Our popular leaf ID tools feature common British trees and are a great way to introduce youngsters to leaves. There are many ways to use them and they can trigger all sorts of tree-related conversations:

The Tree Identification Book by George W.D. Symonds - Goodreads The Tree Identification Book by George W.D. Symonds - Goodreads

Deep purple, distinctive, dramatic. Loved by some but loathed by others. You’ll often find this striking tree planted in landscape-scale gardens as a specimen tree. If it is spring, summer or autumn and its a Broadleaf tree use the Broadleaf Leaf, Buds, Thorns, Catkins, Bark, White Flowers, Cherry Blossom, Summer Fruit, Autumn Leaf Colours or Autumn Fruits keys.A tree of strength and industry, western red cedar is grown in the UK for hedging and timber. Though less useful than our native trees, it provides food and shelter for wildlife. Hardy, pale, magical. White poplar might not be native, but it is naturalised in the UK. It supports early pollinators and is an excellent coastal windbreaker, tolerating salty winds and exposure. At home on a country estate or deep in the wild, this lime is common in name only. It’s a hybrid between the small-leaved and large-leaved lime, and is a particular favourite of aphids and their many predators. The distinction between tree identification and tree recognition should be clearly understood at the outset. Identification is based on observation of details. Recognition means knowing trees at a glance, just as one recognizes one's friends.

How to Identify Trees: A Simple Guide - Woodland Trust

The handiest / most interesting feature of this book is that it tries to show actual size pictures of the various tree features. Also known as the pussy willow, the male catkins of the goat willow look like a cat’s paws. It supports lots of wildlife, including the elusive and regal purple emperor butterfly.A true springtime stunner, it’s not so long ago that you could find wild-service fruit at a market. These days it’s rare and hard to find but it’s still a favourite with wildlife like the wood pigeon, whose gut softens its seeds for propagation. Understated until the colder months when it bursts into colour, dogwood is a broadleaf shrub which thrives in damp woodland edges. The timber is so hard, it was used for crucifixes. A native evergreen that’s at home in your garden. Box is so special it’s got a hill named after it. Box Hill in Surrey takes its name from the ancient box woodland on its steep chalk slopes.

Trees of North America: A Guide to Field Identification Trees of North America: A Guide to Field Identification

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. Towering in the glen, the Scots pine is a truly stunning tree. It is one of only three native conifers, and our only native pine. It’s the perfect home for iconic Scottish wildlife, such as the red squirrel, capercaillie, Scottish crossbill and the Scottish wildcat. Pretty, pale, a symbol of purity. This common tree, with its silver-white bark, is favoured by gardeners who want to renew and purify their land for coming year.

Keys are simple tools used for identification. They work as a series of question-and-answer steps leading to an identity or name. Woodland Trust (Enterprises) Limited, registered in England (No. 2296645), is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Woodland Trust. Registered office: Kempton Way, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6LL. Festive, useful, squirrel food. Made popular by Prince Albert, Norway spruce is a familiar non-native, with friendly winter colour and a value to native wildlife. So, I decided it was time to learn about my trees on my own. I had bought the place and now felt a responsibility for looking after the homes of the birds and other wildlife. The trees also provided cover from any pollution and meant I haven't yet had to use the huge air conditioning unit that came with the house. My tree buddies provide shade during the hot summers. Alas, what book was it going to be? There didn't seem to be one perfect selection, so I opted for this one because the title said it all...I just wanted to know what my trees were and then I could start figuring it out from there.