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Abbas & Templecombe
Forest School
Tree and Plant Identification
Manual
Created by: Abi Bedford
All the information relating to tree/plant identification has
been taken from the Woodland Trust website.
Date: April 2016
Page 1 of 20
Contents Page
The Oak Tree
3
The Sycamore Tree
6
The Ash Tree
8
The Hazel Tree
11
The Hawthorn Tree
14
The Elder Tree
17
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Tree Information
Our Forest School area has 8 species of trees. These include
Oak Tree Information
What does it
English Oak is a large deciduous tree up to 20-40m tall. Oak
look like
tree growth is rapid in youth, but slows at around 120 years.
Value to
wildlife
Mythology &
Symbolism
How we use
oak
Leaves: around 10cm long with 4-5 deep lobes with smooth
edges.
Leaf burst occurs mid-May and the leaves have almost no
stem and grow in bunches.
Flowers: are long yellow hanging catkins which distribute
pollen into the air.
Fruits: its fruits, commonly known as acorns, are 2-2.5cm
long, and held tightly by capsules (the cup shaped base of the
acorn). As it ripens the green acorn takes on a more autumnal
browner colour, loosens from the capsule and falls to the
canopy below.
Oak trees support more life forms than any other native trees.
They host hundreds of species of insect, supplying many
British birds with an important food source.
In autumn mammals such as badgers and deer take
advantage of the falling acorns.
Flower and leaf buds of English Oak are the food plants of the
caterpillars of purple hairstreak butterflies.
The soft leaves of English Oaks breakdown with ease in
autumn and form a rich leaf mould beneath the tree,
supporting invertebrates, such as the stag beetle, and
numerous fungi like the oak bug milkcap.
In England the oak has been for centuries a national symbol
of strength and survival. It has played an important in our
culture – couples were wed under ancient oaks in Oliver
Cromwell’s time, the festive yule log was traditionally cut from
an oak.
The oak feature on the 1987 pound coin and is the inspiration
for the emblem of many environmentally focused
organisations, including the woodland trust.
Oaks produce one of the hardest and most durable timbers on
the planet, even its Latin name, Quercus robur, means
strength.
However, it takes up to 150 years before an oak is ready to
use in construction.
It was primarily ship building material until the mid-19th
century.
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Threats
Tannin found in the bark has been used to tan leather since at
least Roman times.
Acute oak decline (AOD) and chronic oak decline (COD) are
serious conditions affecting Britain’s’ Oaks. Key symptoms
include canopy thinning, branch dieback and black weeping
patches on stems.
Oak Tree Plant identifiaction and the wildlife it supports.
Oak Tree bark
The oak Tree twig
The purple hairstreak
Oak Leaf
Acorn
The oakbug milkcap
caterpillar and buterfly
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The Stag beetle
The Badger
The Deer
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Sycamore Tree Information
What does it look like
Can grow to 35m and live for 400 years. The bark is
dark pink grey and smooth when young, but becomes
cracked and develops small plates with age. Twigs
are pink brown and hairless.
Leaves: palmate leaves measure 7-16cm and have 5
lobes. Leaf veins are hairy on the inside.
Flowers: small, green-yellow and hang in spikes or
racemes.
Fruits: after pollination by wind and insects, female
flowers develop into distinctive winged fruits known as
samaras.
Identified in winter by: twigs are pink-brown and have
no hairs.
Value to wildlife
Sycamore is attractive to aphids and therefore a
variety of their predators, such as ladybirds, hoverflies
and birds.
The leaves are eaten by caterpillars of a number of
moths, including the sycamore moth, plumed
prominent and maple prominent.
The flowers provide a good source of pollen and
nectar to bees and other insects.
The seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals
There is very little folklore associated with sycamore,
as it is an introduced species.
However, in Wales, sycamore trees were used in
traditional craft making of, ‘love spoons’.
In some parts of the UK the winged seeds are known
as helicopters and used in flying competitions and
model making by children.
Sycamore timber is hard and strong, pale cream with
a fine grain. It is used for making furniture and
kitchenware as the wood does not taint or stain the
food.
Mature trees are extremely tolerant of wind. They are
also tolerant of pollution and therefore tend to be
planted in towns/cities.
Sycamore is susceptible to sooty bark, which can lead
to wilting of the crown and death of the tree.
It may also be affected by horse chestnut scale insect,
which appears as fluffy white spots on the trunk and
branches during summer.
Mythology &
Symbolism
How we use Sycamore
Threats
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Sycamore Tree Identification
Sycamore Tree.
The leaves have 5 lobes autumn leaves
Very small green flowers
Leaf buds are smooth
the winged seeds
When young the bark is a dark pink-grey
Colour and smooth to touch.
Sycamore trees can be
Identified in winter by
Threats to Sycamore Tree
Sooty Bark
Horse chestnut scale insect
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Ash Tree Information
Ash thrives best in fertile, deep and well-drained
soil in cool atmospheres. It is native to Europe, Asia and Africa. It dominates
British woodland.
What does it look like
Ash trees can reach a height of 35m. Tall and
graceful they often grow together, forming a
domed canopy.
The bark is brown to grey.
Leaves: pinnately compound, comprising of 6-12
opposite pairs of light green, oval leaflets with
long tips – up to 40cm long. The leaves can move
in the direction of the sunlight. Another
characteristic of ash leaves is that they fall when
they are still green.
Flowers: Ash is dioecious, meaning that male and
female flowers typically grow on different trees,
although a single tree can have male and female
flowers on different branches.
Both male and female flowers are purple and
appear before the leaves in spring, growing in
spiked clusters at the tip of the twigs.
Fruits: once the female flowers have pollinated by
wind they develop winged fruits, or ‘keys’ in late
summer and autumn. They fall from the tree in
winter and early spring, and are dispersed by
birds and mammals.
Value to wildlife
Ash trees make the perfect habitat for a number
of different species of wildlife.
The airy canopy and early leaf fall allow sunlight
to reach the woodland floor, providing optimum
conditions wildflowers such as dog violet, wild
garlic and dog’s mercury.
Insects: the rare and threatened high brown
fritillary butterfly.
Bullfinches eat the winged seeds and
woodpeckers, owls, redstarts and nuthatches use
the tree for nesting.
They support deadwood specialists such as the
lesser stag beetle.
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Value to wildlife
Ash bark is often covered with lichens and
mosses. The leaves are an important food plant
for the caterpillars of many species of moth,
including the coronet, brick, centre-barred sallow
and privet hawk moth.
Mythology & symbolism The ash tree was thought to have medicinal and
mystical properties and the wood was burned to
ward off evil spirits. In Norse Viking mythology,
ash was referred to as the ‘Tree of Life’. Even
today it is known as the ‘Venus of the woods’.
In Britain we regard ash as a healing tree.
How we use Ash
It is one of the toughest hardwoods and absorbs
shocks without splintering.
It is used for making tools and sport handles,
including hammers, axes, spades, hockey sticks
and oars.
As coppices well and traditionally provided wood
for firewood and charcoal.
Threats
The main threat to Ash is Chalara dieback of ash,
a disease caused by a fungus. The disease
causes the trees to lose their leaves and the
crown to dieback and usually results in their
death.
Ash Tree Identification
The pinnate leaves can move in
the direction of sunlight.
Buds on as Ash tree are distinctively black and
velvity.
The flowers on the ash tree grow in spiked After pollination the female flowers
fruits clusters at the tips of the twigs.
Develop into winged fruits clusters.
Any fruits that fall from the tree are dispersed
by birds and mammals
The bark ranges in colour from
pale brown to grey.
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Value to wildlife
Dogs Violet
Dogs Mercury
Wild Garlic
Fritillary Butterfly
Lesser Stag Beetle
Coronet Moth
Privet Hawk Moth
Brick Moth
Centre-barred Sallow
Woodpecker
Bullfinch
Nuthatch
Redstart
Threats to the Ash Tree
Ash dieback disease
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Hazel Tree information
Hazel is a deciduous broad-leafed tree native to the UK.
What does it look like
Value to wildlife
Mythology & Symbolism
Hazel is often coppiced, but when left to grow,
trees can reach a height of 12m, where it can live
for up to 80years..
It has a smooth, grey brown bark, which peels
with age, and bendy hairy stems.
Leaf buds are oval, blunt and hairy.
Leaves: round to oval, doubly toothed, hairy and
pointed at the tip. Leaves turn yellow before
falling in autumn.
Flowers: Hazel is monoecious, meaning that both
male and female flowers are found on the same
tree, although hazel flowers must be pollinated by
pollen from other hazel trees.
The yellow male catkins appear before the leaves
and hang in clusters, from mid-February. Female
flowers are tiny and budlike with red styles.
Fruits: once pollinated by wind the female flowers
develop into oval fruits, which hang in groups of
one to four. They mature into a nut with a woody
shell surrounded by a cup of leafy bracts
(modified leaves)
Leaves are soft to touch as a result of the downy
hairs on the underside.
Hazel leaves provide food for the caterpillars of
many moths, including the large emerald, small
white wave, barred umber and nut tree tussock.
Coppiced hazel also provides shelter for ground
nesting birds such as the nightingale, nightjar,
yellow hammer and willow warbler.
The hazel nuts are eaten by dormouse to fatten
up for hibernation. The dormice also eat the
caterpillars that feed off the hazel leaves.
The hazel nuts are also eaten by woodpeckers,
nuthatches, tits, woodpigeons, jays and a number
of small mammals. Hazel flowers provide early
pollen for bees.
The trunks are often covered in mosses,
liverworts and lichens and the fiery milkcap fungi
grow in the soil beneath.
Hazel has a reputation as a magical tree. A hazel
rod is supposed to protect against evil spirits, as
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well as being used as a wand and for waterdivining. In some parts of England hazel nuts
were carried as charms and used to ward off
rheumatism. In Ireland hazel was known as the
‘Tree of Knowledge’.
Hazel wood can be twisted or knotted, and as
such it historically had many uses. These
included thatching spars, net stakes, waterdivining sticks, hurdles and furniture. Hazel was
also valued for its nuts.
Today hazel has become an important
management strategy in conservation of
woodland habitats for wildlife.
It is used as pea sticks and bean poles by
gardeners.
Mythology & Symbolism
How we use hazel
Threats
Hazel is not known to suffer from any particular
pest or disease. It occasionally may be attacked
by aphids, gall mites and sawflies.
Coppiced hazel is susceptible to deer damage if
not protected. This is done by spreading a layer
of earth/dirt over the coppiced stem.
Hazel Tree Picture Identification
Leaves are rounded/hairy.
Hazel nuts
Female flowers have red styles.
Yelow male catkins.
Leaf buds are oval & blunt
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Value to Wildflife
Large Emerald butterfly
Nutree Tussock Moth
Nutree Tussock Caterpillar
Nightingale
Nightjar
Willowwarbler
Woodpigeon
Jay
Milkcap fungi
Lichen
Bee
Liverworts
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Hawthorn Tree Identification
The Hawthorn is a decideous tree native to the UK. It is also
known as the May-tree due to it’s flowering period. It is the only British plant named
after the month in which it blooms.
What does it look like
Value to wildlife
Mythology & Symbolism
Mythology & Symbolism
Mature trees can reach a height of 15m and are
characterised by their dense thorny habit, though
they can grow as a small tree with a single stem.
The bark is brown grey knotted and the twigs are
slender and brown covered in thorns.
Leaves: Leaves are 6cm in length and comprised
of tooth lobes, They turn yellow before falling in
the autumn.
Flowers: hawthorns are hermaphrodite, meaning
both male and female reproductive parts are
contained within each flower.
Flowers are highly scented, white or occasionally
pink with 5 petals and grow in flat topped clusters.
Fruits: Once pollinated by insects, they develop
into deep red fruits known as ‘haws’.
Identified in winter by: the spines emerge from the
same point as the buds; distinguishing them from
blackthorn in winter which has buds on the
spines.
Common Hawthorn can support 300 insects.
It is the food plant for caterpillars of many moths,
including the hawthorn, orchard ermine, pear leaf
blister, rhomboid tortrix, light emerald,lackey,
vapourer, fruitlet mining and lappit moths.
Its flowers are eaten by dormice and provide
nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinating
insects.
The haws are rich in antioxidants and are eaten
by many migrating birds, such as redwings,
fieldfares and thrushes, as well as small
mammals.
The dense thorny foliage makes fantastic nesting
shelter for many species of bird.
In Britain it was believed that bringing hawthorn
blossom into your house would be followed by
illness and death. It was said that in medieval
times the hawthorn blossom smelt like the Great
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How we use Hawthorn
Threats
Plague.
Botanists learned that the chemical
trimethylamine in hawthorn blossom is also one of
the first chemicals formed in decaying animal
tissue, so it is not surprising flowers are
associated with death.
Common hawthorn timber is a creamy brown
colour, finely grained and very hard. It can be
used in turnery and engraving and was used to
make veneers and cabinets, tool handles and
boat parts.
It makes good firewood and charcoal and has a
reputation for burning at high temperatures.
It is used as a hedging plant.
Hawthorn may be prone to aphid attack, gall
mites and the bacterial disease fireblight.
Hawthorn Tree Picture Identification
Leaves are 6cm & have tooth lobes
Hawthorn flowers
A bunch or hawthorn berries/haws
Hawthorn buds
Deep red fruit – ‘haws’.
Bark is brown/grey & knotted
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Hawthorn Tree - Value to wildlife
Orchard ermine moth
Fruitlet Mining Moth
Lappit Moth
Fieldfare bird
Threats to Hawthorn
Hawthron Fire blight
Page 16 of 20
Elder Tree Information
Elder is a small decideous tree, native to the UK. It is thought that
name elder comes from the Anglo-saxon ‘aeld’ meaning fire, because the hollow
stems were used as bellows to blow air into the centre of fire. It often grows near
rabbit warrens or badger sets, where the animals distribute the seed via their
droppings.
What does it look like
Value to wildlife
Mythology & Symbolism
How we use Elder
Mature trees grow to a height of 15 and can live
for 60 years.
Elder is characterised by its short trunk (bole) and
grey brown corky, furrowed bark.
Leaves: Pinnate (resembling a feather) with 5-7
oval and toothed leaflets and smell bad when
touched.
Flowers: Flowers are creamy coloured, 10-30cm
across, highly scented and have 5 petals.
Fruits: after pollination by insects, each flower
develops into a small, purple black, sour berry,
which ripens from late summer to autumn.
Elders are hermaphrodite.
Could be confused with: Walnut, however, elder
has oppositely arranged leaves whereas walnut
has alternately arranged leaves.
Identified in winter by: the green unpleasant
smelling twigs are hollow and have a white pitch
inside. Buds have rugged appearance often with
leaves showing through the bud scales.
The flowers provide nectar for a variety of insects
and the berries are eaten by birds and mammals
– dormice and bank voles eat the berries and
flowers.
Many moth caterpillars feed on elder foliage,
including the white spotted pug, swallowtail, dot
moth and buff ermine.
It was though if you burned elder wood you would
see the devil, but if you planted elder by your
house it would keep the devil away.
Mature wood is used for whittling and carving,
while smaller stems can be hollowed out to make
craft items.
The flowers and berries are mildly poisonous, so
should be cooked before eating. The leaves are
also poisonous.
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How we use Elder
Threats
The flowers are often used to make wine, cordial
or tea or fried to make fritters. The vitamin C rich
berries are often used to make preserves and
wine and can be baked in a pie with blackberries.
They are also used to make natural dyes.
Elder is a popular tree for gardens.
Elder may be susceptible to black fly and sap
suckling red spider mite.
Elder Tree Picture Identification
Leaves are pinnate with 5-7 leaves.
Small purple black berries
Cream coloured flowers
Corky grey/brown furrowed bark.
Value to wildlife
Swallowtail butterfly Spotted pug moth
Dot moth
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Value to wildlife
Bank vole
Dormice
Dormice
Threats to Elder
Sap & suckling red spider
black fly
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