Identifying different tree species.

O.A.P

Its easy enough in summer if you know the different leaves, but apart from maybe three that I could be reasonably sure about (oak.ash and birch) I would have a problem identifying deciduous trees in the winter.
So any of the timber men on here know of a good book or web site for Irish trees that has this information or just a few tips on how to tell them apart.
Thanks for any help.

kylemore56

I would be very interested as well!

Oldtree

I've attached 2 conifer id's both the same, but one with a color code id. Pages referred to are from the Eye witness Trees. 2's 3's 5's refers to the number of needles on pines. (got most of the pointers from the plant knowledge tutor at Merrist Wood.)

For ordinary leaf ID you cant beat the Eye Witness Trees as it has an excellent key at the front that allows you to narrow down the leaf easily.

A alternative book is Tree Bark - a color guide by Hughes Vaucher, but no real key.

Good place for tree books:

http://www.treesource.co.uk/acatalog/

They did have this winter ID book but i found it uninspireing:

http://www.treesource.co.uk/acatalog/info_285.html

If you post good clear pictures of the twig and buds I'll have a crack at IDing and that way we can build up a list. Also there may be the remnants of leaves under the tree to make id easier.

O.A.P

Thanks Oldtree you put a lot of effort into answering my question and its more than I expected.
The book you linked to is only 5 quid and it says there are 70 species in it but I will get "Eye Witness Trees" first for the key.
If you have the time to put a bigger list up at the weekend I think more than me would learn from it.
Thanks again.

Oldtree

I may have been somewhat disingenuous about the winter tree id book for a fiver. It is ok, but I would have preferred exact photos rather than drawings of a twig and buds for comparisons. Much easier to compare a twig with a color photograph imo. I would also have preferred just trees to be covered in the book.

Thats what is great about the eye witness the photos are excellent representations of the leafs.

Oldtree

Winter tree ID of the more common Trees

A tree bud has all of next years’ leaves, stems or flowers squeezed inside it.
The bud scales (coat) protect the tiny leaves, stems or flowers during the winter.
A leaf scar is where the leaf, from last year, was attached to the twig.
On a twig, the buds can be arranged opposite (opp), alternate (alt) or spirally (spi).
Some twigs/stems have obvious warty marks. These are lenticels and are the trees pores.
Terminal bud is the top bud on a twig, there may be 1, 2 or a cluster
It is also a good idea to look at the shape of trees that you have id during the winter.

Common Name, Bud Arrangement and Unique Bud/Twig Feature

Alder alt purple buds, old mans thumb shaped. The Italian alder has a tint of orange in the bark of new twigs and a hint of orange when the catkins open in spring, whereas the ordinary alder has purple in the bark and the catkins

Apple alt small reddish buds, look for fruiting spurs in tree (also tip bearers)

Ash opp Matt black angled buds, big clusters of seeds

Beech alt Cigar shaped brown buds,

Birch alt White bark. Downey birch more prevalent in Ireland with more toothed leaves. The white bark of the Downey appears to have cracked bark further up the stem than the Silver Birch which seems to only have the cracked bark at the base of the stem. Jackmontii has its lovely white bark all the way to the ground

Blackthorn Tiny buds, lots of big thorns, bark black

Cherry alt Brown buds in clusters, shiny horizontally stripped bark on stem, lenticels

Elder opp Scrubby growth, red buds look like small shoots, very warty stems

Elm alt Small black roundy buds

Hawthorn alt Tiny red buds, single thorn, bark light brown

Horse Chestnut opp Big sticky brown buds, big horseshoe shaped leaf scar

Lime alt yellowy green under and reddy green above on bud, the same on the twig, the twigs zigzags from bud to bud.

Oak alt Brown buds in clusters at terminal, kinda like smaller sycamore buds but more regal, deeply grooved bark, acorn cups

Poplar alt brown buds like big slender willow buds, tree shape more like a candle, vigorous growth, diamond shapes in bark.

Rowan alt medium red/purple, terminal bud a bit hairy around bud scales

Spindle Green twigs, tiny green buds

Sycamore opp Crown shaped green buds, smooth platy bark. All Acers have the same buds from the diminutive Japanese maples to the larger Sycamore.

Sweet Chestnut alt small red buds with 2 large bud scales, ridge along twig

Willow spi Yellow lemon pip shaped to slender appressed buds, vigorous growth

Oldtree

Two summer ID lists I thought may be of interest

Ophiopogon

You are a star for these conifer keys.

I had a few really good Keys a few years ago but they seem to have disappeared into the ether. It's really annoying as well as they were covered in my own notes on what I thought they looked like... "E.T.'s head on walnuts bark"

aerosol

If you have an iphone or ipad this is a good app http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/winter-treeid-british-isles/id352210960?mt=8

I aslo like this book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collins-Tree-Guide-Owen-Johnson/dp/0007207719


MAD HORSE is quick way to start winter tree id
M for maple
A for ash
D for dogwood
HORSE for horsechestnut

these are all oppostite buds

Oldtree

Makes me wish I had an iphone or an ipad that app looks fab, but it dosnt say how many trees it covers?

aerosol

Oldtree wrote: »

Makes me wish I had an iphone or an ipad that app looks fab, but it dosnt say how many trees it covers?

I think it's about 70..

Yi Harr

aerosol wrote: »

I also like this book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collins-Tree-Guide-Owen-Johnson/dp/0007207719

I'd give that Collins book a big thumbs up too. It's the one we recommend to students on the Intro to Forestry/Dendrology course. All the main species (both native and non) you will encounter are in it as well as a lot of cultivars and specimens trees too. It also has colour plates which identify key species id characteristics.