Tree species

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Bionic

Forager
Mar 21, 2018
183
94
Bomber county
I’m starting to think, having looked again, that there’s possibly two species there. The catkins on the last picture look to me very much like alder but on the first they’re more reminiscent of birch to my eye :)
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,438
2,859
W.Sussex
I’m starting to think, having looked again, that there’s possibly two species there. The catkins on the last picture look to me very much like alder but on the first they’re more reminiscent of birch to my eye :)

Annoying isn’t it? Male and female catkins are surprisingly similar for the two species.
 

Rarche2002

Member
Jan 20, 2017
40
3
Blackpool
0687c3752e841d9d4fb00b92507c1c8e.jpg

Growth rings I would say this part of the tree was 20+feet tall if that makes any difference


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Billy-o

Native
Apr 19, 2018
1,981
975
Canada
Make it mixed with Apple and it is super with Roast Pork!

I just made a couple of batches with a load of mountain ash berries I grabbed whilst hanging around waiting for my daughter off the ferry. One with rosemary, apple and sugar, the other with mint, apple and a decent maple syrup

i think the mint rather swamped the nuances of the maple syrup. You could still taste it plenty, but more as a generic undertone

A smoked chilli would work well with in here somehow and I reckon blueberries and mountain ash berries might work together too.

(I have just been reminded that I haven't eaten a gooseberry in a century. I just don't ever see them here.)

Anyway, Ill get a bit of pigwig in the morning. :)
 
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Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,438
2,859
W.Sussex
Yea I’m not a wild edibles expert if I’m honest just liked the look of them

Well, all are edible but best prepared in some way. Cordials, wine, jellies, gin, vodka. Just for a laugh, eat a sloe straight from the bush, it’s a bit of a shock. :)

If you’re a fan of sloe gin or vodka, get some of the cheaper supermarket spirits and a bag of sugar. It’ll be ready in time for Christmas.
 
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C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,353
2,364
Bedfordshire
Those are really good photos for getting identification from. You have fruit, leaves, stems, and they all look like they are in a hedgerow, so location too.

Granted you might not be expected to recognise sloe, but not knowing elder or rose?!? Come on ;)...that isn't just "not a wild edibles expert":runaway:. Both elder and rose are very common, even in suburban settings. Elder has many uses and qualities, and roses find their way into a lot of gardens and plantings.

Seriously :biggrin2:, get yourself some plant books, Collins do some good ones, and just have fun reading and taking them with you when you go out. See what you can identify as you go. It makes walking through the countryside so much nicer when you know what the plants around you are, and their qualities, rather than them all being just green scenery. It also gives you a leg up on a lot of bushcraft skills, from building fires, to fire lighting, to carving, to making cordage, as well as foraging. Fun as this thread is, you will get more from diving into a book than you do from polling the forum.

If that isn't enough. If you have pre-loaded your recognition system, you will be much better prepared to make quick judgements on whether to snap up a bit of wood for the smoker as and when they appear, without going through the loop of photographs, posting and awaiting consensus. :D

As for picking stuff because it looks nice...examples of stuff that looks good...but isn't...
bitters8627.jpg

Woody Nightshade

images

Black Bryony

deadly-nightshade-425x320.jpg

Deadly Nightshade.

http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/wfs/wfsberries.htm

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardeni...arden-safety-pretty-but-poisonous-plants.html



Good luck!

Chris
 
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Rarche2002

Member
Jan 20, 2017
40
3
Blackpool
Those are really good photos for getting identification from. You have fruit, leaves, stems, and they all look like they are in a hedgerow, so location too.

Granted you might not be expected to recognise sloe, but not knowing elder or rose?!? Come on ;)...that isn't just "not a wild edibles expert":runaway:. Both elder and rose are very common, even in suburban settings. Elder has many uses and qualities, and roses find their way into a lot of gardens and plantings.

Seriously :biggrin2:, get yourself some plant books, Collins do some good ones, and just have fun reading and taking them with you when you go out. See what you can identify as you go. It makes walking through the countryside so much nicer when you know what the plants around you are, and their qualities, rather than them all being just green scenery. It also gives you a leg up on a lot of bushcraft skills, from building fires, to fire lighting, to carving, to making cordage, as well as foraging. Fun as this thread is, you will get more from diving into a book than you do from polling the forum.

If that isn't enough. If you have pre-loaded your recognition system, you will be much better prepared to make quick judgements on whether to snap up a bit of wood for the smoker as and when they appear, without going through the loop of photographs, posting and awaiting consensus. :D

As for picking stuff because it looks nice...examples of stuff that looks good...but isn't...
bitters8627.jpg

Woody Nightshade

images

Black Bryony

deadly-nightshade-425x320.jpg

Deadly Nightshade.

http://www.countrylovers.co.uk/wfs/wfsberries.htm

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardeni...arden-safety-pretty-but-poisonous-plants.html



Good luck!

Chris

Wow see that’s a very helpful comment that’s why I love forums for people such as yourself who gives a fully comprehensive answer.
Ive always asked if I didn’t know something just the way I was brought up as there is always someone who knows the answers you don’t:)

I have blackberries in the back garden that’s about all I know of for England as I grew up in Texas I could tell you what you can eat out there, and what can eat you lol


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C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,353
2,364
Bedfordshire
If you can work out US plants, or trees, the UK should be easy! I have a friend who studied forestry in the US who told me he had to learn hundreds of trees. Approx 43 trees native to UK and 25 common non-native naturalised, vs somewhat over 1100 in North America.

Yeah yeah, I well know that the geography and climate range can hardly be compared, but even when one breaks it down the diversity in the US is impressively greater. I know that there are at least 60 tree species native to Kentucky, where my friend is from, and based on the Texas Forestry sight it looks like there are 130 trees species found in Texas alone.

We have just 68 :D
 

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