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Common british trees leaves


How to Identify Trees: A Simple Guide

All trees have clues and features that can help with identification. You just need to know what to look out for. This quick guide to tree identification will give you a few basic hints and tips.

Learn how to identify trees with our top tips on what to look out for.

Credit: Michael Heffernan / WTML

Basic tree identification tips

The UK has at least fifty species of native trees and shrubs, and many more species of introduced non-native trees.

There are lots of features that give you clues to what species it is.

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Overall appearance, size and shape

Size and shape

Some trees have a distinctive look that can be used to identify them, especially from a distance.

Compare a silver birch, with its narrow shape and light and airy crown, to the broadly spreading crown of an oak.

Overall shape is also useful when identifying conifers. The layers of horizontally spreading branches of a mature cedar of Lebanon contrast with the sparsely branched Scot’s pine or densely bushy yew.

Look for signs of management which can affect the shape. Trees like hazel, hornbeam, beech and willow may have been coppiced or pollarded which can create a tree with many stems, rather than a tall, single trunk.

Top tip

The location of a tree  affects its appearance and shape. Trees in woodland often have narrower crowns compared to trees in parks with lots of space around them.

Bark

Take a closer look at the appearance, texture, markings and colour of the bark.

Top tip

Look at the bark all the way up the tree as it can vary between the base and the crown.

Leaves and needles

Leaf type, shape, appearance, texture and colour are all key characteristics when identifying trees. 

They are also often the most obvious feature, particularly in spring and summer. The needles and scales of conifers are also considered types of leaves.

Broadleaves

The leaves of broadleaved trees fall into two basic types - simple and compound.

Credit: Philippe Clement / naturepl.com

Simple leaves

Leaves are whole and are not divided right to the central leaf vein, such as apple or birch. The edges of some simple leaves can be indented or lobed, such as sycamore, field maple and hawthorn, so take care not to mistake these for compound leaves. Lime leaves are a simple and heart-shaped leaf with a pointed tip.

Credit: WTML / Ben Lee

Compound leaves - pinnate

Compound leaves fall into one of two categories - pinnate and palmate.

Pinnate are feather-shaped where leaflets are attached in pairs along the central vein such as rowan, ash and elder.

Credit: Christine Whitehead / Alamy Stock Photo

Compound leaves - palmate

These are palm-shaped, like the outstretched fingers of a hand. Horse chestnut has palmately compound leaves. Be careful not to mistake Acer species such as sycamore and field maple as having palmately compound leaves - they are actually simple with a lobed margin.

Top tip

Take notice of the colour, texture and edges of leaves (do they have serrations?).

In autumn, some species have leaves that turn spectacular autumn colours. Guelder rose and field maple often turn a vivid orange or red.

Conifers

If the foliage on the tree is needles or scales then you are probably looking at a conifer. These include trees in the pine, fir, cypress, larch and spruce families.

Most conifer trees have needles or scales present all year that can be used for identification. One of the few exceptions is European larch which loses its needles in winter.

Conifers can be separated into two broad groups.

Credit: WTML / Margaret Barton

Needles

Pines, spruces, firs, cedars and larches have needles. They can be different shapes, sizes and be arranged differently on twigs. Flattened needles could mean a yew or whorls of three needles juniper.

Larch needles are arranged in clusters.

Credit: FLPA / Alamy Stock Photo

Scales

Species of the cypress family have scales. These are flattened and shield-shaped  that overlap on the twig.

Top tip

Leaves and needles are often the most useful clues for identifying trees. Look closely at the type, shape, edges and arrangement of them.

Flowers

Many trees only bloom at a particular time during the year but if you can see flowers, usually in the spring, it can be another helpful to help with tree identification.

Broadleaf trees have flowers that contain the reproductive organs, and most conifers have cones for reproduction. Here are some basic types.

Top tip

What time of year is the tree flowering? Blackthorn blooms in late winter, before the leaves have come out. But hawthorn flowers much later on in May, once its leaves are out.

Fruits and seeds

At the right time of year fruits and seeds are a great character to help with identification. They vary in shape, appearance and size from hard nuts to soft berries.

Look at the colour and feel the texture of the outer surface of the fruit. Is it smooth, hairy, prickly, rough or papery, soft, hard or dry?

Consider opening fruits up to reveal the seeds inside, which can also be a useful identifying feature. Take note of whether fruits or seeds appear singly, such as crab apples, or in groups like the umbrella-like clusters of elderberries.

Fruits of broadleaved trees

The fruit types of broadleaf trees vary greatly and include samaras, nuts, catkins, berries, stone fruits, apples or pears, capsules and cones.

Fruits of coniferous trees

Conifers have a fruit that is known as a cone which contains the seeds.

Top tip

Out of season you can look around the base of the tree to find old fruits or seeds that may help. But bear in mind they may have come from a neighbouring tree.

Leaf buds and twigs

In winter you’ll find that there aren’t many features to help with identification of deciduous trees, but leaf buds and twigs can reveal some distinctive clues.

Leaf bud arrangement, shape and appearance

Buds are usually on twigs throughout winter. When they are at the end of the twig they are called terminal buds and are often the largest buds. Those growing along the twig are lateral buds and these can have one of three main arrangements.

Twigs

Look at the texture of the twigs and whether they are smooth or hairy. Spines could indicate you’re looking at hawthorn or blackthorn and if it has corky ribs you may be looking at alder.

Top tip

Use the features of twigs and buds in combination to help you identify the tree. For more tips on identifying winter trees see our blog how to identify trees in winter.

Trees woods and wildlife

A-Z of British trees

Explore our simple A-Z identification guide to the trees of Britain, from natives to naturalised and widely planted non-native species. You'll find images, tree descriptions and information on where you're likely to find them.

See the list

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A-Z Guide - British Trees

Our A-Z guide to British trees from native species to naturalised and widely planted non-natives.

Trees which colonised the land after the last ice age and before the UK was disconnected from mainland Europe are classed as native.

Trees that have been brought to the UK by humans are known as non-native.

Trees woods and wildlife

How to identify trees

All trees have clues and features that can help with identification. You just need to know what to look out for with our quick guide.

Our top tips

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How trees fight climate change

Trees are the best natural climate change solution. Find out how they lock up carbon and how many the UK needs to reach carbon net zero by 2050.

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Can woods and trees reduce flooding?

Find out how native trees and woods can help alleviate the devastating effects of climate change.

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Why are trees important for biodiversity?

Woodland is home to a wealth of wildlife. If we don't protect what we have left and plant trees for the future, we'll lose more than just trees.

36 tree species in and out of the British forests

You walk through the woods, hit the bushes, climb the trees, listen to the wind through the leaves and feel the crunch under your feet.

These are the great British forest trails that bring such a sense of calm and redirection. But what kind of trees do you weave between them? Which sapling you passed will change on your next adventure? And what big trunk do you use to hang your camping hammock (if you like wilderness camping)? nine0003

Here in the UK we are a small and mighty island. But this does not mean that we do not have room for a large number of trees to grow their branches. In fact, there are about 80 species of native and non-native trees firmly rooted in British soil.

With this we thought it would be best to finally answer one of the most common questions we get from travelers, explorers and travelers in the UK: what types of trees are common in the UK? nine0003

So, this guide to the botany of native British trees (and some additions to the side) is brought to you, covering everything from the types of bark that sweep their majestic stumps, to the categories of every tall building in nature, and more.

Here is what you will learn from this article about tree types:

  1. Evolution of trees
  2. Difference between native and non-native tree types
  3. Categories of tree types with deciduous trees and coniferous trees
  4. How to identify certain types of trees in the forest
  5. 36 native tree species in the UK countryside

One of the best things you can do is to be able to expand your own passions and adventures. To be able to include more fun and exploration in every step of your free time.

This could be a way to appreciate the Earth's lungs by using the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and releasing oxygen for all of us floor creatures to breathe. nine0003

So, if you're breaking in your hiking boots, a beginner on two wheels, an experienced treasure hunter, etc., consider using this guide to the types of trees in the British Forest and beyond as an observer's notebook. You can mark some of them on the list or create new routes through the peaks in search of a particular bark.

Now let's get down to business:

Tree evolution

As a brief introduction, trees have been around longer than we have. In fact, they lived to see the dinosaurs, saw the world freeze over, and thrived in the concrete jungle of today. They're pretty indestructible when you think about how far they've actually come. nine0003

They are photosynthetic perennials with tall trunks, strong bark and branches that can support the weight of a thousand leaves.

Trees, like any other living beings on Earth, originated from something completely different. They did not become so tall or branched out to create such encircling umbrellas of crowns. (PS crown of a tree is the part with long winding branches and pale green leaves, also known as the crown).

In fact, they all started life very small, like bushes of gymnosperms. This means that their seeds are directly exposed to the air without the need for flowering or pollination. The opposite of these types of trees are angiosperms, which grew alongside mammals and began to use mammals such as bees to pollinate seeds through flowers. nine0003

However, competition for rain and sunlight meant that the trees that could grow taller were the trees that could grow and pollinate. Over time, we have had higher and higher types of trees grown all over the world in angiosperm and gymnosperm botany classes.

Difference between native and non-native tree types

Native British tree botanics require very different care and growth supplements than non-native trees. In the sense that there are over 60,000 different types of trees in the world, and only 80 of them can sprout and grow in UK soil. nine0003

Despite this, there are a number of non-native trees that have been introduced to British soil and have flourished over the years. Some of them, as you might think, come from the British countryside.

For example, cedar, beech, apple, elm, horse chestnut and even the Cypriot Leyland tree.

Native trees in the UK such as cherry and ash do not pose a risk to the environment or local ecosystems as they have developed with well-established roots. However, while the introduction of tree species from around the world has helped ecosystems thrive in some scenarios, others have proven invasive and destructive. nine0003

Non-native and invasive tree types (whether deciduous or coniferous and whether classified as angiosperms or gymnosperms) have the ability to outcompete native plant species and completely alter ecosystems.

Despite this, many of them have been growing deep in British soil for over 100 years without showing any signs of invasiveness until now, and it is believed that 8% of all non-native trees have such invasive properties.

So it might be worth recording any sightings of these trees while you are wandering in the forest and notify the Royal Horticultural Society. nine0003

A few examples to keep on your watch list are the Silver Maple Tree and the Plane Tree.

Tree type categories with deciduous trees and coniferous trees

There are two types of trees in the world: deciduous trees and coniferous trees. The latter should not be confused with carnivorous cannibal trees, since, fortunately, they do not exist.

Basically, for simplicity, we can call deciduous trees and coniferous trees seasonal trees and evergreen trees, respectively. nine0003

This is due to the fact that deciduous trees grow with hard wood and leaves that eventually shed and grow back. This shedding occurs in autumn, ready for winter, when there is not enough sunlight to justify the energy expended in keeping the leaves alive. So they shed their leaves, hibernate for the winter, and wait for spring photosynthesis to bloom and grow.

Most commonly deciduous trees tend to have broad leaves, flowers and fruits. But they can be classified as angiosperms or gymnosperms by their germination. nine0003

Good examples of deciduous trees are apple, elm, maple, white ash and aspen.

Moving on to conifers, they are evergreen because their leaves never change color or fall in winter. They usually have needles and spines rather than leaves, withstand the cold, and look the same all year round.

This means they are great for protecting your garden privacy all year round. In addition, more useful benefits from non-flowering conifers; In winter, birds seek refuge in the dense needles of evergreen trees. nine0003

Again, conifers can be either angiosperms or gymnosperms in terms of germination, but in most cases, because their tree types rarely flower, they are gymnosperms.

How to identify certain types of trees in a forest

Trees can be identified in a variety of ways, such as looking for age in the bark, germination methods in the crown, or even species in the leaves.

Tree identification is both fun for the adventurer and a necessity for the explorer. For example: like us here at Hobby Kryze, you are likely to be an adventurous person looking for ways to find new hobbies, passions and interests related to nature, walking and other combined hobbies. So being able to "collect" tree sightings can be a fun and enjoyable task. nine0003

However, tree researchers and surgeons need to understand things like: inventory studies if a new species has been replanted, age of the tree, invasiveness if the tree is diseased, genetic studies, management studies and atmospheric studies, among many others.

If you want to delve into the botany of native British trees and identify some of the trunks, here's what you can find:

36 native tree species in the UK countryside

As we mentioned earlier, there are over 70 different types of trees growing deep into our British soil for us to appreciate as we stroll through the wilderness.

However, as we have already said, many of them are not native species, and we wanted to give you a piece of the house by presenting the botany of native British trees in this article.

Take a look at the 36 types of trees found in the UK (some of them have more than one type such as birch, linden, whitebeam and willow!):

Alder is a moisture-loving plant grown close to rivers and lakes. It is a deciduous tree whose leaves and catkins grow from spring to autumn and are shed during the winter months. Their telltale sign is their leaf: typical and green, but notched at the tip.

Alder sea buckthorn

Growing up to only 6 m in height, sea buckthorn alder enjoys a good reputation; it is known that it is part of gunpowder, and is also a natural pigment. With a simple texture, the green leaves have a slightly hairy texture and can produce small red berries through the end of summer. nine0003

These 35 meter tall trees are emblematic of the English countryside. It is a deciduous tree with a large crown, compound feathery leaves, and small, winged fruits that are wind-pollinated and fall in early spring. The gift is a classic "helicopter" fall from winged fruits.

These types of trees are most commonly found in the northwest of Scotland and grow best in moist soils near lakes and rivers. This is another deciduous tree with bright green leaves (although they are rounder). However, the flowers stand out; they are long, fluffy and pink! nine0003

Birch (Fluffy and Silver)

There are two types of birch in native British tree botany: downy birch and silver birch. Characteristically, both are deciduous trees with soft bark on the outside and hard wood on the inside. Downy birch grows furthest north, and drooping birch has a pale and shimmering bark favored by gardeners.

Bird cherry

A spring flowering tree, the bird cherry is a stunning addition to the rolling British countryside. It is a deciduous tree with a smooth trunk, drooping branches with serrated oval leaves, and tiny white flowers clustered on the main stem. At the end of September, small drupe berries also ripen. nine0003

Black poplar

A rare edition in British botany, these magnificent tree species can live up to 200 years in East Anglia with cotton-like flowers, red catkins and balsam-scented heart-shaped green leaves. Interestingly, its wood is used to make dentures, toys, shelves and even bowls.

Blackthorn may look like bird cherry from a distance with its white flowers. However, up close, it is distinguished by larger flowers, blue-black fruits, and long, pointed leaves. This is another deciduous tree that can live for about 100 years but only reaches 6-7 meters when mature. nine0003

Common beech

Also known to the botanist community as the queen of Britain's trees, its 40-meter crown descends to the ground with long, complex, palmate, silky leaves ranging in color from bright green to shimmering gold with beech nuts. Interestingly, this deciduous tree can hold its foliage all winter long.

General box

As our first conifer in this Botany's list of native British trees, it is a slow growing evergreen growing to 12 meters tall. These types of trees have small, shiny and leathery complex pinnate leaves, as well as tiny white flowers on the axis of the stem. He is mostly seen shaven in the gardens and even has a hill named after him. nine0003

Crab Apple

Living for 100 years at a height of 10m, the crabapple produces apple-like fruits the size of a berry, which can be made into a sweet-tasting jelly. Crab apple trees like to sprout and grow on large flats of well-drained soil, producing leaves of simple structure and white-pink flowers.

With a thin 12" trunk, there are many varieties of dogwood from shrub to tree. It prefers to be in the shade in order to thrive in watered soil. This tree is characterized by the fact that its bright red twigs grow all winter after its white flowers have fallen like a deciduous tree. nine0003

Senior

Known in pop culture as the material for making elder sticks, elder trees are also said to ward off dark spirits when planted in a home; its fragrant flowers, dark sour fruits, short trunk and cork bark grow up to 15 m in British forests.

English Elm

Usually tall in Edinburgh and Brighton, these trees fork like a rarity in the botanical world due to an outbreak of Dutch elm disease in the 60's. It has small green leaves of a simple structure, like a deciduous tree, as well as small, dark, hanging tufts of flowers and samara fruits. nine0003

English oak

A key ingredient in much of Britain's modern furniture, English oak is a staple in the British countryside. In fact, it is the second most common. It has a large overhanging crown filled with complex palmate and deep lobed leaves, as well as yellow drooping catkins and the classic acorn.

Field maple

Growing unforgettable red-tipped leaves in the iconic maple leaf style, field maple shoots are compound palmate with small green buds and winged fruits such as ash. They usually grow in chalk lowlands and hedgerows, but are very popular in the garden as pollutant-tolerant trees. nine0003

Rose viburnum

Viburnum is a botanical sign of the native British trees of the ancient world; they decorate many folk songs and have three-pointed leaves, like those of a maple. However, they also produce bright red berries and inflorescences that start as a bulb and only bloom on the outer ring.

Hawthorn

Possessing poisonous seeds, the hawthorn tree knows how to germinate with pollinating insects as it can accommodate over 300 species of them. The tree itself can grow almost anywhere, but it will flower best in full sun. sweet-smelling flowers such as anemone and bright red hawthorn fruit. nine0003

hazel

Hazel grows the classic hazelnut we love in our spreads. And it was grown for this reason until the 20th century. Its characteristics include smooth and light brown bark, a 13 m high trunk, a wide crown, leaves with a serrated and complex palmate structure, hazelnut bud and oak neighbors.

The pinnacle of winter and Christmas, holly buds contrasting with red berries against dark green thorny leaves. And although it has foliage and blooms like a deciduous tree, it is actually an evergreen conifer that has been living in hedgerows for over 300 years. nine0003

The hornbeam is a natural wonder standing underneath; with giant female branches that grow far and wide, as well as a twisted trunk and neighboring cousins, it dominates the forest. As a deciduous tree, it has plain green leaves very similar to the common beech.

Juniper

Juniper is our third conifer among the tree species found on British soil. It produces blue berries similar to blueberries, but they are used for smoking and not eaten fresh (they are very sour and pungent). It also has sharp needles similar to rosemary sprigs that can be found on rocky ground. nine0003

Linden (common, large-leaved and small-leaved)

The three types of lime trees are common lime, bigleaf lime and smallleaf lime. They are all deciduous trees growing up to 20 m, but the large-leaved linden has gray branches and sticky leaves, and the small-leaved linden has sweet buds. The common lime is actually a rare hybrid!

Midland Hawthorn

Midland hawthorn, very similar to hawthorn, grows in the central forests of England. Although it has very similar white buds, the leaves are three-lobed and glossy, and the flowers open in clusters a few weeks before the hawthorn. nine0003

Plymouth Pear

The Plymouth Pear is one of the rarest trees in Britain and grows among hedgerows. It can grow up to 10 m tall as a deciduous tree and has pink-brown wood. However, there is one very recognizable trait; its round, pear-shaped fruits have an unpleasant odor suitable only for feeding birds.

Buckthorn cleaning

These types of trees got their name for a reason; their berries give a strong laxative effect. It is known to be an invasive tree as this deciduous tree is able to thrive in most of the conditions the UK throws at it. The leaves are pointed and shiny, the flowers are small and green, and the black berries are simply not eaten. nine0003

rowan

The temperate forest of Caledonia in Scotland is home to rowan trees. They have an incredibly fast growth rate, reaching 15 meters of maturity in just 15 years. They have a compound feathery leaf structure with small leaves leading to bunches of bright red berries perfect for jams.

Scotch pine

Scots pine is a delightful masterpiece among natural trees. They reach 35 m in height and have been known to live for 700 years. Like conifers, they do not molt, but instead grow as polybasic twisted trunks, branching with blue-green needles and clusters of yellow anthers at the stem tip. nine0003

Rock Oak

Almost indistinguishable from English oak, sessile oak has very similar components in botanics such as lobed leaves, acorns, long and green catkins and home possibilities for 300 species of wildlife such as squirrels. However, these trees are the official national tree of Ireland.

Spindle

Being so colorful and bright with pink and orange flowers, Spindle trees are home to many insects and symbolize "happiness". Like a deciduous tree, it loses its greenery and then regains popcorn-like buds on its thin brown twigs in the spring. nine0003

White Beam (Normal, Arran and Stone)

Like Lime, there are three types of White Beam: Regular White Beam, Arran White Beam and Stone White Beam. All grow in the north with long serrated leaves, cream flowers and red berries. However, the arran is a hybrid with whiter leaves, and the rock blooms like a mountain ash.

Wild cherry

Much loved by every horticultural society, the wild cherry tree brings us our sweet and sour cherry fruits, often called "Gean" in Scotland. It is another deciduous tree with long, oval and green serrated leaves growing in a simple structure up to 60 years old at a height of 30m.

Wild Service Tree

The wild service tree is now a rare plant throughout the UK. With cracked bark, thin twigs, irregularly lobed maple leaves, white summer flowers and olive-like fruits. These types of trees like to grow on clay and calcareous soils in the UK, but may represent areas of ancient forest.

Willow (bay, fissure, goat, gray, willow and white)

Willow has the most subspecies growing in the UK; there are actually 6. But only the white willow has the majestic and romantic drooping branches that we all love. Then Crack can become like Whitebeam, Goat has the iconic white fur earrings, and Bay has leaves like the bay.

High Elm

This 30m tree only thrives for 20 years and, as a deciduous tree species, has suffered from Dutch elm disease like English elm. It has simple in structure and asymmetric leaves, as well as red-violet inflorescences at the ends of branches and Samara fruits used for the germination of gymnosperms. nine0003

Finally, there is the Yew Tree. This 900-year-old miracle is ironically a symbol of death in ancient mythology. This is because its needle-like leaves are poisonous to the touch. It is one of the few conifers in native British tree botanics that bears red fruits along with yellow March flowers.

Conclusion

This concludes this guide to the types of trees, how they grow and which ones you can see deep in the garden. nine0003

Here at The Hobby Kraze, our team is full of hobby ideas, experiences, and the best advice on how to get the most out of everything. So, we love to bring nuggets of information that you can take a look at as you go on your adventures.

And we think if you liked this article, you might also be interested in these:

Elm - a tree that cannot be broken

November 7, 2020

Elms belong to the relic species of trees that appeared about 40 million years ago.

The center of their origin is Central Asia, from where they spread to most of the Northern Hemisphere: settled in Eurasia and North America. Even ten thousand years ago, when the climate on Earth was milder than today, Europe and the British Isles were completely covered with broad-leaved forests, which were dominated by oak, linden and elm. Then people came and started farming...

Now in Britain there are only artificial plantations of elms, but their Latin name "ulm" has English roots.

Botanical description of elm

Elm or elm (Ulmus) is a genus of large trees widely distributed in mixed and broad-leaved forests of central and southern European Russia. The tree enters beyond the Urals in the form of small "islands". In total, the genus includes 30-40 species, the ambiguity of the number of which is explained by the difficulty of their differentiation due to the ease of interspecific hybridization. nine0003

Some species in Russia are known under other names, for example, the word "birch bark" refers to the small elm (in the south of the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus), and "elm" (from the Turk. "ebony") is called the squat elm (Volga region, Southern Ural, Caucasus).

Trees can be giants and reach 40 m in height, often their trunk is bifurcated or divided into many trunks. Less common are elms in the form of shrubs.

Bark of gray or brown elm, smooth in young plants, with age it cracks and falls off in layers. nine0003

Elm leaves two-row short-petiolate with early falling stipules. Their characteristic feature is the asymmetry of the leaf blade at the base. The shape of the leaves are oval or ovate with a pointed tip. The length of the sheet is from 4 to 20 cm. They are serrated or bi-toothed along the edge, glossy on top and matte pubescent below.
The leaf arrangement is alternate and dense, so that the crown of the tree almost does not transmit light at all. In autumn, the leaves turn yellow or reddish-brown, fall off earlier than in other species. But not all elms are deciduous trees, there are evergreens among them. nine0003

The elm grows very fast, at the age of 60 its vertical growth slows down, but an active thickening of the trunk begins, sometimes reaching 1 m in diameter. In terms of power, elm can only be compared with oak, and also in terms of wood density (about 650 kg / m 3 ).

Crown elm ovoid with truncated top, domed or nearly globular, tolerates pruning well.

Roots are flat disc-shaped, sometimes located at the base of the trunk. Most species have the root system of elm is deprived of the main root, it is usually powerful, deep-reaching. On strongly podzolic soils - superficial.

The tree is often dioecious, sometimes monoecious. Flowers bisexual or unisexual. Pistillates may be solitary. More often, the flowers are collected in an inflorescence - a semi-umbrella, located in the axils of the leaves. Perianth petals 4-5, rarely 3-8. There are as many stamens as petals or twice as many, pistil 1. Each individual flower hangs on a long filiform pedicel, which, after fertilization of the pistil ovary, elongates even more and the inflorescence takes the form of a crumbly brush. nine0003

Elm blossoms in April-May before the leaves bloom, like other wind-pollinated plants, in early spring it is valued as a honey plant. The exception is the small-leaved elm, which blooms in autumn. The fruit of the elm is a nut or drupe, located in the center of the lionfish. The seeds are dispersed by the wind.

The tree grows well on fertile soils, some species of the genus tolerate salinity or dry habitats. All species are shade-tolerant, and with sufficient lighting they form a powerful crown. Due to the density of the sheet mosaic, they themselves form a thick shadow. Propagated by seeds, stump shoots and root offspring. nine0003

Use of elm in economic activities

The average life span of elm is 80-120 years. 400-year-old specimens are known.

elm wood is hard, strong, tough, resilient, easy to process, but difficult to chip. Its heartwood is dark brown, the sapwood is lighter with a characteristic pattern of broken or parallel stripes, with narrow core rays.
In water, it resists decay well, but this ability is lost on contact with soil. A growing tree is often affected by insect pests and parasitic fungi. nine0003

The first written mention of elm dates back to the Mycenaean period. The chariots used at the Battle of Knossos had elm wood wheels. In ancient Greece, plows were often made from it.
And the elm burns excellently, its wood tends to catch fire even when wet. Any fire can be easily kindled from the logs of this tree. Yes, you can kindle something from logs, but preparing these logs is not so easy.
However, we conducted an experiment: although the elm does not famously scatter into logs, it is still not difficult to chop firewood from it if you get a good tool. nine0003

The Russian name of the tree speaks for itself - elm - from "knit" or "knit". In the old days, sledges, rims and other products were knitted from his bast. And the one who chopped the elm for firewood understands the second meaning of such a name - with all your might you drive the ax into the log, but it is intact, and you can’t even pull out the ax - it’s stuck. It is difficult to split an elm chock because the layers of the wood of the tree are uneven and poorly separated from each other.

People use elm very widely: