Tree Identification help

sandt

Hi guys,

I'm looking to find out what type of tree this is (attached), any ideas? I would like to plant a few of these around my house for screening as they are evergreen. Are they hard to maintain? would they survive in a pretty windy area?



thanks!

magicbastarder

could be scots pine, possibly corsican pine. wouldn't make for a great screening option, i'd have thought.

lottpaul

Could be Scots, Maritime or similar pine. Not suitable at all for screening I'd say. They might grow but could be mis-shaped by the wind and as they grow their habit is to drop the lower branches anyway, so you lose any screening they originally gave.

sandt

Thanks guys, having looked a bit online, i think it may be an Pinus nigra (Austrian Pine)?

Perhaps i shouldn't have said screening, it would be more used to just break up the length of a building, but i wanted something evergreen so that it would be the same all year round, any better suggestions?

lottpaul

Perhaps i shouldn't have said screening, it would be more used to just break up the length of a building, but i wanted something evergreen so that it would be the same all year round, any better suggestions?


2 quick questions - what eventual height are you looking for? and is your area windy due to coastal location or elevated site?

sandt

lottpaul wrote: »

2 quick questions - what eventual height are you looking for? and is your area windy due to coastal location or elevated site?

I would like an overall height of around 7-10m and windy site is due to elevation, generally W/SW winds

legrand

Useful app for tree identification can be found here (Android - there may be an IOS version too)..
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.woodlandtrust&hl=en
If link does not work search the Google play store (or Aplle App store) for "Tree ID - British Trees" (by Woodland Trust)

lottpaul

sandt wrote: »

I would like an overall height of around 7-10m and windy site is due to elevation, generally W/SW winds

For evergreens at elevation you are probably going to rely on pines, spruce, larch, yew or similar. Thuja come in different colours and shapes and will usually regrow from damage. Holly grows well in exposed sites too but is slow and can be damaged by wind.
I'd nearly prefer a good mix of deciduous trees, e.g. mountain ash, willow, alder, birch, hazel etc. You can get many varieties of each with different leaves, berries and bark.
A good idea is always to go for a drive locally and see whats growing well. If it grows for them, it'll grow for you!

Oldtree

To ID the pine look at how many needles there are in 1 cluster, is it 1 3 or 5.

Pine ID here may help

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/67091/322131.jpg

Conifer and pine ID

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/67091/322132.jpg

Other Conifer and pine ID

https://us.v-cdn.net/6034073/uploads/attachments/67091/322133.jpg

And why not a winter twig ID too

Oldtree wrote: »

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

Good advice there, to look around you and see what is doing well in your area in a similar site and conditions that might meet your needs. A windy site is difficult but not impossible.

Sometimes an initial planting of quick growers to break the wind for slower trees of choice is a good idea. Failing that a mesh wind break is a must while your chosen trees settle in.

Also find out the mature height and spread of your chosen trees which will help with your decision and how those treed will impact on your and your neighbours light.