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  • Sawara Cypress Chamaecyparis pisifera (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 24m. Evergreen, recalls Lawson’s Cypress but with finer, paler foliage, and more open crown. BARK Reddish-brown, peeling in vertical strips. BRANCHES Mostly level. LEAVES Scale-like with white marks on undersides; resinous scent when crushed. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male flowers are small brownish cones, female flowers are paler brown, growing in clusters at shoot tips. Wrinkled, pea-like cones are 6-8mm across and hidden among foliage. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain woodlands in Japan.
    132959.jpg
  • Chinese Fir Cunninghamia lanceolata (Taxodiaceae) HEIGHT to 25m. Broadly conical evergreen conifer with foliage recalling Monkey-puzzle (see p.34). BARK Reddish-brown, ridged with age. LEAVES Narrow strap-shaped, pointed and up to 6cm long; glossy green with 2 white bands below. Dead foliage persists inside crown; looks bright orange in sunlight. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female flowers are yellowish; in clusters at shoot tips. Cones rounded, scaly, 3-4cm across, green ripening brown. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of China; planted here in large gardens, mainly in south and west.
    132880.jpg
  • Chinese Fir Cunninghamia lanceolata (Taxodiaceae) HEIGHT to 25m. Broadly conical evergreen conifer with foliage recalling Monkey-puzzle (see p.34). BARK Reddish-brown, ridged with age. LEAVES Narrow strap-shaped, pointed and up to 6cm long; glossy green with 2 white bands below. Dead foliage persists inside crown; looks bright orange in sunlight. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female flowers are yellowish; in clusters at shoot tips. Cones rounded, scaly, 3-4cm across, green ripening brown. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of China; planted here in large gardens, mainly in south and west.
    134418.jpg
  • Chinese Fir Cunninghamia lanceolata (Taxodiaceae) HEIGHT to 25m. Broadly conical evergreen conifer with foliage recalling Monkey-puzzle (see p.34). BARK Reddish-brown, ridged with age. LEAVES Narrow strap-shaped, pointed and up to 6cm long; glossy green with 2 white bands below. Dead foliage persists inside crown; looks bright orange in sunlight. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female flowers are yellowish; in clusters at shoot tips. Cones rounded, scaly, 3-4cm across, green ripening brown. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of China; planted here in large gardens, mainly in south and west.
    132995.jpg
  • Sawara Cypress Chamaecyparis pisifera (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 24m. Evergreen, recalls Lawson’s Cypress but with finer, paler foliage, and more open crown. BARK Reddish-brown, peeling in vertical strips. BRANCHES Mostly level. LEAVES Scale-like with white marks on undersides; resinous scent when crushed. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male flowers are small brownish cones, female flowers are paler brown, growing in clusters at shoot tips. Wrinkled, pea-like cones are 6-8mm across and hidden among foliage. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain woodlands in Japan.
    132346.jpg
  • Sawara Cypress Chamaecyparis pisifera (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 24m. Evergreen, recalls Lawson’s Cypress but with finer, paler foliage, and more open crown. BARK Reddish-brown, peeling in vertical strips. BRANCHES Mostly level. LEAVES Scale-like with white marks on undersides; resinous scent when crushed. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male flowers are small brownish cones, female flowers are paler brown, growing in clusters at shoot tips. Wrinkled, pea-like cones are 6-8mm across and hidden among foliage. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain woodlands in Japan.
    134614.jpg
  • Oriental Thuja Platycladus orientalis (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 16m. Foliage in flat vertical sprays; both surfaces are same shade of green. LEAVES Tiny, scale-like, unscented. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male flowers small, yellow-orange; borne on ends of shoots. Female flowers greenish; become cones with prominent hooked scales. STATUS AND DISTRIBUION Native of China, grown here in parks and gardens.
    134627.jpg
  • Stone Pine Pinus pinea (Pinaceae) HEIGHT to 30m <br />
Broad umbrella-shaped tree with a dense mass of foliage on spreading branches on top of a tall bole. BARK Reddish-grey on old trees and fissured, flaking away to leave deep orange patches. LEAVES Paired needles, to 20cm long and 2mm wide, slightly twisted. Through a hand-lens 12 lines of stomata can be seen on outer surface and 6 on inner surface. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Cones rounded to ovoid, to 14cm long and 10cm across, ripening rich glossy brown after 3 years. Scales, closely packed with a slightly pyramidal surface, conceal large, slightly winged seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Mediterranean coasts. Planted here occasionally, usually near coasts.
    134628.jpg
  • Northern White Cedar Thuja occidentalis (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 20m. Broadly conical tree. BARK Orange-brown, peeling in vertical strips. LEAVES Flattened, fern-like sprays of foliage show white, waxy bands below. Crushed leaves smell of apple and cloves. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones recall those of Western Red Cedar; female cones have rounded tips to cone scales. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E North America. Does not thrive here.
    134608.jpg
  • Chinese Plum Yew (Chinese Cow-tail Pine Cephalotaxus fortunei (Cephalotaxaceae) HEIGHT to 10m. Small, densely foliaged tree. Usually has a single bole but sometimes 2 or 3. BARK Reddish and peeling. BRANCHES Dense foliage can sometimes become so heavy that the branches sag. LEAVES Flattened needles, up to 10cm long greenish and glossy above with 2 pale bands on the underside; borne on either side of bright-green shoots. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Yellowish or creamy male and female flowers appear on separate plants, opening in spring. Fruits are up to 2.5cm long and oval with fleshy, purple-brown skin. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain forests in central and E China; sometimes grown as an ornamental garden tree.
    134939.jpg
  • Chinese Plum Yew (Chinese Cow-tail Pine Cephalotaxus fortunei (Cephalotaxaceae) HEIGHT to 10m. Small, densely foliaged tree. Usually has a single bole but sometimes 2 or 3. BARK Reddish and peeling. BRANCHES Dense foliage can sometimes become so heavy that the branches sag. LEAVES Flattened needles, up to 10cm long greenish and glossy above with 2 pale bands on the underside; borne on either side of bright-green shoots. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Yellowish or creamy male and female flowers appear on separate plants, opening in spring. Fruits are up to 2.5cm long and oval with fleshy, purple-brown skin. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain forests in central and E China; sometimes grown as an ornamental garden tree.
    134937.jpg
  • Chinese Plum Yew (Chinese Cow-tail Pine Cephalotaxus fortunei (Cephalotaxaceae) HEIGHT to 10m. Small, densely foliaged tree. Usually has a single bole but sometimes 2 or 3. BARK Reddish and peeling. BRANCHES Dense foliage can sometimes become so heavy that the branches sag. LEAVES Flattened needles, up to 10cm long greenish and glossy above with 2 pale bands on the underside; borne on either side of bright-green shoots. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Yellowish or creamy male and female flowers appear on separate plants, opening in spring. Fruits are up to 2.5cm long and oval with fleshy, purple-brown skin. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain forests in central and E China; sometimes grown as an ornamental garden tree.
    134916.jpg
  • Chinese Plum Yew Chinese Cow-tail Pine Cephalotaxus fortunei (Cephalotaxaceae) HEIGHT to 10m. Small, densely foliaged tree. Usually has a single bole but sometimes 2 or 3. BARK Reddish and peeling. BRANCHES Dense foliage can sometimes become so heavy that the branches sag. LEAVES Flattened needles, up to 10cm long greenish and glossy above with 2 pale bands on the underside; borne on either side of bright-green shoots. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Yellowish or creamy male and female flowers appear on separate plants, opening in spring. Fruits are up to 2.5cm long and oval with fleshy, purple-brown skin. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain forests in central and E China; sometimes grown as an ornamental garden tree.
    132809.jpg
  • Sweet Gum Liquidamber styraciflua (Hamamelidaceae) HEIGHT to 28m. A large tree with attractive foliage. BARK Greyish brown with scaly ridges. BRANCHES Twisting and spreading to upcurved. LEAVES Sharply lobed with a toothed margin. They are alternate and give off a resinous scent when crushed, unlike maple leaves, which they resemble. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS The flowers are globose; fruits are spiny and pendulous, 2.5– 4cm across, resembling those of a Plane. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A widespread and common native tree of the south-eastern USA as far south as Central America. Familiar here as a colourful autumn tree in many parks and gardens.
    135422.jpg
  • Syrian Juniper Juniperus drupacea (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 18m. Shapely evergreen, forming a slender, tall column of compact, bright-green foliage. Occasionally the trunk and crown divide to make a more conical tree. BARK Orange-brown, peeling away in thin shreds. LEAVES Needle-like, pointed with a spine and 2 pale bands on the underside, and are longer than any other Juniper at 2.5cm. Needles grow in bunches of 3. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male trees produce tiny, bright yellowish-green, oval flowers. Female trees produce tiny green flowers in small clusters at the tips of twigs, opening in spring, and these develop into rounded, woody cones, about 2cm in diameter, which turn purple-brown when mature. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain forests in W Asia; range just extends into Greece. Occasionally planted in British and Irish gardens.
    134970.jpg
  • Drooping Juniper Juniperus recurva (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 14m. Small evergreen with ascending branches but drooping foliage. Outline broadly conical. BARK Greyish-brown, peeling in long untidy shreds. LEAVES Tough and needle-like, clasping shoots; paint-like smell when crushed. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones are yellow, growing in small clusters at tips of shoots. Female cones are produced at ends of shoots and become oval, black and berry-like when mature, growing to 8mm across. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SW China and the Himalayas; planted in our region for ornament.
    134918.jpg
  • Kermes Oak Oak Quercus coccifera (Fagaceae) HEIGHT to 5m. Small evergreen oak, often just a dense, much-branched shrub. BARK Greyish and smooth at first, finely patterned in older trees. BRANCHES Young twigs are yellowish with branched hairs, but become hairless with maturity. LEAVES Tough and holly-like, dark green above and a little paler below, to 4cm long with pronounced spines; petiole is short or almost absent. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Small acorns, to 1.5cm long, sit in a shallow cup protected by strong spiny scales. Take two years to mature so trees always have some acorns on them. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Widespread around Mediterranean. Grown here for its intriguing foliage; not hardy and so rare.
    134876.jpg
  • Dahurian Larch Larix gmelinii (Pinaceae) HEIGHT to 30m <br />
Slender, conical deciduous tree. BARK Reddish-brown and scaly. BRANCHES Level, sometimes forming flattish areas of foliage, and supporting long, yellowish or red-brown, downy shoots. LEAVES Blunt-tipped needles, bright green above with 2 paler bands below, to 4cm long; in clusters of 25. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Female cones similar to those of other larches, with pinkish or greenish, slightly projecting bracts, becoming brown when ripe, with square-ended scales. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E Asia, sometimes planted for timber or as a specimen tree here.
    134675.jpg
  • Northern White Cedar Thuja occidentalis (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 20m. Broadly conical tree. BARK Orange-brown, peeling in vertical strips. LEAVES Flattened, fern-like sprays of foliage show white, waxy bands below. Crushed leaves smell of apple and cloves. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones recall those of Western Red Cedar; female cones have rounded tips to cone scales. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E North America. Does not thrive here.
    134666.jpg
  • Common Juniper Juniperus communis Cupressaceae Height to 6m. Aromatic evergreen shrub or small tree. Bark Reddish-brown, peeling. Branches With 3-angled twigs. Leaves Needle-like, to 2cm long, in whorls of 3. Foliage is gin- or apple-scented. Reproductive parts Male cones small and yellow. Female cones to 9mm long and green, ripening through blue-green to black in 2nd year. Status Native of chalk downland in S England and moors and limestone crags in N Britain.
    134435.jpg
  • Cabbage Palm Cordyline australis (Agavaceae) HEIGHT to 13m <br />
A superficially palm-like evergreen. Trees that have flowered have a forked trunk with a crown of foliage on top of each fork. BARK Pale brownish-grey, ridged and furrowed. LEAVES Tall, bare trunks are crowned with dense masses of long, spear-like, parallel-veined leaves, to 90cm long and 8cm wide. Upper leaves are mostly erect, but lower leaves hang down to cover top of trunk. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are produced in midsummer in large spikes, to 1.2m long comprising numerous small, fragrant, creamy-white flowers, each about 1cm across, with 6 lobes and 6 stamens. Fruit is a small rounded bluish-white berry about 6mm across containing several black seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of New Zealand, planted here for ornament. It survives quite far north, as long as there is some protection from severe cold, and tolerates a range of soil types. Often used to create the illusion of sub-tropical conditions in coastal resorts.
    133675.jpg
  • Hawthorn-leaved Crab Malus florentina (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m. Attractive and rather conical small tree with good blossom, small fruits and colourful autumn foliage. BARK Brown with yellowish scales. BRANCHES Mostly level to upright. LEAVES To 8cm long, sharply lobed, resembling those of Wild Service-tree. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers whitish and fruits red, around 1cm across. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Possibly a hybrid between a Malus species and Wild Service-tree Sorbus torminalis, which it resembles. Planted occasionally.
    132760.jpg
  • Tulip Tree Liriodendron tulipifera (Magnoliaceae) HEIGHT to 45m. Impressive deciduous tree. BARK Pale grey. BRANCHES Often twisted. LEAVES Strikingly shaped, to 20cm long and 4-lobed with a terminal notch; fresh green through summer, turning bright gold in autumn. Leaves smooth and hairless, on a slender 5–10cm-long petiole. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are superficially tulip-like. Cup-shaped at first and inconspicuous as perianth segments are greenish and blend in with leaves. Later, flowers open more fully, revealing rings of yellowish stamens surrounding paler ovaries. Often produced high up in middle of dense foliage, and not until the tree is at least 25 years old and quite sizeable. Conical fruits, to 8.5cm long, are composed of numerous scale-like overlapping carpels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTON Native of E USA. Introduced into Europe in the 17th century and commonly planted here in gardens and parks.
    132735.jpg
  • Meyer’s Juniper Juniperus squamata ‘Meyeri’ similar to Chinese Juniper J. chinensis (Height to 11m) Small conical evergreen with striking blue-grey foliage when young. Needle-like leaves have paler stripe on underside. Bark of mature trees peels in thin pinkish-brown scales. Tolerates poor soils and tough growing conditions so suited to town gardens.
    132724.jpg
  • Hybrid Elm Ulmus ‘Lobel’ (Ulmaceae) HEIGHT to 35m<br />
Narrowly columnar tree with rather dense foliage. BARK Brown, cracking into small, square plates. BRANCHES Upright, straight and spreading at shallow angles. LEAVES Ovate to elliptical, dark green and shiny with a pointed tip and toothed margins; base is almost equal and upper surface of leaf is smooth. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Papery fruits. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Widely planted. COMMENTS An artificial hybrid with a complex parentage that includes U. x hollandica.
    132520.jpg
  • Japanese Red-cedar Cryptomeria japonica (Taxodiaceae) HEIGHT to 35m. Tall, narrowly conical evergreen on a rapidly tapering bole. BARK Thin, hard bark, peeling in thin shreds. BRANCHES Mainly level. LEAVES Narrow, claw-like and yellowish-green, pointing towards the shoot-tip. Foliage character distinguishes this species from Coastal Redwood, as does thin bark. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female cones produced on same tree but on different shoots. small yellow male cones are borne in clusters at tips of shoots and release pollen in early spring. Mature female cones are covered with feathery scales, unique to this tree, giving the appearance of brownish globular flowers. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of China and Japan. Present here since 1842, and commonest in the west.
    132348.jpg
  • Stone/Umbrella Pine Pinus pinea (Pinaceae) HEIGHT to 30m <br />
Broad umbrella-shaped tree with a dense mass of foliage on spreading branches on top of a tall bole. BARK Reddish-grey on old trees and fissured, flaking away to leave deep orange patches. LEAVES Paired needles, to 20cm long and 2mm wide, slightly twisted. Through a hand-lens 12 lines of stomata can be seen on outer surface and 6 on inner surface. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Cones rounded to ovoid, to 14cm long and 10cm across, ripening rich glossy brown after 3 years. Scales, closely packed with a slightly pyramidal surface, conceal large, slightly winged seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Mediterranean coasts. Planted here occasionally, usually near coasts. COMMENTS Large, edible seeds are harvested and sold as ‘pine kernels’ or ‘pine nuts’.
    117482.jpg
  • Common Larch Larix decidua Pinaceae Height to 35m<br />
Deciduous, conical conifer. Foliage turns golden before needles fall in autumn. Bark Greyish-brown, fissured with age. Branches Mostly horizontal. Needles To 3cm long, in bunches of up to 40. Reproductive parts Male flowers are yellow cones. Female cones are red in spring, maturing brown and woody. Status Native of central Europe, planted here for timber and ornament.
    144443.jpg
  • Italian Cypress Cupressus sempervirens (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 22m. Slender, upright evergreen with dense dark-green foliage. Usually columnar, but sometimes broadly pyramidal. BARK Grey-brown and ridged. BRANCHES Strongly upright and crowded, bearing clusters of shoots. Numerous young shoots arise from the leading shoots. LEAVES Dark-green, scale-like, no more than 1mm long; unscented. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Small greenish-yellow male cones up to 8mm across grow on tips of side-shoots. Elliptical, yellowish-grey female cones, up to 4cm across, grow near ends of the shoots; they ripen brown. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain slopes in S Europe and Balkans, east to Iran. Most wild trees are spreading, but elegant columnar form is widely planted elsewhere.
    135163.jpg
  • Italian Cypress Cupressus sempervirens (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 22m. Slender, upright evergreen with dense dark-green foliage. Usually columnar, but sometimes broadly pyramidal. BARK Grey-brown and ridged. BRANCHES Strongly upright and crowded, bearing clusters of shoots. Numerous young shoots arise from the leading shoots. LEAVES Dark-green, scale-like, no more than 1mm long; unscented. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Small greenish-yellow male cones up to 8mm across grow on tips of side-shoots. Elliptical, yellowish-grey female cones, up to 4cm across, grow near ends of the shoots; they ripen brown. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain slopes in S Europe and Balkans, east to Iran. Most wild trees are spreading, but elegant columnar form is widely planted elsewhere.
    135151.jpg
  • Italian Cypress Cupressus sempervirens (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 22m. Slender, upright evergreen with dense dark-green foliage. Usually columnar, but sometimes broadly pyramidal. BARK Grey-brown and ridged. BRANCHES Strongly upright and crowded, bearing clusters of shoots. Numerous young shoots arise from the leading shoots. LEAVES Dark-green, scale-like, no more than 1mm long; unscented. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Small greenish-yellow male cones up to 8mm across grow on tips of side-shoots. Elliptical, yellowish-grey female cones, up to 4cm across, grow near ends of the shoots; they ripen brown. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain slopes in S Europe and Balkans, east to Iran. Most wild trees are spreading, but elegant columnar form is widely planted elsewhere.
    135152.jpg
  • Pacific Silver Fir (Beautiful Fir) Abies amabilis (Pinaceae) HEIGHT to 32m. Has luxuriant foliage, a strong trunk thick tapering crown on in suitable wet climates. BARK Silvery. LEAVES Glossy, to 3cm long, silvery below and densely packed; orange-scented when crushed. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Smooth oval cones tinged purple; grow on upper surface of twigs. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of NW USA. Widely planted here for ornament.
    135080.jpg
  • Coastal Redwood Sequoia sempervirens (Taxodiaceae) HEIGHT to 50m. An impressively large evergreen, growing to be the tallest tree in the world in its native California and Oregon. Forms a conical to columnar tree with a tapering trunk arising from a broader, buttressed base. BARK Thick and reddish-brown, becoming spongy, eventually deeply fissured and peeling. BRANCHES Mostly arise horizontally or are slightly pendulous. LEAVES Green twigs support a unique combination of 2 types of leaves arranged in spirals; leading shoots have scale-like leaves, up to 8mm long, clasping the stem, and side-shoots have longer, flattened, needle-like leaves up to 2cm long, lying in 2 rows. Crushed foliage smells of grapefruit.<br />
REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female cones are produced on the same tree. The small yellow male cones grow on the tips of main shoots, releasing pollen in early spring. The pale-brown female cones grow singly on the tips of shoots, becoming 2cm long and ovoid. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A native of California and Oregon, growing best in the hills where the permanent sea-mists keep the trees supplied with moisture. Unsurprisingly, the biggest British and Irish specimens are in the west and north of the region.
    135041.jpg
  • Western Himalayan (Bhutan) Cypress Cupressus torulosa (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 27m. Ovoid crown recalls C. glabra but tree has more open habit. Slender green shoots smell of new-mown grass when crushed. BARK Spirally ridged in older trees. BRANCHES Raised, with descending sprays of looser foliage. LEAVES Tiny, scale-like and unmarked, with minute, incurved points. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Cones are less than 15mm across, each scale with a rounded knob. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native to W Himalayas, grown in a few old, British gardens. COMMENTS Slow-growing.
    135021.jpg
  • Western Himalayan (Bhutan) Cypress Cupressus torulosa (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 27m. Ovoid crown recalls C. glabra but tree has more open habit. Slender green shoots smell of new-mown grass when crushed. BARK Spirally ridged in older trees. BRANCHES Raised, with descending sprays of looser foliage. LEAVES Tiny, scale-like and unmarked, with minute, incurved points. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Cones are less than 15mm across, each scale with a rounded knob. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native to W Himalayas, grown in a few old, British gardens. COMMENTS Slow-growing.
    134963.jpg
  • Northern Pitch Pine Pinus rigida. Similar to Monterey Pine P. radiata. (Height to 20m) Narrowly conical tree with stiff, tough needles in clusters of 3, and small cylindrical or rounded cones with thinner, but stiff (hence rigida) scales. Striking feature, unique to this species of pine, is sprouting foliage on the bole. Native to E coasts of N America, occasionally planted here.
    134941.jpg
  • Plum Yew (Japanese Cow-tail Pine) Cephalotaxus harringtonia (Cephalotaxaceae) HEIGHT to 6m<br />
Small, bushy, yew-like evergreen tree. LEAVES Leathery and spineless, in dense clusters on slightly down-curved twigs. <br />
C. harringtonia var. drupacea is a more frequently seen variant with shorter leaves growing almost vertically on the gracefully curving shoots and showing their silvery-green lower surfaces. C. harringtonia ‘Fastigiata’ is an upright form with much darker foliage; leaves reach 7cm in length, although they are shorter near the tip of the current year’s growth. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Creamy-white male flowers are borne in small clusters on the underside of twigs; female flowers (on separate sex trees) borne on very short stalks, later giving rise to small greenish plum-like fruits. <br />
STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Known only as a garden plant, originally from Japan, and never seen growing in the wild.
    134940.jpg
  • Chinese Juniper Juniperus chinensis (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 18m. Large evergreen with dark-green foliage and a sparse habit when mature. BARK Reddish-brown, peeling in vertical strips. BRANCHES Level to ascending. LEAVES Young leaves needle-like, 8mm long with sharply pointed tips and 2 bluish stripes on upper surface; mostly in clusters of 3 at base of adult shoots, radiating at right-angles. Adult leaves small and scale-like, closely adpressed to shoot. Crushed leaves smell of cats. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones small, yellow; grow on tips of shoots. Female cones rounded, up to 7mm long, bluish-white at first, ripening purplish-brown in second year. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan and China, often planted in our region in parks, gardens and churchyards
    134936.jpg
  • Northern Pitch Pine Pinus rigida. Similar to Monterey Pine P. radiata. (Height to 20m) Narrowly conical tree with stiff, tough needles in clusters of 3, and small cylindrical or rounded cones with thinner, but stiff (hence rigida) scales. Striking feature, unique to this species of pine, is sprouting foliage on the bole. Native to E coasts of N America, occasionally planted here.
    134931.jpg
  • Smooth Arizona Cypress Cupressus glabra (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 22m. British form grows into a neat, ovoid tree with blue-grey foliage often with white tips. In the wild (in Arizona) it is more spreading. BARK Reddish or purplish; falls away in rounded flakes in older specimens, revealing yellow or reddish patches. LEAVES Greyish-green, often with a central white spot; grapefruit-scented. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones are small, yellow and grow at tips of shoots. Female cones are oval, up to 2.5cm across when mature, and greenish-brown; scales have a central blunt projection. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native to Arizona, planted in our region for ornament and hedging.
    134911.jpg
  • Rauli Nothofagus procera (Fagaceae) HEIGHT to 28m <br />
Attractive, conical tree with a stout bole and striking autumn foliage. BARK Grey, with vertical plates. BRANCHES Lower branches are usually level, upper branches are more ascending. Thick, green twigs, which darken with age, bear pointed and reddish-brown buds, about 1cm long. LEAVES Alternate, to 8cm long and rather pointed at tip. Margin is wavy, minutely toothed and, on underside, the 15–22 pairs of veins are covered with fine silky hairs. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female flowers occur on same tree. Males solitary and grow in leaf axils, female flowers are also usually solitary and give rise to 4-lobed hairy capsules containing 3 shiny brown nuts. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Chile, introduced here early in 20th century and found in parks, gardens and commercial plantations.
    134895.jpg
  • Hawthorn-leaved Crab Malus florentina (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m. Attractive and rather conical small tree with good blossom, small fruits and colourful autumn foliage. BARK Brown with yellowish scales. BRANCHES Mostly level to upright. LEAVES To 8cm long, sharply lobed, resembling those of Wild Service-tree. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers whitish and fruits red, around 1cm across. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Possibly a hybrid between a Malus species and Wild Service-tree Sorbus torminalis, which it resembles. Planted occasionally.
    134888.jpg
  • Hawthorn-leaved Crab Malus florentina (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m. Attractive and rather conical small tree with good blossom, small fruits and colourful autumn foliage. BARK Brown with yellowish scales. BRANCHES Mostly level to upright. LEAVES To 8cm long, sharply lobed, resembling those of Wild Service-tree. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers whitish and fruits red, around 1cm across. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Possibly a hybrid between a Malus species and Wild Service-tree Sorbus torminalis, which it resembles. Planted occasionally.
    134858.jpg
  • Japanese Red-cedar Cryptomeria japonica (Taxodiaceae) HEIGHT to 35m. Tall, narrowly conical evergreen on a rapidly tapering bole. BARK Thin, hard bark, peeling in thin shreds. BRANCHES Mainly level. LEAVES Narrow, claw-like and yellowish-green, pointing towards the shoot-tip. Foliage character distinguishes this species from Coastal Redwood, as does thin bark. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female cones produced on same tree but on different shoots. small yellow male cones are borne in clusters at tips of shoots and release pollen in early spring. Mature female cones are covered with feathery scales, unique to this tree, giving the appearance of brownish globular flowers. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of China and Japan. Present here since 1842, and commonest in the west.
    134654.jpg
  • Japanese Red-cedar Cryptomeria japonica (Taxodiaceae) HEIGHT to 35m. Tall, narrowly conical evergreen on a rapidly tapering bole. BARK Thin, hard bark, peeling in thin shreds. BRANCHES Mainly level. LEAVES Narrow, claw-like and yellowish-green, pointing towards the shoot-tip. Foliage character distinguishes this species from Coastal Redwood, as does thin bark. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female cones produced on same tree but on different shoots. small yellow male cones are borne in clusters at tips of shoots and release pollen in early spring. Mature female cones are covered with feathery scales, unique to this tree, giving the appearance of brownish globular flowers. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of China and Japan. Present here since 1842, and commonest in the west.
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  • Weeping Willow Salix x sepulcralis (Height to 20m) similar to Chinese Weeping Willow S. babylonica but  is more popular. Hybrid between Chinese Weeping Willow and White Willow. Pendulous branches and golden foliage look elegant in waterside settings.
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  • Laurustinus Viburnum tinus (Caprifoliaceae) HEIGHT to 7m<br />
Small evergreen tree with attractive glossy foliage and flowers produced freely in winter. BARK Brown. BRANCHES With faintly angled, slightly hairy twigs. LEAVES Opposite, to 10cm long and oval, sometimes lanceolate, with entire margins, a dark-green glossy upper surface and a paler, slightly hairy lower surface. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Pink and white flowers are borne in branched, rounded clusters, to 9cm across; individual flowers are about 8mm across with 5 petals, pink outside and white inside. Rounded fruits are about 8mm long and steel-blue when ripe. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Mediterranean region, but hardy and so widely planted here as a garden shrub or tree, also being used for hedging and shelter; naturalised occasionally.
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  • Californian Laurel Umbellularia californica (Lauraceae) HEIGHT to 20m. Dense evergreen with a domed crown and similar foliage to Bay. BARK Grey and cracked. BRANCHES Much-divided. LEAVES Similar to Bay but typically narrower and paler green or yellowish-green. Crushed leaves give off a stronger scent than those of Bay, which can induce painful headaches and nausea in some people. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Yellowish flowers grow in small, dense, rounded clusters and fruits are rounded and greenish, ripening to purple. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of W coast of North America, cultivated in milder parts of our region where some fine trees exist.
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  • Smooth Japanese Maple Acer palmatum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 16m. Small deciduous tree with a short, usually twisted bole, and domed crown. BARK Smooth brown bark with paler patches in young trees. BRANCHES Numerous and spreading, ending in thin reddish twigs with green undersides. LEAVES To 9cm long, with 5–7, sometimes 11, toothed lobes divided at least half-way to the base of leaf. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Dark purple-red flowers, in upright clusters of 12–15 on thin green or red 4cm-long pedicels, usually opening in April–May. Reddish fruits usually hang in clusters, each fruit about 2cm across, the wings diverging widely. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan, planted here for its compact shape, interesting foliage and fine autumn colours.
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  • Smooth Arizona Cypress Cupressus glabra (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 22m. British form grows into a neat, ovoid tree with blue-grey foliage often with white tips. In the wild (in Arizona) it is more spreading. BARK Reddish or purplish; falls away in rounded flakes in older specimens, revealing yellow or reddish patches. LEAVES Greyish-green, often with a central white spot; grapefruit-scented. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones are small, yellow and grow at tips of shoots. Female cones are oval, up to 2.5cm across when mature, and greenish-brown; scales have a central blunt projection. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native to Arizona, planted in our region for ornament and hedging.
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  • Northern White Cedar Thuja occidentalis (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 20m. Broadly conical tree. BARK Orange-brown, peeling in vertical strips. LEAVES Flattened, fern-like sprays of foliage show white, waxy bands below. Crushed leaves smell of apple and cloves. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones recall those of Western Red Cedar; female cones have rounded tips to cone scales. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E North America. Does not thrive here.
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  • Japanese Red-cedar Cryptomeria japonica (Taxodiaceae) HEIGHT to 35m. Tall, narrowly conical evergreen on a rapidly tapering bole. BARK Thin, hard bark, peeling in thin shreds. BRANCHES Mainly level. LEAVES Narrow, claw-like and yellowish-green, pointing towards the shoot-tip. Foliage character distinguishes this species from Coastal Redwood, as does thin bark. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female cones produced on same tree but on different shoots. small yellow male cones are borne in clusters at tips of shoots and release pollen in early spring. Mature female cones are covered with feathery scales, unique to this tree, giving the appearance of brownish globular flowers. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of China and Japan. Present here since 1842, and commonest in the west.
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  • Red Maple Acer rubrum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 23m <br />
Fast-growing, spreading tree with an irregular crown.BARK Grey and smooth. BRANCHES Mostly ascending, but arch outwards. LEAVES To 10cm long and almost as wide, with 3–5 toothed lobes less than half the leaf width; red-tinged above at first, greener later, and silvery below, with a red petiole. Turn various shades of red and yellow in autumn. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS small red flowers in dense clusters on thin pedicels, open in spring before leaves. Males and females are separate. Bright-red winged fruits are about 1cm long, the wings diverging at a narrow angle. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E North America, usually growing in damp habitats, grown here for its autumn foliage.
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  • Hawthorn-leaved Crab Malus florentina (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m. Attractive and rather conical small tree with good blossom, small fruits and colourful autumn foliage. BARK Brown with yellowish scales. BRANCHES Mostly level to upright. LEAVES To 8cm long, sharply lobed, resembling those of Wild Service-tree. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers whitish and fruits red, around 1cm across. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Possibly a hybrid between a Malus species and Wild Service-tree Sorbus torminalis, which it resembles. Planted occasionally.
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  • Tulip Tree Liriodendron tulipifera (Magnoliaceae) HEIGHT to 45m. Impressive deciduous tree. BARK Pale grey. BRANCHES Often twisted. LEAVES Strikingly shaped, to 20cm long and 4-lobed with a terminal notch; fresh green through summer, turning bright gold in autumn. Leaves smooth and hairless, on a slender 5–10cm-long petiole. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are superficially tulip-like. Cup-shaped at first and inconspicuous as perianth segments are greenish and blend in with leaves. Later, flowers open more fully, revealing rings of yellowish stamens surrounding paler ovaries. Often produced high up in middle of dense foliage, and not until the tree is at least 25 years old and quite sizeable. Conical fruits, to 8.5cm long, are composed of numerous scale-like overlapping carpels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTON Native of E USA. Introduced into Europe in the 17th century and commonly planted here in gardens and parks.
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  • Chinese Juniper Juniperus chinensis (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 18m. Large evergreen with dark-green foliage and a sparse habit when mature. BARK Reddish-brown, peeling in vertical strips. BRANCHES Level to ascending. LEAVES Young leaves needle-like, 8mm long with sharply pointed tips and 2 bluish stripes on upper surface; mostly in clusters of 3 at base of adult shoots, radiating at right-angles. Adult leaves small and scale-like, closely adpressed to shoot. Crushed leaves smell of cats. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones small, yellow; grow on tips of shoots. Female cones rounded, up to 7mm long, bluish-white at first, ripening purplish-brown in second year. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan and China, often planted in our region in parks, gardens and churchyards
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  • Chinese Juniper Juniperus chinensis (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 18m. Large evergreen with dark-green foliage and a sparse habit when mature. BARK Reddish-brown, peeling in vertical strips. BRANCHES Level to ascending. LEAVES Young leaves needle-like, 8mm long with sharply pointed tips and 2 bluish stripes on upper surface; mostly in clusters of 3 at base of adult shoots, radiating at right-angles. Adult leaves small and scale-like, closely adpressed to shoot. Crushed leaves smell of cats. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones small, yellow; grow on tips of shoots. Female cones rounded, up to 7mm long, bluish-white at first, ripening purplish-brown in second year. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan and China, often planted in our region in parks, gardens and churchyards
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  • Chinese Weeping Willow (Corkscrew form) Salix babylonica pekinensis (Salicaceae) HEIGHT to 20m <br />
Has graceful ‘weeping’ branches and foliage reaching the ground. SHOOTS Brown and slender at first, becoming gnarled and thicker with age. LEAVES To 16cm long and 1.5cm wide, finely toothed and pointed; petiole to 5mm long. Mature leaves dark green, slightly glossy above. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Catkins, to 2cm long and 0.4cm wide, appear in May. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of China, planted here and sometimes naturalised in wet habitats.
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  • Kermes Oak Oak Quercus coccifera (Fagaceae) HEIGHT to 5m. Small evergreen oak, often just a dense, much-branched shrub. BARK Greyish and smooth at first, finely patterned in older trees. BRANCHES Young twigs are yellowish with branched hairs, but become hairless with maturity. LEAVES Tough and holly-like, dark green above and a little paler below, to 4cm long with pronounced spines; petiole is short or almost absent. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Small acorns, to 1.5cm long, sit in a shallow cup protected by strong spiny scales. Take two years to mature so trees always have some acorns on them. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Widespread around Mediterranean. Grown here for its intriguing foliage; not hardy and so rare.
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  • Kermes Oak Oak Quercus coccifera (Fagaceae) HEIGHT to 5m. Small evergreen oak, often just a dense, much-branched shrub. BARK Greyish and smooth at first, finely patterned in older trees. BRANCHES Young twigs are yellowish with branched hairs, but become hairless with maturity. LEAVES Tough and holly-like, dark green above and a little paler below, to 4cm long with pronounced spines; petiole is short or almost absent. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Small acorns, to 1.5cm long, sit in a shallow cup protected by strong spiny scales. Take two years to mature so trees always have some acorns on them. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Widespread around Mediterranean. Grown here for its intriguing foliage; not hardy and so rare.
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  • Kermes Oak Oak Quercus coccifera (Fagaceae) HEIGHT to 5m. Small evergreen oak, often just a dense, much-branched shrub. BARK Greyish and smooth at first, finely patterned in older trees. BRANCHES Young twigs are yellowish with branched hairs, but become hairless with maturity. LEAVES Tough and holly-like, dark green above and a little paler below, to 4cm long with pronounced spines; petiole is short or almost absent. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Small acorns, to 1.5cm long, sit in a shallow cup protected by strong spiny scales. Take two years to mature so trees always have some acorns on them. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Widespread around Mediterranean. Grown here for its intriguing foliage; not hardy and so rare.
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  • Laurustinus Viburnum tinus (Caprifoliaceae) HEIGHT to 7m<br />
Small evergreen tree with attractive glossy foliage and flowers produced freely in winter. BARK Brown. BRANCHES With faintly angled, slightly hairy twigs. LEAVES Opposite, to 10cm long and oval, sometimes lanceolate, with entire margins, a dark-green glossy upper surface and a paler, slightly hairy lower surface. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Pink and white flowers are borne in branched, rounded clusters, to 9cm across; individual flowers are about 8mm across with 5 petals, pink outside and white inside. Rounded fruits are about 8mm long and steel-blue when ripe. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Mediterranean region, but hardy and so widely planted here as a garden shrub or tree, also being used for hedging and shelter; naturalised occasionally.
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  • Laurustinus Viburnum tinus (Caprifoliaceae) HEIGHT to 7m<br />
Small evergreen tree with attractive glossy foliage and flowers produced freely in winter. BARK Brown. BRANCHES With faintly angled, slightly hairy twigs. LEAVES Opposite, to 10cm long and oval, sometimes lanceolate, with entire margins, a dark-green glossy upper surface and a paler, slightly hairy lower surface. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Pink and white flowers are borne in branched, rounded clusters, to 9cm across; individual flowers are about 8mm across with 5 petals, pink outside and white inside. Rounded fruits are about 8mm long and steel-blue when ripe. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Mediterranean region, but hardy and so widely planted here as a garden shrub or tree, also being used for hedging and shelter; naturalised occasionally.
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  • Laurustinus Viburnum tinus (Caprifoliaceae) HEIGHT to 7m<br />
Small evergreen tree with attractive glossy foliage and flowers produced freely in winter. BARK Brown. BRANCHES With faintly angled, slightly hairy twigs. LEAVES Opposite, to 10cm long and oval, sometimes lanceolate, with entire margins, a dark-green glossy upper surface and a paler, slightly hairy lower surface. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Pink and white flowers are borne in branched, rounded clusters, to 9cm across; individual flowers are about 8mm across with 5 petals, pink outside and white inside. Rounded fruits are about 8mm long and steel-blue when ripe. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Mediterranean region, but hardy and so widely planted here as a garden shrub or tree, also being used for hedging and shelter; naturalised occasionally.
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  • Jeffrey Pine Pinus jeffreyi (Height to 40m) is the upland counterpart of Ponderosa Pine in its native western USA. It has bluer foliage and larger cones, up to 30cm long, with scales bearing slender, curved spines, and the bark is blacker. Grows well here,  planted mainly for ornament.
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  • Antarctic Beech Nothofagus antarctica (Height to 16m) was first discovered in its native Chile and Tierra del Fuego in the 1830s. It has been grown in Britain since then. Hardy, but prefers some shelter. Forms an attractive small tree with delicate, shiny foliage and reddish, shiny bark in young trees. The leaves have only 4 pairs of veins and remain curled for most of the season, turning a pleasing yellow and then brown in autumn.
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  • Antarctic Beech Nothofagus antarctica (Height to 16m) was first discovered in its native Chile and Tierra del Fuego in the 1830s. It has been grown in Britain since then. Hardy, but prefers some shelter. Forms an attractive small tree with delicate, shiny foliage and reddish, shiny bark in young trees. The leaves have only 4 pairs of veins and remain curled for most of the season, turning a pleasing yellow and then brown in autumn.
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  • Cabbage Palm Cordyline australis (Agavaceae) HEIGHT to 13m <br />
A superficially palm-like evergreen. Trees that have flowered have a forked trunk with a crown of foliage on top of each fork. BARK Pale brownish-grey, ridged and furrowed. LEAVES Tall, bare trunks are crowned with dense masses of long, spear-like, parallel-veined leaves, to 90cm long and 8cm wide. Upper leaves are mostly erect, but lower leaves hang down to cover top of trunk. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are produced in midsummer in large spikes, to 1.2m long comprising numerous small, fragrant, creamy-white flowers, each about 1cm across, with 6 lobes and 6 stamens. Fruit is a small rounded bluish-white berry about 6mm across containing several black seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of New Zealand, planted here for ornament. It survives quite far north, as long as there is some protection from severe cold, and tolerates a range of soil types. Often used to create the illusion of sub-tropical conditions in coastal resorts.
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  • Northern Pitch Pine Pinus rigida. Similar to Monterey Pine P. radiata. (Height to 20m) Narrowly conical tree with stiff, tough needles in clusters of 3, and small cylindrical or rounded cones with thinner, but stiff (hence rigida) scales. Striking feature, unique to this species of pine, is sprouting foliage on the bole. Native to E coasts of N America, occasionally planted here.
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  • Pacific Silver Fir (Beautiful Fir) Abies amabilis (Pinaceae) HEIGHT to 32m. Has luxuriant foliage, a strong trunk thick tapering crown on in suitable wet climates. BARK Silvery. LEAVES Glossy, to 3cm long, silvery below and densely packed; orange-scented when crushed. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Smooth oval cones tinged purple; grow on upper surface of twigs. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of NW USA. Widely planted here for ornament.
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  • Sweet Gum Liquidamber styraciflua (Hamamelidaceae) HEIGHT to 28m. A large tree with attractive foliage. BARK Greyish brown with scaly ridges. BRANCHES Twisting and spreading to upcurved. LEAVES Sharply lobed with a toothed margin. They are alternate and give off a resinous scent when crushed, unlike maple leaves, which they resemble. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS The flowers are globose; fruits are spiny and pendulous, 2.5– 4cm across, resembling those of a Plane. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A widespread and common native tree of the south-eastern USA as far south as Central America. Familiar here as a colourful autumn tree in many parks and gardens.
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  • Eastern Hemlock-spruce Tsuga canadensis (Pinaceae) HEIGHT to 30m. Untidy tree with heavy branches, a forked trunk and dark foliage. BARK Blackish. LEAVES Needles, more tapering than those of Western Hemlock with a narrower tip; further row of leaves along middle of shoot twists to show white undersides. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male flowers small, yellowish, clustered along underside of shoots. Female cones 1.5cm long; cone scales have thickened edges. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of eastern N America. Widely planted here.
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  • Pacific Silver Fir (Beautiful Fir) Abies amabilis (Pinaceae) HEIGHT to 32m. Has luxuriant foliage, a strong trunk thick tapering crown on in suitable wet climates. BARK Silvery. LEAVES Glossy, to 3cm long, silvery below and densely packed; orange-scented when crushed. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Smooth oval cones tinged purple; grow on upper surface of twigs. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of NW USA. Widely planted here for ornament.
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  • Mimosa Acacia dealbata (Fabaceae) HEIGHT to 30m <br />
Medium-sized tree. Twigs, shoots and foliage are covered by silvery-white hairs. BARK Smooth, greenish-grey; blackens with age. BRANCHES Upright. LEAVES Fern-like tripinnate leaves; leaflets, to 5mm long. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Tiny yellow flowers, in small globular heads of 30-40 flowers, on long racemes of 20–30 heads. Pods flattened, to 10cm long; not constricted between seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Australia, grown here for ornament.
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  • Smooth Japanese Maple Acer palmatum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 16m. Small deciduous tree with a short, usually twisted bole, and domed crown. BARK Smooth brown bark with paler patches in young trees. BRANCHES Numerous and spreading, ending in thin reddish twigs with green undersides. LEAVES To 9cm long, with 5–7, sometimes 11, toothed lobes divided at least half-way to the base of leaf. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Dark purple-red flowers, in upright clusters of 12–15 on thin green or red 4cm-long pedicels, usually opening in April–May. Reddish fruits usually hang in clusters, each fruit about 2cm across, the wings diverging widely. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan, planted here for its compact shape, interesting foliage and fine autumn colours.
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  • Mimosa Acacia dealbata (Fabaceae) HEIGHT to 30m <br />
Medium-sized tree. Twigs, shoots and foliage are covered by silvery-white hairs. BARK Smooth, greenish-grey; blackens with age. BRANCHES Upright. LEAVES Fern-like tripinnate leaves; leaflets, to 5mm long. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Tiny yellow flowers, in small globular heads of 30-40 flowers, on long racemes of 20–30 heads. Pods flattened, to 10cm long; not constricted between seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Australia, grown here for ornament.
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  • Italian Cypress Cupressus sempervirens (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 22m. Slender, upright evergreen with dense dark-green foliage. Usually columnar, but sometimes broadly pyramidal. BARK Grey-brown and ridged. BRANCHES Strongly upright and crowded, bearing clusters of shoots. Numerous young shoots arise from the leading shoots. LEAVES Dark-green, scale-like, no more than 1mm long; unscented. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Small greenish-yellow male cones up to 8mm across grow on tips of side-shoots. Elliptical, yellowish-grey female cones, up to 4cm across, grow near ends of the shoots; they ripen brown. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain slopes in S Europe and Balkans, east to Iran. Most wild trees are spreading, but elegant columnar form is widely planted elsewhere.
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  • Santa Lucia Fir Abies bracteata (Pinaceae) HEIGHT to 38m <br />
Tall, narrowly conical evergreen with tapering crown, strong foliage and pointed buds. BARK Black, marked with scars of fallen branches. LEAVES Sharp-spined needles, up to 5cm long, dark green above with 2 light bands below. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Bright-green cones, up to 10cm long, are distinctive with their long projecting hair-like bracts, which persist throughout summer. Flowers are small and insignificant; males yellowish, growing on underside of shoot, females green, growing on top of shoot. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Rare native of S California. Does well in rainier parts of our region.
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  • Japanese Red Pine Pinus densiflora (Pinaceae) HEIGHT to 15m Young trees are the most attractive, with a neat conical shape. Older trees are less shapely and have a flatter, twiggier crown. BARK Distinctly red and flaky. BRANCHES Usually drooping with bright green shoots showing clearly between the rather sparse foliage. LEAVES Slender, 8-12cm long and shiny green. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Pointed cones and reddish, to 5cm long. Flowers and cones are produced on quite young trees. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of China, Japan and Korea, occasionally planted here.
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  • Chilean Incense Cedar Austrocedrus chilensis (Height to 15m) is similar to Incense Cedar Calocedrus decurrens but less regular in outline. Sprays of foliage are very flattened and do not always show the white stripes seen in Incense Cedar. More tender and shorter-lived than Incense Cedar, so only thrives in the west of Britain and Ireland.
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  • Western Himalayan (Bhutan) Cypress Cupressus torulosa (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 27m. Ovoid crown recalls C. glabra but tree has more open habit. Slender green shoots smell of new-mown grass when crushed. BARK Spirally ridged in older trees. BRANCHES Raised, with descending sprays of looser foliage. LEAVES Tiny, scale-like and unmarked, with minute, incurved points. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Cones are less than 15mm across, each scale with a rounded knob. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native to W Himalayas, grown in a few old, British gardens. COMMENTS Slow-growing.
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  • Chilean Incense Cedar Austrocedrus chilensis (Height to 15m) is similar to Incense Cedar Calocedrus decurrens but less regular in outline. Sprays of foliage are very flattened and do not always show the white stripes seen in Incense Cedar. More tender and shorter-lived than Incense Cedar, so only thrives in the west of Britain and Ireland.
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  • Meyer’s Juniper Juniperus squamata ‘Meyeri’ similar to Chinese Juniper J. chinensis (Height to 11m) Small conical evergreen with striking blue-grey foliage when young. Needle-like leaves have paler stripe on underside. Bark of mature trees peels in thin pinkish-brown scales. Tolerates poor soils and tough growing conditions so suited to town gardens.
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  • Western Himalayan (Bhutan) Cypress Cupressus torulosa (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 27m. Ovoid crown recalls C. glabra but tree has more open habit. Slender green shoots smell of new-mown grass when crushed. BARK Spirally ridged in older trees. BRANCHES Raised, with descending sprays of looser foliage. LEAVES Tiny, scale-like and unmarked, with minute, incurved points. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Cones are less than 15mm across, each scale with a rounded knob. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native to W Himalayas, grown in a few old, British gardens. COMMENTS Slow-growing.
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  • Plum Yew (Japanese Cow-tail Pine) Cephalotaxus harringtonia (Cephalotaxaceae) HEIGHT to 6m<br />
Small, bushy, yew-like evergreen tree. LEAVES Leathery and spineless, in dense clusters on slightly down-curved twigs. <br />
C. harringtonia var. drupacea is a more frequently seen variant with shorter leaves growing almost vertically on the gracefully curving shoots and showing their silvery-green lower surfaces. C. harringtonia ‘Fastigiata’ is an upright form with much darker foliage; leaves reach 7cm in length, although they are shorter near the tip of the current year’s growth. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Creamy-white male flowers are borne in small clusters on the underside of twigs; female flowers (on separate sex trees) borne on very short stalks, later giving rise to small greenish plum-like fruits. <br />
STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Known only as a garden plant, originally from Japan, and never seen growing in the wild.
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  • Smooth Japanese Maple Acer palmatum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 16m. Small deciduous tree with a short, usually twisted bole, and domed crown. BARK Smooth brown bark with paler patches in young trees. BRANCHES Numerous and spreading, ending in thin reddish twigs with green undersides. LEAVES To 9cm long, with 5–7, sometimes 11, toothed lobes divided at least half-way to the base of leaf. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Dark purple-red flowers, in upright clusters of 12–15 on thin green or red 4cm-long pedicels, usually opening in April–May. Reddish fruits usually hang in clusters, each fruit about 2cm across, the wings diverging widely. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan, planted here for its compact shape, interesting foliage and fine autumn colours.
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  • Rauli Nothofagus procera (Fagaceae) HEIGHT to 28m <br />
Attractive, conical tree with a stout bole and striking autumn foliage. BARK Grey, with vertical plates. BRANCHES Lower branches are usually level, upper branches are more ascending. Thick, green twigs, which darken with age, bear pointed and reddish-brown buds, about 1cm long. LEAVES Alternate, to 8cm long and rather pointed at tip. Margin is wavy, minutely toothed and, on underside, the 15–22 pairs of veins are covered with fine silky hairs. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female flowers occur on same tree. Males solitary and grow in leaf axils, female flowers are also usually solitary and give rise to 4-lobed hairy capsules containing 3 shiny brown nuts. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Chile, introduced here early in 20th century and found in parks, gardens and commercial plantations.
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  • Weeping Willow Salix x sepulcralis (Height to 20m) similar to Chinese Weeping Willow S. babylonica but  is more popular. Hybrid between Chinese Weeping Willow and White Willow. Pendulous branches and golden foliage look elegant in waterside settings.
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  • Weeping Willow Salix x sepulcralis (Height to 20m) similar to Chinese Weeping Willow S. babylonica but  is more popular. Hybrid between Chinese Weeping Willow and White Willow. Pendulous branches and golden foliage look elegant in waterside settings.
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  • Drooping Juniper Juniperus recurva (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 14m. Small evergreen with ascending branches but drooping foliage. Outline broadly conical. BARK Greyish-brown, peeling in long untidy shreds. LEAVES Tough and needle-like, clasping shoots; paint-like smell when crushed. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones are yellow, growing in small clusters at tips of shoots. Female cones are produced at ends of shoots and become oval, black and berry-like when mature, growing to 8mm across. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SW China and the Himalayas; planted in our region for ornament.
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  • Weeping Willow Salix x sepulcralis (Height to 20m) similar to Chinese Weeping Willow S. babylonica but  is more popular. Hybrid between Chinese Weeping Willow and White Willow. Pendulous branches and golden foliage look elegant in waterside settings.
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  • Chinese Weeping Willow (Corkscrew form) Salix babylonica pekinensis (Salicaceae) HEIGHT to 20m <br />
Has graceful ‘weeping’ branches and foliage reaching the ground. SHOOTS Brown and slender at first, becoming gnarled and thicker with age. LEAVES To 16cm long and 1.5cm wide, finely toothed and pointed; petiole to 5mm long. Mature leaves dark green, slightly glossy above. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Catkins, to 2cm long and 0.4cm wide, appear in May. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of China, planted here and sometimes naturalised in wet habitats.
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  • Italian Cypress Cupressus sempervirens (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 22m. Slender, upright evergreen with dense dark-green foliage. Usually columnar, but sometimes broadly pyramidal. BARK Grey-brown and ridged. BRANCHES Strongly upright and crowded, bearing clusters of shoots. Numerous young shoots arise from the leading shoots. LEAVES Dark-green, scale-like, no more than 1mm long; unscented. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Small greenish-yellow male cones up to 8mm across grow on tips of side-shoots. Elliptical, yellowish-grey female cones, up to 4cm across, grow near ends of the shoots; they ripen brown. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain slopes in S Europe and Balkans, east to Iran. Most wild trees are spreading, but elegant columnar form is widely planted elsewhere.
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  • Italian Cypress Cupressus sempervirens (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 22m. Slender, upright evergreen with dense dark-green foliage. Usually columnar, but sometimes broadly pyramidal. BARK Grey-brown and ridged. BRANCHES Strongly upright and crowded, bearing clusters of shoots. Numerous young shoots arise from the leading shoots. LEAVES Dark-green, scale-like, no more than 1mm long; unscented. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Small greenish-yellow male cones up to 8mm across grow on tips of side-shoots. Elliptical, yellowish-grey female cones, up to 4cm across, grow near ends of the shoots; they ripen brown. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mountain slopes in S Europe and Balkans, east to Iran. Most wild trees are spreading, but elegant columnar form is widely planted elsewhere.
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  • Smooth Japanese Maple Acer palmatum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 16m. Small deciduous tree with a short, usually twisted bole, and domed crown. BARK Smooth brown bark with paler patches in young trees. BRANCHES Numerous and spreading, ending in thin reddish twigs with green undersides. LEAVES To 9cm long, with 5–7, sometimes 11, toothed lobes divided at least half-way to the base of leaf. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Dark purple-red flowers, in upright clusters of 12–15 on thin green or red 4cm-long pedicels, usually opening in April–May. Reddish fruits usually hang in clusters, each fruit about 2cm across, the wings diverging widely. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan, planted here for its compact shape, interesting foliage and fine autumn colours.
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  • Smooth Japanese Maple Acer palmatum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 16m. Small deciduous tree with a short, usually twisted bole, and domed crown. BARK Smooth brown bark with paler patches in young trees. BRANCHES Numerous and spreading, ending in thin reddish twigs with green undersides. LEAVES To 9cm long, with 5–7, sometimes 11, toothed lobes divided at least half-way to the base of leaf. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Dark purple-red flowers, in upright clusters of 12–15 on thin green or red 4cm-long pedicels, usually opening in April–May. Reddish fruits usually hang in clusters, each fruit about 2cm across, the wings diverging widely. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan, planted here for its compact shape, interesting foliage and fine autumn colours.
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  • Smooth Japanese Maple Acer palmatum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 16m. Small deciduous tree with a short, usually twisted bole, and domed crown. BARK Smooth brown bark with paler patches in young trees. BRANCHES Numerous and spreading, ending in thin reddish twigs with green undersides. LEAVES To 9cm long, with 5–7, sometimes 11, toothed lobes divided at least half-way to the base of leaf. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Dark purple-red flowers, in upright clusters of 12–15 on thin green or red 4cm-long pedicels, usually opening in April–May. Reddish fruits usually hang in clusters, each fruit about 2cm across, the wings diverging widely. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan, planted here for its compact shape, interesting foliage and fine autumn colours.
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  • Coastal Redwood Sequoia sempervirens (Taxodiaceae) HEIGHT to 50m. An impressively large evergreen, growing to be the tallest tree in the world in its native California and Oregon. Forms a conical to columnar tree with a tapering trunk arising from a broader, buttressed base. BARK Thick and reddish-brown, becoming spongy, eventually deeply fissured and peeling. BRANCHES Mostly arise horizontally or are slightly pendulous. LEAVES Green twigs support a unique combination of 2 types of leaves arranged in spirals; leading shoots have scale-like leaves, up to 8mm long, clasping the stem, and side-shoots have longer, flattened, needle-like leaves up to 2cm long, lying in 2 rows. Crushed foliage smells of grapefruit.<br />
REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female cones are produced on the same tree. The small yellow male cones grow on the tips of main shoots, releasing pollen in early spring. The pale-brown female cones grow singly on the tips of shoots, becoming 2cm long and ovoid. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A native of California and Oregon, growing best in the hills where the permanent sea-mists keep the trees supplied with moisture. Unsurprisingly, the biggest British and Irish specimens are in the west and north of the region.
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  • Smooth Arizona Cypress Cupressus glabra (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 22m. British form grows into a neat, ovoid tree with blue-grey foliage often with white tips. In the wild (in Arizona) it is more spreading. BARK Reddish or purplish; falls away in rounded flakes in older specimens, revealing yellow or reddish patches. LEAVES Greyish-green, often with a central white spot; grapefruit-scented. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones are small, yellow and grow at tips of shoots. Female cones are oval, up to 2.5cm across when mature, and greenish-brown; scales have a central blunt projection. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native to Arizona, planted in our region for ornament and hedging.
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  • Caucasian Fir Abies nordmanniana (Pinaceae) HEIGHT to 42m. Large, shapely fir with thick foliage. BARK Dull grey and fissured with age, forming small square plates. LEAVES Tough, green, forward-pointing needles, in dense rows around brownish twigs; 1.5–3.5cm long, slightly notched at tip and grooved above. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male flowers are reddish and grow on underside of shoot. Female flowers are greener and upright, borne in separate clusters on same tree. Cones are found high up on mature trees (30m); 12-18cm long, dark brown and resinous with projecting, downcurved scales. They break up on the tree. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native from Turkey eastwards. Planted here for ornament.
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