Our local environment
TREES
The trees along our river banks hold so many values they can help to provide good coverage for our rivers. They can:
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Give protection to help stabilise the river bank giving it more protection from erosion
Can help especially in small areas pron to flooding and flood plains,
Along the catchment can protect all our native terrestrial and aquatic species in times of some of our weather events that we have seen like heat waves likes summer 2022 were so many rivers in Ireland had low water levels and trees can create a canopy over your whole catchment, giving fish resting spots along our rivers.
A good coverage of trees and plants along our small streams and tributaries also benefit from trees like the birch, silver birch, ronan and the holly bush.
Trees and woodland can help agriculture runoffs, and trees can improve the biodiversity and water quality
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Alder
COMMON NAME(S): ALDER, COMMON ALDER, BLACK ALDER, EUROPEAN ALDER
SCIENTIFIC NAME: ALNUS GLUTINOSA
FAMILY: BETULACEAE
Conical in shape, mature trees can reach a height of around 28m and live to approximately 60 years.
The bark is dark and fissured and is often covered in lichen. Twigs have a light brown, spotted stem which turns red towards the top. Young twigs are sticky to touch.
Look out for: small brown cones, which are the female catkins and stay on the tree all year round.
Identified in winter by: female catkins (that look a bit like cones) and purple twigs with orange markings (known as lenticels).
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Leaves
The purple or grey leaf buds form on long stems and the 3–9cm long, dark green leaves are racquet-shaped and leathery, with serrated edges. The leaf tip is never pointed and is often indented.
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Flowers
Flowers are on catkins which appear between February and April. Alder is monoecious, which means that both male and female flowers are found on the same tree. Male catkins are pendulous, measuring 2–6cm, and turn yellow. Female catkins are green and oval-shaped and are grouped in numbers of three to eight on each stalk.
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Ash
COMMON NAMES: ASH, COMMON ASH, EUROPEAN ASH
SCIENTIFIC NAME: FRAXINUS EXCELSIOR
FAMILY: OLEACEAE
When fully grown, ash trees can reach a height of 35m. Tall and graceful, they often grow together, forming a domed canopy. The bark is pale brown to grey and fissures as the tree ages. The tree is easily identified in winter by its smooth twigs that have distinctive black, velvety leaf buds arranged opposite each other.
Look out for: the black buds and clusters of seeds which are key features.
Identified in winter by: its distinctive black buds and flattened twigs.
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Leaves
Pinnately compound, typically comprising 3–6 opposite pairs of light green, oval leaflets with tips up to 40cm long. There is an additional singular 'terminal' leaflet at the end. The leaves can move in the direction of sunlight, and sometimes the whole crown of the tree may lean in the direction of the sun. Another characteristic of ash leaves is that they fall when they are still green.
Flowers
Ash is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers typically grow on different trees, although a single tree can also have male and female flowers on different branches. Both male and female flowers are purple and appear before the leaves in spring, growing in spiked clusters at the tips of twigs.
Birch
COMMON NAME: SILVER BIRCH
SCIENTIFIC NAME: BETULA PENDULA
FAMILY: BETULACEAE
Silver birch is a striking, medium-sized deciduous tree. When mature they can reach 30m in height, forming a light canopy with elegant, drooping branches. The white bark sheds layers like tissue paper and becomes black and rugged at the base. As the trees mature, the bark develops dark, diamond-shaped fissures. Twigs are smooth, and have small dark warts.
Look out for: its bark, which is white, and its triangular-shaped leaves.
Identified in winter by: bark that is white year-round and twigs that are rough to the touch.
Leaves
Light green, small and triangular-shaped with a toothed edge, which fade to yellow in autumn.
Flowers
Silver birch is monoecious, meaning both male and female flowers (catkins) are found on the same tree, from April to May. The flowers appear from April to May. Male catkins are long and yellow-brown in colour, and hang in groups of two to four at the tips of shoots, like lambs' tails. Female catkins are smaller, short, bright green and erect.
Hawthorn
COMMON NAMES: COMMON HAWTHORN, HAWTHORN, MAY TREE, ONE-SEED HAWTHORN, WHITETHORN, QUICKTHORN
SCIENTIFIC NAME: CRATAEGUS MONOGYNA
FAMILY: ROSACEAE
Mature trees can reach a height of 15m and are characterised by their dense, thorny habit, though they can grow as a small tree with a single stem. The bark is brown-grey, knotted and fissured, and twigs are slender and brown and covered in thorns. It often hybridises with the UK’s other native hawthorn, Midland hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata). Both species are similar and can be hard to tell apart.
Look out for: the deeply lobed leaves, spiny twigs and haws (berries).
Identified in winter by: the spines which emerge from the same point as the buds; distinguishing them from blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) which has buds on the spines in winter .
Leaves
Around 6cm in length and comprised of toothed lobes, which cut at least halfway to the middle or 'mid-rib'. They turn yellow before falling in autumn.
Flowers
Hawthorns are hermaphrodite, meaning both male and female reproductive parts are contained within each flower. Flowers are highly scented, white or occasionally pink with five petals, and grow in flat-topped clusters.
Horse Chestnut
COMMON NAME: SWEET CHESTNUT
SCIENTIFIC NAME: CASTANEA SATIVA
FAMILY: FAGACEAE
Sweet chestnut is a deciduous tree which can reach 35m when mature and live for up to 700 years. They belong to the same family as oaks and beeches. The bark is grey-purple and smooth, and develops vertical fissures with age. The twigs are purple-brown and buds are plum, red-brown and oval in shape. They can develop vast girths which can reach up to 2m in diameter.
Look out for: widely spaced teeth around the edges of leaves. The seeds develop inside the prickly, green seed cases.
Identified in winter by: the bark which has fissures that spiral upwards around the tree.
Leaves
About 16–28 cm long, 5–9 cm wide and oblong with a pointed tip and a serrated or toothed edge. The leaves are quite glossy and there are about 20 pairs of prominent parallel veins.
Flowers
Long, yellow catkins of mostly male flowers, with female flowers at the base. Sweet chestnut is monoecious, meaning both male and female flowers are found on the same tree.
Holly
COMMON NAME: HOLLY
SCIENTIFIC NAME: ILEX AQUIFOLIUM
FAMILY: AQUIFOLIACEAE
Mature trees can grow up to 15m and live for 300 years. The bark is smooth and thin with lots of small, brown 'warts', and the stems are dark brown.
Look out for: its bright red berries and shiny, leathery leaves that usually have spiny prickles on the edges.
Identified in winter by: its dark, glossy leaves which remain green year-round.
Leaves
Dark green, glossy and oval. Younger plants have spiky leaves, but the leaves of older trees are much more likely to be smooth. Leaves in the upper parts of the tree are also likely to be smooth.
Flowers
Holly is dioecious, meaning that male and female flowers occur on different trees. Flowers are white with four petals. They bloom any time between early spring and the very beginning of summer, depending on the climate.
Willow
COMMON NAMES: GREY WILLOW, PUSSY WILLOW, COMMON SALLOW
SCIENTIFIC NAME: SALIX CINEREA SUBSP. OLEIFOLIA
FAMILY: SALICACEAE
Grey willow is very similar to goat willow. Mature trees grow to 10m. The bark is grey-brown and develops diamond-shaped fissures with age. Twigs are hairy at first but become smooth, and can appear red-yellow in sunlight.
Look out for: the young leaves which are hairy but become hairless above as they age and only sparsely hairy underneath.
Identified in winter by: red, hairless, narrow buds which are pressed close to the twig.
Leaves
Unlike most willows, the leaves are oval rather than long and thin. However, unlike goat willow, the leaves are at least twice as long as they are wide. They have a fine silver felt underneath with rusty hairs beneath the veins.
Flowers
Grey willow is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate trees. The catkins arrive in early spring – the male catkins grey, stout and oval, becoming yellow when ripe with pollen; the female catkins longer and green.
Sycamore
COMMON NAME: SYCAMORE
SCIENTIFIC NAME: ACER PSEUDOPLATANUS
FAMILY: SAPINDACEAE
These broadleaf trees can grow to 35m and live for 400 years. The bark is dark pink-grey, and smooth when young, but becomes cracked and develops small plates with age. Twigs are pink-brown and hairless.
Look out for: leaf veins which are hairy on the underside.
Identified in winter by: twigs which are pink-brown and have no hairs.
Leaves
Palmate leaves measure 7–16cm and have five lobes. Leaf stalks of younger trees are characteristically red.
Flowers
Small, green-yellow and hang in spikes, or 'racemes'.
Rowan
COMMON NAMES: ROWAN, MOUNTAIN ASH, WITCH WIGGIN TREE, KEIRN, CUIRN
SCIENTIFIC NAME: SORBUS AUCUPARIA
FAMILY: ROSACEAE
Mature trees can grow to 15m in height and can live for up to 200 years. The bark is smooth and silvery grey, and leaf buds are purple and hairy.
Look out for: its 5–8 pairs of serrated leaflets which are distinctive.
Identified in winter by: the young twigs which start hairy and become smooth later. Buds are hairy all over. Terminal buds (on the ends of shoots) are up to 8mm in length and lateral buds (in leaf axils) have 2–5 scales.
Leaves
Pinnate (like a feather), comprising 5–8 pairs of leaflets, plus one 'terminal' leaflet at the end. Each leaflet is long, oval and toothed.
Flowers
Rowan is hermaphrodite, meaning each flower contains both male and female reproductive parts. Flowers are borne in dense clusters, each one bearing five creamy-white petals.
Scots Pine
COMMON NAME: SCOTS PINE
SCIENTIFIC NAME: PINUS SYLVESTRIS
FAMILY: PINACEAE
Scots pine is an evergreen conifer native to northern Europe. Mature trees grow to 35m and can live for up to 700 years. The bark is a scaly orange-brown, which develops plates and fissures with age. Twigs are green-brown and hairless.
Look out for: mature trees which have reddish bark towards the crown of the tree and brown bark towards the base. The needles are twisted and when broken, they have a fine white fringe of hairs.
Identified in winter by: its evergreen needle-like leaves which are present all year-round.
Leaves
The needle-like leaves are blue-green and slightly twisted, and grow in pairs on short side shoots.
Flowers
Scots pine is monoecious, meaning both male and female flowers grow on the same tree. Male flowers comprise clusters of yellow anthers at the base of shoots. Female flowers are small, red-purple and globular, and grow at the tips of new shoots.
Oak (Common)
COMMON NAMES: IRISH OAK, PEDUNCULATE OAK, COMMON OAK
SCIENTIFIC NAME: QUERCUS ROBUR
FAMILY: FAGACEAE
A large, deciduous tree growing up to 20–40m tall. Also known as common oak, this species grows and matures to form a broad and spreading crown with sturdy branches beneath.
Look out for: its distinctive round-lobed leaves with short leaf stalks (petioles).
Identified in winter by: rounded buds in clusters. Each bud has more than three scales.
Leaves
Around 10cm long with 4–5 deep lobes with smooth edges. Leaf-burst occurs mid-May and the leaves have almost no stem and grow in bunches.
Flowers
Long, yellow hanging catkins which distribute pollen into the air.