TEST VERSION 2013 A guide to identifying common trees and shrubs in the winter

2013

A guide to identifying common trees

and shrubs in the winter

A guide to identifying common

trees and shrubs in the winter

By Dominic Price and Leif Bersweden

All proceeds received by the authors will go to The Species Recovery Trust

Acknowledgements

All photographs, illustrations and text Dominic Price and Leif Bersweden

This is a test version. In some places a white box shows where an image will be placed in the final version. The final version will have species accounts in colour.

Contents

Introduction 1

How to use this guide 1

Glossary 2

Key diagnostics 3

Bud summaries

Buds opposite on stem 4 Buds alternate/spiralling on stem 6

Confusable species 8

Winter trees key 10

Species accounts Alder 20 Alder buckthorn 21 Ash 22 Beech 23 Birch 24 Blackthorn 25 Buckthorn 26 Cherry 27 Crab apple 28 Dogwood 29 Elder 30 Elm 31 Field maple 32 Guelder-rose 33 Hawthorn 34 Hazel 35 Hornbeam 36 Horse chestnut 37 Lime 38 Oak 39 Poplar 40 Rowan 41 Spindle 42 Sweet chestnut 43 Sycamore 44 Wayfaring-tree 45 Whitebeam 46 Wild privet 47

Wild service tree 48

Willow 49

Introduction

Winter trees bridge the gap between the mellow fruitfulness of autumn and the re-birth of nature in the spring. They are reminiscent of bleak landscapes, windblown and lying in dormancy to such a degree that that they can appear dead.

Yet closer inspection reveals a different story; a multitude of slowly swelling buds, often visible in August before the tree has even thought about losing it leaves. These represent thousands upon thousands of tiny bundles of life, waiting to spring forth with leaf upon leaf and giving a glimpse of hope in the depth of winter.

A quick glance at the bud summary photos on pages 4-7 of this guide instantly reveals their sheer diversity. On the whole they are extremely varied, unique, and often very easy to learn and remember. Add on top of this the difference between types of bark, size of tree and habitat, and it starts to become a much easier art-form than it seems at first.

For those of us addicted to the need to identify things while out on walks or doing survey work, winter tree ID provides an enjoyable tonic to keep us happy throughout the winter, and once hooked you’ll never look at a tree in the same way!

How to use this guide

This guide covers the broad-leaved deciduous species you are most likely to find in the UK, but includes a few rarer trees too. In some cases, namely with willows and poplars, a number of species have been encompassed under one heading and the commonest members of the group have been highlighted in order to make the information concise and accessible to beginners and experts alike. There are three ways to use the book:

1. If you have a good idea which tree you have, do a quick check in the key diagnostics guide on page 3, and then look up the main species account (listed alphabetically, or use the index). 2. If you have no idea what you have, use the bud summaries on pages 4-7. The only question you

have to answer is whether the buds are opposite or not, which is the first basic step in identifying your tree. Go through the descriptions, cross-referencing with the pictures, and find the phrase which most closely describes what you are looking at (you may end up with more than one phrase). Go to the full description of these and see what best matches your tree.

3. Alternatively you can work your way through the key on page 10. Once you have keyed out your tree check the buds with the illustrations given and, if it seems to match, go to the full description further on in the booklet. We have tried to keep specialist terms to a minimum, but do use the glossary (located before the key) to look up any unfamiliar terminology.

While most species are fairly easy to separate in the winter there are a few that do cause problems. If you find yourself trying to decide between two species, turn to the Confusable species section on page 8 where there are similar species side by side in an easy-to-compare layout.

Glossary

Alternate– refers to the arrangement of buds on the twig A

Catkin– the flower of trees such as alder, birch and hazel B ‘Crocodile back’ – refers to the appearance of the twig C

Epicormic growth– shoots growing straight out of the trunk, often accompanied by bulges in the trunk

Lateral bud– bud found on the side of a twig D

Leaf scar– the mark left on a twig when a leaf falls E

Lenticel– the corky spots or lines on the stem of a twig that allow the tree to take in air

Opposite– refers to the arrangement of buds on the twig into opposite pairs, although they can be offset

Scales– leafy plates forming a protective covering on a bud F

Spines– rigid structures arising from the twig that taper to a sharp point (thorns) G

Suckering– basal shoots

Terminal bud– the bud at the very end of the twig H

Terminal bud Lateral bud Leaf scar Scales Spine

A

E

D

H

F

G

C

B

Key diagnostics

g li s h L a ti n D ia g n o s ti c 1 D ia g n o s ti c 2 ld e r A ln u s g lu ti n o sa ‘B o x e r g lo v e ’ b u d s o n w a rt y o c h re t w ig L o ts o f c a tk in s a n d ‘ c o n e s’ ld e r b u c k th o rn F ra n g u la a ln u s P a le g re y t w ig s B u d s u n sc a le d v e lv e ty f la p s sh F ra x in u s e x c e ls io r B la c k o p p o si te /o ff se t b u d s o n g re y t w ig s B a rk v e ry s m o o th b e c o m in g f is su re d e e c h F a g u s sy lv a ti c a P o in ty b u d s w it h l a rg e s c a le s T h in z ig z a g t w ig s ir c h B e tu la sp p . S le n d e r p u rp li sh t w ig s w it h c a tk in s W a rt s (S il v e r) o r h a ir s (D o w n y ) o n t w ig la c k th o rn P ru n u s sp in o sa L o n g s p in e s w it h b u d s o n B a rk d a rk a n d r o u g h ; p e e ls w it h a g e u c k th o rn R h a m n u s c a th a rt ic a Ta lo n -l ik e o p p o si te /o ff se t b u d s U n ti d y l o o k a b o u t it h e rr y P ru n u s a v iu m o r p a d u s H o ri z o n ta l li n e s o n b a rk R e d -b ro w n b u d s, r o u n d e d w it h a p o in t ra b a p p le M a lu s sy lv e st ri s G ro u n d b e lo w c o v e re d i n s m a ll a p p le s S m a ll t re e , o ft e n i n h e d g e ro w s o g w o o d C o rn u s sa n g u in e a C o lo u rf u l (r e d ) st e m s B u d s ly in g c lo se t o s te m e r S a m b u c u s n ig ra V e ry w a rt y, p it h y i n si d e B u d s o p p o si te , m a d e o f sh ri v e ll e d l e a v e s U lm u s sp p . T in y b la c k b u d s (c .2 m m ) O ld e r tw ig s w it h ‘ c ro c o d il e s k in ’ ld m a p le A c e r c a m p e st re B u d s b ro w n ; w h it e h a ir y s c a le e d g e s M a n y o ld e r tw ig s a re s tr ip y u e ld e r-ro se V ib u rn u m o p u lu s O p p o si te s h in y b u d s, r e d d is h -g re e n A n g le d s te m , p it h y i n si d e a w th o rn C ra ta e g u s m o n o g y n a S m a ll t h o rn s w it h b u d a t b a se Tw ig s o ft e n z ig z a g g in g a z e l C o ry lu s a v e ll a n a Y o u n g e r tw ig s d o w n y G lo b u la r g re e n o r b ro w n b u d s o rn b e a m C a rp in u s b e tu lu s P o in ty b u d s o n s le n d e r tw ig B u d s o ft e n c u rv e i n w a rd s sl ig h tl y o rs e c h e st n u t A e sc u lu s h ip p o c a st a n u m L a rg e s ti c k y b ro w n b u d s H o rs e sh o e -s h a p e d l e a f sc a rs e T il ia sp p . R e d t w ig s (c a n b e g re e n ) P lu m p r e d b u d s (s o m e ti m e s g re e n ) a k Q u e rc u s sp p . M a n y -s c a le d o ra n g e y -b ro w n b u d s C lu st e r o f b u d s a t e n d o f tw ig p la r P o p u lu s sp p . B u d s w it h m o re t h a n o n e s c a le Tw ig s v a ri a b le b e tw e e n s p e c ie s o w a n S o rb u s a u c u p a ri a B u d s sh o rt , p o in ty , a n d a lt e rn a te B ra n c h e s te n d t o g ro w u p w a rd s in d le E u o n y m u s e u ro p a e u s V e ry g re e n s te m s M a n y -b ra n c h e d a n d s p in d ly e e t c h e st n u t C a st a n e a s a ti v a D e e p o c h re a n g le d t w ig s w it h w a rt s A lt e rn a te , p lu m p b u d s sa t o n ‘ sh e lv e s’ c a m o re A c e r p se u d o p la ta n u s O p p o si te g re e n b u d s B a rk t u rn in g f ro m s m o o th t o f la k y a y fa ri n g -t re e V ib u rn u m l a n ta n a O p p o si te b u d s li k e v e lv e ty ‘ fa w n e a rs ’ B u d s a n d t w ig s ‘m e a ly ’ h it e b e a m S o rb u s a ri a V e ry w h it e l e a v e s u n d e rn e a th E d g e s o f b u d s c a le s h a ir y il d p ri v e t L ig u st ru m v u lg a re M a n y -b ra n c h e d , re ta in in g s o m e l e a v e s S m a ll b la c k b e rr ie s il d s e rv ic e -t re e S o rb u s to rm in a li s G re e n p e a -l ik e b u d s S p re a d in g , tw ig s fo rk in g il lo w S a li x sp p . B u d s h a v e o n e s c a le Tr e e b a rk w it h d e e p g a sh e s

In some species, such as ash and spindle, the buds are occasionally offset from each other but still share the overall characteristics on this group.

Buds opposite on stem

In these species the buds face each other on

Ash– Page 22

Buds black and velvety, on grey stems (can be offset). Bark smooth, becoming fissured.

Elder– Page 30

Buds comprise miniature shrivelled leaves on warty, pithy stem. Shrub has weak branches.

Buckthorn– Page 26

Buds talon-like and often in offset pairs. Grows in hedges; shrub often looks untidy.

Field maple– Page 32

Buds brown with white hairy scale edges, often on side twigs. Bark with vertical ridges.

Dogwood– Page 29

Buds lying close to red (at times green) stem. Red, many-twigged shrub.

Guelder-rose– Page 33

Shiny, red-green buds on grey angled stem. Shrub with smooth bark, becoming rougher.

Horse chestnut– Page 37

Large, sticky, brown buds. Edges of bark lifting off in older trees.

Wayfaring-tree– Page 45

Buds resemble velvety ‘fawn ears’ on a mealy brown stem. Shrub, bark fissures when old.

Spindle– Page 42

Green opposite/offset buds lying flat on green angled stem. Many-branched shrub.

Wild privet– Page 47

Buds brown-green, dumpy and in opposite/ offset pairs. Many-branched shrub; leaves persist during the winter.

Sycamore– Page 44

Green buds on grey-brown stems. Bark grey and smooth; flaky on older trees.

Buds alternate/spiralling on stem

Alder– Page 20

Reddish purple ‘boxing glove’ buds on warty ochre twig with catkins and ‘cones’.

Cherry– Page 27

Buds comprise miniature shrivelled leaves on warty, pithy stem. Shrub has weak branches.

Crab apple– Page 28

Brown, downy-tipped buds, usually stalked. Bark fissures into small, rectangular plates.

Beech– Page 23

Buds very pointy and on a slender twig. Trunk grey with horizontal wrinkles.

Elm spp.– Page 31

Tiny black buds (c.2 mm). Older trees with ‘crocodile skin’.

Birch spp.– Page 24

Small, green-brown buds on slender twig. Bark peeling, branches drooping.

Goat willow– Page 49

Plump orange-red buds. Bark with vertical gashes and fissures when old.

Blackthorn– Page 25

Very spiny; buds are on twigs and spines. Bark very dark and peeling with age.

Hawthorn– Page 34

Spiny, buds at base of spines, usually not on them. Bark pale brown and flaking with age.

These buds show a variety of

Alder buckthorn– Page 21

Buds are tufted and lack scales; spreading spindly branches. Vertical orange slits in bark.

Whitebeam– Page 46

Green buds with brown margins and white hairs on edges of scales. Bark glossy.

Wild service-tree– Page 48 Hazel– Page 35

Plump green-brown buds on hairy stem. Often coppiced, smooth grey/brown bark.

Hornbeam– Page 36

Pointy buds on slender twig. Trunk smooth and grey, rather furrowed.

Lime– Page 38

Plump buds on red twig (can be green). Suckering freely, very fissured when old.

Oak– Page 39

Rowan– Page 41

Short pointy buds on a shiny twig. Smooth grey bark with horizontal scars.

Sweet chestnut– Page 43

Plump buds sitting on individual shelves. Bark becoming fissured, then twisting.

Confusable species

Beech and hornbeam

• Beech has longer, pointier buds • Hornbeam buds lie closer to the stem whereas beech buds tend to point away from the stem • Beech twigs are always smooth

while hornbeam twigs can be hairy • Hornbeam bark develops angled

furrows when old; beech bark

develops cross-ridges. Beech Hornbeam

Blackthorn and hawthorn • Blackthorn has buds on the spines,

hawthorn rarely does • Hawthorn bark tends to flake

whereas blackthorn bark peels • If berries are present (autumn) –

blackthorn has black berries, hawthorn red berries.

Blackthorn Hawthorn

Wych elm and English elm • Wych elm twigs stick out at 90

degrees to the stem, in English elm at approximately 60 degrees • Wych elm buds have many tiny

rust-coloured hairs which are absent or very few in English elm.

Wych elm English elm

N.B. for poplars and willows see individual species

Common lime and small-leaved lime

N.B. These species are virtually impossible to distinguish in the winter

• Common lime twigs tend to be linear; small-leaved lime twigs are more branched.

Silver birch and downy birch N.B. The following characteristics are not definitive

• Silver birch has hairless warty twigs whereas downy birch has hairy twigs that lack warts

• Downy birch is a more erect tree than silver birch without many drooping branches

• Silver birch twigs are usually shiny; downy birch twigs being duller and darker

• Young downy birch will have brownish bark that barely peels; young silver birch have pale silvery bark that easily peels.

Pedunculate oak and sessile oak • The acorn cups of pedunculate oak are stalked whereas those of sessile oak are unstalked

• Pedunculate oak buds usually have fewer than 20 scales, sessile oak buds have more than 20 scales • Sessile oak has a narrower crown

than pedunculate oak and its

branches grow upwards more. _{Pedunculate oak Sessile oak}

Silver birch Downy birch

Wild cherry and bird cherry • The inner bark of wild cherry twigs

is odourless whereas that of bird cherry emits a strong odour • Bird cherry buds appear singly on

the twig; wild cherry buds occur in clusters of up to 9

• Bird cherry has shiny bark whereas wild cherry has matt bark.

Wild cherry Bird cherry

Handy Tip – if your specimen has catkins it must be alder, birch or hazel. In addition, willows have downy flowers which are superficially similar to catkins.

N.B. Some poplars and willows have been included in the key but these genera cannot be definitively identified in the winter.

1 Buds opposite... Go to 2

- Buds alternate/spiralling... Go to 16

Opposite buds

2 Buds lying flat against the stem, bud tip pointing towards the end of the twig ... Go to 3 - Buds pointing away from the stemor on a short stalk... Go to 10

3 Bud scales present... Go to 4 - Bud scales absent...…... Go to 6

4 Twigs green, flattened at buds; prominentside brancheson twigs ... ... Spindle(p. 42) - Twigs not as above...Go to 5

5 Semi-evergreen shrub, very branched; twigs often growing upwards.

Buds small, green/brown... Wild privet(p. 47) - Young twigs very straight, buds dark brown and ‘talon-like’; older

twigs develop buds on short stalks... Buckthorn(p. 26) - Young twigs pale brown; terminal bud often with greyish hairs...

... Field maple(p. 32)

6 Pairs of buds towards the end of the twig bulbous. Buds red/ green; the twig is a pale grey/brownand hairless ... Guelder-rose(p. 33) - Buds not as above ...Go to 7

Winter Trees Key

7 Buds black, small and compact... Ash(p. 22) - Buds brown and flap-like... Go to 8

8 Young twigs red(older twigs brown). Usually forms a many-branched shrub found in hedgerows and scrub ... Dogwood(p. 29) - All twigs brown (possibly with a mealy coating) ... Go to 9

9 Twigs brownwith mealyyellow coating; smooth... ... Wayfaring-tree(p. 45)

- Twigs pale brown/grey; ridged... Elder(p. 30)

10Buds brown... Go to 11 - Buds not brown... Go to 15

11 Terminal bud and leaf scars large and distinct. Larger buds are usually very sticky ... Horse chestnut (p. 37) - Terminal bud similar in sizeto other buds ... Go to 12

12Some buds borne upon stalks... Go to 13 - Not as above... Go to 14

13Semi-evergreen shrub, very branched; twigs often growing upwards.

Buds small, green/brown.…...….. Wild privet(p. 47) - Young twigs very straight, buds dark brown and ‘talon-like’; older

twigs develop buds on short stalks... Buckthorn(p. 26) - Young twigs pale brown; terminal bud often with greyish hairs...

14Twigs brittle and covered in warts; forming large shrubs in hedgerows and scrub ... Elder(p. 30)

- Twigs with mealy white or yellow coating; buds resemble large hairy fawn ears ... Wayfaring-tree(p. 45)

15Buds green, some buds on side stalks ... Sycamore(p. 44)

- Buds black, small and compact ... Ash(p. 22)

- Buds red, slender at first, becoming bulbous with age... ... Guelder-rose(p. 33)

Alternate/spiralling buds

16Spines present... Go to 17 - Spines absent... Go to 18

17Twigs robust, very spiny, longer spines bearing buds. The bark is very dark, beginning to peel with age ... Blackthorn(p. 25) N.B. Crab apple and buckthorn may occasionally key out here.

- Twigs delicate and brown, buds at baseof spines, rarely on them. Brown bark, flakes with age ... Hawthorn(p. 34)

18Twigs covered in dense white felt... White poplar(p. 40) - Twigs not as above... Go to 19

19Buds lying flat against the stem, bud tip pointing towards the end of the twig ... Go to 20

- Buds pointing away from the stemor on a short stalk... Go to 28

20Bud scales present... Go to 21 - Bud scales absent (or difficult to tell)... Go to 26

21Buds green; scales with brown margins... Go to 22 - Buds not as above... Go to 23

22Buds rounded, pea-like... Wild service-tree(p. 48)

- Buds pointed, lying close to stem... Birch spp. (p. 24)

23Buds orange/brown, with short white hairs (N.B. can be confused with beechbut buds are shorter and less pointed) ... ... Hornbeam(p. 36) - Buds red/green... Go to 24

24End of twig hairy, buds red/green; catkins usually present from January onwards ... Hazel(p. 35) - End of twig hairless... Go to 25

25Scales green with purplish brown margins, scale tips with small white hairs... Whitebeam(p. 46) - Buds and twigs red/green, twigs usually zigzagging...

... Lime spp.(p. 38)

26Buds flap-like, pressed right onto the stem. Twigs very straight and light brown. Usually found near water... Crack willow(p. 49) - Buds fairly large (8-10 mm), yellow/orange; when broken open they

are cottony inside. Twigs are green with algae ... Goat willow(p. 49) N.B. Grey willow may key out here.

- None of the above... Go to 27

27Buds reddish brown, those on main stem rounded at tip; leaf scars as big as buds. Twigs a deep ochre, angled and with warts ... ... Sweet chestnut(p. 43) - Buds tiny, dark brown/black. Twigs brown, side stalks approximately

at right anglesto the twig ... Elm spp.(p. 31) - Buds green/brown, pointed. Twigs thin and purplish, usually with

catkins... Birch spp.(p. 24)

28Buds roughly spherical/oval-shaped... Go to 29 - Buds elongated, often pointed (at least 2.5 x as long as wide) ... Go to 47 - Buds small and tufted, brown. Twigs grey and knobbly... ... Alder buckthorn(p. 21)

29Buds with obviously 4 or more scales... Go to 30 - Buds with obviously 1-3 scales... Go to 43 - Bud scales distinguishable but difficult to count/buds very small and

scales indistinguishable ... Go to 30

30 Somebuds on short stalks off the main twig... Go to 31 - Buds unstalked... Go to 38

31Buds distinctly green, pea-like, some buds on short stalks ... ... Wild service-tree(p. 48) - Buds not as above... Go to 32

32Buds 8 mm long or longer, dark with white hairsand can be quite pointed ... Rowan(p. 41) - Buds less than 8 mm long... Go to 33

33Buds on stem rounded at tip, leaf scars as big as buds; twigs a deep ochre, angled and with warts ... Sweet chestnut (p. 43) - Buds acute/pointed(to a varying degree) ... Go to 34

34Buds very small and in little clusters, unstalked; twigs relatively straight ……... Blackthorn(p. 25) - Buds red/green/brown, some on small side stalks ... Go to 35

35 Multiple scars below bud(like a ‘pile of pancakes’) ... Go to 36 - Not as above... Go to 37

36Twigs with greyish peeling layer, medium brown budson scarred twigs. Bark has horizontal marks ... Cherry spp.(p. 27)

- Buds small, red. Layer of green algae usually present, thorns sometimes present ... Hawthorn(p. 34)

37Twigs usually with a layer of green algae, buds brown, scale edges hairy ... Crab apple(p. 28)

- Twigs slender, delicate and purplish, often with catkins. Buds green/brown, pointed ... Birch spp.(p. 24)

- Twigs fairly robust, bud scales green with a brown margin ... ... Whitebeam(p. 46)

39Buds hard, orange/brown with many scales. Unstalked.... Oak(p. 39)

- Twigs very dark, occasionally pale grey, matching the colour of the buds which spiral up the stem. Buds can occur in tight clusters. Twigs

may have thorns... Blackthorn(p. 25)

40Buds 4 mm or longer; red/green/brown ... Go to 41 - Buds less than 4 mm long, dark brown/black ..…... Go to 42

41Buds plump, red/green. Catkins usually present from January onwards ... Hazel(p. 35) - Bud scales green with a brown margin; twigs fairly robust ...

... Whitebeam(p. 46) - Buds and twigs red/green, twigs can be very zigzagged...

... Lime spp.(p. 38)

42 Twigs very dark, buds which spiral up the stem. Some plants have greyish twigs with each bud replaced by a small cluster. Twigs may have thorns ... Blackthorn(p. 25)

- Twigs brown, side stalks approximately at right anglesto the twig. Buds tend not to spiral around the twig but are clearly alternate …… ... Elm spp.(p. 31)

43Buds plump, yellow/orange; when broken open they are cottony inside. A lot more frequent towards the endof the twig ... ... Goat willow(p. 49) N.B. Grey willow may key out here.

- Buds not as above... Go to 44

44Buds unstalked... Go to 45 - Some buds on short stalks... Go to 46

45Buds on stem small and bulbous; leaf scars as big as buds. Twigs a deep ochre, angled and with warts ... Sweet chestnut(p. 43) - Buds and twigs red/green, twigs can be very zigzagged...

... Lime spp. (p. 38)

46Many knobbly stalks branching from the main stem, each with a club-shapedterminal bud ... Alder(p. 20)

- Buds small, red. Layer of green algae usually present, thorns sometimes present ... Hawthorn(p. 34)

47Buds with 12-15 scales, copper-coloured and pointed, clearly spreading at 45 to the twig ... Beech(p. 23) - Buds with 1-5 scales... Go to 48

48Buds sharply pointed... Poplar spp.(p. 40) - Buds more rounded... Go to 49

49 Greyish hairspresent on buds ... Go to 50 - Many knobbly stalks branching from the main stem, each with a

club-shapedterminal bud ... Alder(p. 20)

50Buds greenish with hairy scale edges ... Whitebeam(p. 46)

- Buds brown, slightly purple, usually with hairy scale edges ... ... Rowan(p. 41)

Alder

Alnus glutinosa

Overall characteristics • Grows up to 30 m tall

• Damp woodland and by lakes and rivers • Conical shape

• Woody cone-like fruits usually present (which are the fruiting female catkins) C

• Typically adorned with a mass of ‘decorations’ in the form of the fruits of both male and female catkins

Twigs D

• Ochre (young twigs can be greenish) • Ridged when young

• Orange warts present (these are called lenticels; they allow the tree to exchange gases with its environment) B

Buds B

• Reddish-purple, usually bearing a couple of very thin orange lines that run longitudinally (these are glands)

• On short stalks (approximately 3 mm long) • ‘Boxing glove’ shaped

• Sometimes have a sticky layer of resin Bark A

• Purplish brown and smooth when young, soon dark grey-brown

• Fissures over time, eventually cracking into vertical plates

• When cut, the wood becomes a blood-orange

colour

C

A

B

Alder buckthorn

Frangula alnus

Overall characteristics

• Shrub or tree of damp acidic soils (bogs and open damp woodlands)

• Up to 5 m tall • Relatively uncommon • Spreading spindly branches Twigs CD

• Pale grey

• Many side stalks bearing terminal buds • Slightly hairy

• Round, with lots of small, knobbly projections (where you would expect to find buds) that make the twig feel bumpy when you run your finger up it

Buds BE • Flap-like, tufted • Velvety hairy • No scales

• Usually only present at the end of the twig/side stalk, rarely growing unstalked Bark A

• Slightly rough, with vertical orange slits • Inner bark is lime green and emits a strong

smell

A

B

C

E

Ash

Fraxinus excelsior

Overall characteristicsA • Slim, tall (up to 30 m) • Domed top

• Widely-spaced branches

• Bears clumps of winged seeds in early autumn

• Locally abundant, tending to grow on damper soils

Twigs D

• Grey (but can be greenish) • Stem flattened below the buds • Tend to be very straight • Lack a ridge between the buds Buds C

• Velvet matt black

• Opposite pairs (can be offset) • Larger terminal buds

• Terminal bud resembles the tip of a cross-head screwdriver

Bark B • Pale grey

• Smooth when young, becomes heavily lined with age as a pattern of vertical fissures develops

A

B

C

Beech

Fagus sylvatica

Overall characteristics • Grows up to 40 m tall

• Young trees are slim and conical • Old trees can get very big and are

many-branched and domed

• Young trees and hedges retain dead, copper-coloured leaves in winter

• Similar species see hornbeam (p. 36) Twigs DE

• Thin, reddish-brown

• Young twigs have a few long hairs • Small, pale spots present, usually in

abundance (called lenticels) • Often zigzagging

Buds CD

• Long and slender (1-2 cm long), spreading from twig

• Tapering to a relatively sharp point • Scales are large and copper-coloured,

eventually developing a whitish tip Bark AB

• Smooth and grey

• Older trees first develop horizontal wrinkles and then criss-crossing ridges/furrows

A

C

B

Birch

Betula

spp.

Overall characteristicsA • Grows up to 30 m tall

• Distinctive drooping branches in silver birch • Downy birch more erect than silver birch • Very straight trunk

• Usually grows in woods, heaths and on the edge of bogs

Twigs D

• Slender, dark brown with a purple tint • Often with catkins

• If hairy it will be downy birch, hairless and warty silver birch (however hybrids are common, so this isn’t definitive) Buds C

• Small and shiny • Pointed

• Hints of pale green and orangey brown Bark B

• Peeling and papery (far more so in silver birch) • Young trees with silvery grey bark will most

likely be silver birch

• Young trees with brownish bark will most likely be downy birch (again, this is not definitive)

• Becoming deeply fissured and knobbly on older trees

• Silver birch has dark diamond shaped patches (lenticels)

A

B

C

Blackthorn

Prunus spinosa

Overall characteristics

• Shrub, usually in hedgerows or scrub but occasionally as free-standing tree to 4 m • Spines almost always present

• Flowers before it produces leaves • Many-branched and freely suckering,

forming thickets

• Black berries (sloes) persist into the winter E • Similar species see hawthorn (p. 34)

Twigs B

• Bear several long spines which may eventually bear leaves and flowers/fruit themselves. Some can be large (exceeding 7 cm in length, appearing to be separate side-shoots) • Dark coloured, some young twigs developing

a silvery outer layer • Young twigs slightly hairy

• Branched in many directions (usually sticking out at 45-90 degrees from the stem) Buds CD

• Grow on the spines as well as on the stem • Occasionally in clusters

Bark A

• Black and rough, often powdered with algae • On older specimens starts to peel

A

B

Buckthorn

Rhamnus cathartica

Overall characteristicsB • Spreading deciduous tree to 6 m

• Often found growing as a shrub in a hedgerow • Has an untidy look about it

• Young twigs sprouting from the trunk • Spines sometimes present

Twigs CD

• Very straight, particularly the younger twigs • Greyish

• Some bearing thin spines • Often branching at 90 degrees

• When broken they reveal orangey wood that has a noticeable odour

Buds CD

• Reddish-brown, talon-like

• In slightly staggered or perfect opposite pairs • Pressed closely against the stem

• Older branches have single buds borne upon stalks

Bark A

• Orange patches can been seen between fissures • Becoming dark brown with age and

beginning to flake

• Lichens and mosses obscure colour

A

B

C

D

Cherry

Prunus

spp.

Overall characteristicsB

• Native deciduous tree, often planted • Wild cherry up to 30 m, bird cherry tends to

be a much smaller tree or a large shrub • High, domed crown

• Often retaining some old leaves during the winter

Twigs D

• Relatively straight, often curving up at the ends • Peeling pale grey layer, red-brown

underneath • Smooth

• Inner bark of twigs is either odourless (wild cherry) or has a strong odour (bird cherry) Buds CE

• Red-brown, rounded with a point • Visible scales

• Often at end of multiple scars – like a ‘pile of pancakes’

• Single in bird cherry, in clusters of up to 9 in wild cherry

Bark A

• Characteristic orangey brown horizontal lines (lenticels)

• Grey to red

• Shiny in bird cherry, matt in wild cherry • Peels when young, rough when old

A

B

C

E

Crab apple

Malus sylvestris

Overall characteristicsAB

• A small tree, growing up to 10 m tall • Usually found in hedgerows or in woodland • Check for small apples on the ground • It is worth noting that many apparently wild

crab apples are in fact naturalised apples derived from discarded apple cores Twigs C

• Greyish-brown, often bearing lichens • May have a thin white latex

• Hairless • Often thorny Buds D

• Reddish-brown

• Oval-shaped with downy tips • Alternate

• Usually stalked Bark

• Deep brown

• Fissures into small, irregular, rectangular plates • Often covered in mosses and lichen

A

B

D

Dogwood

Cornus sanguinea

Overall characteristicsA • Shrub, growing to 4 m tall

• Tends to occupy scrub or hedgerows • Easily identifiable from a distance due to its

red twigs

• Prefers calcareous soils • Suckering

Twigs CD

• Blood red (can be green in the shade) • Smooth

• Pale spots usually present (lenticels) Buds BE

• Dark brown, in opposite pairs • Lying flat alongside stem • Slightly hairy

• No scales Bark

• The more mature specimens have ridged bark • When bruised it gives off a putrid smell

A

B

C

E

Elder

Sambucus nigra

Overall characteristicsB

• A bushy shrub (to 10 m) with many stems arising at ground level

• The pith inside the stalks resembles white, spongy cork

• Grows in a variety of habitats, including scrub, hedgerows, waste ground and woods • Very common around rabbit warrens as

rabbits don’t eat elder Twigs C

• Often brittle, hollow/contain white pith • Angled surface giving a fluted appearance • Prominent warts (these are lenticels) • Unpleasant smell when crushed (likened to

cat urine or putrid gravy) Buds D

• In opposite pairs • Very untidy

• No scales; the apparent ‘buds’ are in fact young leaves, although brown and shrivelled Bark A

• Pale brown, corky

• Deeply grooved, particularly when mature • Frequently covered in mosses and liverworts

A

B

D

Elm

Ulmus

spp.

Overall characteristicsB • Tall (growing to 35 m)

• Relatively narrow oblong-shaped tree • Usually grows in hedgerows; full size trees

are uncommon due to Dutch elm disease • English elm freely suckers

• Elms are a complex group of trees and often difficult to distinguish between

Twigs CD

• Hairy at first becoming smooth

• Often have corky ‘crocodile backs’, some thinner twigs developing ‘corky-wings’ • Stick straight out in wych elm

• Stick out at approximately 60 degrees in English elm

Buds EF

• Black (or dark brown) • Tiny (c. 2 mm)

• Often have very tiny rust-coloured hairs, particularly in wych elm

Bark A

• Smooth at first, becoming fissured

A

B

C

D

F

Field maple

Acer campestre

Overall characteristics

• Can reach 20 m in height as a tree, although often grows as a shrub

• Very round in profile (although old trees can reach a considerable height and girth) • The ends of the branches tend to droop

before turning upwards

• Often found in hedgerows and woodlands Twigs CD

• Light brown and slightly hairy

• Many developing characteristic ‘stripes’ • Older twigs have ‘crocodile back’ Buds EF

• Green and reddish-brown with visible white hairy edges

• Opposite pairs, often on stalks Bark AB

• Grey or dark brown

• Fine, shallow, vertical fissures that get more evident with age

• Older specimens start losing flakes

B

C

F

E

D

Guelder-rose

Viburnum opulus

Overall characteristics • Shrub 2-4 m tall

• Common towards the south-east of England • Typically found on chalk and limestone

habitats

• Bright red berries which, when ripe, have an unpleasant odour C

Twigs BD

• Grey, angled and hairless

• Twig ends in a withered stalk (where the berries were)

• Pithy inside Buds DE

• Younger buds slender, becoming bulbous with age

• Opposite pairs • Smooth, and shiny • Reddish-green Bark A

• Pale and smooth in young trees, becoming rougher

A

B

C

E

Hawthorn

Crataegus monogyna

Overall characteristicsA

• Shrub (to 15 m) commonly found in hedgerows and scrub, although it is often present in woodland

• Occasionally occurs as a free-standing tree • Often planted as field boundaries

• Similar species see blackthorn (p. 25) Twigs D

• Small thorns usually present, but not always • Green to reddish brown

• Often zigzagging Buds CE

• Small, oval-shaped • Slightly reddish

• Can be at the end of multiple scars – ‘pile of pancakes’

• Found at base of thorns, rarely on them Bark B

• Greyish brown

• When older starts flaking off in rough rectangles

A

B

E

Hazel

Corylus avellana

Overall characteristics

• Most frequently found as coppice: shrubs in managed woodland are up to 4 m but those in unmanaged coppices can outgrow this • Common hedgerow shrub

• Suckering, producing many stems Twigs BD

• Pale brown, softly furry when young (older specimens retain hairs at the shoot tip) • Slightly zigzagged

• Often with catkins B_{and/or female buds} C (which flower February onwards)

Buds E

• Pale green and smooth (can also be reddish brown)

• Large visible scales that have a thin brown edge

• Plump, oval-shaped Bark A

• Smooth and shiny, from grey to reddish brown • Very visible horizontal warts (lenticels)

• Tends to peel

A

B

E

Hornbeam

Carpinus betulus

Overall characteristicsA

• Frequently found in parks and ornamental hedges, native to the south of England • Frequently pollarded

• Rather like a smaller version of beech but branches more outward growing • Similar species see beech (p. 23) Twigs CE

• Brown, often zigzagged • Slightly hairy

Buds DF

• Pale brown (can be orangey) with visible elongated scales

• Buds lie close to the stem (whereas in beech they tend to stick out more) and often curve inwards slightly

Bark B

• Grey and smooth when young, but angled (not rounded)

• Older trees develop furrows

A

B

C

F

Horse chestnut

Aesculus hippocastanum

Overall characteristics

• Can be huge (to 25 m). Often found in parkland

• Branches arch down and then out • Usually planted but regularly self-seeds Twigs CD

• Greyish brown

• Covered in protruding white spots (lenticels) • Typically un-branched

• Horseshoe-shaped leaf scars Buds BE

• Very sticky

• Large, with visible scales • Dark reddish brown • Can grow on short stalks Bark A

• Grey-brown, often covered in powdery lichen and algae

• Becomes flaky in older trees, with edges lifting off tree

A

Lime

Tilia

spp.

Overall characteristics

• Large trees (growing up to 45m tall) • Downwards arching branches and twigs • Hybrids widely planted in parks as well as in

woodland

• Common lime often displays epicormic growth (twigs and bulges) on the lower half of the trunk

• Common lime is the hybrid between small-leaved lime and large-small-leaved lime, rarely found naturally with both parent trees present

Twigs D

• Very red (can be green) and waxy-smooth • Common lime freely suckers from the base of

the tree; small-leaved lime does not do this • Can be very zigzagged

• Common lime twigs are linear; small-leaved lime twigs tend to be more branched Buds CD

• Blunt, rounded • Alternate on stem

• Red-purple (occasionally green) Bark AB

• Young tree smooth, sometimes lightly cracked • Old trees become very fissured

• Common lime has large lumps on the lower trunk

A

B

C

Oak

Quercus

spp.

Overall characteristicsA • Large graceful trees up to 30 m • Very branched

• Often with epicormic growth (twigs and bulges on trunk)

• As a rough guide, pedunculate oak is the dominant species in English lowlands, sessile oak is more dominant in upland oak woods Twigs C

• Grey to brown with pale warts • Often with thin silvery peeling layer • Many-branched

Buds D

• Orangey brown, plump

• Many-scaled with waxy hairless scales • Terminal buds in a cluster

• More than 20 scales probably sessile oak, fewer than 20 English oak

• If you can find acorn cups, English oak are on stalks (usually 2-3 cm long but can reach 8 cm), sessile oak are unstalked

Bark B

• Smooth at first

• Vertically fissured from young age

A

B

D

Poplar

Populus

spp.

Overall characteristicsA

• A complex group of trees, difficult to separate in winter

• Found in damp woods, by streams or planted in parkland

• Check for a carpet of white/grey leaves underneath

• Similar species see willows (p. 49)

• Broad, spreading crown, grows to 25 m (white poplar)

• Slender tree, suckers freely, grows to 25 m (aspen) • Crown has multiple domes, grows to 40 m

(grey poplar)

• Spreading crown, branches arching down, doesn’t sucker, grows to 35 m (black poplar)

N.B.Don’t confuse the latter with hybrid black poplar

whose main branches rise and curve upwards Twigs D

• Young twigs covered in dense white felt (white poplar)

• Twigs hairless when mature (aspen) • Thinly downy (grey poplar)

• Tend to be hairless but can be densely hairy (black poplar)

Buds C

• Poplar buds have several scales (willow buds have one scale)

• Thickly downy, becoming hairless and reddish-brown with age, bluntly pointed (white poplar) • Hairless, cone-shaped, sharply pointed, sticky

(aspen)

• Thinly downy when young, egg-shaped (grey poplar)

• Hairless, oval-shaped, narrowing slowly to a point (black poplar)

Bark B

• Smooth and grey (white poplar)

• Smooth and pale with horizontal rows of small pores (aspen)

• When young, smooth, yellowish-grey bark with horizontal lines of small diamond-shaped pores. When old, roughly fissured (grey poplar)

• Dark in colour, with swollen bosses (black poplar) N.B.Hybrid black poplar doesn’t have trunk bosses

A

B

C

Rowan

Sorbus aucuparia

Overall characteristicsA • Smallish tree, up to 16 m • Branches tend to grow upwards

• Frequently found in upland areas on acidic soils, rare in lowlands (although often planted in parks or gardens)

Twigs C

• Upwards growing

• Grey or sometimes shiny brown • Very smooth

• Young twigs usually have some long hairs Buds D

• Conical

• On very short stalks

• Slightly purple scales, hairy scale edges (can be very hairy)

Bark B

• Grey and smooth • Horizontal scars

A

B

D

Spindle

Euonymus europaeus

Overall characteristics

• Many-branched shrub or small tree (to 6 m) • Occurs on calcareous soils

• Spectacular orange/pink fruit D • ‘Spindly’ look about it

Twigs C

• Noticeably green

• Angled stems, with flat faces • Prominent side-branches on twigs • Lack a ridge between the buds Buds B

• Small, opposite (can be offset)

• Pale green with reddish brown scale margins • Lying flat on stem

Bark A

• Pale brown to grey • ‘Rippling’ surface

A

B

D

Sweet chestnut

Castanea sativa

Overall characteristics

• Common tree in south-east, often planted elsewhere

• Often coppiced but when mature can grow up to 25 m

• Look for spiny nut cases on ground

• Branches arch down, often touching ground Twigs D

• Shiny, smooth with angled face

• Sometimes covered in white dusting which comes off when rubbed

• Deep ochre, angled, with warts • Tend to grow straight

• Small white spots (lenticels) Buds CE

• Light brown/with light green sections • Plump, sat on ‘shelves’

• Alternate Bark AB

• Smooth brown on young

• Surface fissures longitudinally on older specimens

• Starts to spiral round on older trees

A

B

C

E

Sycamore

Acer pseudoplatanus

Overall characteristics

• Spindly sapling through to huge veterans (30 m)

• Wide crown

• Very common, often one of the first trees to colonise unmanaged land

Twigs D

• Grey to orangey brown with small spots (lenticels)

Buds BCE

• Pale green opposite pairs

• Large scales with purple edges and a fringe of very small white hairs

Bark A

• Completely smooth and grey on young trees • On older ones starts to scale and flake off in

rectangular chunks

A

B

C

E

D

Wayfaring-tree

Viburnum lantana

Overall characteristicsB • Shrub to 6 m

• Typically found on chalk, more common in the south-east

Twigs CD

• Deep ochre with mealy white or yellow coating

• Typically very round, but can be angled Buds CD

• Resemble velvety fawn ears

• Mustard to grey coloured with mealy coating • No scales

• Strong opposite pairs, never on stalks • Can be either lying close to the stem or

spreading away from it Bark A

• Grey to brown

• Smooth when young, becoming fissured

A

B

D

Whitebeam

Sorbus aria

agg.

Overall characteristicsA • Complex group of micro-species

• Look for large white leaves on ground below Twigs D

• Dull purplish-brown • Hairless

Buds CE

• Green with brown margins • Fringe of white hairs on scale edge • Alternate

• Spaced out

• Oval-shaped, with a blunt point Bark B

• Glossy

• Smooth, with wavy ridges on older specimens

A

B

E

Wild privet

Ligustrum vulgare

Overall characteristicsA

• Spreading shrub often in hedgerows, but also frequent in the understory of calcareous woodlands

• Very branched • Semi-evergreen

• Small, black berries can persist into January C Twigs D

• Straight and very round • Typically growing upwards • Young twigs downy

• Lack a ridge between the buds • Brittle

Buds BE

• Scales either green with brown tip or dark brown/reddish

• Egg-shaped, dumpy

• Opposite pairs; mostly staggered but some perfectly opposite

Bark

• Reddish-brown

• Vertical gashes present on older shrubs • Often covered in algae

A

B

C

E

Wild service-tree

Sorbus torminalis

Overall characteristicsA • Medium-sized tree (to 20 m)

• Spreading or domed, depending on where it is situated

• Scarce, but occasionally locally common, especially in ancient woodland. It is rare to find many trees growing together Twigs C

• Slender, brown and often shiny • Spreading

• Commonly forking • Small, pale spots (lenticels) Buds CD

• Distinctly green, pea-like

• Rounded, oval-shaped to spherical • Obvious scales with brown edges • Alternate

• Commonly borne upon short stalks Bark B

• Greyish-brown

• Rough and finely fissured with age

A

B

D

Willow

Salix

spp.

Overall characteristics

• Large and difficult group of trees, particularly as they regularly hybridise, so are difficult to separate in winter

• Often grow in or near water, or in woodland • Catkin-like flowers appearing March onwards D • Similar species see poplars (p. 40)

• Shrub or tree, grows to 10 m (grey willow or goat willow)

• Spreading crown, with pendulous branches, grows to 25 m (crack willow)

• Narrow crown; has a characteristic drooping habit, grows to 25 m (white willow) Twigs

• Persistently downy. Peel away the bark of second year twigs to see raised ridges on the wood (grey willow)

• Hairy when young, becoming hairless. second year twigs lack raised ridges on the wood under the bark (goat willow) E

• Spindly and fragile, light brown (crack willow) • Spindly but not fragile, light brown (white

willow) Buds

• Willow buds have one scale (poplar buds have several scales)

• Yellow/red, slightly hairy, when broken open cottony inside (grey willow)

• Yellow/red, hairless, when broken open cottony inside. Tend to be slightly larger than grey willow buds (goat willow) E

• Brown and flattened against the stem (crack willow) C

• Brown/reddish-yellow, pressed closely against the stem (white willow)

Bark AB

• Generally smooth when young, developing deep gashes with age

• Greyish-brown, fissured (grey willow or goat willow)

• Deeply fissured, rugged, doesn’t peel (crack willow or white willow)

A

B

English names Alder 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 17, 20 Alder buckthorn 3, 6, 14, 21 Ash 3, 4, 11, 12, 22 Beech 3, 6, 8, 17, 23, 36 Birch 2, 3, 6, 9, 13, 14, 15, 24 Blackthorn 3, 6, 8, 12, 15, 16, 25, 34 Buckthorn 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 26 Cherry 3, 6, 9, 15, 27 Crab apple 3, 6, 12, 15, 28 Dogwood 3, 4, 11, 29 Elder 3, 4, 11, 12, 30 Elm 3, 6, 8, 14, 16, 31 Field maple 3, 4, 10, 11, 32 Guelder-rose 3, 4, 10, 12, 33 Hawthorn 3, 6, 8, 12, 15, 17, 25, 34 Hazel 2, 3, 7, 9, 13, 16, 35 Hornbeam 3, 7, 8, 13, 23, 36 Horse chestnut 3, 5, 11, 37 Lime 3, 7, 8, 13, 16, 17, 38 Oak 3, 7, 9, 16, 39 Poplar 1, 3, 8, 10, 12, 17, 40, 49 Rowan 3, 7, 15, 17, 41 Spindle 3, 5, 10, 42 Sweet chestnut 3, 7, 14, 15, 17, 43 Sycamore 3, 5, 12, 44 Wayfaring-tree 3, 5, 11, 12, 45 Whitebeam 3, 7, 13, 15, 16, 17, 46 Wild privet 3, 5, 10, 11, 47 Wild service-tree 3, 7, 13, 14, 48 Willow 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 14, 16, 40, 49

Index

Latin names Acer campestre 3, 32 pseudoplatanus 3, 44 Aesculus hippocastanum 3, 37 Alnus glutinosa 3, 20 Betula spp. 3, 24 Carpinus betulus 3, 36 Castanea sativa 33, 43 Cornus sanguinea 3, 29 Corylus avellana 3, 35 Crataegus monogyna 3, 34 Euonymus europaeus 3, 42 Fagus sylvatica 3, 23 Frangula alnus 3, 21 Fraxinus excelsior 3, 22 Ligustrum vulgare 3, 47 Malus sylvestris 3, 28 Populusspp. 3, 40 Prunus spp. 27 Prunus avium 3 padus 3 spinosa 3, 25 Quercus spp. 3, 39 Rhamnus cathartica 3, 26 Salixspp. 3, 49 Sambucus nigra 3, 30 Sorbus aria 3, 46 aucuparia 3, 41 torminalis 3, 48 Tilia spp. 3, 38 Ulmus spp. 3, 31 Viburnum lantana 3, 45 opulus 3, 33

A guide to identifying common trees and shrubs in the winter

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