Download The most common trees in Poland

The most common trees in Poland
In Poland, there are over 70 naturally growing tree species from 31 genera. Six species are
under strict protection. Sixteen species are widespread in forests, river valleys, and wastelands.
They are frequently planted in urban parks and along roads.
The common oak, pedunculate oak Quercus robur L.
is a deciduous tree from the family Fagaceae. It occurs in
Europe (except for northern Scandinavia) and south-eastern
Asia. It forms its own associations, i.e. oak forests, or grows in
mixed forests. The tree reaches a height of 30 m. It has palmate
leaves and anemophilous flowers. Male flowers are clustered in
pendulous inflorescences – catkins. The fruits, commonly called acorns, form a cluster of 2-3 on a
2-5 cm-long peduncles. The oak is a long-lived species reaching 700 years of age, which is the
longest of all Polish deciduous trees. Therefore, the oak is often planted as a commemorative tree. It
is a symbol of longevity, dignity, and strength. Old specimens are protected as nature monuments.
Bartek oak tree is the best-known tree in Poland. This 700-year-old tree grows between Bartków
and Zagańskie in Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship. The oak is highly valued for its durable, hard, and
long-lasting wood used in the construction industry and production of furniture. Oak wood has a
high burning value. The pedunculate oak and its varieties are planted in parks and along city streets.
The small-leaved linden Tilia cordata Mill. is a tree
species from the family Tiliaceae. It originates from Europe
and western Asia. In Poland, it is widespread across the
country. It grows in natural localities, and it is frequently
planted near houses, in parks, and along roads as an ornamental
and usable plant. 18th- and 19th-century linden alleys have
remained up to the present day. The small-leaved linden is a large deciduous tree reaching a height
of 30 m. It is a long-lived species able to live as long as a thousand years. It has cordate leaves and
the yellow flowers emit a nice honey aroma. The fruit is a globular, hard, and glabrous winged nut.
The linden is a valuable honey-bearing plant. Linden honey and linden flower tea has medicinal
importance and is applied to treat colds. Linden charcoal has medicinal application as well and the
soft wood is used in sculpture.
The Norway maple Acer platanoides L. is a species
from the family Aceraceae widespread in central and eastern
Europe and south-western Asia. It is the most common native
species from this genus in Poland. The Norway maple is
resistant to air pollution; therefore, its varieties are commonly
planted in urban areas. The tree reaches a height of 20-30
meters. It has palmate leaves, flowers gathered in corymbs, and a samara fruit. The wing facilitates
dispersal of seeds by wind.
The wood of the Norway maple is suitable for processing and is used
for production of furniture, flooring, and musical instruments.
The common ash Fraxinus excelsior L. is a tree
species from the family Oleaceae. It occurs naturally across a
major part of Europe and western Asia. It is widespread across
the entire area of Poland. The tree reaches a height of 30 m and
lives about 300 years. The leaves are composed of 9-15
leaflets. Its tiny flowers form a panicle. The fruit is a samara (a
winged nut). With its cholagogic and diuretic properties, the common ash is a medicinal plant. Its
valuable wood is used for production of furniture, flooring, and sport equipment.
The common birch Betula pendula Roth is a tree
species from the family Betulaceae. It grows in cool regions of
Asia and Europe, and in northern Africa. It is widespread
across the entire area of Poland. The tree grows on dry and
sandy land, wasteland, in deciduous forests, mixed coniferous
and pine forests, shrubland and thickets, and along railway
tracks. The common birch is an important forest tree. It reaches a height of 30 m and lives ca. 100
years. The crown is well developed with thin drooping branchlets. The bark is white in young trees,
whereas in older specimens it is black at the base. The leaves are triangular and the anemophilous
flowers are gathered in inflorescences called catkins. The fruits are oblong winged nuts. The
common birch is a medicinal plant; its sap has strengthening, diuretic, and detoxifying properties.
Birch wood is used for producing furniture, flooring, and matches. Its ornamental varieties are
frequently planted in parks and gardens. Birch pollen causes allergies in humans. Thin birch
branches are used in saunas.
The European beech Fagus sylvatica L. is a tree
species from the family Fagaceae. It is widespread in the
nature across almost entire Europe (except for the southwestern part). In western and southern Poland, the European
beech is the major component of forests. The tree reaches a
height of ca. 25-30 m and the age of ca. 350 years. The bark is
smooth and grey and the leaves are oval or elliptic. The flowers are anemophilous. Male
inflorescences are gathered in a capitula drooping from long peduncles. The fruit – nuts encircled
by a hairy capsule – are willingly eaten by boars. The hard and heavy beech wood is used for
production of furniture and flooring, barrels, sport equipment, and everyday objects. Beech wood is
also used for production of paper and charcoal. It has a great calorific value. The European beech is
an ornamental species, whose many ornamental varieties are planted in parks and along roads.
The hornbeam Carpinus betulus L. is a medium-sized
tree from the family Betulaceae. It is widespread in Europe
and the Caucasus. In Poland, it is common across the country.
The tree reaches a height of 25 m. Its lifespan is ca. 150 years.
It has a dense crown, elliptic leaves, flowers gathered in a
raceme, and winged nut fruits. The hornbeam is an ornamental
plant planted in parks and urban areas. It perfectly tolerates pruning; therefore, it is widely used as a
hedge. Its wood is hard, heavy, and elastic; it is used for production of musical instruments and as
fuel.
The grey alder Alnus glutinosa Gaertn. is a tree
species from the family Betulaceae. It is widespread across the
entire area of Europe, in western Syberia, and north-western
Africa. The black alder grows on moist banks of water bodies.
The tree reaches a height of up to 40 m and lives
approximately 120 years. The leaves are obovate and the
flowers form pendulous inflorescences – catkins. The fruit is a small, dark brown nut equipped with
tiny wings. Alder wood is light, soft, and water resistant. It is used for production of furniture,
fences, and objects exposed to permanent contact with water. It can also be used as fuel. The bark
produces a black pigment and tannins.
The European white elm, spreading elm Ulmus
laevis is a tree species from the family Ulmaceae. It is
widespread in central, eastern, and south-eastern Europe as far
as the Caucasus. It is common in Poland. It grows in riparian
forests in associations with poplars and willows. The tree
reaches a height of 35-40 m. It has elliptic, asymmetrical
leaves. The flowers are located on drooping peduncles. The fruit is a flattened nut encircled by a
wing. The water-resistant wood is fairly hard and heavy. The white elm and its varieties are
commonly planted in parks.
The rowan, rowan-tree Sorbus aucuparia L. is a
deciduous tree species from the family Rosaceae. It is
widespread in Europe and south-eastern Asia. Across Poland,
it is common in forests and thickets. It reaches a height of 15
m and lives 80-100 years. The leaves are composed of 9–15
leaflets. The flowers are gathered in dense umbels. The fruits
are globular, red-coloured, and tart-flavoured. This species is often planted in parks and gardens, as
there are ornamental forms of the tree. The fruits contain great amounts of vitamin C, P, and K,
provitamin A, and carotene, whose content is twice as greater than that in carrots. They exhibit
strengthening and diuretic properties. The fruit can be preserved as juice and jam. The wood is used
for production of musical instruments.
The crack willow, Bedford willow, varnished willow,
snap willow Salix fragilis L. is a tree species from the family
Salicaceae. It is widespread in Europe and Asia. It is one of
the most common trees in Poland. It grows in riparian forests
in associations with poplars, and along roads and pond banks.
The tree reaches a height of 20 m. It is a short-lived tree. It has
lanceolate leaves and flowers gathered in pendulous inflorescences – catkins. The fruit capsule
contains tiny hairy seeds. The wood is very soft and it decays easily. The tree is a medicinal plant;
the bark contains salicin, which has antipyretic activity. Additionally, the willow bark has potent
anti-arthritic activity. Thanks to its expanded root system and rapid growth, the tree is suitable for
land reclamation.
The Abele, white poplar Populus alba L. is a tree
species from the family Salicaceae. Its native range of
occurrence includes central and southern Europe, a large part
of Asia, and northern Africa. In Poland, it is a wild species
widespread across the country; additionally, it is often planted.
Most frequently, the white poplar can be found in the large
river valleys. This 28-m high tree may live as long as 150 years. The bark of young trees is greywhite, and that of older trees is black. The abaxial surface of its palmate leaves is covered by white
trichomes. The anemophilous flowers form inflorescences called catkins. The fruit is a capsule. The
poplar has soft, light, cleavable, and easily decaying wood, which contains substantial amounts of
water. The wood is used for production of pencils, matches, and paper, as well as in sculpture.
Poplar is a medicinal plant. Its buds have a diuretic, slightly diaphoretic, and antipyretic effect.
Poplar pollen causes allergies in humans.
The Scots pine, common pine, wild pine Pinus
sylvestris L. is an evergreen coniferous tree from the family
Pinaceae. It is widespread across northern and central Europe
and eastern Siberia, where it forms mixed forests or pure pine
forests. The Scots pine tolerates sandy and sunny localities. It
reaches a height of 30 m. The leaves - needles - are clustered
in a set of 2 on short shoots and remain on the tree from 3 to 6 years. Female flowers form cone
inflorescences. The Scots pine is an anemophilous plant. Pinewood is one of the major building
materials. It is also used as furniture material, fuel, and for production of cellulose. Pinewood
contains resin and is a medicinal plant. With their antibacterial and expectorant activity, young pine
shoots, needles, wood, and resin constitute a herbal raw material.
The Norway spruce, common spruce, European
spruce Picea abies (L.) H.Karst is a coniferous tree from the
family Pinaceae. It is the only species of spruce naturally
occurring in Poland. It grows mainly in the north-eastern part
of the country and in the mountains of southern Poland. The
geographical range of the species extends from Norway to
Russia in the north of Europe to the Alps, the Sudeten, the Carpathians, and the Balkans. It is a
component of spruce forests. The tree reaches a height of 40–50 m and lives ca. 300 years. The
leaves are short needles that remain on the tree for 5-7 years. Female flowers form pendulous cone
inflorescences (10–15 cm). Spruce wood is mainly used in the construction industry and the
cellulose-paper industry. It is also used for production of musical instruments. The common spruce
is an ornamental plant; its numerous varieties are planted in parks and gardens.
The silver fir, European silver fir, common silver fir
Abies alba Mill. is a coniferous tree from the family Pinaceae.
The common silver fir grows in the wild in the mountains of
central and southern Europe. In Poland, the most magnificent
fir forests grow in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains and the
Carpathians, e.g. on Babia Góra. The tree is a component of fir
forests or mixed fir-beech forests. In our conditions, the common fir reaches a height of 50 m. The
leaves are flattened needles with two white stripes on the abaxial side. Female flowers form erect 15
cm-long cone inflorescences. Fir wood is mainly used in the construction industry and the cellulosepaper industry. Fir is also a medicinal plant, whose raw material from annual shoots is used in
treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and pharyngeal and bronchial inflammation. Cones provide oil for
the perfumery industry.
The European larch, common larch Larix decidua
Mill. is a coniferous tree from the family Pinaceae. The
original locality of the species was the mountains of central
Europe (the Alps, the Carpathians), but it has been distributed
to other areas through planting. The only natural habitats in
Poland are located in the Tatra Mountains. Moreover, the
species is widely cultivated across the country. It reaches a height of 45 m and lives for 600 years.
The common larch is the only coniferous tree shedding leaves before winter. The light green,
delicate, and non-prickly needles grow in clusters of 20–40 on short shoots. The larch is an
anemophilous plant. Female flowers form small ca. 5 cm-long cone inflorescences. This ornamental
plant is willingly planted in house gardens and parks. It is also suitable for hedges (it tolerates
pruning). Larch wood is used in the construction industry. Larch churches and mansions originating
from the 16th and 18the centuries have survived until the present day. Larch wood is also used for
production of furniture and flooring, while the bark – for production of turpentine.
Agnieszka Dąbrowska