which trees are native to the uk

What is the most common tree in England?

Ash is one of the most common trees in the UK, but as ash dieback sweeps through, is it set to be erased from our countryside? Trees woods and wildlife Aspen Trembling, fluttering and shimmering in the slightest breeze. The rippling leaves of this beautiful tree give it its name: quaking aspen. Trees woods and wildlife Beech, common

What are some names of trees in England?

Feb 08, 2022 · Trees and shrubs: native to Britain Acer campestre (field maple) Betula pendula (silver birch) Corylus avellana (hazel) Ilex aquifolium (holly) Sorbus aucuparia (rowan) People Also Asked, What is the most common tree in the uk? …

What trees are indigenous to New England?

Nov 15, 2021 · Silver birch, oak, alder and sweet chestnut are some of the most common tree species found in Britain. What are the 5 most common trees in the UK? The 5 Most Common Trees in the UK Common Ash – Fraxinus Excelsior. Common ash, sometimes known as European ash, is the most common form of ash tree native to Britain. Aspen – Populus Tremula.

What trees live in England?

however, native trees and shrubs have a place in uk gardens and some are familiar favourites either as full blown trees or clipped plants; e.g. box ( buxus sempervirens ), english yew ( taxus baccata ), holly ( ilex aquifolium ), hornbeam ( carpinus betulus ), beech ( fagus sylvatica ), scots pine ( pinus sylvestris) and silver birch ( betula …

How many trees are native to the UK?

60There are 60 or more trees in Britain that are native, meaning tree species, subspecies or hybrids that have established themselves without the hand of man.

What are the 4 most common trees in the UK?

What are the most common trees in the UK? Silver birch, oak, alder and sweet chestnut are some of the most common tree species found in Britain.Feb 18, 2021

What is the most common tree in UK?

English oak is the UK's most common species of tree. Native to the country it is recognisable through its fruits – the acorn, beloved by squirrels – and beautiful lobed leaves.Aug 20, 2019

Which trees are not native to the UK?

Common non-native treesApple. Tart, tangy and crisp. ... Beech, copper. Deep purple, distinctive, dramatic. ... Cedar. Stately, aromatic, gigantic. ... Plum, cherry. Street tree, early spring flowerer and ancestor of the domestic plum. ... Cherry, sour. Acidic fruits that are adored by birds. ... Elm, field. ... Horse chestnut. ... Chestnut, sweet.More items...

What is a classic British tree?

Beech, common Beech is an enchanting species and known as the queen of British trees. To wander beneath the leafy canopy, its cathedral-like branches spreading upwards, is an awe-inspiring experience.

What British trees have red leaves?

Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is one of the most popular trees grown in the UK for its autumn impact. Similar to the red maple, it delivers a spectacular display of shiny vibrant red and burgundy, star-like foliage, making it a seasonal highlight.Sep 27, 2016

What is the rarest tree in the UK?

Strawberry Cottage Wood - This ancient upland oak wood and SSSI boasts two mature specimens of one of the UK's rarest native trees, the wild service tree. This tree has maple-like leaves which turn red in the autumn, and white flowers which turn into brown leathery fruits.

What is the oldest tree in England?

the Fortingall YewHere in the UK, the Fortingall Yew in Perthshire is believed to be our oldest tree, with an estimated age between 2,000 and 3,000 years.Jun 28, 2018

Is oak native to Britain?

Worldwide there are around 600 species of oak, genus Quercus, all native to the northern hemisphere, but of these are just two species are native to Great Britain and three other non-native oaks are commonly found in these islands.Feb 16, 2018

Are leylandii native to the UK?

As a sterile hybrid accidentally created in Wales from two species of cypress from North America, Leyland cypress is not found in the wild. It is fast-growing and therefore commonly grown in the UK as a hedge in residential areas. It grows well in most soils and prefers full sun. Some animals use the tree as a shelter.

Is Ash a native British tree?

Ash thrives best in fertile, deep and well-drained soil in cool atmospheres. It is native to Europe, Asia Minor and Africa and is also found from the Arctic Circle to Turkey. It is the third most common tree in Britain.

Is Sycamore native to UK?

Sycamore is native to central, eastern and southern Europe. It is thought to have been introduced to the UK by the Romans. However, other reports suggest it was introduced to the UK in the Tudor era around the 1500s.

What is a true native tree?

The definition of native trees: "True natives trees" are often defined as: Trees that colonised Britain during the time between the end of the ice age about 10,000 years ago and the formation of the Channel by the gradual expansion of ancient rivers, some thousands of years later . Trees that came after the Channel had formed are generally called ...

Is Taxus Baccata endemic to Britain?

Taxus baccata. Yes. Although Britain has many native trees, there are effectively no endemic trees, i.e. trees that are native here and nowhere else. If all the trees in Britain were destroyed tomorrow, the world would not lose a single distinct species of tree.

Is Whitebeam an asexual plant?

The small exception is a handful of asexual micro-species of Whitebeam, Sorbus aria. These apomictic plants are a bit of cheat if they want to be held up as unique: they naturally occur in Whitebeam populations around the world and each strain only counts as a distinct species because they reproduce by cloning only.

Introduction

It is widely accepted that ‘native’ trees and shrubs are those species that have occurred naturally in Britain since the last Ice Age. The more recent introductions that have established themselves in the wild are referred to as ‘naturalised’ or ‘archeophytes’.

Practical considerations

This list is a guide for gardeners. If planting outside of gardens for conservation use, seek professional advice regarding choice of species and provenance.

Suitable plants

This list comprises trees and shrubs native to the Britain and Ireland. It excludes natural hybrids and non-native species that have naturalised (see section below).

Large Trees 25m (80ft) or over at maturity

Alnus glutinosa (alder): 25m, good on wet soils Betula pendula AGM (silver birch): 25m, attractive white bark Carpinus betulus AGM (hornbeam): 25m, good for hedging Fagus sylvatica AGM (beech): 25m, good for hedging and chalky soils Fraxinus excelsior AGM (ash): 30m, prefers alkaline soils, seeds freely Ilex aquifolium AGM (holly): 25m, evergreen, attractive berries on female forms Pinus sylvestris AGM (Scots pine) (native in Scotland only): 30m, evergreen, good specimen tree Populus nigra subsp.

Medium Trees between 10-20m (25-70ft) at maturity

Betula pubescens (downy birch): 20m, tolerates poor or wet, acid soil Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn): 10m, good as hedging, attractive berries Populus tremula AGM (aspen): 20m, tolerant of most soils Prunus avium AGM (wild cherry): 20m, attractive flowers and fruits Prunus padus (bird cherry): 15m, autumn colour, fragrant flowers Salix caprea (goat willow): 10m, yellow catkins on male trees Salix pentandra (bay willow): 10m, showy catkins on male trees Salix triandra (almond willow): 10m, long catkins on male trees Sorbus aria (whitebeam): 20m, attractive berries, good on chalk Sorbus aucuparia (rowan): 15m, attractive berries and autumn foliage Sorbus bristoliensis: 10m, woolly leaf undersides, orange fruits Sorbus devoniensis: 15m, medium-sized brown berries Sorbus domestica (service tree): 20m, pollution-tolerant, best on acid soils Sorbus subcuneata: 10m, large, brown berries, not readily available Sorbus torminalis (wild service tree): 20m, attractive autumn colour Taxus baccata AGM (yew): 15m, evergreen, pollution- and wind-tolerant.

Small Trees between 5-9m (5-28ft) at maturity

Acer campestre AGM (field maple): 8m, good autumn colour Arbutus unedo AGM (strawberry tree) (native in Ireland only): 8m, evergreen, attractive flowers, fruit and bark Buxus sempervirens AGM (box): 5m, evergreen, good on chalk, prefers partial shade Corylus avellana (hazel): 5m, good on chalky soil Crataegus laevigata (midland hawthorn): 8m, attractive berries Malus sylvestris (crab apple): 9m, attractive fruit Prunus spinosa (blackthorn): 5m, spiny tree, small purple fruit Pyrus cordata (Plymouth pear): 8m, spiny shrub, small fruits Rhamnus frangula (alder buckthorn): 5m, attractive autumn colour and fruit Salix cinerea (grey willow): 6m, silky male catkins Salix viminalis (osier): 6m, fast-growing, attractive male catkins Sambucus nigra (elder): 6m, attractive flowers and fruit Sorbus arranensis (Arran whitebeam): 7.5m, small fruits, narrow leaves Sorbus eminens: 6m, large red fruit Sorbus hibernica: 6m, small pink/red fruit, not readily available Sorbus lancastriensis: 5m, large crimson fruit Sorbus porrigentiformis: 5m, large leaves, small fruits Sorbus pseudofennica (Arran service tree): 7m, elongated red berries Sorbus rupicola: 6m, elongated leaves, deep red fruit Sorbus vexans: 6m, not good on chalk, scarlet fruit Sorbus wilmottiana: 6m, small leaves and fruit.

Medium Shrubs 1.5-2.5m (5-8ft) at maturity

Cytisus scoparius (broom): 1.5m, thrives in poor, acid soil Rosa agrestis (small-leaved sweet briar): 2m, good on chalk, erect stems, not readily available Rosa arvensis (field rose): 2m, fragrant flowers and red hips Rosa mollis (soft downy rose): 2.5m, pink flowers, small hips, not readily available Rosa rubiginosa AGM (sweet briar): 2.5m, apple-scented foliage, red hips Rosa sherardii (Sherard's downy rose): 2m, clusters of flowers and red hips, not readily available Sorbus anglica (English whitebeam): 2m, good autumn colour Ulex europaeus (gorse): 2.5m, evergreen, good on poor soil Ulex gallii (western gorse): 2m, evergreen, thrives in sandy, acid soil.

What are some trees that have been introduced to Britain?

There is a specific term for species present since 1500; an ‘archaeophyte’. Such species include beech (native only to south-eastern Britain), horse chestnut, sweet chestnut, sycamore and walnut.

How many trees are there in Britain?

Native trees of Britain. There are 60 or more trees in Britain that are native, meaning tree species, subspecies or hybrids that have established themselves without the hand of man.

What is the queen of British trees?

Beech is an enchanting species and known as the queen of British trees. To wander beneath the leafy canopy, its cathedral-like branches spreading upwards, is an awe-inspiring experience. Trees woods and wildlife.

Why is the Wayfaring Tree called that?

Wayfaring tree. A welcome sign you’re homeward bound, the wayfaring tree is so named because it grows close to paths. Look for them in hedges and woodland edges, with full bloom in the spring and heavy with berries in the autumn. Trees woods and wildlife.

What is the name of the butterfly that eats elm leaves?

Its loss goes hand-in-hand with the decline of the elusive white-letter hairstreak butterfly, whose caterpillars rely on elm leaves. Trees woods and wildlife.

What is an A-Z tree?

A-Z of British trees. Our A-Z guide to British trees from native species to naturalised and widely planted non-natives. Trees which colonised the land after the last ice age and before the UK was disconnected from mainland Europe are classed as native. Trees that have been brought to the UK by humans are known as non-native.

When was Douglas Fir first used?

A fragrant home for wildlife, the Douglas fir isn’t just for Christmas. First introduced in the 1800s, it’s been a valuable timber source and provided homes for the likes of red squirrels and pine martens.

When was the Holm Oak first introduced?

With its evergreen leaves, the holm oak is a bold splash of colour in the winter months. It was first introduced in the 1500s and, though it’s not as adapted as our native oaks, it supports plenty of our wildlife.

When was the Western Hemlock introduced?

Dense and graceful, the western hemlock is a handsome tree with drooping branches of soft needles. Introduced in the 1800s, the tree casts such heavy shade that not much can live beneath it.

What is an endemic tree?

a species that has colonised without human assistance; in some cases this is uncertain. The only endemic tree species in Britain and Ireland (that is, that are native only to this region) are some apomictic whitebeams.

How many trees have been introduced by humans?

Many additional species have been imported by humans; the total list of all introduced trees numbers several thousand . A far smaller number of these have become widely naturalised, spreading by their own accord without recourse to further human assistance.

How tall is a tree?

There is no set definition regarding minimum size, though most authors cite a tree species as being one which regularly reaches 6 m (20 ft) tall (see also tree).

What is a native species?

Native species are considered to be species which are today present in the region in question, and have been continuously present in that region since a certain period of time. When applied to Britain and Ireland, three possible definitions of this time constraint are: a species that colonised these islands during ...

Is there a correct tree list for Ireland?

There are a number of issues surrounding the inclusion of a species in such a list. As can be seen from the outline of debate below, there is no 'correct' list of trees of Britain and Ireland. Rowan tree in Wicklow, Ireland.