What is mistletoe?

Many of us are familiar with mistletoe and the concept of kissing beneath it at this time of the year. But, have you ever stopped to wonder what exactly mistletoe is, or how or where it grow?

You may be suprised to know it is actually a parasite and grows by sinking its roots into the branches of other trees and feeding off their fluid and nutrients.

How does mistletoe grow?

Mistletoe is what is known as a hemi-parasite. This means that it can produce food for itself via photosynthesis, but it can also feed by taking fluid and nutrients from other plants - in this case, shrubs and trees.

The seeds inside the berries are very sticky, so they stick fast to and take root after being deposited on a suitable tree branch by a passing bird, after which, they sink their roots, called haustoria, into the branch to keep them steady and establish their 'parasitic straw'.

This 'straw' sucks up water, minerals and other nutrients from the host tree up into the mistletoe itself, helping it to thive all year round - even in poor sunlight when it might struggle to photosynthesize.

Which trees does mistletoe grow on?

Mistletoe grows on a variety of different host trees depending upon the part of the world, but the most common host trees for European mistletoe, are apple, oak, hawthorn, linden, poplar, willow and aspen.

Although it can grow on any of these trees, it much prefers sunny, open spots. So, one of the best places to look out for mistletoe, are among the trees in sunny, south-facing fruit orchards.

What does mistletoe look like?

Mistletoe grows in clusters, nestled among the branches of their host tree. Sometimes these clusters can be so dense, that they look like giant balls perched upon the tree.

They are evergreen and have smooth, opposite, oval shaped leaves and clusters of waxy white berries. Their stems are also quite distinctive, growing in wide v-shapes.

Which birds or wildlife use mistletoe?

Mistletoe berries are rich in fats and protein, making them a very nutritious food source for birds such as blackcaps, robins and mistle thrushes.

In addition, some birds, such as flycatchers, use the mistletoe balls to help support their nests and squirrels and deer have been known to feast on low-hanging mistletoe too.

Can people use mistletoe?

While mistloe may provide a nutritious snack to some of our furred and feathered friends, it is important to remember that it is in fact toxic to humans, causing vomiting, diarrhoea, liver damage and seizures.

That being said, mistletoe has been used historically as a medicinal plant, especially in the management of blood pressure and even today, extracts from mistletoe are used by trained herbalists and in some anti-cancer treatments.

And of course, there is the old Victorian christmas tradition of a kiss beneath the mistletoe.

Summary

Well, there we go!

I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial. If you have not subscribed already, feel free to sign up below and be notified of new nature study blogs and tutorials.

See you soon and happy nature walking,

Leila x

The Anatomy Of A Tree

In this tutorial, we will learn about all the different parts, or anatomy of a tree.

Anatomy means all the little parts that come together to make one big part. In this case, a tree. So, what are the parts of a tree? Well, a tree has three main parts:

Roots
Trunk
Crown

Each of these three parts can be broken down further into even smaller parts.

The divisions of a tree

If we were to divide up the main parts of a tree, we will find that each one is made up of even smaller sections:

Roots are made up of large roots, smaller roots, tiny roots called rootlets, and even tinier root hairs
Tree trunks are made up of different layers too, called bark, cambium, sap-wood and heart-wood
The crown of a tree is made up of large branches, smaller branches and twigs

Anatomy by the seasons

In addition, a tree has other parts which come and go throughout the year - changing by the seasons.

In the spring, you might find buds, blossoms or catkins
During the summer, you will see leaves, flowers, fruit and berries
Then, in the autumn, the leaves fall off and you find nuts and seeds
Finally, during winter, you find only buds - unless it is a conifer or evergreen tree. (In which case you will find leaves and cones nearly all the year round.)

But did you know, even these are made up of even smaller bits. For example, leaves are made up of stems, blades and veins, while flowers have petals, sepals, anthers, stamens and ovaries.

Under the microscope

If you were to take a little piece of a tree and look at it under a microscope - any piece of the tree, you would notice that they can all be broken down even further into teeny tiny parts called cells... and even tinier parts called organelles... all the way down into atoms!

And there are many different types of cells, organs and organelles. In fact, they even arrange themselves into structures inside the tree, each of which has its own special job to do.

For example, phloem and xylem tubes run all the way up and down the tree from its roots to its leaves carrying food and water. While chlroplasts can be found inside mesothelial cells in the leaves. These have a job called photosynthesis. This means they use sunshine to help the tree make energy.

Summary

Well, there we go! So let us recap this lesson:

Each tree is made up of lots of smaller parts, arranged by structure and function.

While the three main parts of a tree are its roots, trunk and crown, each of these can be divided down in smaller parts and even smaller parts - some of which change according to the seasons.

Remember too, that every large, small and tiny part of a tree has its own special role to play in helping the tree stay strong and healthy. And they all work together to make up the anatomy of a tree.

Tree Anatomy Nature Study

Your task, is to find a tree and see if you can notice all the little parts of the tree in real life.

Start by noticing its roots, trunk and crown.
Then look at the roots again - can you see how the bigger roots divide into smaller roots?
Next, follow the trunk up and see how it splits into larger and smaller branches
Try to reach a twig and examine it carefully.
Can you see any buds or leaves... or anything else?
Look at a leaf and trace its stem and veins.
What else can you see on your tree?

Finally, I would like you to find a tree stump. Take a good look and see what you can see.. If you cannot find a tree stump, take a look at our tree stump tutorial to take a look inside.

What next?

How to tell the difference between Cowslip and Primrose

How to tell the difference between cowslip and primrose

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between cowslip and primrose? Well, recently, my daughter has discovered the flower fairies by Cicely Mary Barker and befriended her image of the cowslip fairy. So, she was overjoyed to spot what she thought was a cowslip growing alongside the path.

Her joy soon turned to confusion however, when she then spotted another, fairly similar flower growing a few steps away from it, being adamant that it must be another cowslip, but doubting herself because, the two plants looked a bit different.

So, after telling her their names and how to tell them apart, I thought it might be of interest to write a quick tutorial about it so that you can learn to tell the difference between cowslip and primrose too.

How to identify cowslip

Cowslip, or Primula veris, is a spring flowering plant with yellow flowers clustered at the top of tall, proud stems. It can be found growing in moist, boggy pastures, meadows and roadsides and are among the first plants to flower.

Each star or bell-like flower has five yellow petals with a deep orange spot in the middle of each petal. The five petals join beneath the star to form a longish tube, encased by a loose, leafy sheath and have a musky, vanilla-like smell.

Its leaves are oval-shaped and characteristically crinkled. However, their oval shape narrows quite suddenly along its length, leaving a long, thin, stalk-like base to the leaves, which grow rosette-like from the base of the plant.

How to identify primrose

Primrose, or Primula vulgaris is also a spring-flowering, 5-yellow-petaled, crinkly-leaved, rosette-based plant. Like the cowslip, it also grows in moist, boggy meadows, pastures and roadsides, and is among the first plants to flower. So, how do you tell them apart?

Well, primrose flowers have wider petals than the cowslip, and their orange spots come together to form a star-like pattern in the middle of the flower. Also, unlike cowslip's proud clusters of flowers, each primrose flower grows by itself at the end of a short, single stalk.

The primrose leaves are also different, in that they taper down really gradually towards the base of the plant, so they do not have the characteristic tail of the cowslip leaves. (Although they are similarly light green and crinkly.)

Summary

So, in summary, here are the differences between cowslip and primrose:

Cowslip has clusters of small, bell-like flowers on tall stems.
Primrose has wide open flowers on short stems.
Cowslip leaves narrow down into a long, thin base
Primrose leaves remain broad, tapering gently towards the base.

Once you know the difference between them, telling cowslips and primroses apart is actually really easy!

Well. I hope you have enjoyed this little tutorial - let me know in the comments below and don't forget to subscribe if you would love to get notifications of new nature tutorials.

Happy nature walking and see you soon! Leila x

Wild Garlic - Your definitive guide

Hello! In this tutorial, I thought I would share my definitive guide to wild garlic. Including what it is, where it grows, how to identify, harvest, store and use it and a few good-to-know look-a-likes (plus how to tell them apart). Are you ready? Lets get started!

What is wild garlic?

Wild garlic, or Allium ursinum, is a beautiful, perennial spring and summer herb found across Ireland and the British Isles (as well as Northern Europe, Canada and North America) that can often be smelled long before it is seen, thanks to its decidedly oniony-garlicky scent.

While not actually a 'garlic' per se, it is a member of the Allium family, which includes garlic, onions, leeks and chives. It is also known by many local and common names, including ramsons, buckrams, wood garlic and bear's garlic.

Wild garlic can be found growing wild in damp, often shady woodland corners and alongside streams and brooks. It is frequently found carpeting the forest floor alongside cuckoo's pint and lily of the valley (more about these later).

It is well known as a forager's delight, being one of the first herbs to arrive in the spring and being easy to locate and identify. However, as with any wild harvest, it should only be picked with the landowner's permission (and digging up the roots (in the wild) is illegal.)

How is wild garlic used?

Wild garlic can be eaten both raw and cooked and the entire plant is edible. This includes the roots (although illegal to dig up in the wild), young shoots, leaves, flowers, flowering stems and seeds. (Please note, while edible for humans, it is harmful for dogs.)

The best time to harvest wild garlic depends on the part you intend to use. Young leaves and shoots can be picked from early spring (around mid-February onwards). Flowers can be collected from around mid-April and the seeds can be gathered in early summer.

The easiest way to gather wild garlic is to carefully snip the bits you want with a small pair of scissors, then lay them gently in a bag or basket. Following a good wash in cold water, it can then be stored in the drawer of your fridge.

Leaves and shoots will stay fresh for around 3-4 days after you have picked them, while flowers are best used on the same day. The seed pods can be pickled and preserved like capers, making them a useful addition to your winter pantry.

You can find some great wild garlic recipes here (Great British Chefs) and here (Delicious Magazine)

How do you identify wild garlic?

Wild garlic can be identified by its leaves and smell in early spring and by its leaves, smell and flowers later in the season. Its habit of growing in large swathes also helps in identification. However, there are a few look-a-likes, which you should be aware of.

Its leaves are wide along their length, but pointed at the top, dull rather than shiny and soft to touch. Their veins run parallel to each other along the width of the leaf and are relatively spaced out. Each leaf grows singly on its own stem from the base of the plant.

The flowers are smallish, white and star-shaped. They grow together in globe-like clusters at the top of a single stem rising up from the middle of the plant. The seed heads are green and look like three little marbles joined together in the middle.

Before you collect or consume any wild garlic, it is important to rule out its two main look-a-likes - cuckoo's pint and lily of the valley. (And in the USA, snowbells and crow's poison or false garlic). Not least because they are poisonous!

How to tell apart cuckoo's pint and wild garlic

The most obvious difference between cuckoo's pint and wild garlic, is the smell. Wild garlic has an unmistakeable onion-garlicky scent, which cuckoo's pint does not have. So, gently crush each leaf to double check its identity (Make sure to wash your hands after).

The most dangerous time for mixing these two plants up, is early in the spring, when the shoots have not fully emerged to show the shiny, arrow-like appearance of its leaves, and the peripheral veins, which radiate out from the central vein.

Later in the year, it is easier to distinguish, with its central spadix surrounded by a light-green, hood-like sheath, and its beautiful, bright red and orange berries. It is important to note that all parts of this plant are poisonous and can cause irritation of the mouth and throat if eaten, leading to swelling and difficulty breathing.

How to tell apart lily of the valley and wild garlic

Lily of the valley also looks uncannily like wild garlic in the spring, with the same shaped leaf and growth habit. Again, smell is the most reliable method to test it. So, gently crush a leaf to ascertain the presence of the garlicky smell. (Make sure to wash your hands after).

There are also other ways to tell the leaves apart. Lily of the valley leaves are shinier than wild garlic and their parallel veins lie much closer together. They also grow in pairs of two or three, unlike the single leaves of the garlic.

Later in the season, they can be distinguished by their flowers. While the wild garlic flowers are white, star-shaped and grow in clusters, lily of the valley flowers are white, bell-shaped and grow one-by-one along the length of the stem (like white bluebells).

Again, all parts of lily of the valley are poisonous and can cause nausea, flushing, hallucinations, arrhythmia, coma and death. So please seek help immediately if you are worried about accidental ingestion of this plant.

Summary

Well, there we go! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and have learned all sorts of useful information about what wild garlic is, how to identify it and how to use it. Before I say goodbye though, I would just like to remind you to...

Please, please, please, never eat any plant unless you are completely certain of its identify and its edibility. If in doubt, leave it out! Also, never pick more than you need for your personal or family use. A rule of thumb is to only harvest one plant if there are seven more beside it. Remember, our wild plants are food sources for bees, butterflies and other insects and animals too.

If you did enjoy this tutorial and would love to be notified about new tutorials, you can join the Nook by clicking the button below. Thank you for staying till the end and happy nature walking x

What next?

Identifying Spring Tree Blossom

Hello! In this tutorial, we are going to learn how to identify our most common our most commonly found spring tree blossoms. Are you ready? Lets get started!

Apple blossom

Apple flowers are white, with pink bud coverings. They have five full, rounded petals which often overlap.

Blackthorn blossoms

Blackthorn flowers also have five white petals, but they are narrower, more widely spaced and smaller than apple flowers.

Cherry blossom

Cherry tree flowers have five raggedy-ended, rectangular-shaped petals. They are often white, but can also be light pink.

Pear blossom

Pear tree flowers have five, rounded petals and are a similar size to apple, but have a characteristic star-shape in the centre.

Plum blossom

Plum tree flowers also have five, white, narrowly rounded petals, with long, messy, dark-tipped stamens.

Where to find spring tree blossom

I love spotting the first blossom of the spring, sometimes in gardens, sometimes in hedgerows and even through the windows of the train. In fact, spotting blossom is such a beautiful experience that people will gladly travel across the world in search of the best spots to enjoy the spectacle. But, you do not always have to travel far and wide to catch a glimpse and enjoy the smell of delicate, lacy blossom.

Look along any hedgerow from about mid-February and you are sure to spot the small white flowers of the blackthorn dotted delicately along its the branches. While, cherry trees can be found as early as January sporting their flowers in gardens, parks and city streets. (Some ornamental cherries have pompom-like flowers with more than five petals).

As for apple, plums and pears, these are great trees to look out for in orchards as you look out of the train window. But, they can also be found in hedgerows and even in previously inhabited forests. In fact, hedgerows were often deliberately planted with fruit trees to help make the most of their space and feed the local villagers a long time ago, so make great foraging locations.

Other blossoms to look out for

In addition to the flowers mentioned, you can also look out for forsythia and flowering current. Forsythia is most often found in parks and gardens and can be identified by their bright, yellow flowers, which grow all along the branches. While flowering current can has dangly clusters of small, bright pink flowers that can also be smelled from a distance. (Some people describe the smell as cat wee, but... I don't think its that bad... I shall let you decide!)

Summary

Well, there we go! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and have a better idea now, of how to identify our most common spring tree blossoms. To be notified about new nature walk tutorials, you can join the Nook by clicking the button below x

Subscribe to My Nature Nook

How to identify our less common berries

Hello! In this tutorial, we are going to learn how to identify our less common berries. Are you ready? Lets get started!

Alder buckthorn

Alder buckthorn has small berries, which ripen from green to red to dark purple and black and alternating, slightly hair leaves.

Cherry laurel

Cherry laurel berries are purpley-black, grow in spikes and are poisonous. Their leaves are shiny, long and leathery.

Cotoneaster

Cotoneaster has small, bright red berries, which grow on short stems in small clusters all along the branches.

Dogwood

Dogwoods berries are very small and grow in clusters along the stems. Their leaves are bright and have long, curvey veins.

Guelder rose

Geulder rose berries are bright, bright red, round and hang in bunches. Their leaves have three lobes and hair underneath.

Mezeron

Mezeron berries turn from green to orange to red and grow directly along the branches. They are also very poisonous.

Privet

Privet berries are tiny, purpley-black and grow in grape-like clusters. Their leaves are short and thin. It is poisonous.

Sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn berries are medium sized, round and bright orange. The leaves, are long, pale and thin.

Spindle

Spindle seeds are a bright orange, nestled inside a bright pink shell. They tend to grow in conjoined fours.

Spurge laurel

Spurge laurel berries are oval or egg shaped and black. They hang in clustes near the tips of the branch.

Why are these berries less well known?

When it comes to identifying wild berries, most people tend to know a select group of edible or useful hedgerow berries, including hawthorn, elder, dog rose, bramble and sloe (because, they tend to be seen almost everywhere). But, there are many, many fruit and berry-bearing plants across the British Isles, that can be found growing in scrub, woodlands, riverbanks, uplands, heaths, moors and even by the coast.

So, why are they not so well known? Perhaps because they are not 'useful' or because they are small, or inconspicuous, so people do not notice them. Or, they notice, but do not register the fact they have noticed them because they do not know their names and so have no connection to them. Who knows?

But, known or not well known, these berries are all a part of our countryside landscape and I think it is nice to look out for them, learn to recognise them and put names to their faces... which is why I put together this tutorial today. What do you think?

Summary

Well, there we go! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and have a better idea now, of how to identify some of our less well known tree berries. To be notified about new nature walk tutorials, you can subscribe to My Nature Nook by clicking the button below x

What next?

How to identify our most common tree seeds

Hello! In this tutorial, we are going to learn how to identify our most common tree seeds . Are you ready? Lets get started!

Ash seeds (keys)

Ash seeds have a 'seed' at the top, and a long, thin papery wing underneath. They dangle in bunches from the branch tips.

Field maple

Field maple seeds are wide, large and stick out horizontally when in their pairs. They are often tinged with pink.

Hornbeam

Hornbeam seeds consist of a seed at the top, nestled between a three-lobed papery wing around and underneath.

Linden

Linden seeds grow in small clusters of 2-4 at the tip of the stem, which is wrapped around by a light, membranous leaf.

London plane

London plane seeds are small, tufted seeds, which grow in fuzzy balls, dangling beneath the branches.

Norway maple

Norway maple seeds are medium sized, frilly round the edges and grow in pairs, which stick out diagonally.

Pine

Pine seeds come in different shapes and sizes, but have a seed at one end, and a larger, thin, papery wing.

Sycamore

Sycamore seeds are small, and grow in pairs that hang close together, with the seeds at the top and wings beneath.

Wych elm

Wych elm seeds consist of a flat, round seed nestled in the middle of a flat, round, thin, membranous wing.

What are seeds?

Seeds are basically the babies or offspring of parent trees. They are produced following pollination of the trees' flowers and contain all the genetic material of the tree. Inside, they have a supply of food and nutrients ready to start their journey into new trees and in fact, they are specially adapted to disperse away from their parent trees by flying, floating, bouncing or rolling away (or being eaten and taken away - sometimes inside a juicy fruit!) This helps them find the space to grow and mature without competing with their parents for water, nutrients and sunlight.

Which trees have nuts and seeds?

There are many sizes and shapes of tree seeds, but usually, we only notice the larger sized seeds. The nine seeds you are likely to notice on your nature walks: ash, field maple, hornbeam, linden, London plane, Norway maple, pine, sycamore and wych elm. Some of the smaller seeds you might come across, are alder, birch and willow.

The six most common 'nut' producing trees, are: beech, hazel, horse chestnut, oak, sweet chestnut and walnut. You can learn to identify our most common nuts here.

Summary

Well, there we go! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and have a better idea now, of how to identify our most common tree seeds. To be notified about new nature walk tutorials, you can join the Nook by clicking the button below x

what next?

Which Trees Have Catkins?

Which trees have catkins?

Hello. In this tutorial, we will be learning about which trees have catkins - and what exactly catkins are. Are you ready? let's get started!

Which trees do catkins grow on?

We have quite a few species of catkin-bearing trees, some with catkins that are more noticeable than others. And some bearing catkins, which you might not know are actually catkins! Our main catkin-bearing trees, are: alder, aspen, birch, hazel, oak, poplar, sweet chestnut, walnut and willow.

Amongst these trees, the catkins you are most likely to spot on your nature walks, are: alder, birch, hazel and willow.

Young alder catkins

Young, female alder catkins take the form or short, round, green cones. Young male catkins are short, thin, green and stubby, with a lattice pattern across them.

Mature alder catkins

Mature female alder catkins develop into woody cones, which release their seeds. Mature male catkins lengthen and soften into soft, dangly, green and pink catkins.

Birch catkins

Young birch catkins are short, thin, light brown and stubby, growing in clusters of 2-3. Mature catkins become soft, long yellow and dangly.

Young hazel catkins

Young, male hazel catkins are short, stubby and moss green with a mustard-coloured scale trims rotating across their surface.

Mature hazel catkins

Mature hazel catkins elongate to become soft, thin, dangly and a soft, mustardy yellow. Of note, the female flowers are small buds with tufty, bright red hairs.

Willow catkins

Willow catkins start off green or yellow and develop puffy, white-coloured seeds. So, if you see something white, puffy or fuzzy, it is most likely a type of willow.

What are catkins?

Believe it or not, catkins are actually flowers! Yes. Catkins grow on shrubs and trees and are dangly clusters of lots of tiny flowers. They just don’t look like flowers at first glance because they are not colourful and pretty.

There are two reasons for this. First, the petals on catkins are either so tiny and drab that you don’t notice them, or they do not actually have petals at all. Second, they do not need to be bright and beautiful, because they do not need to attract birds, animals or insects. The pollen on catkin-bearing tree is usually wind-borne.

Did you know, that most catkin bearing trees are coloniser or pioneer species. They are the first trees to grow in a new area - often before the habitat can support a large variety of insects or other animals. So, they depend on the wind to help fertilise their flowers. And wind does not much care for fancy blooms or pretty petals!

Are catkins male or female?

This is a good question! As you know, flowers can be male or female. The male flowers carry the pollen, which is used to fertilise the female flowers, which then produces the seeds. Some plants have their male flowers and female flowers on separate plants - these are called dioecious. And some have both their male and female flowers on the same plant - these are called monoecious. This is the same for trees.

For example, alder, hazel and birch are monoecious, which means both their male and female flowers grow on the same tree. But their flowers do not look the same. In these trees, their male flowers form the pollen-bearing catkins. While their female flowers are rather inconspicuous may be difficult to spot (at least in birch and hazel).

However, willow is dioecious. It’s male and female flowers grow on separate trees. But, in the willows’ case, and usefully for us, they both look like our typical catkin - making them easy to spot.

Summary

Well... there we go! A brief introduction to which trees have catkins and how to identify them. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial? Let me know in the comments. Happy nature walking and see you soon!

P.S. If you enjoyed this tutorial, don't forget to subscribe below x

10 Common tree buds and how to identify them

Let's learn meet some common tree buds

Hello. In this tutorial, we are going to meet 10 of our most common tree buds and learn how to identify them. Are you ready? Let's get started!

Why are buds important in tree identification?

Buds are a really useful way (and sometimes, one of the few ways) of identifying trees during the winter and early spring when they don’t yet have any leaves or flowers to help identify them. Yet, we so often overlook or forget about them.

At first glance, it might seem surprising to think about the possibility of identifying a tree by those little knobbly bits on its twigs. But, once you open your eyes and start noticing their little details, you will soon realise that tree buds, those knobbly things’, are often as different from one another as leaves or flowers ‘those green or pretty things’.

Alder tree buds

Alder buds are alternate, a soft, purple colour and attached to the twig via little pegs.

Ash tree buds

Ash buds are opposite and fairly large and charcoal-black.

Beech tree buds

Beech buds are long, thin, tapered and chestnut brown and grow out at an angle away from the twig.

Cherry tree buds

Cherry buds are small, thin, tightly closed and grow in clusters all along the twig.

Hazel tree buds

Hazel buds are blunt, rounded, soft green and alternate, with the twig angled between each pair of buds.

Hawthorn tree buds

Hawthorn buds are short, blunt, reddish brown and knobbly.

Horse chestnut tree buds

Horse chestnut buds are quite large, egg-shaped, sticky, shiny and grow near the ends of the branches.

Oak tree buds

Oak tree buds are fat, blunt, pinky-reddish brown and grow in small clusters near the ends of the branch.

Rowan tree buds

Rowan tree buds are long, scruffy, hairy and tightly stuck to the branches.

Sycamore tree buds

Sycamore tree buds are opposite, egg-shaped, green and has little black points at the end of each bud scale.

Summary

Well... there we go! A brief introduction to our 10 common tree buds. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial? Let me know in the comments. Happy nature walking and see you soon!

P.S. If you enjoyed this tutorial, don't forget to subscribe x

What next?

How To Identify Conifer Trees

How do you identify conifers?

Hello! In this tutorial, we are going to learn all about how to identify conifers. You will soon be able to tell your pine from your spruce, your spruce from your fir, as easy as abc. Are you ready? Lets get started!

Let's learn how to identify conifer trees

Cedar

True cedar leaves are long, round in cross section and grow in clusters, like pine, but are shorter than pine and stiffer. They are also highly scented. Their cones are small, upright and dainty.

Cypress

Cypress leaves are flat like fir, but have a scaly appearance. Their cones are small, round and look like wooden berries.

Douglas fir

Douglas fir leaves are short, soft and singular with a white line underneath. Their cones dangle downwards and have little mouse-feet projections between their scales.

Fir

Fir leaves are short and singular like spruce, but are soft, flexible and flat in cross-section, with two white lines underneath and are attached by tiny round cups. The cones stand upwards on the branch and can be quite colourful. Their branches arch downwards and grow packed tightly together.

Hemlock

Hemlock leaves are flat, like yew, but very vary in length and are soft and floppy, with white bands underneath. They are attached by delicate pegs. Their cones are oval, with large, loose plates. The branches are soft, flexible and droppy and the whole tree looks dainty and feathery.

Juniper

Junipers actually have two different leaf formations. Some specied have short, sharp, spikey leaves; while other specied have flat, ferny leaves. Their cones take the form of small, round, blue-coloured berries.

Larch

Larch leaves are medium lenght, round in cross section and grow in rosettes around the branch. Its cones are small, circular, dainty and frilly. They grow on top of the branch.

Pine

Pine leaves are long, round in cross-section and grow in little bunches (fascicles), with a knot or twist at its base. Their cones are egg-shaped, hard and woody and they dangle down beneath the branches. The bark is reddish in colour and plated in texture and the trees themselves are very tall, with their branches concentrated at the top.

Spruce

Spruce leaves are short, stiff, singular, square in cross-section and attached by little wooden pegs. Their cones are long, thin, sleek and bendy and they dangle down beneath its upward arching branches.

Yew

Yew leaves are flat with pointy ends and attached by little green stalks. Their cones are actually small red berries with cave-like depression underneath and a seed hidden inside. The bark is darks and flaky and the whole tree looks dark and dense.

So, how do you identify conifers?

At first, identifying conifers can seem like an impossible task - they are all dark green, with needly leaves and cones. But, once you know what to look for, you will quickly realise that underneath that mass of green needles, they are actually quite different.

How many types of conifer are there?

Here in the UK, you are likely to come across one of ten types of conifer: cedar, cypress, fir, hemlock, juniper, larch, pine, sequoia, spruce and yew. And to identify them, you need four little details - their leaves, cones, branches and bark.

How to identify conifers by their leaves

When deciding to identify a conifer tree by looking at its leaves, the main things we need to pay attention to, are the size and shape of the conifer’s leaves, their texture and how they are attached to the twigs.

Size or length - Are all the tree’s needles the same length or are they different lengths? Are they long or short?
Shape - Are the needles round, square or flat?
Texture - Are the needles smooth and sleek or are they scaly? Do they have any surface (or undersurface) markings?
Attachment - Are the leaves arranged singly or in groups or clusters? Also, are they attached straight to the stem or are they joined to it by little pegs?

Identifying conifers by their cones

When using cones to help identify a conifer tree, we need to know their shape, flexibility, scale shape and their position on the branch.

Shape - Is the cone egg-shaped, round or elongated? Does it look sleek, bumpy or frilly?
Flexibility - Is the cone hard and woody or can you flex it (even a little bit)?
Scales - Are the scales thick or thin? Angular, rounded or wavy?
Position - Do the cones dangle down beneath the branches or stand up on top like candles?
Lastly, does a conifer look like it has berries instead or cones? Or even minature cones?

Identifying conifers by their branches

This may not be the easiest way to identify conifers, but can provide an extra clue. The main things to look for are the location of the branches on the tree trunk, their bendiness and their general direction of growth.

Location - Are the branches are clustered at the top of the tree or spread out along its whole length? Are they spaced apart or packed closely together?
Bendiness - Can you flex the branches or are they rigid?
Direction - Do the branches curve upwards or downwards? Or do they appear to stick straight out to the sides?

Identifying conifers by their bark

As with many trees, bark can only be used as a reliable clue when looking at younger trees. Because, as the tree matures, its bark thickens and it loses its quirks and identifiable personality. But, basically, you want to look at two things:

Texture - Is the bark flaky, scaly or fibrous?
Colour - Does the bark look grey, red or brown?

Summary

Well, there we go! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and have a better idea now, of how to identify our most common conifer trees. If you would like to learn more about identifying trees, why not check out my tutorials on identifying nuts, seeds, leaves or berries.

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