List of trees of Great Britain and Ireland facts for kids

Many lists of trees of Great Britain and Ireland have been written. There are a number of issues surrounding the inclusion of a species in such a list. As can be seen from the outline of debate below, there is no 'correct' list of trees of Britain and Ireland.

Rowan tree in Wicklow, Ireland

List of species

Alnus glutinosa

Malus sylvestris

Fraxinus excelsior

Native trees

• Alders
  • Alder (Alnus glutinosa)
• Apples
  • Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris)
• Ashes
  • Common Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
• Birches
  • Silver Birch (Betula pendula)
  • Downy Birch (Betula pubescens)
• Beeches
  • European Beech (Fagus sylvatica; southern Great Britain only)
• Box
  • Box (Buxus sempervirens; southern England only)
• Cherries and Plums
  • Wild Cherry (Prunus avium)
  • Bird Cherry (Prunus padus)
  • Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)
• Elms
  • Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra)
  • Smooth-leaved Elm (Ulmus minor, syn. U. carpinifolia; southern Great Britain only)
• Hawthorns
  • Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
  • Midland Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata; southern Great Britain only)
  • Crataegus × media - occurs as a natural hybrid wherever monogyna and laevigata overlap.
• Hazels
  • Common Hazel (Corylus avellana)
• Hornbeams
  • European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus; southern Great Britain only)
• Hollies
  • European Holly (Ilex aquifolium)
• Junipers
  • Common Juniper (Juniperus communis)
• Lindens (Limes)
  • Small-leaved Linden/Lime (Tilia cordata; southern Great Britain only)
  • Large-leaved Linden/Lime (Tilia platyphyllos; southern Great Britain only)
• Maples
  • Field Maple (Acer campestre; southern Great Britain only)
• Oaks
  • Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur)
  • Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea)
• Pines
  • Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris)
• Poplars
  • Aspen (Populus tremula)
  • Black Poplar (Populus nigra; southern Great Britain only)
• Rowans and Whitebeams
  • European Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
  • Common Whitebeam (Sorbus aria) and several related apomictic microspecies
  • Service Tree (Sorbus domestica; recently discovered growing wild on a cliff in south Wales)
  • Wild Service Tree (Sorbus torminalis)
• Strawberry Tree
  • Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo; Ireland only)
• Willows (Salix spp.; several species)
  • Bay Willow (Salix pentandra)
  • Crack Willow (Salix fragilis)
  • White Willow (Salix alba)
  • Almond-leaved Willow (Salix triandra)
• Yews
  • European Yew (Taxus baccata)

Native large shrubs

These larger shrubs occasionally reach tree size:

• Alder Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula)
• Purging Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)
• Elder (Sambucus nigra)
• Common Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea)
• Rock Whitebeam (Sorbus rupicola)
• (Common) Sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)
• Spindle (Euonymus europaeus)
• Sallow, Goat Willow (Salix caprea)
• Grey Willow (Salix cinerea)
• Purple Willow (Salix purpurea)
• Common Osier (Salix viminalis)
• Eared Willow (Salix aurita)
• Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus)
• Wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana)
• Common Privet (Ligustrum vulgare)

Naturalised trees

• From Europe
  • Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster; rarely)
  • European Black Pine (Pinus nigra; rarely)
  • Norway Spruce (Picea abies; rarely)
  • European Larch (Larix decidua)
  • European Pear (Pyrus communis; sometimes regarded as native)
  • Plymouth Pear (Pyrus cordata; sometimes regarded as native)
  • Cherry Plum (Prunus cerasifera)
  • Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)
  • Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)
  • Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa; a Roman introduction)
  • Holm Oak (Quercus ilex)
  • Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris)
  • Common Horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)
  • English Elm (Ulmus procera; a Roman introduction)
• From Asia
  • Japanese Larch (Larix kaempferi)
• From North America
  • Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta)
  • Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis)
  • Black Spruce (Picea mariana; rarely)
  • Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
  • Grand Fir (Abies grandis)
  • Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)
  • Western Redcedar (Thuja plicata)
  • Lawson's Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)
  • Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa; rarely)

Endemic species

An endemic species is a plant only native to a certain area. Outside this area, unless spread naturally it is considered non-native, usually as a result of cultivation. Britain and Ireland have few endemic trees, most being micro-species of Whitebeam. But there are some interesting endemic trees nevertheless.

• Plot's Elm – English Midlands only.
• Apomictic Whitebeams endemic to the British Isles:
  • Sorbus arranensis – Isle of Arran only.
  • Arran Service Tree – Isle of Arran only.
  • Sorbus pseudomeinichii - Isle of Arran only.
  • Lancaster Whitebeam - Lancaster only.
  • English Whitebeam - Great Britain and Ireland only.
  • Bristol Whitebeam - Avon Gorge only.
  • Devon Whitebeam – Devon, Somerset, Cornwall and Ireland only.
  • Ley’s Whitebeam – Brecon Beacons only.
  • Lesser Whitebeam – Brecon Beacons only.
  • Sorbus leptophylla – endemic to UK
  • Sorbus wilmottiana – endemic to UK
  • Bloody Whitebeam – Exmoor only.
  • Sorbus subcuneata – coastal North Devon and Western Somerset only.
  • Cheddar Whitebeam – Cheddar Gorge only.
  • “No Parking” Whitebeam – North Devon only.
  • Llangollen Whitebeam – Llangollen only.
  • Irish Whitebeam – Ireland only.
  • Leigh Woods Whitebeam, Leigh Woods only.