearly black, with vertical fissures.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Coastal regions, sandy soils,and riverbanks of N. and C. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Oleaster (above), whichhas larger leaves and fruit.

leaf to7cmlong

fruit to8mmwide

Sea BuckthornHippophae rhamnoides (Elaeagnaceae)

This deciduous, thicket-forming shrub or small tree, withspiny shoots, spreads by suckers from the base. Its alternate,slender, linear, untoothed leaves are covered in silver scaleson both sides. Tiny yellowish flowers open in small clustersbefore or as the leaves emerge, with males and females onseparate plants. Its is frequently planted as an

ornamental tree and to stabilizesand dunes.

silvery greenfoliage

spreadingshrubbyhabit


RED-BROWN bark peelsin thin strips to reveala bright orange-brown

layer beneath.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Red-brown, peeling in thin strips.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Woods, thickets, and rockyslopes of S.E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Hybrid Strawberry Tree(below), has toothed leaves; Strawberry Tree(p.128), has bark that does not peel.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Red-brown, peeling in thin strips.FLOWERING TIME Spring or autumn.OCCURRENCE Woods, thickets, and rockyslopes where the parents grow together;native to S.E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Strawberry Tree (p.128),Grecian Strawberry Tree (above).

RED-BROWN, the bark peels in long,thin, vertical stripswith age

Hybrid Strawberry TreeArbutus x andrachnoides (Ericaceae)

A naturally occurring hybrid between the Strawberry Tree(p.128) and the Grecian Strawberry Tree (above), thisevergreen, spreading tree has red young shoots with somesticky hairs. The alternate, oval, glossy, dark green leaves are

finely toothed. Small, urn-shapedwhite flowers, about 6mm long,are carried in nodding clusters.The orange-red, rounded fruitare about 1.5cm wide andrough with warts.

Grecian Strawberry TreeArbutus andrachne (Ericaceae)

This sometimes shrubby, evergreen, spreading tree hassmooth red young shoots. The alternate, oval to oblong,leathery, dark green leaves are untoothed, or sometimeshave occasional teeth on vigorous shoots. Small, urn-shaped white flowers, about 6mm long, are carried inupright clusters. Thesmall, rounded, orange-red fruit areabout 1cm wide andnearly smooth.

flowercluster to10cm long

leaf to10cmlong

flowercluster to10cm long


open, spreadingcrown

leaf to10cm long


Strawberry TreeArbutus unedo (Ericaceae)

A spreading, evergreen tree, the Strawberry tree has stickyhairs on the young shoots. The alternate, oval leaves areglossy, dark green, with toothed margins. Small, urn-shaped white or, more rarely, pink flowers are borne indrooping clusters at the ends of the shoots as the fruit from the previous year’s flowers are ripening. The verycharacteristic, strawberry-like fruit, which give the tree itsname, ripen from green through yellow to red. Unlikemany members of its family, this tree can often be foundgrowing on alkaline soil. Some forms have untoothedleaves. There are famous stands of this tree in W. Ireland

(Cork, Killarney, and Sligo).

PENDULOUS androughly warty on thesurface, the fruitresemble smallstrawberries.

NOTE

“Unedo” meansliterally “I eat one”,referring to the fact that the fruit is edible, although it is notexactly delicious.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Red-brown, rough, and flaking but not peeling.FLOWERING TIME Autumn.OCCURRENCE Thickets and woodland in rocky places in theMediterranean region and S.W. Ireland; a popular ornamental tree in gardens.SIMILAR SPECIES Grecian Strawberry Tree (p.127), which has untoothedleaves; Hybrid Strawberry Tree (p.127), which has toothed leaves.

leaf to10cm wide

flowercluster about5cm long

red-brownbark

glossy greenfoliage



SMALL, fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers,about 3mm long, aredensely arranged onnumerous short sideshoots, forming long,slender spikes.

Tree HeathErica arborea (Ericaceae)

This evergreen tree, with an upright to spreading head,usually has several main stems and is often shrubby. Theslender, needle-like, bright green leaves, to 5mm long, aredensely arranged in whorls of three or four on the upright,hairy shoots. Carried on the short side shoots, the small,short-stalked, honey-scented flowers are white, fading tobrown. The fruit are small, brown, and dry, containingmany tiny seeds. Several forms are cultivated in gardens; a shrubby form, E. arborea var. alpina, is grown in gardensfor its ability to withstand hard frost.

NOTE

Traditionally, woodfrom the roots of thistree was used tomake briar pipes inS. Europe; briarcomes from bruyère,French for plants.

HEIGHT 6m or more.SPREAD 4m.BARK Grey-brown, flaking in thin vertical strips.FLOWERING TIME Early to mid-spring.OCCURRENCE Thickets and mountain slopes of S. Europe. SIMILAR SPECIES The shrubby E. lusitanica is similar but the flowers have a red stigma; Spanish Heath (E. australis), which haspurple flowers.

shrubby,spreadinghabit

pyramidalspikes

flower to3mmlong

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Grey and smooth; brown with spiralling ridges on older specimens.FLOWERING TIME Midsummer.OCCURRENCE Woodland with acid soil in S. Europe; frequently plantedand often naturalized.SIMILAR SPECIES Horse Chestnut (p.65), which has superficially similarfruit, but larger flower clusters and opposite leaves.


Spanish ChestnutCastanea sativa (Fagaceae)

Also known as the Sweet Chestnut, this deciduous tree waswidely introduced outside its native region of southernEurope by the Romans. Large and vigorous, it has stoutshoots and a broadly columnar head. Its alternate, oblongleaves taper to a point and are edged with numerous slender-pointed teeth. They are glossy, dark green and turn yellow-brown in autumn. The flowers are borne in long, slender,upright to spreading catkins. The pale green fruit husk,densely covered with slender, sharp spines, encloses up to

three glossy brown, edible nuts.

SLENDER, creamy whiteflower spikes cover thetree in summer,making for aspectacular sight inparks and gardens.

NOTE

Ornamentalselections of thistree include‘Albomarginata’,which has leavesedged creamy white;other varieties aregenerally grown fortheir particularlytasty fruit.


nuts inspinyhusk

catkin to 25cmlong

leaf to20cmlong


WAVY-EDGED and darkgreen, the leaves aresilky when young,turning yellow-brown

in autumn.

Oriental BeechFagus orientalis (Fagaceae)

A deciduous tree, the Oriental Beech is conical whenyoung, later becoming broadly columnar to spreading. Its alternate, dark green leaves are widest above the middleand have up to 12 pairs of veins. Tiny flowers open inclusters, males and females separate; the males are more

conspicuous, in rounded, paleyellow heads. The fruit is awoody husk with one ortwo edible nuts.

leaf to 12cm long

SILKY and hairy whenyoung, the dark greenleaves turn brightyellow in autumn.

Common BeechFagus sylvatica (Fagaceae)

Zig-zag shoots ending in long, slender-pointed budscharacterize this spreading, deciduous tree. It has alternate,dark green, wavy-edged leaves, widest above the middle,with up to ten pairs of veins. Its tiny flowers open with theyoung leaves, males and females in separate clusters. Themore conspicuous males are borne in drooping, rounded,pale yellow heads. The fruit is a woody husk, up to 2.5cm

long, andcontains one ortwo edible nuts.

leaf to10cmlong

broadhabit

yellowautumnfoliage

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Pale grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Mid-spring.OCCURRENCE Woodland, on alkaline andwell-drained soils, throughout Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Oriental Beech (above),which has larger leaves.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Pale grey and smooth, sometimesfurrowed.FLOWERING TIME Mid-spring.OCCURRENCE Woodlands of S.E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Beech (below),which has smaller leaves.

4-lobed husk

fruit 2.5cmlong

spreadinghabit


HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey-green and dark grey; fissured onold trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Chile and Argentina. SIMILAR SPECIES Roble (below), which hasfewer veins on its leaves.


SMOOTH and greywhen young, the barkbegins to crack andflake with age.

RobleNothofagus obliqua (Fagaceae)

A deciduous tree with slender shoots, the Roble is conicalwhen young, later becoming broadly columnar. Dark greenand oval, the toothed leaves are blue-green beneath andturn yellow in autumn. They have up to ten pairs of veins.The tiny greenish flowers are insignificant, the males and

females in separate clusters. The fruit has a scalygreen husk, turns brown when

ripe, and containsthree small nuts.

RauliNothofagus alpina (Fagaceae)

This deciduous tree has a broadly columnar head andslender shoots, which are hairy when young. The matt,dark green leaves, paler beneath, are bronze when young;each has up to 18 pairs of parallel veins and hairy on bothsides. Flowers are tiny and greenish, male and female borne

in separate clusters. The fruit has a green huskup to 1cm long, which is brown when ripe,covered with sticky bristles, and containsthree small nuts.

OBLONG, finelytoothed leaves aremade distinctive by the numerous parallel veins.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Grey and smooth when young;cracking into plates with age.FLOWERING TIME Mid-spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Chile and Argentina. SIMILAR SPECIES Rauli (above), which haslarger leaves with more veins.

leaf to 8cmlong

leaf to 10cmlong

fruit to1cm long



broadlycolumnarcrown

dark greenfoliage

CONICAL buds, thescales edged withwhite hairs, tip thestout shoots.

Algerian OakQuercus canariensis (Fagaceae)

A semi-evergreen tree with a broadly columnar crown, thisspecies retains at least some of its leaves until spring. Thelarge leaves, widest above the middle, are on stalks up to2.5cm long, and have untoothed lobes that decrease in sizetowards the leaf tip. They are dark green above and blue-green beneath with loose white hairs, which rub off easily.Only some leaves turn yellow or yellow-brown in autumn.The flowers are in catkins, with the males being yellow-green, pendulous, and 4cm long, while the females areinconspicuous. Short-stalked acorns,2.5cm long, are held in a hairy cupand ripen in the first year.

NOTE

In spite of its Latinname, whichsuggests thisspecies might beassociated with theCanary Islands, it isnot native to theseislands but to North Africa.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark grey and thick and with deep fissures.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woodlands, mainly on hills and mountains, in S. Spainand Portugal.SIMILAR SPECIES Normally very distinct, but can be confused ingardens with its hybrids with English Oak (page 141) and Sessile Oak (p.139).

leaf to15cm long


HEIGHT 35m. SPREAD 25m.BARK Grey brown and deeply ridged.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Woodland in S. and C.Europe; also widely planted and naturalized.SIMILAR SPECIES Lucombe Oak (p.136),which is semi-evergreen.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 6m.BARK Dark grey, smooth when young,becoming cracked and scaly with age.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Dry, rocky places of theMediterranean region.SIMILAR SPECIES None – although it hasholly-like leaves.

Kermes OakQuercus coccifera (Fagaceae)

An evergreen, bushy shrub, but sometimes a broadlycolumnar tree, Kermes Oak has alternate, rigid, holly-likeleaves edged with sharp spines. It is very distinctive amongoaks and often confused with holly. Bronze when young,the leaves mature to dark green and are glossy on bothsides. The flowers are in catkins, the males yellow-brownand drooping, to 5cm long,the females inconspicuous.The acorns ripen inthe second year.

Turkey OakQuercus cerris (Fagaceae)

The hairy shoots of this large, vigorous, deciduous tree are tipped with leaf buds surrounded by characteristic longwhisker-like stipules. Its alternate leaves are variable inshape, toothed, and deeply lobed, on stalks to 2cm long.They are dark green above, slightly rough, blue-greenbeneath, and hairy, at least when young. The flowers areborne in catkins, the males yellow-green and drooping, to

6cm long, the femalesinconspicuous and

borne separately.

DENSELY covered innarrow, bristle-likescales, the acorn cupencloses half the acorn,which ripens in thesecond year.

RIGID, spiky scalesdensely cover the cup carrying the2.5cm-long acorn.

leaf to 4cmlong

spreadinghabit

acorn to2.5cm long

leaf to 12cmlong

shrubby orcolumnarhabit


BRIGHT red in autumn,the leaves are otherwiseglossy dark greenabove, paler beneath.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 25m.BARK Dark grey and smooth, later ridged.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Pin Oak (p.138), whichhas more conspicuous hair tufts under theleaf; Red Oak (p.142), which has dull leaves.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark grey; becoming scaly with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woodlands, hills, and rivervalleys of S.W. Spain and S. Portugal.SIMILAR SPECIES Algerian Oak, (p.133)which has hairs on the undersides of youngleaves that are easily rubbed off.

leaf to 15cmlong

OVAL, leathery, glossydark green leaves areedged with rounded orslightly pointed teeth.

Portuguese OakQuercus faginea (Fagaceae)

Semi-evergreen and spreading, this tree is sometimes lowand shrubby. Its alternate leaves are glossy, dark greenabove, hairy beneath at first becoming smooth and blue-green. Flowers are borne in catkins, the males yellow-greenand drooping, to 4cm long, the females inconspicuous.

Acorns to 3.5cm long ripen inthe first year. This

variable species hasseveral forms: subsp.

broteroi has largerleaves whichremain denselyhairy beneath.

blue-greenunderside


Scarlet OakQuercus coccinea (Fagaceae)

This deciduous, spreading tree has smooth shoots. Thealternate leaves are toothed and deeply lobed, each lobeending in slender, bristle-like tips, with small tufts of hairin the vein axils beneath. The flowers are in catkins: themales yellow-green and drooping, to 8cm long, thefemales inconspicuous, borne separately. Theacorns are up to 2.5cm long, half enclosedin a glossy cup, and ripen the second year.

spreadinghabit

leaf to10cmlong


HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 25m.BARK Dark grey, rugged, and deeply fissured.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woodland, in S.E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES None – its large, deeplylobed leaves make it highly distinctive.

GREY-BROWN in colour,the bark can be corkyin some forms, afeature inherited fromthe Cork Oak.

Lucombe OakQuercus x hispanica (Fagaceae)

A hybrid between Turkey Oak (p.134) and Cork Oak (p.143),this is a semi-evergreen tree. Its leaves are very variable inshape and size, and are edged with pointed teeth. They areglossy, dark green above and grey-white with hairs beneath.The flowers are borne in catkins, the males yellow-green

and pendulous, the females inconspicuous. Acorns, up to 2cm long, in cups covered by

bristly scales, ripen in the second year.

Hungarian OakQuercus frainetto (Fagaceae)

This large, deciduous tree has stout, slightly hairy shoots.Its oblong leaves have numerous blunt-tipped lobes, thelarger ones sometimes notched, and are dark green aboveand grey-green beneath. The flowers are borne in catkins:the males yellow-green and pendulous, the females inconspicuous. The short-stalked acorns,up to 2cm long, ripen in thefirst year.

roundedtop

DEEPLY lobed leavesare clustered towardsthe end of the shoots,and turn yellow-brownin autumn.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 30m.BARK Grey-brown, fissured, sometimes corky.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woodland, usually with theparent species; commonly cultivated; native to S. Europe. SIMILAR SPECIES Turkey Oak (p.134), Cork Oak (p.143).

malecatkin

leaf to12cmlong

notched, largerlobe

leaf to 20cmlong



HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 30m.BARK Nearly black, cracking into small, scaly squares with age.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Woods in hills and along coastal cliffs in theMediterranean region; commonly planted and sometimes naturalized.SIMILAR SPECIES Quercus rotundifolia (p.142), which has morerounded, blue-green leaves and larger, edible acorns; Cork Oak (p.143), which has corky bark.

spreadinghabit

PENDULOUS catkinsappear along with thegrey young leaves,making this tree ashowy sight in early summer.

Holm OakQuercus ilex (Fagaceae)

The young shoots of this large, evergreen tree are denselycovered with grey-white hairs. The elliptic to narrowlyovate, leathery and rigid leaves are glossy, dark greenabove, closely covered with grey hairs beneath, and may be toothed or untoothed. They are very variable in shapeon young plants, with a spiny margin. Young trees andshoots from the base of old trees often have sharplytoothed leaves, like those of holly (Ilex), which aregreen beneath. The flowers are borne in catkins: themales, blooming on young shoots, are drooping,yellow-green and pendulous; the females, borneseparately on the same plant, are small and

inconspicuous. The acorns are held incups up to one-third their length

and they ripen in the first year.

dense, roundedhead

leaf to10cmlong

pointedacorn

acorn to2cm long

NOTE

In most regions, thisis the mostcommonly cultivatedevergreen oak tree.Often seen incoastal areas in itsnative regions, theHolm Oak hasbecome widelynaturalized insimilar situations insouthern England.


HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 12m.BARK Dark grey; deeply fissured andcracked with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woodlands of S.E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Turkey Oak (p.134), whichlacks the long bristle tips on the leaves.

DEEPLY lobed redautumn leaves areglossy on both sideswith conspicuoustufts of hair below.

Pin OakQuercus palustris (Fagaceae)

A deciduous tree with a broadly conical to spreading head,the lower branches of the Pin Oak droop distinctly. Thealternate, glossy green leaves end in bristle-tipped teethand have tufts of hair in the vein axils on their undersides.

The flowers are borne in catkins; the males yellow-green and drooping, the females inconspicuous.

The acorns ripen in the second year.

Valonia OakQuercus macrolepis (Fagaceae)

The young shoots of this deciduous or semi-evergreen tree are densely covered with white hairs. Edged with largeteeth that end in bristle-like points, the alternate leaves arehairy on both sides when young, but only on the undersideof mature dark green leaves. The flowers are borne in catkins;the males yellow-green and drooping, the femalesinconspicuous. Acorns ripen inthe second year.

DENSE scales cover the acorn cupcontaining the ripe4cm-long fruit.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 25m.BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Scarlet Oak (p.135), lacksthe conspicuous hair tufts; Red Oak (p.142),has dull green leaves, blue-green beneath.

acorn about 1.5cmlong

leaf to 15cmlong

white-hairedshoot

bristle-likepoint

leaf to10cmlong

spreadinghead

broadly conicalhabit


HEIGHT 40m.SPREAD 25m.BARK Grey; vertically ridged in mature trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woodlands throughout Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES English Oak (p.141), which has leaves with very shortstalks but long-stalked acorns. Other deciduous European oaks tend tohave hairy shoots and often much hairier leaves.

NOTE

Where this speciesgrows alongsideCommon Oak(p.141), ithybridizes to formQ. x rosacea, withintermediatecharacters.

PROMINENT and deepvertical ridges developon the grey bark ofmature trees.

Sessile OakQuercus petraea (Fagaceae)

This is a large, deciduous tree with a spreading head andsmooth young shoots. The alternate leaves are borne onstalks to 1cm or more long and are edged with rounded,untoothed lobes. Dark, slightly glossy green above, theyhave a thin layer of hairs beneath. Male and female flowersare borne separately in catkins: the males yellow-green anddrooping, to 8cm long; the females inconspicuous.Unstalked or very short-stalked, about one-third of theacorn is enclosed in a cup. A variable and widelydistributed species, theSessile Oak has manygarden selectionsvarying in leaf shape.


leaf to 12cmlong

acorn to 3cmlong


SHORT-STALKED acorns,to 4cm long, withdensely scaled capsripen in the first year.

Pyrenean OakQuercus pyrenaica (Fagaceae)

This deciduous tree has a broadly columnar head and softlyhairy shoots. Deeply cut into up to eight lobes on each side,the alternate leaves, widest above the middle, emerge late,

becoming glossy dark green, and covered withwhite hairs beneath. The flowers are borne incatkins: the males yellow-green and the

females inconspicuous.

Downy OakQuercus pubescens (Fagaceae)

A variable and widely distributed, deciduous tree, this oakhas a spreading head and hairy young shoots. The alternateleaves have up to eight rounded to pointed lobes on eachside, and are softly hairy above and below when young.The flowers are borne in catkins: themales drooping and yellow-green,the females inconspicuous.Short-stalked acorns, to 4cmlong, ripen in the first year.

spreading habit

leaf to 10cmlong

SOFT hairs cover theyoung shoots and grey-green leaves; the leavesbecome almost smoothas they mature.

HEIGHT 20m.SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey and cracked.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Woods in the mountains ofS.W. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Downy Oak (above), whichhas less deeply lobed leaves.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark grey, deeply ridged, and cracked. FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Dry, sunny hillsides of S. and C. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Sessile Oak (p.139), whichhas smooth shoots; Pyrenean Oak (below),which has leaves that are smooth above.

leaf to15cmlong

droopingcatkins

dark grey-greenmatureleaves

spreadinghabit


NOTE

This is thecommonest oakacross much ofEurope, but is foundless often in thesouth. It can be upto 1,000 years old.The wood is usedfor wine casks.

LONG-STALKED acornsare enclosed in a scalycup. Initially green,they turn brown andmay develop darkstripes; they ripen inthe first year.

English OakQuercus robur (Fagaceae)

This oak is a deciduous, spreading tree with smooth shoots.The alternate, smooth, widest above the middle, very short-stalked leaves have 5–7 lobes on each side, and are darkgreen above and blue-green beneath. Where the base of theleaf meets the stalk, the blade is turned slightly upwards.Flowers are borne in catkins: the males yellow-green anddrooping, the females inconspicuous. Several selections aregrown in gardens such as ‘Fastigiata’ (Cypress Oak), whichis narrowly columnar with uprightbranches, and ‘Pendula’,which has weepingbranches.

HEIGHT 35m.SPREAD 30m.BARK Grey with vertical fissures.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods throughout Europe; especially common in W. Europe and throughout Britain.SIMILAR SPECIES Sessile Oak (p.139), which has long-stalked leavesand unstalked acorns.

leaf up to12cm long

yellow-greenmale flowers

acorn to4cm long

spreadinghabit

rounded head


DESPITE the tree’sname, the leaves oftencolour yellow or brown in autumn.

Red OakQuercus rubra (Fagaceae)

This is a deciduous, spreading tree with smooth reddishshoots. Blue-green beneath, matt, dark green above, thealternate leaves are shallowly cut into bristle-tipped lobesand have stalks that are red at the base. The flowers areborne in catkins, the males yellow-green and pendulous, thefemales inconspicuous. Ripening the second

year, only the base of the 3cm-long acorn is enclosed in

a shallow cup.

Quercus rotundifoliaQuercus rotundifolia (Fagaceae)

An evergreen, spreading tree, Q. rotundifolia is closelyrelated to Holm Oak (p.137). The alternate, leathery, androunded leaves are spine-toothed on young plants butbecome oval and spineless as the tree matures. Maleflowers are borne in drooping, yellow-green catkins; thefemales are inconspicuous. The large acorns, up to 4cmlong, are sweet and edible, ripening the first year. Pigs fedon these acorns give the muchsought-after Iberian ham.

leaf to6cm long

BLUE-GREEN leaves aredensely covered withwhite hairs beneath;flowers are borne indrooping catkins.


HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Pale grey and smooth; later fissured.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Scarlet Oak (p.135) andPin Oak (p.138), both of which have leavesthat are glossy green below.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark grey with small squarish plates.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Plains and hills of Spain,Portugal, and S. France.SIMILAR SPECIES Holm Oak (p.137), whichhas smaller, bitter acorns; Cork Oak (right),which has corky bark.

leaf to20cmlong



CORKY, with prominentridges, the bark is cutfrom the tree to makethe corks for winebottles and other items.

acorn to 3cm long

OVAL to oblong, theglossy, green to grey-green leaves have up to 12 small, pointedteeth.

Lora wepsumLora wepsum

Lorawepsum

Macedonian OakQuercus trojana (Fagaceae)

Upright when young, this deciduous or semi-evergreen,spreading tree retains its short-stalked, alternate leaves

until late in the year. Male andfemale flowers are borne in

separate catkins, the malesyellow-green anddrooping, the females

inconspicuous. Acornsup to 3cm long areborne in a cup edged

with bristly scales; andripen the second year.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Grey-brown, growing fissured on older trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods of S.E. Italy, theBalkans, and W. Turkey.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Pale grey, thick and corky.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods; in W. Mediterraneanoften grown for cork production.SIMILAR SPECIES Holm Oak (p.137) andQuercus rotundifolia (left), both of whichlack the corky bark.

leaf to7cm long

spreadinghabit

leaf to8cm long

Cork OakQuercus suber (Fagaceae)

The twigs of this evergreen, spreading tree often droop atthe tips. The alternate, blue-green, oval leaves are wavy-edged with few shallow teeth at the margin and are coveredbeneath with white hairs. The flowers are borne in catkins,

the males yellow-green and drooping,the females inconspicuous.

Acorns ripen the first year,or the second year onsome trees which mayflower in autumn.



TOOTHED, five-lobed,long-stalked leaves are often mistaken for

those of a maple.

Sweet GumLiquidambar styraciflua (Hamamelidaceae)

The branches of this conical, deciduoustree often have corky ridges. Thealternate, toothed leaves are glossygreen above and turn yellow toorange, red, and purple inautumn. Tiny yellow-green male and femaleflowers open in separate,rounded clusters. The fruit,in rounded clusters 3cmwide, are edged withrough points. Manygarden forms are popularfor their autumn colour.

Black OakQuercus velutina (Fagaceae)

The young shoots and winter buds of this deciduous treeare covered with brown hairs, as is the underside of youngleaves. Oval to elliptic, the alternate leaves are glossy, dark

green and smooth, with bristle-tipped lobes. Flowersare borne in clusters, males yellow-green and

pendulous, females inconspicuous. Theacorns ripen in the second year.

Lora amit

DARK grey and smooth,the bark becomesfissured with age,revealing orangeinner bark.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey and smooth, becoming fissuredand scaly with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. NorthAmerica, Mexico, and Central America.SIMILAR SPECIES Maples (Acer), whichhave opposite, rather than alternate, leaves.

leaf to15cm long

HEIGHT 25m.SPREAD 20m.BARK Dark grey, smooth; fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Red Oak (p.142), whichhas blue-green leaf undersides.


acorn to2.5cmlong

leaf to30cmlong

conicalhabit

5–7 lobes


FLAKING bark withpale yellow-brownpatches is anornamental feature of this tree.

SMOOTH and grey-brown, the bark is slightlyroughened withsmall lenticels.

Persian IronwoodParrotia persica (Hamamelidaceae)

Usually branching low down, this deciduous, spreadingtree has alternate, wavy-edged leaves, broadest towards thetip and shallowly toothed above the middle. Often withbronze-red margins when young, they are glossy greenabove and turn yellow, orange, red, and purple in autumn.The clusters of tiny, petalless flowers are made conspicuousby red anthers; they are followed by small brown fruit upto 8mm long.

Laurus azoricaLaurus azorica (Lauraceae)

This evergreen, conical tree is similar to themuch more widely distributed Bay Laurel(p.146). The alternate, broadly oval,leathery, dark green leaves are hairybeneath when young and are veryaromatic when crushed. The small,greenish yellow flowers, about 1cmwide, are borne in clusters in theleaf axils, males and females onseparate plants. The male flowers,with numerous stamens, are more

noticeable. Femaleplants bear glossyblack fruit up to1.5cm long.

HEIGHT 15m.SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey-brown, flaking in older trees.FLOWERING TIME Late winter.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to theCaucasus and N. Iran.SIMILAR SPECIES None – a very distinct treein its bark, leaves, and flowers.

HEIGHT 20m.SPREAD 10m.BARK Smooth and dark grey.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to theAzores and Canary Islands.SIMILAR SPECIES Bay Laurel (p.146), whichhas smaller leaves and smooth shoots.

leaf to12cm long

leaf to12cm long

conicalhabit



glossygreenfoliage

PEA-LIKE purple-pinkflowers are borne inclusters on bare shootsbefore the leaves.

Bay LaurelLaurus nobilis (Lauraceae)

This evergreen, conical tree is often shrubby, with manyshoots arising from the base. The alternate, smooth, darkgreen, oval to oblong, aromatic leaves often have a wavymargin and taper gradually at the base. Male and femaleflowers are borne on separate plants. Female plants bear

fleshy, berry-like fruit, which ripen from green toblack. Also known as Sweet Bay, this is the laurelused as a herb in cooking.

fruit to1cm long

SMALL greenish yellow flowers, 1cm wide, areborne in clusters fromthe leaf axils.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Dark grey-brown; cracking into scalyplates with age.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (grown in parksand gardens); native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Judas Tree (right) hasblue-green leaves and larger flowers.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Dark grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Woods in the Mediterraneanregion; commonly cultivated.SIMILAR SPECIES Laurus azorica (p.145),which has larger leaves and hairy shoots.

leaf to10cmlong

conical habit

short-pointedtip

bronzeyoungfoliage

RedbudCercis canadensis (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

Usually low-branching and often shrubby, the Redbud is adeciduous, spreading tree. The alternate, rounded leaveshave a heart-shaped base and a short point at the tip. Theyare bronze when young, becoming dark green, and mayturn yellow in autumn. Small and slender-stalked, the

flowers are about 1cm long,and the fruit is a flat

pod, 8cm long.

spreadinghabit

leaf to 10cmwide


PINK pea-like flowers,up to 2cm long, openin large, denseclusters, before andwith the leaves.

BRIGHT golden yellowand pea-like, thefragrant flowers areborne singly along

new shoots.

Mount Etna BroomGenista aetnensis (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

A deciduous, spreading tree, or sometimes a shrub, thisbroom has slender, drooping green shoots. Small andnarrow, the alternate leaves are few and ratherinconspicuous and most have fallen by flowering time.The fruit is a dark brown pod, 1cm long, ending in a small point.

Judas TreeCercis siliquastrum (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

This deciduous, spreading tree has several main stems bearingalternate, rounded leaves, sometimes with a short-pointedtip. The leaves are blue-green above, paler beneath, and

smooth on both sides. Flowers canform large clusters on the

main trunks, and the fruitis a hanging, flattened

pod, which ripensfrom green to pink

and brown.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown; cracking into smallsquare plates with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Dry, rocky slopes in the E. Mediterranean region.SIMILAR SPECIES Redbud (left) has darkgreen leaves and smaller flowers.

HEIGHT 10m.SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown, deeply fissured at the base.FLOWERING TIME Mid- to late summer.OCCURRENCE Dry, rocky slopes in Sardiniaand Sicily.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

heart-shaped base

fruit to10cmlong

leaf to1cmlong

spreadinghabit

spreading habit


HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m. BARK Grey-brown, becoming deeply furrowed with age.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Chinese Tulip Tree (L. chinense), which is muchmore rarely seen and has more deeply cut leaves.


NOTE

This tree produces a very fine timberwhich is popular inthe manufacture offurniture and otherwooden items.

Tulip TreeLiriodendron tulipifera (Magnoliaceae)

Also known as Yellow Poplar, this fast-growing, large,deciduous tree has a broadly columnar head and greenyoung shoots which are smooth or nearly so. The alternateleaves have four pointed lobes and are distinctively notchedat the tip. They are glossy, dark green above and blue-greenbeneath, turning orange and yellow in autumn. Theflowers have nine tepals, of which the outer three spreadhorizontally. The conical, pale brown fruit clusters arecomposed of many seeds with papery wings, often

persisting over winter. ‘Aureomarginatum’is a garden selection with yellow-

edged leaves.

CUP-SHAPED flowers,which open singly at the ends of theshoots, are green with orange bands.

leaf to 15cmlong

flower6cmwide

fruit to6cm long


CUP-SHAPED flowers,up to 9cm long, areborne singly amongthe leaves at the endsof the shoots.

leaf to25cmlong

SHOWY flowers, up to30cm wide, whichopen singly at the endsof the shoots, areproduced in shades of pink to white, andare slightly fragrant.

Campbell’s Magnolia Magnolia campbellii (Magnoliaceae)

A deciduous tree with a broadly conical head and stout, verysmooth blue-green shoots, this magnolia has

alternate, oval, short-pointed, untoothedleaves. Bronze when young, they turn

dark green above, and paler orblue-green beneath. Theflowers, with 16 tepals,emerge from silky hairy budsbefore the leaves and arefollowed by cylindrical red

fruit clusters up to 15cmlong.

Cucumber TreeMagnolia acuminata (Magnoliaceae)

This vigorous, deciduous tree has a broadly conical headand stout shoots. Its alternate, large, oval leaves areuntoothed and end in a short point. They are mid- to darkgreen above, paler and hairy beneath. The small flowers

have nine tepals and are blue-green to yellow-green. The

cylindrical, cucumber-shaped fruit ripen from

green to pink thendeep red.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late winter to earlyspring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to theHimalayas and S.W. China.SIMILAR SPECIES None – its large sizecombined with its flowers make it distinct.

HEIGHT 30m.SPREAD 20m.BARK Grey-brown, with scaly ridges.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES None – its small flowersmake it distinct among magnolias.

leaf to 25cmor more

fruit to7cm long

conicalhabit

broadlyconicalhabit


glossy, darkgreen foliage

Magnolia kobusMagnolia kobus (Magnoliaceae)

The young shoots of this conical, deciduous tree exude afragrance when scratched. Its alternate leaves arebroadest above the middle, tapering to the base.The slightly fragrant, creamy white or pinkishflowers are held horizontally and have six largetepals with three smaller tepals at the base,opening before the leaves. The fruit is acylindrical red cluster to 10cm long.

leaf to25cmlong

CONE-LIKE inappearance, the fruit is covered with greenscales and brownhairs; red seeds emergefrom it when ripe.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Dark grey, smooth; developing scaleson old trees.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to S.E. USA.SIMILAR SPECIES None – a very distinct treeas it is the only common evergreen magnolia.

HEIGHT 12m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Japanand South Korea.SIMILAR SPECIES Magnolia x loebneri,whose flowers have more tepals, which maybe white or pink.

flowerto 30cmwide

leaf to15cmlong

broadlyconicalhabit

white flowerson barebranches

flowerto 10cmwide

DARK green leaves arepaler and slightlyhairy below; buds are covered in silky,grey hairs.

Bull BayMagnolia grandiflora (Magnoliaceae)

The stout shoots of this conical, evergreen tree are covered inbrown hairs. Its alternate, elliptic to oval, rigid, leathery, darkgreen leaves are paler beneath, sometimes coveredwith dark brown hairs. Large, fragrant, creamywhite flowers open singly at the ends of shoots.Garden selections such as the hardy ‘Exmouth’and the large-flowered ‘Goliath’ are grown.


CUP-SHAPED flowersare set in a whorl ofleaves at the end of the shoots.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 12m. BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES Only some infrequentlyseen species are similar such as M. macrophylla, M. officinalis, and M. x. wieseneri.

GOBLET-SHAPED

flowers are variable in colour, from creamywhite to pink orpurple-pink.

Magnolia obovataMagnolia obovata (Magnoliaceae)

The large, deep green leaves of this deciduous tree arewidest above the middle, and are arranged in whorls at thetip of the shoots. The strongly fragrant flowers, each with

9–11 thick tepals, are creamywhite with bright red

stigmas. Cylindrical,spiky fruit, up to

20cm long, ripento bright red.

Magnolia x soulangeanaMagnolia x soulangeana (Magnoliaceae)

A garden-raised hybrid between Magnolia denudata and M. liliiflora, this is a spreading, deciduous tree or large

shrub, grown in many forms. The alternate,dark green leaves are widest towards the

tip and end in a short point. Theflowers have nine creamy whitetepals, flushed with pink; the fruitappears in a cylindrical cluster andripens from green to pink.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Spring and early summer.OCCURRENCE Known only in cultivation(grown in parks and gardens).SIMILAR SPECIES None – the profuse, largepink and white flowers, and semi-shrubbyhabit, make it easily recognizable.

flower to25cm wide

leaf to45cm long

broadlyconicalhabit

fruit to10cmlong


flower20cm wide

leaf to 20cmlong

FigFicus carica (Moraceae)

Spreading and deciduous, this tree often branches lowdown, or is shrubby with stout green shoots. The deeplylobed leaves are glossy, dark green above andslightly rough with hairs. Tiny flowers,males and females on separate plants,are borne on the inside of the green

structure that becomesthe fruit. Familiarand edible, the figsripen in autumn.


EACH green, unripefruit has a fleshyreceptacle containingnumerous small seeds;this ripens to a brownor purple, edible fig.

Paper MulberryBroussonetia papyrifera (Moraceae)

This spreading, deciduous tree has bristly shoots and ovalleaves, with a toothed margin, which may be deeply lobedor unlobed. Often purple-tinged when young, they becomedark green as they mature. Male and female flowers arefound on separate plants, with the white male flowers in

cylindrical catkins andthe green females in

rounded heads withpurple stigmas.The edible,spherical fruitclusters are upto 2cm wide.

spreadinghabit

DARK GREEN leaves areroughly hairy aboveand covered with soft,grey hairs below.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; widely naturalizedin the Mediterranean region; native to S.W. Asia.SIMILAR SPECIES None – its leaf shape andunique fruit make it highly distinctive.

leaf to 30cmlong

purple,ripe fig

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey-brown with shallow fissures.FLOWERING TIME Spring or early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; naturalized in warmareas of Europe; native to China and Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES White and BlackMulberries (right), which have oblong and notspherical fruit.

malecatkin to8cmwide

leaf to20cmlong

lowbranches

spreadinghabit


fruit 2.5cm long

leaf to 20cmlong

EDIBLE fruit clusters are deep red when ripe and generallyunstalked.

White MulberryMorus alba (Moraceae)

Spreading and deciduous, this tree has very variable leavesthat are smooth and glossy, dark green above, toothed, andmay be unlobed or deeply lobed. Tiny green flowers areborne in short clusters about 1cm long, with the male andfemale flowers on the same or separate plants. Theclustered, edible, distinctly stalked fruit may be white,

pink, or red in colour.

Black MulberryMorus nigra (Moraceae)

This deciduous, spreading tree often has a gnarled andirregular appearance. The oval leaves are toothed at themargin, with a heart-shaped base, and are often lobed.They are deep green, and roughly hairy above. Male and

female flowers are tiny and green, andborne in short clusters, about 1cm long,on the same orseparate plants.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Orange-brown, rough, and fissured.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; occasionallynaturalized in S. Europe; native to Far East.SIMILAR SPECIES Paper Mulberry (left);White Mulberry (above), which has smooth,glossy leaves, and stalked fruit clusters.

fruit2.5cmlong

leaf to 15cmlong

spreadinghabit

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Orange-brown; fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (particularly inwarm areas); native to N. China.SIMILAR SPECIES Paper Mulberry (left); Black Mulberry (below), which has roughleaves and unstalked fruit clusters.

OVAL to rounded,glossy green leaves,heart-shaped at thebase, turn yellow in autumn.

spreadinghabit


LARGE, woody, andprominently ribbedfruit, up to 3cm wide,follow the flowers.

Blue GumEucalyptus globulus (Myrtaceae)

A vigorous, large, evergreen tree, the Blue Gum has abroadly columnar head. The slender, alternate, curved, and drooping leaves are blue-green; youngplants have stalkless, silvery blue leaves.The white flowers have numerousstamens. They open singly in the axils of the leaves and are followed by thewoody fruit.

Red GumEucalyptus camaldulensis (Myrtaceae)

An evergreen tree, the Red Gum is broadlycolumnar or sometimes spreading. Theslender, curved, alternate leavesare blue-green to grey-green on both sides and pendulous;young seedlings have bluishfoliage. The flowers are bornein clusters, followed by small,woody, hemispherical fruit.

SMALL, short-stalkedflowers with numerouslong white stamens areborne in clusters in theleaf axils.

HEIGHT 40m or more. SPREAD 25m.BARK Grey-brown and creamy white, peelingin large flakes.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in S. Europe; nativeto Australia.SIMILAR SPECIES Blue Gum (below), whichhas large fruit borne singly.

HEIGHT 40m. SPREAD 25m.BARK Grey-brown, pale brown, and creamywhite, peeling in large flakes.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in S. Europe; nativeto Tasmania and S.E. Australia.SIMILAR SPECIES Although similar to othergums, it is recognized by its distinctive fruit.

columnar tospreadinghabit

columnar head

leaf to20cm long

flower withnumerousstamens


leaf to 30cmlong


ROUGH at the verybase, the bark is grey,

green, or orange,peeling in large

patches, creamywhen exposed.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey-brown and creamy white.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Tasmaniaand S.E. Australia.SIMILAR SPECIES Several other gum trees,but none are as common in cool temperate regions.

leaf to10cm long

GREY-BROWN barkpeels in large flakes

to expose creamywhite inner trunk.

Cider GumEucalyptus gunnii (Myrtaceae)

The aromatic, alternate, lance-shaped leaveson this evergreen tree are silvery at first,becoming blue-green. Leaves on young plantsor from cut stumps are silvery blue androunded. White flowers with numerousstamens are borne in clusters of three in the axils of the leaves, opening fromsilvery blue buds. The small, cup-shaped, woody fruit are 5mm long.

Ribbon GumEucalyptus viminalis (Myrtaceae)

This evergreen tree with a broadly columnar headhas red young shoots. The slender, alternate,long-pointed, and sometimes wavy-edgedleaves are pale green. On young plants, theyare dark green, ending in a point. Small whiteflowers with numerous stamens open inclusters of three in the axils of the leaves.They are followed by round, nearlystalkless fruit, about 6mm long.

HEIGHT 40m. SPREAD 25m.BARK Grey-brown and creamy white, peelingin large flakes; rough at the base.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Tasmaniaand S.E. Australia.SIMILAR SPECIES Mountain Gum (E. dalrym-pleana), which has rounded juvenile leaves.


leaf to 18cmlong



FRAGRANT, tiny white,four-toothed flowersare borne in clusters inthe leaf axils.

OliveOlea europaea (Oleaceae)

Evergreen, round-headed, and with grey-white shoots, thistree often branches low down and is shrubby. The oppositeuntoothed leaves are grey-green above, grey-whitebeneath. Flower clusters are followed by the familiar oliveswhich ripen from green to black. Thevariant sylvestris, which occurs wild in

the Mediterranean region, issmaller and shrubby, withspiny branches.

Tree PrivetLigustrum lucidum (Oleaceae)

Conical when young, this evergreen tree spreads with age.The opposite, leathery leaves are oval, ending in a taperedpoint. Bronze when young, they mature to glossy, darkgreen. The flowers are followed byrounded blue-black fruit, upto 1cm long. Somevariegated forms arealso grown.

leaf to 10cmlong

SMALL, fragrant whiteflowers hang from theends of the shoots inlarge, conical clustersup to 20cm long.

HEIGHT 15m; often kept low by pruning.SPREAD 10m.BARK Pale grey and ridged.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated throughout theMediterranean for fruit and oil, occasionally also ornamental; native to S.W. Asia.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

HEIGHT 15m.SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to China.SIMILAR SPECIES Japanese Privet (L. japonicum), which is rarely grown, issmaller and shrubby with very thick leaves.

round head

lowbranches


leaf to8cmlong

fruit to4cm long


ROUNDED blue-blackfruit, up to 1cm long, open after theflowers, in the axils of the leaves.

dense foliageforms domedhead

greenish whiteflower clusters

SMALL, lilac flowersare tubular andfragrant and borne in dense clusters.

leaf to 6cmlong

Phillyrea latifoliaPhillyrea latifolia (Oleaceae)

This evergreen, rounded, broadly spreading tree is uprightwhen young with slender but rigid shoots. The oppositeleaves are oval to lance-shaped, glossy, very dark greenabove, and with finely toothed or untoothed margins. On

young plants, the leaves are larger and sharplytoothed. Clusters of small, four-lobed,greenish white flowers open in the axils of the leaves.

LilacSyringa vulgaris (Oleaceae)

The Lilac is a deciduous, upright, tree-like shrub, whichspreads with age. Oval or slightly heart-shaped, theopposite leaves have an untoothed margin and a pointedtip. The four-lobed flowers are borne in opposite pairs onthe shoots. Small, brown, and oblong, the fruit is a taper-

pointed capsuleabout 1cm long.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Dark grey; cracking into small squares.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Evergreen woodland in dryareas of the Mediterranean.SIMILAR SPECIES Strawberry Tree (p.128),which has superficially similar glossy foliageat a distance and has alternate leaves.

HEIGHT 7m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown, fissured.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to early summer.OCCURRENCE Thickets on rocky slopes of S.E. Europe; widely cultivated andoccasionally naturalized elsewhere.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

leaf to10cmlong

heart-shapedleafupright to

spreadinghabit


broadlycolumnar head

Pittosporum tenuifolium Pittosporum tenuifolium (Pittosporaceae)

The alternate leaves of this evergreen tree are produced ondeep purple-black shoots. The small, tubular flowers,which open in the axils of the leaves, have a whitish baseand five deep red-purple lobes and are very fragrant in theevening. Males and females are often borne on separateplants and may be either solitary or in clusters, the maleshaving prominent yellow anthers. The fruit is a rounded,nearly black capsule about 1.2cm wide, which opens toreveal sticky seeds.

UNTOOTHED, glossy,rather light greenleaves are smooth,oblong, and with awavy margin.

NOTE

Several forms of thisspecies are grown ingardens, including‘Purpureum’ withpurple foliage, andmany variegatedselections.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 6m.BARK Dark grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in parks and gardens; native to New Zealand.SIMILAR SPECIES None – this evergreen tree is easily recognized bythe wavy-edged, glossy green leaves.

leaf 6cmlong

flower about1cm long


GREY, brown, andcream, the bark beginsto flake conspicuouslyin large patches with age.

OFTEN found growingby water; this tree isfrequently associatedwith willows, alders,poplars, and walnuts.

London PlanePlatanus x hispanica (Platanaceae)

This vigorous, large, deciduous tree with a spreading tobroadly columnar head has alternate, maple-like leaves withfive toothed lobes. Glossy bright green above, the leaves arepaler beneath, with brown hairs when young. Tiny flowers

are borne in pendulous, roundedclusters; male clusters yellow,

females red. Dense,rounded fruitclusters persiston the tree overwinter, in groupsof up to six.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 25m.BARK Grey-brown, pale brown, and creamy,flaking in large patches.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE River banks and mountainwoods of S.E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES London Plane (above),which has more shallowly lobed leaves.

HEIGHT 35m. SPREAD 25m.BARK Grey, brown, and cream.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Known only in cultivation, ahybrid between the American Sycamore andOriental Plane (below). SIMILAR SPECIES Oriental Plane (below),which has more deeply lobed leaves.

fruit cluster2.5cm wide

leaf to20cmlong

spreadinghabit

leaf to 20cmlong

Oriental PlanePlatanus orientalis (Platanaceae)

A large, deciduous tree, this plane has a broadly columnar orspreading head of branches, the lower ones often drooping.The alternate, deeply lobed, maple-like leaves are glossy, deepgreen above and paler beneath, with brownish hairs when

young. The tiny flowers are borne inpendulous, rounded heads. The males are

yellow, the females red andfollowed by spherical fruit thatpersist on the tree in clusters.

broadlycolumnar


CLUSTERS of tiny, four-lobed green flowers areborne in the axils ofthe leaves.

BuckthornRhamnus cathartica (Rhamnaceae)

Deciduous, spreading, and often shrubby, this tree hasslender, rigid shoots that are frequently spine-tipped. Itsopposite, oval, glossy green leaves have a finely toothedmargin and turn yellow in autumn. Tiny, fragrant flowers

are followed by fleshy, round berries, which ripenfrom green to black.

PomegranatePunica granatum (Punicaceae)

The Pomegranate is a deciduous, spreading tree, oftenbranching low, or it may be shrub-like, with severalupright, sometimes spiny, branches from the base. Theopposite, oblong leaves are untoothed and emerge bronzyred, maturing to glossy, deep green. The showy flowers arefollowed by the familiar reddish toyellowish edible fruit.

FUNNEL-SHAPED redflowers with crinkledpetals open singly orin pairs at the ends of the shoots.

leaf to6cm long

HEIGHT 5m. SPREAD 6m.BARK Orange-brown, scaly.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Woods, thickets, andhedgerows of Europe; often on chalky soils.SIMILAR SPECIES Alder Buckthorn (right),which has untoothed, alternate leaves.

HEIGHT 8m.SPREAD 6m.BARK Grey-brown, flaking.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated for its fruit and asan ornamental tree; naturalized in theMediterranean region; native to S.W. Asia.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

dense fruit clusters

spreadinghabit

spreadinghabit

fruit to8cmwide

leaf to8cmlong

flowerto 4cmwide


TINY flowers are greentinged with pink andborne in dense clustersin the leaf axils.

ROUNDED and purple-black, the fruit are up to 1cm wide and very juicy.

Alder BuckthornRhamnus frangula (Rhamnaceae)

This is a deciduous, spreading or shrubby tree, often withseveral main stems. The alternate, untoothed leaves arewidest towards the end, where there is a short point. Theyare glossy, dark green above, paler beneath, and turn yellowor red in autumn. The fleshy, rounded fruitare green becoming red and then ripeningto black.

Snowy MespilusAmelanchier lamarckii (Rosaceae)

Often shrubby, this deciduous, spreading tree usually hasseveral stems starting from the base. The oval, pointed,alternate leaves have a finely toothedmargin. Bronze and covered in silky hairswhen young, they mature to dark green andturn red in autumn. The white flowers areborne in clusters opening with the youngfoliage and have five slender petals.

HEIGHT 12m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Smooth and grey, cracking with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Sandy soils; native to Europebut probably of North American origin.SIMILAR SPECIES Can be confused onlywith rarer Amelanchier species seen in gardens.

HEIGHT 5m.SPREAD 6m.BARK Grey and smooth, with vertical fissures.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Woods, thickets, andhedgerows of Europe; often on wet soil.SIMILAR SPECIES Buckthorn (left), which hasopposite leaves and whose fruit are never red.

fruit to1cmwide

leaf to7cm long


leaf to8cm long

red autumnfoliage

tiny flowers

5-petalledflowers


FLESHY and edible,rounded red fruit hangin clusters from long,thin stalks.

Cockspur ThornCrataegus crus-galli (Rosaceae)

Armed with sharp spines up to 8cm long, this deciduoustree has a spreading, often flattened head, and bears clustersof white flowers, each 1.5cm wide. The alternate, unlobed,dark green leaves are widest towards the rounded tip and

narrow at the base, turning orange and red inautumn. The ripe fruit, up

to 1cm wide, persistwell into winter.

AzaroleCrataegus azarolus (Rosaceae)

A spreading, deciduous tree, the Azarole has spiny shootsthat are hairy when young. The alternate leaves are lobed,oval or diamond-shaped, and narrow at the base. Downy

on both sides when young, they later becomesmooth and glossy green above. Clusters of white

flowers, about 1.5cm wide,are followed by rounded

fruit up to 2cm wide.

spreadinghabit

ROUNDED, yellow toorange or red, ediblefruit have an apple-like flavour.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown, growing fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Scrub and woodland marginson hill slopes; native to Crete; naturalized in S. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Oriental Thorn (right),which has sharply toothed leaf lobes.

HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Dark grey-brown, scaly with age.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to E. North America.SIMILAR SPECIES C. x persimilis, whosefruit fall soon after ripening.

narrowbase

leaf 8cmlong

spiny shoot

spreadinghabit

leaf10cmlong

leaves glossyabove

fruit to1cm wide

flattenedhead


CLUSTERED whiteflowers, up to 2cm wide, have pink anthers.

WHITE flowers, to 2cmwide, have red anthers, and are borne in small clusters.

fruit to2cmlong

Oriental ThornCrataegus laciniata (Rosaceae)

The somewhat spiny shoots of this deciduous, spreadingtree are white with hairs when young. The alternate leavesare diamond-shaped in outline and deeply cut into five ormore sharply toothed lobes. They are glossy, dark greenabove and covered with grey hairs on the underside.

The clusters of white flowers arefollowed by rounded to

oblong, red or yellow-flushed fruit that are edible.

Midland HawthornCrataegus laevigata (Rosaceae)

The alternate leaves of this deciduous, spreading tree areshallowly divided into blunt lobes and are usually broadestabove the middle. They are glossy, dark green above and

paler beneath. Shoots are smoothand glossy. Rounded to oval,

inedible, bright red fruit,with two seeds, follow the

white flowers. ‘Paul’sScarlet’ is a commonlyplanted hybrid with deeppink, double flowers.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey and smooth, cracking with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods, usually with clay soils,all over Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Hawthorn (p.165), whichhas more deeply lobed leaves and fruit witha single stone.

HEIGHT 6m. SPREAD 8m.BARK Grey-brown, cracking into thin plateswith age.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Thickets and rocky slopes inthe mountains of S.E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Azarole (left), which hasbluntly lobed leaves.

leaf to5cmlong

spreadinghabit

spinyshoots

leaf to5cm long

fruit to2cmlong

spreadinghabit


Crataegus x lavalleeiCrataegus x lavalleei (Rosaceae)

A hybrid species, this spreading tree has sparsely spinyshoots that are hairy when young. Its large, alternateleaves, widest above the middle, with a tapered base andshort-pointed tip, remain on the tree well into winter. Theyare glossy, dark green above, but grey and hairy beneath. Inearly to midsummer, white flowers with pink anthers areborne in flattened clusters on hairy stalks, followed byrounded red fruit ripening in late autumn. The commonlygrown form of this hybrid is known as ‘Carrièrei’.

ROUNDED green fruiton short stalks areborne in clusters inautumn and ripen to reddish green.

glossyfoliage

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 12m.BARK Dark grey, flaking in scaly plates.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Known only in cultivation (grown in parks, gardens, and streets).SIMILAR SPECIES A very distinct tree easily recognizable by its darkgreen, semi-evergreen foliage and its late-ripening fruit.

leaf to10cmlong

fruit 2cmwide

NOTE

This tree is a hybrid between Cockspur Thorn(C. crus-galli) and Crataegus mexicana. Itoriginated in France and has now become apopular street tree.

flower2.5cmwide

spreadinghabit


SHINY, bright red fruitor hips ripen inattractive clusters atthe end of branchesfrom September to October.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Orange-brown; cracked and scaly in old trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods, scrub, and hedgerows throughout Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Midland Hawthorn (p.163), which has less deeply cut leaves with three to five more or less blunt lobes and fruit containingtwo stones.


white blossom

HawthornCrataegus monogyna (Rosaceae)

The smooth, thorny shoots of this deciduous species areoften somewhat pendulous on old trees. The alternateleaves are oval to diamond-shaped in outline, with abroadly tapered base. They are deeply cut into three or fivesharply toothed lobes and are glossy, dark green above andpaler beneath. The fragrant white flowers have pinkanthers and are borne in dense clusters. These are followedby bright red oval fruit up to 1.2cm wide, each containinga single stone. The Hawthorn is a variable and widelydistributed species, often used for hedging.

leaf to5cmlong

flower to1.5cmwide

NOTE

The garden selection ‘Biflora’, known as theGlastonbury Thorn, flowers twice: once inwinter or early spring, depending on theweather, and again at the normal time of latespring. It was said to have grown from the staffof Joseph of Arimathea, which he plunged intothe ground at Glastonbury when he came toEngland from the Holy Land.


FLESHY, edible orange-yellow fruit are up to6cm long.

LoquatEriobotrya japonica (Rosaceae)

Sometimes shrubby, this evergreen, spreading tree hasstout, hairy shoots. The large, leathery, alternate leaves aretoothed at the edge and broadest above the middle. Theyare glossy dark green above with prominent veins anddensely hairy beneath. The fragrant white flowers open in

conical clusters at the ends of the shoots and arefollowed by spherical to pear-shaped fruit.

Crataegus rhipidophyllaCrataegus rhipidophylla (Rosaceae)

This deciduous, spreading tree is sometimes shrubby andhas smooth, often spiny shoots. The alternate, oval, darkgreen leaves are paler beneath and have sharply toothedlobes and toothed stipules at thebase. The white flowers havenumerous stamens withpink anthers and areborne in open clusters.

flower to2cm wide

leaf to7cm long

spreadinghabit

DEEP red fruit arelonger than wide, up to 12mm long, andcontain a single seed.

flower to 1cmwide

HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 8m. BARK Grey-brown, scaly on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods of Norway and Sweden.SIMILAR SPECIES Whitebeam (p.191),which is a larger tree, has larger leaves, andmay be naturalized in the same area.

HEIGHT 10m SPREAD 10m. BARK Grey-brown, grows fissured on older trees.FLOWERING TIME Autumn.OCCURRENCE Cultivated, particularly in theMediterranean; native to China, occasionallynaturalized in S. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

leaf to25cmlong

glossy darkgreen canopy


PALE pink or whiteflowers, up to 5cmwide, have five petalsand are borne singly.

leaf to10cmlong

QuinceCydonia oblonga (Rosaceae)

The young shoots of this deciduous, spreading tree aredensely covered in white hairs, later becoming smooth.The alternate, untoothed, short-stalked leaves are oval tonearly rounded. They are hairy when young, becomingdark green and smooth above, densely covered in grey-white hairs beneath. The pear-shaped or apple-shaped,fragrant yellow fruit, which are covered in white woollyhairs when young, are used in preserves.

HEIGHT 8m SPREAD 8m. BARK Purple-brown and flaking.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Widely cultivated; naturalized in the Mediterranean;native to C. and S.W. Asia.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Pear (p.188), which has toothed leavesand fruit borne in clusters.

fruit to10cmlong

NOTE

Several selectionsare grown for theirfruit such as‘Luistanica’, withdeep yellow fruitand ‘Vranja’, withgolden-yellow, veryfragrant fruit.


HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey- to purple-brown; flaking with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in gardens andorchards for its fruit; naturalized in Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES M. dasyphylla, which hassmall yellow or red-flushed fruit.

RED- to purple-brownbark flakes in small,thin, square plates andturns orange-brownwhen exposed.

Malus florentinaMalus florentina (Rosaceae)

The alternate, broad, oval leaves of this deciduous tree haveseveral toothed lobes on each side. They are deep greenabove, densely covered with white hairs beneath, and turnorange, red, and purple in autumn. Clustered white flowersare followed by small, rounded to pear-shaped fruit. The small sepals fallbefore the fruit ripens. This rarespecies may be a hybridbetween a Malus and aSorbus.

WHITE flowers flushedpink, 5cm wide, openin clusters from deeppink buds.

leaf to12cmlong

fruit to10cm wide

Cultivated AppleMalus domestica (Rosaceae)

This deciduous, spreading tree with a rounded head andhairy young shoots is a hybrid, of which Malus dasyphylla isprobably one of the parents. The alternate, oval leaves aredark green above and hairy beneath.Five-petalled flowers arefollowed by edible green,yellow, or red fruit.

HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 6m.BARK Red-brown to purple-brown, flaking.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to earlysummer.OCCURRENCE Woods, thickets, and rockyplaces; N. Italy to N. Greece.SIMILAR SPECIES M. trilobata has larger,long-stalked leaves, and its sepals do not fall.

fruit1cmwide

flowers 2cmwide

leaf to 6cmlong




DEEP red in bud, thefive-petalled, clusteredflowers open pale pink as the leavesemerge, and becomealmost white.

FRAGRANT whiteflowers open profusely

in large clusters frompink buds.

Japanese Crab AppleMalus x floribunda (Rosaceae)

There is a dense head of arching shoots on this small,deciduous, spreading tree. The alternate, narrowly oval,sharply toothed, taper-pointed leaves are dark green andcan be lobed on vigorous shoots. They are smooth aboveand hairy beneath when young. Profusely borne, theflowers, 2.5cm wide, open as the leaves emerge

and are followed bysmall, rounded fruit.

Malus hupehensisMalus hupehensis (Rosaceae)

This vigorous, deciduous tree has a broad, rounded head.The alternate, oval, finely toothed leaves, to 10cm long,end in a tapered point and are dark green above whenmature, turning yellow in autumn.Flowers with five broad,overlapping petals are followedby small, cherry-like, slightlyflattened red fruit borne onslender stalks.

HEIGHT 12m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Purple-brown, flaking on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to China.SIMILAR SPECIES None – its vigorous habit,white flowers, and small fruit make this tree distinctive.

HEIGHT 5m. SPREAD 6m.BARK Purple-brown, flaking with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in parks, gardens,and streets; a hybrid of Japanese origin.SIMILAR SPECIES None – distinctive in itssmall size, dense habit, and profuse flowers.

flower to5cm wide


archingshoots

fruit to1cm wide

leaf to10cmlong

fruit 8mm wide


spreadinghabit

Crab Apple hybridsMalus hybrids (Rosaceae)

Numerous hybrids of crab apple species are raised ingardens, with a variety of flowers and fruit. They arespreading, deciduous trees with oval, dark green or purpleleaves. The flowers vary from white to pink and may besingle or semi-double. Popular forms include ‘GoldenHornet’, with pink-flushed, white flowers and deep yellowfruit; ‘Profusion’, with deep red-purple young leaves, andpurple-red flowers followed by red-purple fruit; and ‘Van

Eseltine’, with upright branchesand double pink flowers.

‘EVERESTE’ is one of themany crab applesgrown for theirornamental fruit.

NOTE

Crab Apple hybridsare grown in a widerange of forms asornamental trees fortheir flowers and thefruit, that follow in autumn.

HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown to purple-brown, flaking on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in parks, gardens, and streets.SIMILAR SPECIES Many Malus hybrids are cultivated in gardens withflowers ranging from white to red and with small to large fruit of variouscolours. Some have purple leaves.

whiteblossomleaf to

10 cm long

purple-redblossom

doubleflowers

‘GOLDEN HORNET’ ‘PROFUSION’ ‘VAN ESELTINE’

deepyellow fruit


WHITE, often pink-tinged flowers appearin clusters in April and May.

SMALL and hard, the fruit, are oftenslightly wider thanlong, and have threepersistent sepals.

Malus trilobataMalus trilobata (Rosaceae)

A deciduous and conical tree, sometimes a shrub, Malustrilobata has young shoots with white hairs and long-stalked,maple-like, dark green leaves, deeply cut into three lobes. In

autumn, these turn yellow,red, and finally purple. The

white flowers, at the endof the shoots, are

followed by roundedgreen or red-flushed

fruit, up to 3cm wide.

Wild AppleMalus sylvestris (Rosaceae)

This deciduous, spreading tree or shrub sometimes hasspiny shoots. The oval to nearly rounded leaves have finelytoothed margins and short-pointed tips; they are dark greenabove, paler below, and smooth or nearly so on both sideswhen mature. White or pink-tinged flowers, to 4cm wide,

are borne in clusters, followed by small,yellow-green or red-flushed fruit.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Brown, cracked, and fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods, thickets, andhedgerows all over Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Cultivated Apple (M. domestica) and M. pumila, which haveleaves that are hairy beneath.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 6m.BARK Grey-brown, cracking into small,square plates.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Evergreen thickets of N.E. Greece.SIMILAR SPECIES M. florentina, which hassmaller leaves and fruit with no sepals.

fruit to 4cm wide

leaf to8cm long

spreadinghabit

flower4cmwide

conicalhabit

leaf to 10cmlong


TINY bright red fruithang from long stalksin small clusters, atthe ends of the shoots.

Photinia davidianaPhotinia davidiana (Rosaceae)

This evergreen tree often produces several stems from thebase and is sometimes shrubby. Its alternate, oblong leavesare untoothed with a small, tapered point. Matt,dark green above, they are paler beneath, theolder leaves turning red before they fall.Small white flowers open in dense clusters

at the end of the shoots and arefollowed by rounded fruit

up to 8mm wide.

MedlarMespilus germanica (Rosaceae)

A deciduous tree, sometimes with thorny shoots, theMedlar has alternate, oblong, dark green leaves that maybe untoothed or have small teeth towards the tip. Its whiteflowers are borne singly, followed by pear-shaped torounded, russet-brown fruit up to 3cm wide. Wild plantsare more shrubby and spiny than those in cultivation, withsmaller leaves, flowers, and fruit.

ROUNDED but flat-topped, hard, brownfruit have persistentgreen sepals.

roundedhead

HEIGHT 6m. SPREAD 8m.BARK Grey-brown and orange-brown;cracking into thin plates with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to earlysummer.OCCURRENCE Woods and thickets in S.E. Europe; naturalized in C. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Chinaand Vietnam.SIMILAR SPECIES P. x fraseri (right) and theless common P. serratifolia, which both havetoothed leaves.

flower to5cm wide

leaf to15cmlong

spreadinghabit

leaf to12cm long

flower6mmwide


OBLONG leaves aretoothed and smooth;the young foliage isbronze-red in colour.

Photinia x fraseriPhotinia x fraseri (Rosaceae)

Like its relative Photinia davidiana (left), this tree isevergreen and sometimes produces several stems from the base or has a shrubby habit. Its alternate leaves arebroadest towards the tip; they are bronze-red when theyfirst emerge, turning glossy, dark green later. The smallwhite flowers with pink anthers open in flattened heads.They are followed by usually sparse, rounded red fruit, up to 5mm wide. This is a hybrid between P. glabra and P. serratifolia; two popular forms derived from it are ‘RedRobin’ and ‘Robusta’.

roundedhead

finely toothedleaf margin


HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 8m.BARK Grey-brown and smooth; peeling in flakes on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring and summer.OCCURRENCE Known only in cultivation (grown in parks and gardens,and used as a container plant).SIMILAR SPECIES P. davidiana (left), which has untoothed leaves; P. serratifolia, which is a larger tree with leaves to 20cm long andflowerheads to 15cm wide.

NOTE

Photinia x fraseriwas first developedas a hybrid in theUSA. It is a populartree amonggardeners for itscolourful young foliage.

leaf to15cm long

flowerheadto 10cmwide

bronze-redyoung leaves


ORANGE-YELLOW, oftenflushed with red, therounded fruit is edible

and sweet.

ApricotPrunus armeniaca (Rosaceae)

The Apricot is a deciduous, spreading tree with smoothreddish shoots. The alternate, broadly oval to nearly roundleaves have a finely toothed margin, ending abruptly in ashort point. They open bronzy red and mature to glossy,dark green. Pale pink or white flowers, 2.5cm wide, openon the shoots before the leaves emerge.The fruit are densely covered in short,soft hairs.

Photinia villosaPhotinia villosa (Rosaceae)

This deciduous, spreading tree is sometimes shrubby. Thealternate leaves are oval or broadest towards the end, witha finely toothed margin and tapered point at the tip.Bronzy when young and usually hairy, they mature to darkgreen. Flattened clusters of small white flowers with pinkanthers are followed by the fruit. The stalks of both the flowersand fruit are rough withsmall warts.

clusters of pinkflowers

leaf to8cm long

OVAL, bright red fruit,up to 1cm long, nestleamong the bright red and orangeautumn leaves.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Smooth and red-brown.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated and occasionallynaturalized; native to N. China.SIMILAR SPECIES Peach (p.183), has slender,long-pointed leaves and different fruit.

HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown, shallowly fissured.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to China,Japan, and Korea.SIMILAR SPECIES None – distinct from allCrataegus species in the lack of thorns andwarty flower and fruit stalks.

small whiteflowers

fruit to 4cmwide

leaf to10cmlong

spreadinghabit


FIVE-PETALLED whiteflowers, 3cm wide, areborne in clusters justbefore or as the youngleaves emerge.

Wild CherryPrunus avium (Rosaceae)

A deciduous tree, the Wild Cherry or Gean is conical whenyoung becoming broadly columnar to spreading with age.Elliptic to oblong, the alternate, sharply toothed leaves areup to 15cm long and taper abruptly to a short point at thetip. They are bronze when young, maturing to matt, darkgreen, and turn yellow or red in autumn. Conspicuousglands can be seen at the top of leaf stalks. The rounded,slender-stalked cherries ripen to red and are edible. ‘Plena’is a selection with double flowers, which is commonlyplanted in streets, parks, and gardens.

HEIGHT 25m.SPREAD 15m.BARK Red-brown, smooth, and glossy at first; peeling horizontally in strips.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Woodlands of Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Sour Cherry (p.177), which is a smaller, often shrubby,tree with acid fruit and finely toothed leaves.

flower to3cm wide

pink-tingedbuds

fruit to1cmwide NOTE

The tallestEuropean cherry,this species hasgiven rise to thesweet cherries thathave sweet, ediblered or black fruit.These are widelycultivated for theirvery popular fruit.

spreadinghabit

profusion ofwhite flowers


Cherry Plum Prunus cerasifera (Rosaceae)

A deciduous, thicket-forming shrub or a small, spreadingtree, the Cherry Plum has hairy, sometimes spiny shoots.The alternate, oval, sharply toothed leaves are glossy, darkgreen and smooth above, downy on the veins beneath.White flowers open along the shoot before the leavesemerge. The rounded, plum-like red fruit, 3cm wide, aresweet and edible. Purple-leaved forms of this tree arecommonly grown: P. cerasifera ‘Nigra’ has pink flowers,while P. cerasifera ‘Pissardii’ has white flowers.

FIVE-PETALLED, whiteflowers, 2.5cm wide,open singly or in clusters.

HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Purple-brown, scaly, flaking with age.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Naturalized in thickets and hedgerows; native originuncertain.SIMILAR SPECIES Blackthorn (p.185), which is more shrubby withblue-black, bitter fruit; it flowers several weeks later.


NOTE

The purple-leavedforms of the CherryPlum are populartrees, and are oftenseen planted inparks, gardens and streets.

leaf to 6cmlong


HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 8m. BARK Purple-brown, peeling in horizontal strips.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in gardens and orchards; widely naturalized inEurope; origin uncertain.SIMILAR SPECIES Wild Cherry (p.175), which is a larger tree withbigger leaves that are hairy beneath and sweet or bitter fruit.


LONG-STALKED whiteflowers, with greensepals, are 2cm wideand open in small clusters before theleaves emerge.

Sour CherryPrunus cerasus (Rosaceae)

This small, spreading, deciduous tree is often shrubby, withsuckers at the base and smooth shoots. The alternate, ovalleaves are glossy, dark green above, smooth on both sides,and finely toothed with tapered points. The red or blackfruit that follow the five-petalled flowers are sour butedible. P. cerasus ‘Rhexii’ is a garden selection grown for itsdouble flowers; numerous other selections are grown fortheir edible fruit. ‘Semperflorens’ (All Saints’ Cherry)continues to flower through summer.

NOTE

This species iscommonly grown forits fruit, which is thecommercially grownSour Cherry.

fruit to2cmwide

leaf to8cmlong


HEIGHT 6m. SPREAD 6m.BARK Grey-brown, fissured on old plants.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Thickets and mountain slopesin S. Italy and the S. Balkans.SIMILAR SPECIES Plum (below), which hashairy leaves and shoots.

ROUNDED to egg-shaped, the edible fruitis smooth-skinned, red,yellow, or purple, andup to 8cm long.

PlumPrunus domestica (Rosaceae)

The Plum is a rounded to spreading, deciduous tree. It hasspineless shoots that are hairy when young. The alternate,dark, matt green leaves are oval or widest towards the endand hairy beneath, with toothed margins. Small white

flowers are borne singly or in clusters of up to three onthe bare shoots before the leaves emerge. When

ripe, the flesh of theedible fruit separates

easily from the stone.

Prunus cocomiliaPrunus cocomilia (Rosaceae)

Sometimes shrubby, this spreading, deciduous tree hassmooth, spineless shoots. The alternate, oval, dark greenleaves have a toothed margin and are smooth on bothsides. White flowers, about 1cm wide, open in small

clusters of three to four along the shoots as the young leaves open. They are

followed by edible plum-like fruit which have a

single stone.

leaf to 4cmlong

EDIBLE yellow,sometimes red-flushed,fruit are oval and upto 4cm long.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown, fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (grown in gardensand orchards); widely naturalized in Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES P. cocomilia (above), hassmooth shoots and leaves; Bullace (right),flesh does not separate easily from the stone.

fissured, grey-brown bark

spreading habit

leaf to8cmlong

flower to2.5cm wide

white flowersline bareshoots

BullacePrunus insititia (Rosaceae)

The often spiny shoots of this deciduous, spreading tree aredensely hairy when young. It has alternate, oval, bluntly-toothed, matt, dark green leaves that are hairy on both sidesand abruptly short-pointed at the tip. Small white flowersopen singly or in clusters of up to three, before or as the

leaves emerge. The edible fruit hasa rounded stone that clings to

the flesh. Mirabelle plumsand damsons are selectedforms of Bullace.


PALE pink or whiteflowers, up to 5cmwide, open on the bare shoots.

HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Dark grey, later cracks into squares.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (for its fruit and asan ornamental); naturalized in S. Europe;native to S.W. and C. Asia, and N. Africa.SIMILAR SPECIES Peach (p.183), which hasfleshy fruit with a grooved stone.

ROUNDED to egg-shaped, the ediblefruit, up to 5cm long,is sweet and fleshy.

AlmondPrunus dulcis (Rosaceae)

This deciduous, spreading tree has smooth, green or red-flushed shoots. The alternate, lance-shaped, glossy greenleaves are smooth on both sides, with a toothed margin andlong, tapered tip. The five-petalled flowers open before theleaves emerge. The green fruit is covered with velvety hairs;

when ripe, the flesh separates from theflattened stone which contains anedible, white seed. Wild plants arespiny; cultivated plants are spineless.

HEIGHT 7m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Dark grey and smooth; fissured on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated for its edible fruit;widely naturalized in Europe; of garden origin.SIMILAR SPECIES Plum (left), has a flattenedstone that separates easily from the flesh.

leaf to 8cm long

flower to2.5cmwide

profusion ofpink to whiteflowers

fruit to 6cmlong

leaf to 12cmlong



Japanese CherriesPrunus (Rosaceae)

These deciduous trees are cultivated Prunus forms orhybrids. They have alternate, sharply toothed dark greenleaves, often bronze when young, usually ending in a long,tapered point. The showy flowers can be pink or white,single, semi-double, or double. Commonly seen forms are‘Amanogawa’ with an upright habit and pale pink doubleflowers; ‘Kanzan’ is vase-shaped at first, branching later,with deep pink, double flowers; ‘Shirotae’ is wide spreadingwith drooping branches and large clusters of white singleto semi-double flowers; ‘Shôgetsu’ has large, white doubleflowers; and ‘Taihaku’ has very large, single white flowers.

DEEP pink, doubleflowers of ‘Kanzan’,the most popular andcommonly plantedJapanese cherry (alsomain picture).

NOTE

These ornamentalgarden trees are ofancient origin inJapan, where theyhave beencultivated for over a thousand years.

HEIGHT 10m or more. SPREAD 15m or more. BARK Red-brown with horizontal bands.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Known only in cultivation (grown in gardens, parks, and streets).SIMILAR SPECIES P. avium ‘Plena’, which is a much larger tree;Sargent’s Cherry (p.184), which has single flowers in unstalked clusters.

‘SHÔGETSU’‘KANZAN’ ‘AMANOGAWA’

usually spreadinghabit

yellowanthers

large doubleflowers

leaf to15cm long


FRAGRANT whiteflowers, each 8mmwide, are borne incylindrical clusters in spring.

FRAGRANT whiteflowers, 1cm wide,open in long, slenderclusters, to 25cm long.

Portugal LaurelPrunus lusitanica (Rosaceae)

An evergreen, conical to spreading tree, the Portugal Laurel is often shrubby and can have several stems from the base.The alternate, oval leaves are red-stalked, glossy, dark greenabove, paler below, smooth on both sides with a toothedmargin. The oval fruit, to 1.2cm long, ripen from green tored then black. Subspeciesazorica has shorter,broader leaves andshorter flower clusters.

Cherry LaurelPrunus laurocerasus (Rosaceae)

This evergreen, rounded tree is usually shrubby with stout,smooth shoots that are green when young. The alternate,leathery, oblong leaves are smooth on both sides with smallteeth above the middle and end in a short point. The flowersare followed by rounded fruit which ripen from green to red,then glossy black. The Cherry Laurel is grown in many

forms, often as low shrubs, varyingin habit and leaf.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Dark grey-brown and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Midsummer.OCCURRENCE Woodland in S.E. Europe;subsp. azorica is found in the Azores.SIMILAR SPECIES Cherry Laurel (above),which has green-stalked leaves and shorterflower clusters in spring.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Grey-brown and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Woodland in S.E. Europe. SIMILAR SPECIES Portugal Laurel (below),which has red-stalked leaves and longerflower clusters in summer.

leaf to12cm long

flowerclusterto 12cmlong

leaf to 20cmlong


spreadinghabit

fruit to1.5cmwide


HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Woods and dry hillsides; native to C. and S. Europe. SIMILAR SPECIES Sour Cherry (p.177), which has bitter black, ediblefruit and is found in Europe as a cultivated plant in orchards andgardens or occasionally naturalized.

fruit to1cm long

St Lucie CherryPrunus mahaleb (Rosaceae)

This small, deciduous tree has an open, spreading habit,and is often shrubby. Its young shoots are covered in stickyhairs. The alternate, broadly oval to almost round,shallowly toothed leaves end in short, abrupt points. Theyare glossy, dark green above, with hairs along the veinsbeneath, and turn yellow in autumn. Bowl-shaped, short-stalked white flowers open in slightly elongatedclusters at the end of short, leafy shoots borne on thebranches of the previous year after the foliage has emerged.The flowers have five petals and are followed by small,rounded to egg-shaped, bitter red cherries, 6mm long, thatripen to black. This cherry has given rise to several formsincluding some with a weeping habit or with yellow fruit.

FRAGRANT whiteflowers, 2cm wide, areborne in clusters, 5cmlong, in a distinctivearrangement of up toten flowers.

leaf to7cm long

spreading,shrubby habit

NOTE

In the Near East,the spicy seeds areused to flavourdrinks, pastries, andbread; also used inthe preparation ofmedicinal syrups.


SMALL, white, fragrantflowers are borne inslender racemes, up to15cm long.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark grey and smooth, ratherunpleasantly scented.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Woodlands and river banks;native to Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Rum Cherry (p.184), whichhas glossy foliage.

SWEET fleshy fruit isorange-yellow, with ared flush, and coveredin velvety hairs.

PeachPrunus persica (Rosaceae)

A deciduous tree with smooth shoots, the Peach hasalternate, lance-shaped, finely toothed, glossy, dark greenleaves that end in a tapered point. Short-stalked, pink orsometimes white flowers, 4cm wide, are borne singly or inpairs on the bare shoots before the leaves emerge. The fruitcontains a deeply-pitted, furrowed stone with a white seed.

The variety nectarina (Nectarine) hasfruit with a smooth skin.

Bird CherryPrunus padus (Rosaceae)

Conical when young, this deciduous tree spreads with age.The alternate leaves are toothed and end in a short point.They are matt, dark green above, and turn red or yellow inautumn. The flowers are followed by rounded or oval,bitter, glossy black fruit, 8mm long. ‘Colorata’, a garden

selection, has purple leaves andpink flowers.

pink or whiteflowers onbare shoots

HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Dark grey-brown; fissured on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; often naturalized in Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Apricot (p.174), which hasrounded leaves and smaller fruit; Almond(p.179), which has a dry fruit.

leaf to10cmlong

flower to1cm wide

fruit to8cm wide

spreadinghabit

leaf to15cm long

Rum CherryPrunus serotina (Rosaceae)

This is a deciduous tree of irregular, spreading habit andslender shoots. The alternate, oval to lance-shaped leaves

are edged with fine teeth and taper to a point atthe tip. They are glossy, dark green above

and turn yellow or red in autumn.Flower clusters are followed byround, edible fruit, up to 1cm

wide, which ripen from red to black.


HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Red-brown with horizontal bands.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (grown in parks andgardens); native to Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES Japanese Cherries(p.180),which has flowers in stalked clusters.

WHITE flowers, up to 1cm wide, openin spreading todrooping racemes.

Sargent’s CherryPrunus sargentii (Rosaceae)

The young shoots of this deciduous, spreading tree aresmooth and reddish. The alternate, sharply toothed leavesare oval or broadest towards the long, taper-pointed tip.They are smooth on both sides and bronzy red whenyoung, becoming glossy, dark green above and turning

orange and red in autumn. Flowersopen as the young leaves emerge

and are followed by roundedto oval purple-black fruit,up to 1cm long.

irregularshape

flowerto 4cmwide

PINK, five-petalledflowers, 4cm wide,open in unstalkedclusters of up to six.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Smooth, dark grey; ridged on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to earlysummer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to North America.SIMILAR SPECIES Bird Cherry (p.183), whichhas matt green leaves.


leaf to12cm long

leaf to 12cmlong

flower clustersup to 15cmlong


SMOOTH, glossy red-brown bark is bandedwith pale, horizontallenticels. It peelshorizontally in strips.

HEIGHT 15m.SPREAD 18m.BARK Glossy red-brown and smooth; peelingin thin horizontal strips.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to W. China.SIMILAR SPECIES None – its bark is uniqueamong the Prunus species.

ROUNDED blue-blackberries are covered witha white bloom; inedibleand bitter, they are

used to flavour gin.

Tibetan CherryPrunus serrula (Rosaceae)

Deciduous and spreading, the Tibetan Cherry has youngshoots that are covered with short hairs. The alternate,lance-shaped leaves are finely toothed and end in a long,tapered point. They are matt, dark green above, with whitehairs on the veins beneath. Short-stalked white flowers

open singly or in clusters of up tothree as the young leaves

emerge. They are followedby egg-shaped fruit, up

to 1cm long, that arered when ripe.

HEIGHT 5m. SPREAD 6m.BARK Dark grey-black.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Thickets, wood margins, andhedgerows throughout Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Cherry Plum (p.176),which flowers earlier, and has edible, plum-like fruit.

BlackthornPrunus spinosa (Rosaceae)

More a deciduous, thicket-forming shrub than a spreadingtree, the Blackthorn has spiny shoots. The small, alternateleaves are broadest at the end, with a toothed margin.They are dark green above; hairy beneath when young.Small white flowers, about 1.5cm wide, are usually borne

singly and open on thebare shoots beforethe leaves emerge.

blue-blackfruit

spreadinghabit

flower to2cm wide

leaf to 10cmlong

white flowersclothe shoots in spring

leaf to4cm long


HEIGHT 6m.SPREAD 8m.BARK Smooth and grey-brown, with horizontal bands.FLOWERING TIME Late autumn, mild periods during winter, and spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in parks and gardens; native to Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES None.


Spring CherryPrunus x subhirtella (Rosaceae)

Deciduous and spreading, this tree has reddish youngshoots. The alternate, oval to lance-shaped leaves have a sharply toothed margin and taper to a point at the tip.They are bronze when they first emerge, maturing to darkgreen. The flowers open in small clusters and are followedby glossy black fruit, up to 1cm wide. The two forms mostcommonly seen in gardens are ‘Autumnalis’, with semi-double pale pink flowers that fade to white, and‘Autumnalis Rosea’, with semi-double deep pink flowers that fade to pale pink.

PINK buds open intosmall clusters of five-petalled, pale pink or white flowers, each petal notched at the tip.

NOTE

This tree is aJapanese hybridbetween the FujiCherry (Prunusincisa) and Prunuspendula. The formswith semi-doubleflowers are populargarden trees.

leaf to8cm long

flower to2cm wide


WHITE flowers, up to2.5cm wide, with fivepetals and orangestamens are borne indense clusters.

HEIGHT 6m.SPREAD 8m.BARK Grey; cracking into small squares.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Dry, rocky places; native tothe E. Mediterranean region.SIMILAR SPECIES Silver Pear (p.190), whichhas hairier leaves.

ROUNDED to pear-shaped fruit are 2cmwide and brown dottedwith white.

Callery PearPyrus calleryana (Rosaceae)

This broadly conical, deciduous tree has hairy youngshoots that become smooth with age. The alternate, broadlyoval, sometimes wavy-edged leaves are finely toothed atthe margin. They are glossy, dark green above, paler below,

and turn red-purple late in autumn. The whiteflowers are borne in clusters of up to 12 as the

young leaves emerge. ‘Chanticleer’ is apopular selection with a very narrow crown.

HEIGHT 15m.SPREAD 12m.BARK Dark grey; fissured and scaly with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in parks, gardens,and streets; native to China.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Pear (p.188),which has much larger fruit.

broadly conicalhabit

Almond-leaved PearPyrus amygdaliformis (Rosaceae)

Often shrubby, this rounded, deciduous tree has shoots thatare covered in grey hairs when young and are often spine-tipped. The narrowly oval to oblong, alternate leaves areedged with small teeth or untoothed. Grey with hairs abovewhen young, they become glossy, dark green when mature.

The flowers are followed bysmall, rounded, yellow-

brown fruit on short,stout stalks.

leaf to8cm long

flower to2cm wide

fruit to3cm wide

leaf to8cmwide

roundedhabit


HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 12m. BARK Dark grey, cracking into small squares on older trees.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Known only in cultivation (grown in gardens andorchards); occasionally naturalized in Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Plymouth Pear (right) has smaller fruit and thinner,smoother bark; Wild Pear (p.190) has smaller and harder fruit.


Common PearPyrus communis (Rosaceae)

A broadly conical to columnar, deciduous tree, theCommon Pear has stout, sometimes spiny shoots. Thealternate, broadly oval leaves, up to 10cm long, are hairywhen young, becoming smooth as they mature. They areglossy, dark green above, with a finely toothed margin,heart-shaped base, and end in an abrupt taper-pointed tip.The white flowers with pink anthers are 2.5cm wide andare borne in clusters as the leaves emerge. They are followed

by the characteristic fruit which vary insize, shape, and colour.

SWEET, edible, roundto pear-shaped fruitmay be green oryellow, often flushedwith red.

NOTE

This species isthought to be ahybrid involvingseveral Europeanspecies. Along withits cultivars, it iswidely grown for itsedible fruit.

fruit to10cmlong

leaf to10cmlong

whiteflowerclusters


GREY-BROWN bark issmoother and thinner

than that of theCommon Pear (left).

youngtree

small,roundedleaves

ROUNDED, yellow-green fruit becomesweet when ripe;however, they are not usually eaten.

Snow PearPyrus nivalis (Rosaceae)

The stout, usually spineless, young shoots, new leaves, andflower-bearing stalks of this deciduous, rounded tree are alldensely covered with fine white hairs, giving it thecommon name Snow Pear. The alternate, shallowlyscalloped and untoothed, oval leaves become smoother

and grey-green as they mature.The white flowers, about 3cm

wide, open in clusters.

Plymouth PearPyrus cordata (Rosaceae)

This small, deciduous tree is often shrubby androunded, with smooth or spiny shoots. The alternate, broadly oval, glossy greenleaves are finely toothed and arealmost smooth when young.The 2cm-wide, white flowersare borne in clusters as theleaves emerge. The fruit arerounded to slightly moretypically pear-shaped andup to 2cm long.

roundedhabit

HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 6m. BARK Grey-brown.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Woods and hedgerows; nativeto W. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Pear (left), whichhas much larger fruit with sepals that remainattached to it.

HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 8m. BARK Dark grey, cracking on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Woods and dry slopes; nativeto S. and C. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES P. elaeagnifolia is asmaller, spiny tree with narrower leaves andsmaller fruit.

leaf to8cm long

fruit to5cmwide

leaf to4cm long


SMALL, hard, pear-shaped green fruit,3cm long, follow the flowers.

Silver PearPyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’ (Rosaceae)

The shoots of this deciduous tree with weeping branchesare spineless and covered with white hairs when young.The narrow, lance-shaped, untoothed leaves are tapered at both ends, with a pointed tip. They are densely coveredwith white hairs when young, gradually becoming smoothand dark green above. The creamy white flowers with pink

anthers open in dense clusters as the leaves emerge.

Wild PearPyrus pyraster (Rosaceae)

One of the parents of the commonly cultivated species, theCommon Pear (p.188), this is a deciduous, broadly conicaltree. Its shoots are often spiny and the oval to rounded leaves

are alternate, finely toothed, and pointedat the tip. The white flowers are

followed by small, hard, roundedto more typically pear-shaped,

edible fruit. This species issometimes not regardedas distinct from theCommon Pear.

WHITE flowers, 3cmwide, with whitestamens tipped withpink anthers open inclusters amongthe leaves.

leaf to 8cmlong

fruit to4cmwide

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 12m.BARK Dark grey, cracking with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Woods and thickets; fromFrance to E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Pear (p.188),which has larger, edible fruit; P. bourgaeana,which has smaller flowers and broader leaves.

HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 8m.BARK Grey-brown, cracking into squareplates with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in gardens.SIMILAR SPECIES P. elaeagnifolia, which is spiny with slightly broader leaves.

flowerto 2cmwide

weeping habit

leaf to 9cm long

broadlyconicalhabit


HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Grey and smooth; cracking and shallowly ridged with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to early summer.OCCURRENCE Widespread in woods and open areas in Europe, on well-drained, especially alkaline soils; commonly planted in parks andalong streets.SIMILAR SPECIES S. graeca (p.192) and Rock Whitebeam (p.196) areshrubs or small trees with leaves that are broadest above the middle.

FIVE-PETALLED flowers,with numerous whitestamens, open inflattened clusters,10cm wide.

WhitebeamSorbus aria (Rosaceae)

A rounded, deciduous tree, the Whitebeam is conicalwhen young. The shoots are covered with white hairs atfirst but become smooth with age. Arranged alternately,the oval leaves have sharply pointed teeth; they are whitewith hairs on both sides when young, becoming smoothand glossy, dark green above. The white flowers, up to1.5cm wide, are followed by rounded, bright red fruit dottedwith pale lenticels. S. aria ‘Lutescens’ is acommonly planted form with silvery youngfoliage. Some cultivated selections such as‘Majestica’, have leaves 10–15cm long.


NOTE

In most areas, this is the commonestwhitebeam withunlobed leaves. Theattractive foliage andfruit has made thistree popular.

fruit to1.5cmwide

leaf to12cmlong


LEATHERY, oval tonearly rounded leaveshave a tapered base.

Sorbus graecaSorbus graeca (Rosaceae)

This deciduous, rounded tree is often shrubby, with severalstems. The alternate, sharply-toothed leaves are glossy,dark green above, and greenish white beneath with a densecovering of hairs. White flowers, about 1.5cm wide, each

with five petals and numerous whitestamens, open in dense clusters

at the ends of the shoots,and are followed by

rounded, bright redfruit, up to 1.2cmwide, with few,large lenticels.

Sorbus austriacaSorbus austriaca (Rosaceae)

Conical when young, this deciduous tree becomes roundedwith age. The alternate leaves are glossy, dark green above,grey with hairs beneath. They are oval and, except at thebase, edged with shallow lobes, the deepest lobes a third ofthe way along the leaf blade. Whiteflowers about 1.2cm wide, withwhite stamens and pink anthers,are borne in clusters at the ends ofthe shoots.

shrubby habit

leaf to 13cmlong

ROUNDED fruit ripenfrom green to red andare spotted withconspicuous lenticels.

HEIGHT 8m. SPREAD 8m. BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods in E. Europe. SIMILAR SPECIES Rock Whitebeam (p.196)has a different distribution and fruit withnumerous lenticels. S. umbellata, hasshallowly lobed leaves with white hairs below.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 8m. BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to earlysummer.OCCURRENCE Mountain woods in E. Europefrom the E. Alps to the Balkans.SIMILAR SPECIES S. mougeotii (p.195) haslonger leaves and the fruit has fewer lenticels.

hairyunderside

leaf to9cm long

fruit about1.3cm wide


EGG-SHAPED red fruit,with few lenticels are borne in denselarge clusters.

Swedish WhitebeamSorbus intermedia (Rosaceae)

A vigorous, broadly columnar to rounded, deciduous tree,the Swedish Whitebeam has hairy young shoots that soonbecome smooth. Except for the untoothed base, thealternate, oval leaves are edged with up to seven lobes oneach side, which become smaller towards the tip, thedeepest reaching about one-third of the way to thecentre of the leaf. They are glossy, dark greenabove and grey-green with hairsbeneath. Five-petalled white flowers,up to 2cm wide, are borne indense clusters to 10cm wide in late spring. These arefollowed by clusters of shiny red fruit.

NOTE

This species iscommonly seen inparks and streets. Itis apomictic – that isit produces identicaloffspring whenraised from seed.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Grey and smooth, cracking on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods in N.W. Europe. SIMILAR SPECIES S. mougeotii (p.195), which has rounded fruit and less deeply lobed, longer leaves as well as a very different distribution.

leaf to12cmlong

fruit to1.5cmlong

broadly columnarto rounded habit


leaves turnyellow inautumn

leaf to 10cmlong

FIVE-PETALLED, whiteflowers, 1.5cm wide,are borne in flattenedflowerheads.

Service Tree ofFontainebleauSorbus latifolia (Rosaceae)

This broadly columnar, deciduous tree has hairy, youngshoots which become glossy and smooth when mature.The alternate, broadly oval leaves, as wide as they are long,are edged with small, triangular, toothed lobes. They areglossy dark green above and covered in grey hairs beneath,turning yellow in autumn. Clusters of white flowers arefollowed by round, brownish red fruit, marked with

conspicuous lenticels. Itprobably originated as a

hybrid betweenWhitebeam (p.191)and Wild ServiceTree (p.196).

NOTE

Many similar trees,also intermediatesbetween WildService Tree andWhitebeam or anallied species, havebeen describedfrom various parts ofEurope. They varyslightly in the shapeof the leaves andthe size and colourof the fruit.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 12m.BARK Grey and smooth; cracking and scaly with age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods of S.W. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES This species is one of many in the genus that aredescribed as apomictic, that is they produce identical offspring whengrown from seed, unlike most tree species, which are variable. Some ofthese species are difficult to distinguish.

fruit 1.2cmwide


GREY-BROWN bark is inconspicuously

marked withsmall, horizontal

lenticels.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Grey-brown and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Mountain woods of the W. Alps and the Pyrenees.SIMILAR SPECIES S. austriaca (p.192),which has relatively broader leaves and fruitwith conspicuous lenticels.

WHITE flowers, about1cm wide, have fivepetals and numerouswhite stamens.

Sorbus norvegicaSorbus norvegica (Rosaceae)

Sometimes a small tree, this deciduous species is moreusually an upright to spreading shrub. The alternatebroadly oval leaves, on stalks covered in grey hairs, aresharply toothed above the middle, and tapered to thebase. They are glossy, dark green above and covered with

white hairs beneath. White flowersopen in clusters at the ends of

the shoots, followed byrounded red fruit.

Sorbus mougeotiiSorbus mougeotii (Rosaceae)

This deciduous, rounded tree, conical when young, andsometimes a shrub, has alternate, oval leaves with shallow,toothed lobes, the deepest of which reach about one-fourth of the way to the centre of the leaf. Hairy onboth sides when young, they become glossy darkgreen and smooth above, grey-white with hairsbeneath. White flowers, 1.5cm wide, open inclusters and are followed by round, red fruit1cm wide with few, small lenticels.

leaf to10cmlong

HEIGHT 10m SPREAD 10m.BARK Smooth and grey.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods of Norway and Sweden.SIMILAR SPECIES Whitebeam (p.191), whichis a larger tree, has larger leaves, and maybe naturalized in the same area.

leaf to 10cmlong

fruit to 1cmwide

conicalhabit

grey-white leafunderside

flower to 1cmwide


DARK brown, the barkbegins to crack intoscaly plates as the tree ages.

Wild Service TreeSorbus torminalis (Rosaceae)

This deciduous tree has a broadly columnar head andglossy brown shoots that are hairy when young. Thealternate, maple-like leaves are deeply cut into sharplytoothed, triangular lobes. Glossy dark green above, theyturn yellow, red, or purple in autumn. Small white flowers,1.5cm wide, open in flattened heads and are followed by

rounded to egg-shaped, russet-brown fruit.

Rock WhitebeamSorbus rupicola (Rosaceae)

This deciduous species may grow into a small, spreading treeor shrub. Widest and sharply toothed above the middle, thealternate leaves are glossy dark green above and slightlyhairy at first, densely covered in white hairs beneath. Whiteflowers, 1.5cm wide, are borne in small clusters. They arefollowed by rounded, red fruit, also 1.5cm wideand dotted with numeroussmall lenticels.

TYPICALLY found inmountainous regionsof N. Europe, includingBritain, where it growsin rocky places.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark brown, cracking into scaly plateswith age.FLOWERING TIME Late spring to early summer.OCCURRENCE Woods; native to Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES None.

HEIGHT 5m. SPREAD 4m.BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Limestone rocks; native to N. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Several rare Sorbus speciesare similar but often have lobed leaves or aremuch larger.

fruit to1.6cmlong

leaf to10cm long

open flowerclusters

spreading,shrubby habit

ascendingbranches

leaf to14cmlong


DENSE white hairscover the underside ofleaves, which are hairyon both sides whenyoung; they have threeto five deep lobes whenon vigorous shoots.

White PoplarPopulus alba (Salicaceae)

A deciduous tree, the White Poplar is broadly columnar,spreading with age, and has young shoots that are denselycovered in white hairs. The alternate leaves have roundedstalks. They have a dense layer of white hairs on bothsurfaces when young, but later become dark green andsmooth above. On vigorous shoots, they are maple-likeand deeply lobed, the larger lobes toothed, whileelsewhere on the tree they have very shallow lobes. Maleand female flowers are borne in drooping catkins onseparate plants, the males grey with red anthers, thefemales green. The small green fruit capsules open torelease tiny cottony seeds.

spreading habit

NOTE

This tree, alsoknown as Abele,produces manysuckers, often atsome distance fromthe parent. Theseshow the lobed,maple-like leavesparticularly well.

leaf to 10cm long

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Pale grey, dark, and fissured at the base of the tree.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Woods; native to Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Grey Poplar (p.198), which has unlobed leaves evenon vigorous shoots, that have longer, flattened stalks and are less vividlywhite beneath, eventually becoming smooth; Aspen (p.200), which hasflattened leaf stalks.

white, hairyyoung leaves


PALE grey with dark,diamond-shapedmarks, the bark is darkbrown and furrowed onolder trees.

Grey PoplarPopulus x canescens (Salicaceae)

This vigorous, deciduous tree spreads by suckers from thebase. Its young shoots are covered in white hairs. The oval to nearly rounded leaves are toothed or only shallowly lobed.They are hairy on both sides when young, becoming smooth

and dark green above, and nearly smoothbeneath. Most Grey Poplars are male, bearing

flowers with red anthers in pendulouscatkins. This species is thought to

be a hybrid between WhitePoplar and Aspen.

Hybrid Black PoplarPopulus x canadensis (Salicaceae)

Several selections of this very vigorous, deciduous tree with a broadly columnar head, such as ‘Robusta’, are commonlygrown. The broadly oval to nearly triangular, alternate leavesare longer on very vigorousshoots. They are often bronzyred and hairy margined when young, becomingglossy, dark green above.Tiny cottony seeds arereleased by small greenfruit capsules.

DROOPING catkins ofmale flowers with redanthers, and greenfemale catkins, areborne on separate trees.


HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Pale grey and deeply furrowed.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Known only in cultivation; a hybrid between Cottonwood and BlackPoplar (both right).SIMILAR SPECIES Black Poplar (right), whichlacks hairs on the leaf margins.

pale grey bark

leaf to 10cm long

columnarhabit

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Pale grey with diamond-shaped marks;dark brown and deeply fissured on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Late spring.OCCURRENCE Woods and valleys of Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES White Poplar (p.197),which has maple-like leaves with hairs below;Aspen (p.200), which has smooth leaves.

leaf to 8cm long


NARROW, drooping,yellow-green femaleflower catkins elongateinto fruit.

SMALL green fruit,borne in catkins, open to release tiny, cottony seeds.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 25m.BARK Dark grey and deeply fissured.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE River valleys of Europe; oftencultivated; native to Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Hybrid Black Poplar (left)and Cottonwood (above), both of which havehairs at the edges of young leaves.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Pale grey and deeply furrowed.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated, naturalized inEurope occasionally; native to North America. SIMILAR SPECIES Hybrid Black Poplar (left),which has smaller leaves; Black Poplar(below), which has smaller, hairless leaves.

CottonwoodPopulus deltoides (Salicaceae)

This is a vigorous, deciduous tree with sticky aromatic leafbuds. The broadly oval to triangular, alternate leaves have

small glands where the leaf stalk meets theblade, and are edged with numerous small

hairs. They are glossy greenabove and smooth on

both sides. Flowersare borne in droopingcatkins, the maleswith red anthers, thefemales green. Smallgreen fruit open torelease white,cottony seeds.

Black PoplarPopulus nigra (Salicaceae)

The trunk of this fast growing, deciduous tree often developslarge burrs. The broadly oval to triangular, alternate, finelytoothed leaves have a tapered tip, and no hairs at themargin. They are bronze when young becoming glossy dark

green. The flowers are indrooping catkins, the

males with red anthers,the females green, onseparate trees. Subsp.

betulifolia has hairyyoung shoots. Theselection ‘Italica’ isnarrowly columnar withupright branches.

leaf to10cmlongbroadly

spreading habit

leaf to18cmlong

broadly columnarto spreading habit



AspenPopulus tremula (Salicaceae)

The deciduous Aspen is conical when young, but spreadswith age. Often found on poor soils, this species formslarge colonies in woods, spreading by means of suckersproduced by the roots. Carried on long, flattened stalks,the rounded to broadly oval leaves are edged with roundedteeth, the largest leaves borne on vigorous shoots. Bronzeand hairy when young, the leaves become grey-greenabove, paler beneath, usually smooth on both sides, andturn yellow in autumn. The flowers are borne in droopingcatkins up to 8cm long, males and females on separatetrees. The male catkins are grey, while the female catkinsare green. Small green fruit open to release tiny seeds that

are contained within cottonywhite hairs.

PENDULOUS grey malecatkins, with redanthers, hang fromthe bare shoots in early spring.

NOTE

The long, slender,flattened leaf stalksmake the leavestremble in theslightest breeze,making a rattlingsound distinctive to the Aspen.

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Smooth and grey, darker and ridged at the base of old trees.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Moist woods and hillsides all over Europe; on mountainsin the south of the range. SIMILAR SPECIES Grey Poplar (p.198), which has leaves covered withgrey hairs beneath.

leaf to8cmlong

rounded leaf

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 20m. BARK Grey-brown, deeply fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Riversides and meadows all over Europe; also commonly planted. SIMILAR SPECIES Hybrid Crack Willow (p.202), which has slightly largerleaves that soon become smooth below; Crack Willow (p.203), whichhas larger leaves, smooth below, and shoots that snap when bent.

spreadinghabit


LONG, narrow leavesshow their blue-greenunderside with theslightest breezeblowing along theriverbank.

White WillowSalix alba (Salicaceae)

The common large waterside willow of Europe, WhiteWillow is a vigorous, spreading, deciduous tree, often withdrooping shoots. The slender, lance-shaped, finely toothedleaves end in long, tapered points. They are silky and hairywhen young, becoming dark green above and blue-greenbelow. The tiny flowers are borne in small catkins as theleaves emerge; the males are yellow, while the females aregreen and are borne on separate trees.Small green fruit open to releasecottony seeds. The Scarlet Willow(Salix alba ‘Britzensis’) hasorange-red winter shoots.

NOTE

The White Willow is pollarded toencourage thegrowth of youngshoots; the wood ofSalix alba var.caerulea is highlyvalued as it is used for makingcricket bats.

droopingbranches

yellowmalecatkin

greenfemalecatkin

leaf to10cmlong

leavestaper tofine point

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Dark grey and deeply fissured.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Damp habitats such as moistwoods in N. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES None – its bloomy shootsmake it distinctive.


multiplestems

SLENDER, finelytoothed, alternateleaves are glossy, darkgreen above, and blue-green beneath.

Violet WillowSalix daphnoides (Salicaceae)

Conical when young, spreading when older, this deciduoustree has young shoots covered in a white bloom. Theleaves are hairy when young becoming smooth on bothsides. The flowers are borne in small, silky-hairy catkins,the males with yellow anthers, the females green, onseparate trees. A small greencapsule, the fruitopens to releasecottony seeds.

Goat WillowSalix caprea (Salicaceae)

This deciduous shrub, sometimes a small tree, is uprightwhen young, later spreading and often branching low downor with several stems, the shoots not ridged beneath the

bark. The oval, toothed, alternate leavesare hairy on both sides when young,

though the grey-green uppersidesbecomes smooth in older

trees. The flowers areborne in tiny catkins,up to 4cm long, onseparate trees. Smallgreen fruit open torelease cottony seeds.

FLOWERS are in smallcatkins; the males aresilvery with yellowanthers, while thefemales are green.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 8m. BARK Grey and smooth; fissured on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Woods and hedgerowsthroughout Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Eared Willow (S. aurita),which has shoots ridged beneath the bark.

leaf to10cm long

leaf to12cm long

broadlyconicalhabit


SLENDER, toothed,leaves end in a finelytapered point and aredark green above and blue-green below.

HEIGHT 15m or more. SPREAD 15m. BARK Dark grey and deeply fissured.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Riversides and meadowsthroughout Europe; frequently planted.SIMILAR SPECIES White Willow (p.201),which has silky leaves and twigs that do notsnap easily.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Grey-brown, with shallow fissures.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Riverbanks and meadowsthroughout Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Leaves have a superficialresemblance to those of Bay Laurel (p.146),but otherwise the tree is distinctive.

leaf to15cmlong

CYLINDRICAL, showy,bright yellow malecatkins appear afterthe leaves.

spreadinghabit

leaf to 12cmlong

Crack WillowSalix fragilis (Salicaceae)

The twigs of this deciduous tree snap off easily from itsbranches giving rise to the common name. Its alternateleaves are silky-hairy when young, soon becoming smooth.The small flowers lack petals and are borne in catkins onseparate trees; the males have yellow anthers, while

the females are green. Small greenfruit open to release fluffywhite seeds.


Bay WillowSalix pentandra (Salicaceae)

The alternate, elliptic to narrowly ovate, slightly aromaticdark green leaves of this deciduous, spreading tree ratherresemble those of the Bay Laurel (p.146). They are palerbeneath, finely toothed, and end in a short point. Theflowers are borne in cylindrical catkins after the leavesemerge, the males dense and showy, with bright yellowanthers, the females green, on separate plants. Cottonyseeds emerge from the small green fruit capsules.

slenderfemale catkin


Weeping WillowSalix x sepulcralis ‘Chrysocoma’ (Salicaceae)

This deciduous, spreading tree has a rounded crown andlong, pendulous yellow shoots. The alternate, slender,finely toothed leaves end in long, tapered points. Slightlysilky at first, they turn smooth, bright green above andblue-green beneath. The flowers are borne in catkins andare mostly male with yellow anthers, but some are partiallyor completely female, with green flowers. The fruit is asmall green capsule, 3mm long, which opens to releasefluffy white seeds.

PALE grey-brown, thebark is marked withshallow fissures as thetree ages.

weeping habit

HEIGHT 20m. SPREAD 25m. BARK Pale grey-brown and fissured.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Known only in cultivation.SIMILAR SPECIES The species is a hybrid of White Willow (p.201) andS. babylonica. Although the latter was at one time grown in Europe, ithas largely been replaced by Weeping Willow.

catkin to7.5cmlong

leaf to 12cmlong

NOTE

Among the mostcommonly grownweeping trees, thisis a familiar sight,particularly by water.Often planted insmall gardens whereit becomes too large.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 12m. BARK Grey and smooth with conspicuous lenticels; cracking with age toreveal broad, pale orange-brown fissures.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in parks and gardens; native to China and Korea.SIMILAR SPECIES Indian Bean Tree (p.114), which has leavesarranged in threes on the shoots, and very different flowers and fruit.

broadly columnarto rounded habit

EGG-SHAPED, pointedfruit are borne inclusters, and ripenfrom green to brown.

Empress TreePaulownia tomentosa (Scrophulariaceae)

The deciduous Empress Tree is broadly columnar torounded and has very stout shoots that are hairy whenyoung. The opposite leaves are large and oval, with a heart-shaped base and pointed tip, and often shallowlyfive-lobed. Dark green and velvety above, they are denselycovered with sticky hairs beneath. Borne in large, uprightclusters at the ends of shoots, the bell-shaped, Foxglove-like, fragrant, pale purple flowers open from buds formedthe previous year.

NOTE

It is the clusters ofpale brown, feltedflower buds andpersistent brownfruit that helpdistinguish this tree in winter.

leaf to30cmlong

flower to5cmlong

fruit to 5cmlong



conical tobroadlycolumnar habit

DROOPING clusters ofbell-shaped whiteflowers have adistinctive fan-shapedarrangement.

Epaulette TreePterostyrax hispida (Styracaceae)

Conical when young, the deciduous Epaulette Tree spreadswith age. The alternate, oblong leaves have a finely toothedmargin and pointed tip; they are bright green above andgrey-green beneath. Small, fragrant white flowers haveconspicuous stamens and are borne in large, hanging clusters up to25cm long. The small, ribbed,brown fruit are up to 8mmlong and are covered inbristly hairs.

Snowdrop TreeHalesia monticola (Styracaceae)

The deciduous Snowdrop Tree has alternate, finely toothed,oval to oblong leaves, which end in a tapered point. Darkgreen above and paler beneath, they are hairy whenyoung. The bell-shaped, white or pink-tinged flowers havefour lobes and hang from the shoots in small clusters asthe young leaves emerge.

spreading habit

WINGED green fruit, upto 5cm long, whichend in a slender point,hang downwards from the stem; they ripen to brown.

HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown; deeply furrowed on older trees.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to S.E. USA.SIMILAR SPECIES Japanese Snowbell(right), which has shorter leaves and doesnot have winged fruit.

HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 10m.BARK Grey-brown, fissured.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to Chinaand Japan.SIMILAR SPECIES None – its fan-shapedflower clusters and bristly, ribbed fruit make it distinctive.

leaf to20cmlong

flower to2cm long

flower to6mm long

leaf to 20cmlong


HEIGHT 10m. SPREAD 15m.BARK Dark grey-brown and smooth; brownish fissures and ridges on old trees.FLOWERING TIME Early summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated (in parks and gardens); native to China,Japan, and Korea.SIMILAR SPECIES Snowdrop Tree (left), which has winged fruit andlonger leaves.


flower to1.5cm long

BELL-SHAPED, white orpink-tinged flowershang from slenderstalks in clustersbeneath the branches.

Japanese SnowbellStyrax japonicus (Styracaceae)

A deciduous tree, the Japanese Snowbell often has a shorttrunk and branches that emerge low down. Its alternate,oval leaves are tapered at the base and end in a pointed tip; they have a finely toothed margin. Glossy, dark greenabove, they may turn red or yellow in autumn. Theslightly fragrant flowers have five lobes and yellowanthers and are usually white, althoughsome forms have pink flowers. Thegrey-green fruit are egg-shapedand about 1cm long.

leaf to10cmlong

NOTE

The JapaneseSnowbell is the mostpopular of this largefamily of Asian andAmerican trees. It is an excellent small tree for awoodland garden.


HEIGHT 7m. SPREAD 6m. BARK Dark purple to black.FLOWERING TIME Spring, from the oldshoots, sometimes summer from new shoots.OCCURRENCE Coastal salt marshes; native toS.W. Europe, naturalized in S. England.SIMILAR SPECIES T. parviflora (below),which has flowers with four petals.

FOUR-PETALLED, tiny,pale pink flowers areborne in dense, veryslender clusters.

Tamarix parvifloraTamarix parviflora (Tamaricaceae)

The long and arching branches of this tree or shrub areoften produced low down. Its slender young shoots aredensely covered with tiny, scale-like, bright green leaves up to4mm long. Borne in clustersfrom the previous year’sshoots, the flowers areonly 2mm long. The fruitare inconspicuous.

Tamarix africanaTamarix africana (Tamaricaceae)

Spreading and deciduous, often branching low or a shrub,this species has scale-like, bright green leaves. The slenderyoung shoots are densely covered with tiny, scale-likeleaves up to 4mm long. The tiny flower petals often persistafter flowering. The fruit are inconspicuous. One of several,mostly uncommon species of Tamarixin Europe, it can be ratherdifficult to distinguish.

flower clustersto 5cm long

TINY five-petalledwhite or pale pinkflowers are borne indense, slender clusters.

HEIGHT 5m. SPREAD 6m. BARK Brown to purple-brown.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Hedgerows and river banks;native to S.E. Europe, it is planted andsometimes naturalized elsewhere.SIMILAR SPECIES T. africana (above), whichhas flowers with five petals.


spreadingto shrubbyhabit

spreading habit


HEIGHT 15m. SPREAD 10m. BARK Red-brown, flaking conspicuously to leave grey and pink patches.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Cultivated in parks and gardens; native to Japan and Korea.SIMILAR SPECIES None – some other species in this genus areoccasionally grown in gardens but much less commonly.

conical to broadlycolumnar habit

CAMELLIA-LIKE andwhite, each flower hasnumerous brightyellow stamens, andfive wavy-edged petalsjoined at the base.

Stewartia pseudocamelliaStewartia pseudocamellia (Theaceae)

Conical when young, this deciduous tree becomes broadlycolumnar with age. The oval, finely toothed leaves end inshort, tapered points. They are dark green and smoothabove, smooth or hairy beneath, and turn yellow, orange,or red in autumn. The fruit is a woody,red-brown capsule, about 2cm long.This species is very distinctive in itsbark and flowers, the latter fallingintact from the tree. Like therelated Camellia, this treeonly grows in areas withlime-free soil.

NOTE

Closely related to themore commonevergreen, shrubbycamellias seen ingardens, this tree isonly found in areaswith acidic soils.

red-brownbark

leaf to 10cmlong

flower6cmwide


HEIGHT 30m.SPREAD 20m.BARK Smooth and grey; furrowed with age.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Woods, often on limestone, throughout Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Lime (right), which has leaves with green undersides; Broad-leaved Lime (right), which has leavescovered with soft hairs beneath.

Small-leaved LimeTilia cordata (Tiliaceae)

The Small-leaved Lime is a large, deciduous tree with abroadly columnar head. The rounded, alternate leaveshave a sharply toothed margin, are heart-shaped at thebase, and end in a short, abruptly tapered point. They aredark green above and blue-green beneath, turning yellowin autumn. The leaves are smooth below with conspicuoustufts of brown hairs in the leaf axils. The rounded, grey-green fruit are about 1.2cm long. Unlike other limes, thistree is usually without or with few suckers at the base.

FRAGRANT pale yellowflowers, 2cm wide,open in small, hangingclusters at the base ofwhich are single,conspicuous yellow-green bracts.

NOTE

This species is oneof the parents ofthe Common Lime(right). Severalselections of narrowor conical habit aregrown in gardens.


leaf to8cm long


EGG-SHAPED grey-greenfruit are 1.2cm long,and similar to those of the Small-leavedLime (left).

leaf to 10cmlong

flower to 2cm wide

ROUNDED to broadlyoval, the leaves aresharply toothed andend in a short point.

Broad-leaved LimeTilia platyphyllos (Tiliaceae)

One of the parents of Common Lime (above), this large,deciduous tree, with a broadly columnar head, maysometimes have many suckers at the base. Its young shootsare usually covered with soft white hairs. The alternate leaves

are dark green above, paler beneath,and usually softly hairy on both

sides. The fragrant flowers andfruit are similar to those of

Small-leaved Lime (left).

Common LimeTilia x europaea (Tiliaceae)

A hybrid between Small-leaved Lime (left) and Broad-leavedLime (below), this vigorous and large, deciduous tree isbroadly columnar in habit, and is often seen with numeroussuckers at the base. The rounded to broadly oval, alternateleaves are sharply toothed and endin a short point. They are darkgreen above, green and smoothbeneath except for tufts ofhairs in the axils of the veins.

leaf to12cm long

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Grey, shallowly fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Summer.OCCURRENCE Woods of Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Common Lime (above),and Small-leaved Lime (left), both of whichhave leaves with smoother undersides,except for the tufts of hair in the axils.

leaves turn yellowin autumn

HEIGHT 40m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Grey-brown, shallow fissures with age.FLOWERING TIME Early spring.OCCURRENCE Woodlands of Europe; also cultivated.SIMILAR SPECIES Small-leaved Lime (left),has blue-green leaf undersides; Broad-leavedLime (below), has hairy leaf undersides.

flower to2cm wide



HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 15m. BARK Grey; growing shallowly fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Mid- to late summer.OCCURRENCE Woods of S.E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES None – it is the silvery hairs of the leaves andshoots that distinguish Silver Lime from other European species.


flowerto 2cmwide

green bract

leaf to 12cmlong

Silver LimeTilia tomentosa (Tiliaceae)

The young shoots of the Silver Lime have a dense coveringof silvery hairs, hence its common name. It is a deciduoustree with a broadly columnar habit. The alternate leavesare dark green above and are covered with silvery hairsbeneath; leaf margins are sharply toothed and sometimesslightly lobed. The very fragrant, five-petalled yellow flowers

are borne in clusters, up toten together, at the base of

which is a conspicuouspale green bract. The

green fruit are up to1.2cm long.

ROUNDED leaves areoften unequal at thebase, and end in ashort, tapered point.Woody and grey-green,the fruit are rounded toegg-shaped.

NOTE

The species is frequently planted in streetsand parks. Weeping Silver Lime (T. tomentosa‘Petiolaris’), with long-stalked leaves anddrooping branches, is particularly common.


NARROW oval leavesare dark green andrough to the touchabove, grey-green andsoftly hairy beneath.

broadlycolumnarhead

HEIGHT 20m.SPREAD 20m.BARK Pale grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Woods and thickets in dry, rocky areas of S. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES Some species of elms, but these lack the three-veined leaves and berry-like fruit of Nettle Tree.

Nettle TreeCeltis australis (Ulmaceae)

This is a deciduous tree with a broadly columnar tospreading head. The alternate, oval leaves have a sharply-toothed margin, are three-veined and slender-pointed at the tip, and often oblique at the base. Tiny,green, and without petals, the flowers open singly or insmall clusters in the axils of the leaves as these areexpanding, the males and females separate on the sametree. The rounded, berry-like, edible fruit, up to 1cm wide,ripen from green to black.

NOTE

This tree thrives inwarm, dry areas ofEurope, and cancommonly be seenplanted in streetsand squares in theMediterraneanregion.

leaf to 15cmlong


SLENDER-STALKED,winged, green fruit to 1.2cm long, are edged with hairs.

White ElmUlmus laevis (Ulmaceae)

The young shoots on this deciduous tree are covered insoft grey hairs. The alternate, broadly oval to roundedleaves are sharply toothed and very unequal atthe base. They are dark green and smoothor slightly rough above, and grey withhairs beneath. Tiny flowers with redanthers open on bare shoots,and are followed by the fruit.

Wych ElmUlmus glabra (Ulmaceae)

Conical when young, this large, deciduous tree develops arounded head with age and has rough young shoots. Thealternate, oval leaves have unequal halves, with sharpteeth that are larger towards the tip. They are dark greenand very rough above, with a short stalk. The flowers arefollowed by winged green fruit. Dutch Elm (U. x hollandica)is a hybrid between Wych Elm and Field Elm.

TINY flowers with redanthers open on thebare shoots in late winter before the leaves emerge.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 25m. BARK Grey-brown and smooth, becomingfurrowed with age.FLOWERING TIME Late winter.OCCURRENCE Wooded valleys in C. and E. Europe.SIMILAR SPECIES None – its slender-stalked,pendulous, white-haired fruit make it distinct.

leaf to 12cmlong

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 25m. BARK Grey and smooth, becoming ridged inold trees.FLOWERING TIME Late winter.OCCURRENCE Woods and hedgerowsthroughout Europe. SIMILAR SPECIES None.

rounded head

fruit to 2cmlong

leaf to 15cmlong

open,spreadinghead


leaf to 12cmlong

DENSE clusters of tinyflowers with redanthers open on thebare shoots.

flowersopen onbare shoots

Field ElmUlmus minor (Ulmaceae)

Like other elms, the alternate, oval leaves of the Field Elm are very unequal at the base and have sharply toothedmargins. They are glossy green and smooth above, paler beneath with hairs only on the veins. Thetree is deciduous, with a columnar head and hassmooth young shoots. The fruit, to 1.5cmlong, are green-winged with the seedpositioned above the middle.

English ElmUlmus procera (Ulmaceae)

This deciduous tree with a broadly columnar head usuallyhas suckers at the base, and shoots which can become corkywhen a few years old. The broadly oval to rounded alternate

leaves are sharply toothed with a veryunequal base. They are dark green and

rough to the touch above andhairy beneath. Winged,

green fruit, 1.5cmlong, have seeds

positioned abovethe middle.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m. BARK Pale grey and smooth when young,becoming fissured with age.FLOWERING TIME Late winter.OCCURRENCE Woods, thickets, andhedgerows throughout Europe. SIMILAR SPECIES English Elm (below), whichhas hairs covering the leaf underside.

HEIGHT 30m. SPREAD 20m. BARK Grey and smooth when young,becoming furrowed with age.FLOWERING TIME Late winter.OCCURRENCE Woods, fields, and hedgerowsof W. Europe; often planted.SIMILAR SPECIES Field Elm (above), whichhas leaves smooth on the upper side.

FLOWERS in tinyclusters have redanthers and open onthe bare shoots.

leaf to10cmlong

columnarhabit

unequal leafbase



OBLONG, dark greenleaves are edged withusually 9–11 pairs oftriangular teeth.

Caucasian ElmZelkova carpinifolia (Ulmaceae)

This is a deciduous, columnar tree with a short trunk and a dense, oval head of numerous, ascending branches. Theshort-stalked, alternate leaves are dark green and roughabove with hairs along the veins beneath, and turn orange-

brown in autumn. The flowers are tiny and green,with the males in clusters; usually borne

singly, the female flowers are followed by small, rounded fruit 6mm wide.

Cretan ZelkovaZelkova abelicea (Ulmaceae)

Often branching low and sometimes shrubby, thisdeciduous, spreading tree has slender young shoots coveredin white hairs. The short-stalked, narrowly oval, alternateleaves have four or five teeth on each side. They are dark

green above, paler and hairy beneath. The flowers aretiny and green; while the males are in

clusters, the females are usuallyborne singly and followed by

small, rounded fruit about 5mm wide.

leaf to 4cmlong

SMOOTH, grey-brownbark has conspicuousnarrow bands of lenticels.

leaf to 10cm long


HEIGHT 6m. SPREAD 8m or more. BARK Grey and smooth.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Rocky mountain slopes of Crete.SIMILAR SPECIES Caucasian Elm (below),which has larger leaves with more teeth.

HEIGHT 25m. SPREAD 20m.BARK Grey and smooth; flaking in orange-brown patches with age.FLOWERING TIME Spring.OCCURRENCE Cultivated; native to N. Iran,N.E. Turkey, and the Caucasus.SIMILAR SPECIES Cretan Zelkova (above),which has smaller leaves with fewer teeth.

low branches

G L O S S A R Y 2 1 7

GlossaryMany of the terms defined hereare illustrated in the generalintroduction (pp. 8 –11). Wordsin italics are defined elsewhere inthe glossary.

ALTERNATE Borne singly, in two vertical rows orspirally.

ANTHER The male part ofthe flower that bears thepollen.

ARIL A fleshy, often brightlycoloured, coat on a seed.

AURICLED With small, ear-like lobes.

AXIL The angle betweentwo structures, such as theleaf and stem or the midriband a small vein.

BIPINNATE Twice pinnate,i.e. with the divisionsthemselves pinnatelydivided.

BLOOMY Covered with athin blue-white layer whichcan be rubbed off.

BRACT A small, leaf-likestructure found at the baseof flowers or in the cone ofa conifer.

BURR A woody outgrowthon the trunk of some trees.

BUTTRESSED With a fluted orswollen trunk that aidsstability in shallow rootingconditions.

CATKIN An unbranchedand often pendulous flowercluster of a single sex.

COLUMNAR Taller thanbroad, with parallel sides.

COMPOUND Describes aleaf divided into leaflets.

CONE The fruiting structureof conifers.

CONICAL Widest at thebottom, tapering towardsthe top.

CULTIVAR A selection madeby humans and maintainedin cultivation.

DECIDUOUS Describes atree that is leafless for partof the year (usually winter).

DOUBLE FLOWER Describes a flower with more petalsthan in the normal wildstate, and with few, if any,stamens.

EVERGREEN Describes a treethat always bears leaves.

FORM Any variant of aspecies.

GENUS A category inclassification consisting of a group of closely relatedspecies, and denoted by thefirst part of the scientificname, e.g. Pinus in Pinuspinea.

HABIT The shape of aplant.

HERBACEOUS Non-woody,dying back at the end ofthe growing season andoverwintering by means ofundeground rootstocks.

HYBRID A cross betweentwo different species.

LEADING SHOOT Theterminal shoot of a mainbranch.

LEAFLET One of thedivisions that make up acompound leaf.

LENTICEL A small porefound on shoots and fruitthrough which air can pass.

MIDRIB The primary,usually central, vein of aleaf or leaflet.

NATIVE Occurring naturallyin a particular region.

NATURALIZED A non-nativeplant, introduced byhuman activity into aregion, and now formingself-sustaining populationsin the wild.

OBOVATE Egg-shaped,broadest above the middle.

OPPOSITE Borne in pairs onopposite sides of the stem.

OVATE Egg-shaped,broadest towards the base.

PALMATELY COMPOUNDFan-shaped and dividedinto leaflets.

PANICLE An elongated,branched flower cluster,with stalked flowers.

PEA-LIKE Describes a flowerstructure typical ofmembers of the Pea family,with the sepals fused into ashort tube, and usuallywith an erect upper petal,two wing petals, and twolower petals forming a keel.

PERSISTENT Not falling, butremaining attached to theplant.

PINNATE Describes acompound leaf with theleaflets arranged as in afeather. Pinnately lobedleaves have lobes, ratherthan leaflets, arranged inthis manner.

RACEME An elongated,unbranched flower cluster,with stalked flowers.

SELECTION see CULTIVAR.

SEMI-EVERGREEN With fewleaves retained over winter.

SEPAL The usually greenparts of a flower outside ofthe petals, collectivelycalled the calyx.

SIMPLE Undivided.

SPECIES A classificationcategory defining a groupof similar and usuallyinterbreeding plants, e.g.Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris)is one species.

STAMEN Male part of aflower, composed of ananther, normally borne ona stalk (filament).

STIGMA The female part ofthe flower that receives thepollen.

STIPULE A leaf-like organ atthe base of a leaf stalk.

SUBSPECIES (abbrev. SUBSP.)A category of classification,below species, defining agroup within a species,isolated geographically butable to interbreed withothers of the same species.

SUCKERS Shoots arisingfrom below the soil at thebase of a tree.

TEPALS Sepals and petalswhen they look alike.

TERMINAL Located at theend of a shoot, stem, orother organ.

VARIEGATED Having morethan one colour; usuallyused to describe leaves.

VARIETAS (abbrev. VAR.) A naturally occurringvariant of a species.

2 1 8 I N D E X

IndexAAbele 197Abies

alba 20borisii-regis 21bornmuelleriana 25cephalonica 21concolor 22grandis 22koreana 23lasiocarpa 23

var. arizonica 23nebrodensis 24nordmanniana 25pinsapo 26procera 27

Acacia dealbata 71Acer

campestre 91capillipes 92cappadocicum 92davidii 93granatense 95griseum 59heldreichii 94

subsp. trautvetteri 94hyrcanum 95japonicum 95lobelii 96monspessulanum 97negundo 59opalus 97palmatum 98pensylvanicum 99platanoides 100pseudoplatanus 101rubrum 102rufinerve 102saccharinum 103saccharum 103sempervirens 104tataricum 104

Aceraceae 59, 91–104Aesculus

x carnea 64hippocastanum 65indica 66pavia 66

Ailanthus altissima 89Albizia julibrissin 71Alder 108

Buckthorn 161Grey 109Italian 107Speckled 109

Aleppo Pine 37Algerian Oak 133Almond 179Almond-leaved Pear 187Alnus

cordata 107glutinosa 108incana 109

Alnus cont.rugosa 109

Alpine Laburnum 73Amelanchier lamarckii 161Anacardiaceae 60–61 Angelica, Japanese 62Apple

Cultivated 168Japanese Crab 169Wild 171

Apricot 174Aquifoliaceae 105–107Aralia

elata 62spinosa 62

Araliaceae 62Araucaria araucana 13Araucariaceae 13Arbor-vitae, Chinese 56Arbutus

andrachne 127x andrachnoides 127unedo 128

Arecaceae 82–83Arizona Cypress 51Ash

Caucasian 78Common 79Flowering 80 Green 81Manna 80Narrow-leaved 78Red 81White 77

Aspen 200Atlas Cedar 27Austrian Pine 39Azarole 162

BBald Cypress 19Balearic Box 115Balkan Maple 95Bay, Bull 150Bay Laurel 146Bay Willow 203Beach Pine 37Bead Tree 76Bean, Indian 114Beech

Common 131Oriental 131

Betula alleghaniensis 110ermanii 110lenta 110nigra 111papyrifera 111pendula 112populifolia 113pubescens 113utilis 114

Betulaceae 107–114,121–123

Bhutan Pine 42Bignoniaceae 62, 114Birch

Canoe 111Downy 113Erman 110Grey 113Himalayan 114Paper 111River 111Silver 112Sweet 110Yellow 110

Bird Cherry 183Bitternut 67Black Locust 75Black Mulberry 153Black Oak 144Black Poplar 199Black Walnut 68Blackthorn 185Blue Douglas Fir 44Blue Gum 154Blue Spruce 34Bosnian Pine 38Box

Balearic 115Common 115

broadleaved compound 58–89

Broad-leaved Lime 212broadleaved simple

90–216Broom, Mount Etna 147Broussonetia papyrifera

152Buckeye, Red 66Buckthorn 160

Sea 126Bull Bay 150Bullace 179Buxaceae 115Buxus

balearica 115sempervirens 115

CCalabrian Pine 35California Redwood 18Callery Pear 187Calocedrus decurrens 48Campbell’s Magnolia

149Canary Island Palm 82Canary Island Pine 35Canoe Birch 111Cappadocian Maple 92Caprifoliaceae 63Caragana arborescens 72

‘Lorbergii’ 72Carob 72Carpinus

betulus 121orientalis 122

I N D E X 2 1 9

Carya cordiformis 67ovata 67

Castanea sativa 130Catalpa bignonioides 114Caucasian Ash 78Caucasian Elm 216Caucasian Fir 25Cedar

Atlas 27of Goa 51Incense 48Japanese 14of Lebanon 28Pencil 56Western Red 57

Cedar of Goa 51Cedar of Lebanon 28Cedrus

atlantica 27deodara 28libani 28

Celastraceae 116Celtis australis 213Ceratonia siliqua 72Cercidiphyllaceae 117Cercidiphyllum japonicum 117Cercis

canadensis 146siliquastrum 147

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 48nootkatensis 50obtusa 49pisifera 49

CherryBird 183Cornelian 119Fuji 186Rum 184Sargent’s 184Sour 177Spring 186St Lucie 182Tibetan 185Wild 175

Cherry Laurel 181Cherry Plum 176Chestnut

Horse 65Indian Horse 66Red Horse 64Spanish 130Sweet 130

Chile Pine 13Chinese Arbor-vitae 56Chinese Fir 14Chinese Juniper 54Chinese Tulip Tree 148Chinese Wingnut 70Chusan Palm 83Cider Gum 155Coast Redwood 18Cockspur Thorn 162, 164Colorado White Fir 22Common Ash 79Common Beech 131

Common Box 115Common Hazel 122Common Holly 106Common Juniper 15Common Laburnum 74Common Lime 211Common Pear 188conifers with needles

12–46conifers with scales 12–57Cork Oak 143Corkbark Fir 23Cornaceae 118–120Cornelian Cherry 119Cornus

florida 118kousa 118mas 119nuttallii 119

Corsican Pine 39Corylaceae 124Corylus

avellana 122colurna 123maxima 123

Cottonwood 199Crab Apple, Japanese 180Crab Apple Hybrids 170Crack Willow 203Crataegus

azarolus 162crus-galli 162, 164laciniata 163x lavalleei 164 laevigata 163mexicana 164monogyna 165x persimilis 162 rhipidophylla 166

Cretan Maple 104Cretan Zelkova 216Cryptomeria japonica 14Cucumber Tree 149Cultivated Apple 168Cunninghamia lanceolata 14Cupressaceae 14–16, 48–57x Cupressocyparis leylandii 50Cupressus

arizonica 51var. glabra 51

lusitanica 51macrocarpa 52sempervirens 53

Cydonia oblonga 167Cypress

Arizona 51Bald 19Hinoki 49Italian 53Lawson 48Leyland 50Mexican 51Monterey 52Nootka 50Sawara 49Smooth Arizona 51Swamp 19

DDanewort 63Date Palm 82Date Plum 125Davidia involucrata 120Dawn Redwood 17Deodar 28Devil’s Walking Stick 62Diospyros

kaki 125lotus 125

DogwoodFlowering 118Pacific 119

Douglas Fir 44Dove Tree 120Downy Birch 113Downy Oak 140Dunkeld Larch 30Dutch Elm 215

EEared Willow 202Eastern Hemlock 45Ebenaceae 125Elaeagnaceae 126Elaeagnus angustifolia 126Elder 63

Box 59Elm

Caucasian 216Dutch 215English 215Field 215White 214Wych 214

Empress Tree 205English Elm 215English Oak 141Epaulette Tree 206Erica

arborea 129australis 129lusitanica 129

Ericaceae 127–129Eriobotrya japonica 166Erman Birch 110Eucalyptus

camaldulensis 154dalrympleana 155globulus 154gunnii 155viminalis 155

Euonymuseuropaeus 116latifolius 116

European Larch 29

FFabaceae 71–76, 146–147Fagaceae 130–144Fagus

orientalis 131sylvatica 131

Ficus carica 152Field Elm 215

2 2 0 I N D E X

Field Maple 91Fig 152Filbert 123Fir

Blue Douglas 44Caucasian 25Chinese 14Colorado White 22Corkbark 23Douglas 44Giant 22Greek 21King Boris 21Korean 23Noble 27Sicilian 24Silver 20Spanish 26Subalpine 23

Flowering Ash 80 Flowering Dogwood 118Fraxinus

americana 77angustifolia 78

subsp. oxycarpa 78excelsior 79ornus 80pallisiae 80pennsylvanica 81

Fuji Cherry 186Fullmoon Maple 95

GGean 175Genista aetnensis 147Giant Fir 22Giant Redwood 18Ginkgo biloba 13Ginkgoaceae 13Gleditsia triacanthos 73Goat Willow 202Golden Rain Tree 74Grecian Strawberry

Tree 127Greek Fir 21Green Ash 81Grey Alder 109Grey Birch 113Grey Poplar 198Grey-budded Snake-bark

Maple 102Gum

Blue 154Cider 155Mountain 155 Red 154Ribbon 155Sweet 144

HHalesia monticola 206Hamamelidaceae

144–145Hawthorn 165

Midland 163Hazel

Common 122Turkish 123

HeathSpanish 129Tree 129

Hedge Maple 91Heldreich Maple 94Hemlock

Eastern 45Western 45

Hickory, Shagbark 67Highclere Holly 105Himalayan Birch 114Hinoki Cypress 49Hippocastanaceae 64–66Hippophae rhamnoides 126Holly

Common 106Highclere 105Madeira 107

Holm Oak 137Honey Locust 73Hop Hornbeam 124Hornbeam 121

Hop 124Oriental 122

Horse Chestnut 65Indian 66Red 64

Hungarian Oak 136Hybrid Black Poplar 198Hybrid Strawberry Tree 127Hybrid Wingnut 70

IIlex

x altaclerensis 105aquifolium 106perado 107

Incense Cedar 48Indian Horse Chestnut 66Ironwood, Persian 145Italian Alder 107Italian Cypress 53Italian Maple 97

JJacaranda 62 Jacaranda mimosifolia 62Japanese Angelica Tree 62Japanese Pagoda Tree 76Japanese Cedar 14Japanese Cherries 180Japanese Crab Apple 169Japanese Larch 30Japanese Maple 98Japanese Privet 156Japanese Red Pine 43Japanese Rowan 84Japanese Snowbell 207Japanese Strawberry Tree 118Japanese Walnut 68Judas Tree 147Juglandaceae 67–70Juglans

ailantifolia 68nigra 68regia 69

JuniperChinese 54

Juniper cont.Common 15Phoenicean 55Prickly 16Spanish 55Stinking 54Syrian 16

Juniperuschinensis 54communis 15drupacea 16foetidissima 54oxycedrus 16phoenicea 55thurifera 55virginiana 56

KKaki 125Katsura Tree 117Kermes Oak 134King Boris Fir 21Koelreuteria paniculata 88Korean Fir 23

LLaburnum

alpinum 73anagyroides 74x watereri 75

LaburnumAlpine 73Common 74Voss’s 75

Larch Dunkeld 30European 29Japanese 30

LaurelBay 146Cherry 181Portugal 181

Larix decidua 29kaempferi 30x marschlinsii 30

Lauraceae 145–146Laurus

azorica 145 nobilis 146

Lawson Cypress 48Leguminosae 71–76,

146–147Lentisc 60Leyland Cypress 50Ligustrum

japonicum 156lucidum 156

Lilac 157Lime

Broad-leaved 211Common 211Silver 212Small-leaved 210

Liquidambar styraciflua 144Liriodendron

chinense 148tulipifera 148

I N D E X 2 2 1

Lobel’s Maple 96Locust

Black 75Honey 73

London Plane 159Lodgepole Pine 37Loquat 166Lucombe Oak 136

MMacedonian Oak 143Macedonian Pine 40Madeira Holly 107Magnolia

acuminata 149campbellii 149denudata 151grandiflora 150kobus 150 liliiflora 151x loebneri 150macrophylla 151obovata 151officinalis 151x soulangeana 151wieseneri 151

Magnolia, Campbell’s 149Magnoliaceae 148–151Maidenhair Tree 13Malus

dasyphylla 168domestica 168, 171florentina 168, 171 x floribunda 169hupehensis 169 hybrids 170 pumila 171sylvestris 171trilobata 168, 171

Manna Ash 80Maple

Balkan 95Cappadocian 92 Cretan 104Field 91Fullmoon 95Grey-budded Snake-

bark 102Hedge 91Heldreich 94Italian 97Japanese 98Lobel’s 96Montpelier 97Norway 100Paperbark 59Père David’s 93Red 102Red Bud 94Silver 103Snake-bark 92Spanish 95Sugar 103Tatarian 104

Maritime Pine 40Mastic Tree 60Medlar 172Melia azedarach 76

Meliaceae 76Mespilus germanica 172Metasequoia glyptostroboides

17Mexican Cypress 51Midland Hawthorn 163Monkey Puzzle 13Monterey Cypress 52Monterey Pine 42Montpelier Maple 97Moosewood 99Moraceae 152–153Morus

alba 153nigra 153

Mount Etna Broom 147Mountain Gum 155Mountain Pine 38Mulberry

Black 153Paper 152White 153

Myrtaceae 154–155

NNarrow-leaved Ash 78Nettle Tree 213Noble Fir 27Nootka Cypress 50Norway Maple 100Norway Spruce 31Nothofagus

alpina 132obliqua 132

Nyssa sylvatica 120

OOak

Algerian 133Black 144Cork 143Downy 140English 141Holm 137Hungarian 136Kermes 134Lucombe 136Macedonian 143Pin 138Portuguese 135Pyrenean 140Red 142Scarlet 135Sessile 139Turkey 134Valonia 138

Olea europaea 156Oleaceae 77–81, 156–157Oleaster 126Olive 156Oriental Beech 131Oriental Hornbeam

122Oriental Plane 159Oriental Spruce 33Oriental Thorn 163Ostrya carpinifolia 124

PPacific Dogwood 119Pagoda, Japanese 76Palm

Canary Island 82Chusan 83Date 82Petticoat 83Windmill 83

Palmae 82–83Paper Birch 111Paper Mulberry 152Paperbark Maple 59Parrotia persica 145Paulownia tomentosa 205Pea Tree 72Peach 183Pear

Almond-leaved 187Callery 187Common 188Plymouth 189Silver 190Snow 189Wild 190

Pencil Cedar 56Pepper Tree 61Père David’s Maple 93Persian Ironwood 145Petticoat Palm 83Phillyrea latifolia 157 Phoenicean Juniper 55Phoenix

canariensis 82dactylifera 82theophrasti 82

Photinia davidiana 172x fraseri 172, 173serratifolia 172, 173villosa 174

Picea abies 31omorika 32orientalis 33pungens 34sitchensis 34

Pin Oak 138Pinaceae 20–45Pine

Aleppo 37Austrian 39Beach 37Bhutan 42Bosnian 38Calabrian 35Canary Island 35Chile 13Corsican 39Japanese Red 43Lodgepole 37Macedonian 40Maritime 40Monterey 42Mountain 38Scots 43Swiss Stone 36

2 2 2 I N D E X

Pine cont.Umbrella 41Weymouth 42

Pink Siris 71Pinus

brutia 35canariensis 35cembra 36contorta 37

var. latifolia 37densiflora 43halepensis 37heldreichii 38mugo subsp. uncinata 38nigra 39nigra subsp. laricio 39peuce 40pinaster 40pinea 41radiata 42sibrica 36strobus 42sylvestris 43wallichiana 42

Pistacia lentiscus 60terebinthus 60

Pittosporaceae 158Pittosporum tenuifolium 158Plane

London 159Oriental 159

Platanaceae 159Platanus

x hispanica 159orientalis 159

Platycladus orientalis 56Plum 178Plymouth Pear 189Pomegranate 160Poplar

Black 199Grey 198Hybrid Black 198White 197Yellow 148

Populus alba 197x canadensis 198x canescens 198deltoides 199nigra 199tremula 200

Portugal Laurel 181Portuguese Oak 135Prickly Juniper 16Pride of India 88Privet

Japanese 156Tree 156

Prunus 180armeniaca 174avium ‘Plena’ 175bourgaeana 190cerasifera 176cerasus 177cocomilia 178

Prunus cont.domestica 178dulcis 179elaeagnifolia 190incisa 186insititia 179laurocerasus 181lusitanica 181mahaleb 182padus 183pendula 186persica 183pyraster 190sargentii 184 serotina 184

Prunusserrula 185spinosa 185x subhirtella 186

Pseudotsuga menziesii 44var. glauca 44

Pterocarya fraxinifolia 70x rehderiana 70stenoptera 70

Pterostyrax hispida 206Punica granatum 160Punicaceae 160Pyrenean Oak 140Pyrus

amygdaliformis 187bourgaeana 190calleryana 187communis 188cordata 189elaeagnifolia 189, 190nivalis 189pyraster 190salicifolia ‘Pendula’ 190

QQuercus

canariensis 133 cerris 134coccifera 134coccinea 135faginea 135 frainetto 136x hispanica 136ilex 137macrolepis 138palustris 138petraea 139pubescens 140pyrenaica 140robur 141rotundifolia 142 rubra 142suber 143trojana 143velutina 144

Quince 167

RRauli 132Red Ash 81Red Bud Maple 94

Red Buckeye 66Red Gum 154Red Horse Chestnut 64Red Maple 102Red Oak 142Redbud 146Redwood

California 18Coast 18Dawn 17Giant 18

Rhamnaceae 160–161Rhamnus

cathartica 160frangula 161

Rhusglabra 61typhina 61

Ribbon Gum 155River Birch 111Robinia pseudoacacia 75Roble 132Rock Whitebeam 196Rosaceae 84–87, 161–196Rowan 84

Japanese 84Rum Cherry 184

SSalicaceae 197–204Salix

alba 201aurita 202babylonica 204caprea 202daphnoides 202fragilis 203pentandra 203x sepulcralis

‘Chrysocoma’ 204Sambucus

ebulus 63 nigra 63racemosa 63

Sapindaceae 88Sargent’s Cherry 184Sawara Cypress 49Scarlet Oak 135Scarlet Willow 201Schinus molle 61Scots Pine 43Scrophulariaceae 205Sea Buckthorn 126Sequoia sempervirens 18 Sequoiadendron giganteum 18Serbian Spruce 32Service Tree 85

Bastard 86Wild 196

Service Tree of Fontainebleau 194

Sessile Oak 139Shagbark Hickory 67Sicilian Fir 24Silver Birch 112Silver Fir 20Silver Lime 212

I N D E X 2 2 3

Silver Maple 103Silver Pear 190Silver Wattle 71Simaroubaceae 89Siris, Pink 71Sitka Spruce 34Small-leaved Lime 210Smooth Arizona

Cypress 51Smooth Sumach 61Snake-bark Maple 92Snow Pear 189Snowbell, Japanese 207Snowdrop Tree 206Snowy Mespilus 161Sophora japonica 76Sorbus

aria 191aucuparia 84austriaca 192commixta 84 domestica 85graeca 192hybrida 86intermedia 193latifolia 194meinichii 86mougeotii 195norvegica 195rupicola 196teodorii 86 x thuringiaca 87torminalis 196umbellata 192

Sour Cherry 177Spanish Chestnut 130Spanish Fir 26Spanish Heath 129Spanish Juniper 55Spanish Maple 95 Speckled Alder 109Spindle Tree 116

Broad-leaved 116Spring Cherry 186Spruce

Blue 34Norway 31Oriental 33Serbian 32Sitka 34

St Lucie Cherry 182Stag’s Horn Sumach 61Stewartia pseudocamellia 209Stinking Juniper 54Strawberry Tree 128

Grecian 127Hybrid 127Japanese 118

Styracaceae 206–207Styrax japonicus 207Subalpine Fir 23Sugar Maple 103Sumach

Smooth 61Stag’s Horn 61

Swamp Cypress 19Swedish Whitebeam 193

Sweet Birch 110Sweet Chestnut 130Sweet Gum 144Swiss Stone Pine 36Sycamore 101Syrian Juniper 16Syringa vulgaris 157

TTaiwania cryptomerioide 14Tamaricaceae 208Tamarix

aricana 208parviflora 208

Tatarian Maple 104Taxaceae 46Taxodiaceae 17–19Taxodium distichum 19Taxus baccata 46Theaceae 209Thorn

Cockspur 162Oriental 163

Thuja plicata 57Tibetan Cherry 185Tilia

cordata 210x europaea 211platyphyllos 211tomentosa 212

Tiliaceae 210–212Trachycarpus fortunei 83Tree Heath 129Tree of Heaven 89Tree Privet 156Tsuga

canadensis 45heterophylla 45

Tulip Tree 148Chinese 148

Tupelo 120Turkey Oak 134Turkish Hazel 123Turpentine Tree 60

UUlmaceae 213–216Ulmus

glabra 214x hollandica 214laevis 214minor 215procera 215

Umbrella Pine 41

VValonia Oak 138Violet Willow 202Voss’s Laburnum 75

WWalnut 69

Black 68Japanese 68

Washingtonia filifera 83Wattle, Silver 71Weeping Willow 204

Wellingtonia 18Western Hemlock 45Western Red Cedar 57Weymouth Pine 42White Ash 77White Elm 214White Mulberry 153White Poplar 197White Willow 201Whitebeam 191

Swedish 193Wild Apple 171Wild Cherry 175Wild Pear 190Wild Service Tree 196Willow

Bay 203Crack 203Eared 202Goat 202Scarlet 201Violet 202Weeping 204White 201

Windmill Palm 83Wingnut 70

Hybrid 70Chinese 70

Wych Elm 214

YYellow Birch 110Yellow Poplar 148Yew 46

ZZelkova

abelicea 216carpinifolia 216

Zelkova, Cretan 216

2 2 4 A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S

Dorling Kindersley would like to thank Bridget Lloyd-Jones for her help with pictureadministration and editing, Erin Richards for additional administrative assistance.

PICTURE CREDITS

Picture librarians : Richard Dabb, Claire Bowers

Abbreviations key: a = above, b = bottom, c = centre, f = far, l = left, r = right, t = top.

The publishers would like to thank thefollowing for their kind permission toreproduce the photographs:

A D Schilling: 10 br; 11 bc; 12 ca; 17 tr; 23 tr;27 bl, tr; 29 tr; 34 tl; 36 ca; 37 bcr, cfr, tr; 38 cfl;39 cfr; 40 cfl; 41 ca; 44 tl; 47 bcl; 48 cal, cfl; 58 bcr; 60 cla, cal; 62 tl; 71 cfr; 88 tl; 99 tr; 102tl; 104 tl; 110 tl; 114 tl; 115 tr; 117 cb; 118 cb;120 cfl, tl, 126 tl; 127 cfr; 138 tr; 146 cfl; 148 tl,bl; 150 bcr; 151 tr; 153 tr; 178 tl; 187 tr; 203 cfr.Alan Outen: 177 tr; 31 tr.Alistair Duncan: 72 cfl; 183 cfr. Andreas Stieglitz: 107 tr, cla, cra.Andrew Beckett: 94 tl.Andrew Butler: 62 cal; 92 bl; 111 car, tr; 127 bl;147 bcl; 149 cla, tr; 159 bcr; 185 tr; 216 bl, cfl.Andrew de Lory: 76 car, cfl.Ardea: 97 cfr; 166 bl.B Borrell Casals: 125 cla; 154 cal; 183 br.Bob Gibbons: 179 tr.C Andrew Henley: 41 tr.Chris Gibson: 1c; 10 bcr; 11 br; 12 bl; 13 bcl;14 cra; 15 tr; 16 bcl; 18 br; 19 cr, tr; 22 cra; 28 cfl;35 bcr, cal, car, cfr, tr; 38 cra, tl; 39 cla, tr; 42car; 46 tl; 55 car, tr; 59 tr; 60 bcl, br, cfl, cra, tl;66 tl; 69 tr, cb; 71 cla; 73 bl; 74 tl; 75 cfl; 76 bcl;82 cb; 89 cb, tr; 90 c, br; 91 ca; 92 tl; 93 tr; 95cfr, cla; 97 cra; 100 tl; 110 cfl; 115 cla; 116 car;119 cal; 121 ca; 124 ca, tl; 126 bl, cfl; 127 car;128 tl; 129 cb, tr; 131 bl; 134 br, cfl; 137 cb, tr;139 tr; 140 bcl; 142 bcl; 144 br; 146 tl; 147 cfr,tr; 150 cal; 151 cfr; 152 bcl; 154 car; 156 bcl,cfl; 157 cal, cfr; 159 cfr; 160 tl; 161 bcr, car, cfr,tr; 163 cfr; 166 cfl; 167 tr; 168 tl; 171 car; 173 tr;175 tr; 176 tl; 179 br, tr; 181 br, cal, tr; 183 tr;185 bl; 190 ca; 191 tr; 192 cfl; 196 car; 199 bcl,cfr; 200 tl; 202 tl; 203 tr; 204 ca; 205 ca, tr; 208 cal, tl; 209 tr; 210 ca; 211 cfr; 215 bl, car.Clive Boursnell: 67 cla; 145 car; 211 bl.David Dixon: 179 cra.David Hosking: 142 tl, cla; 184 bcl; 214 br.Deni Bown: 61 cfl; 156 tl; 210 tl.Derek Hall: 142 cra.E&D Hosking: 94 br; 157 bl; 182 br; 194 tl.Eric Crichton: 42 tl; 48 tl; 73 cfr; 169 tr. F Collect: 199 tr.FLPA: 154 bcl, cal; 166 cbr.Frank Lane Picture Agency, Leo Batten: 186 tl.Garden Picture Library Howard Rice: 87 tr.Heinz Schneider: 10 cfl; 47 ca; 54 bcl; 55 car;72 bcl, cbr, crb.Henriette Kress: 86 cra, tl.Howard Rice: 12 br; 18 car, tl; 50 cl; 157 tr;199 cla, cra.Ingmar Holmasen: 166 tl, cla; cra; 192 cra;194 bl; 195 cbr.Jens Schou: 2; 3; 4; 5; 8 cbl; 11 tc; 12 bcl; 14 cal, tl; 15 ca; 17 cfl; 20 cl, tl; 22 bcl, cfl; 23 bl, cfr; 26 cl; 30 bcl, cfl, cra, tl; 32 tl; 33 cb;34 br, cfl; 58 br; 68 cfl; 72 cal, tl; 75 bl; 86 bl,cal, cfl, cla; 103 tr; 111 bl; 142 cfl; 171 tr; 175 ca;192 cb; 193 tr; 195 bl, cfr.

John Ferro Sims: 87 bc.John Fielding: 32 cl.John Glover: 8 tcl; 36 tl; 40 cal; 42 cfl; 53 tr;68 bcl; 119 cfr; 163 tr; 169 cfr; 184 tl.Joseph Strauch: 10 bl; 144 cfl; 31 cr.Juliette Wade: 28 br; 29 ca; 51 car; 57 cr; 119 tr.Jurgen & Christine Sohns: 62 clb.Justyn Willsmore: 12 bcr; 58 ca; 119 bcr; 158 ca; 180 tl, ca; 181 bcr; 184 cal.Keith Rushforth: 71 tr; 80 clb; 92 cra; 107 cfr;184 cal; clb; 190 cla; 192 tl, cal; 198 tl; 203 br.KW Fink: 61 bl.Life Science Images: 83 cfr.Mr Lloyd-Jones: 154 cla.Mark Newman: 83 bl.Martin B Withers: 97 bl; 178 bl; 202 clb; br.Matthew Ward: 127 tr.Maurice Nimmo: 174 bl.Michael L Charters: 208 clb, br. Michael Rose: 82 car; 154 bl.Mike J Thomas: 214 cra.Mike Slater: 174 clb; John R Seiler: 66bl; 71 br;126 cra; 177 c.Natural Image Bob Gibbons: 83 crb; 86 tl;143 bl; 154 tl; 160 cra, clb, bl; 186 c; 192 bcl;208 cra, bl; 214 tl, clb, bl; 215 tr.Nature Photographers Ltd: 82 tl.Neil Fletcher: 10 c, cr, cbr; 11 tcl, tr, cal, cra,bl, cla; 13 car, cfr, tr; 14 br, cfl; 16 cfl, cra, tl; 17 cr; 18 cfl; 21 bl, cal, car, cfr, cla, crb, tr; 22tl; 23 car; 24 cbl, cra, tl; 26 tl; 27 cfr; 28 tl; 37car, clb; 38 bcl, crb; 39 bl; 40 cbl; 42 bcl; 43 ca,tr; 44 cr; 45 bl, car, cfr, tr; 46 ca; 47 bcr, bl; 48br; 49 bcr, cfr, tr; 50 tl; 51 bcr, cfr, tr; 52 cl, tl;53 cr; 54 cfl, cra, crb, tl; 55 bl, br, cfr, crb; 56bcl, cfl, crb, tl; 57 tr; 59 br, cfr; 60 crb; 61 car;63 ca, cbl, cbr, tr; 64 cr, tl; 65 ca, tr; 66 cal; 67cfr, cra, tr; 68 tl; 70 cbl, cfl, cra, tl; 72 cra; 73car; 75 car, tr; 76 tl; 77 cb, tr; 78 cb, tl; 79 cb,tr; 80 bcl, car, cb, cfl; 81 ca, tr; 83 car, tr; 84bcr, car, tl; 86 crb; 91 tr; 93 cr; 94 cfl; 95 cra, tr;96 cl, tl; 97 cal; 98 ca, tl; 99 ca; 101 ca, tr; 102bl, car, cfl; 103 bl, car, cfr; 104 bl, cal, cbr, cla;106 ca, tl; 107 bl; 108 ca, tl; 109 bl, br, ca, cfr,tr; 111 cfr; 112 cl, tl; 113 bl, car, cfr, tr; 114 cal,cfl; 115 bl, car, cfr; 116 br, cfl, clb, tl; 118 car,cfl, tl; 119 cra; 120 bcr, cal; 121 tr; 122 bcl, bl,cal, cbl, cfl, cra, tl; 123 cal, clb, tr; 125 cb, cfr;129 cla; 130 cr, tl; 131 car, cfr, tr; 132 bcl, cal,cfl, tl; 133 tr; 134 cal, clb, tl; 135 bcl, car, cfr,crb, tr; 136 bl, car, cfl, tl; 138 bl, car, cfl, cla;139 ca, cbl; 140 car, cfl, tl; 141 ca, tr; 143 cbr,cfr,cla, tr; 144 cal, tl; 145 br, cb, cfr, tr; 146 bcl,cal; 148 cb; 150 cfl, tl; 151 br ,cla; 152 ca, cfl;153 cla; 154 cbr, cfl; 155 bcr, car, cfr, clb, tr;156 car; 159 cla, tr; 162 cal, car, cb, cfl, cra, tl;163 bl, cla; 164 ca, tl; 165 ca, tr; 167 cb; 168bcr, cal, car, cfl; 169 car, cb; 170 ca, tl; 171 bl,cfr; 172 bcl, car, tl; 173 ca; 176 ca; 178 cal, car,cra; 179 cfr; 181 cal, cfr; 183 cal; 185 cbr, cfr,cla; 187 br, car, cfr, cla; 188 tl; 189 bl, ca, cfr,cra, crb, tr; 190 bl, cfl; 191 cb; 193 cr; 195 car,cla, tr; 196 bl, cfl; 197 ca, tr; 198 bl, car, cfl;200 cb; 201 ca, tr; 202 ca, cal; 203 car; 204 tl;206 br, car, cfl, tl; 207 ca; 209 cb; 211 cra, tr;212 ca, tl; 213 tr; 216 cal, cla, tl. Oxford Scientific Films Deni Brown: 85 tr, c;125 tr.Roger Wilmshurst: 74 c. RP Lawrence: 215 cfr. Silvertris: 154 crb.Steven Still: 33 tr.Steven Wooster: 174 car, tl.Wardene Weisser: 83 br. All other images © Dorling Kindersley.

Acknowledgments

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