Trees in your garden, do you make use of them?

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TLM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 16, 2019
3,092
1,624
Vantaa, Finland
Collins 'A Field Gide to the Trees of Britain and Norther Europe' by Alan Mitchell which is all drawings
I have that too and like it, it does have limitations, it helps a lot if one has some idea what a tree might be, otherwise very slow going.
 

Suffolkrafter

Settler
Dec 25, 2019
525
464
Suffolk
My plant ID has come on leaps and bounds recently
I've found an approach to plant id that works well for me; I flick through a book called 'the wild flowers of the British isles' which is rich in illustrations though poor in other detail - but quickly allows me to narrow down what a plant might be. Then I can easily confirm identification on a website www.wildflowerfinder.org.uk which has an unbelievable amount of detail.

I struggle with trees though. It took me three years to identify a tree in a park near my house which turned out to be something called medlar thorn. Was a frustrating three years.
 

punkrockcaveman

Full Member
Jan 28, 2017
1,457
1,512
yorks
Is it one of those trees you see everywhere now? Field maple was one of those for me.

I think regularly testing yourself when out and about really helps, I test my other half too which actually helps me more than it does her, as eventually I come across a species I don't know so I have to identify it.
 

Suffolkrafter

Settler
Dec 25, 2019
525
464
Suffolk
No, I've never seen it anywhere else, but I know what you mean - I have that with Cedar of lebanon.
Medlarthorn has the thorns and fruit of the hawthorn and leaves of the medlar, and has no purpose other than to confuse amateur botanists. Actually I'm being unfair, the fruit are large compared to normal haws, they are probably quite edible, but I've not tried them yet.
 
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punkrockcaveman

Full Member
Jan 28, 2017
1,457
1,512
yorks
See I'm not up on my pines and cypress. I know a couple but it's very rare to see them round here, apart from the odd bit of plantation. It's all broadleaf with the odd yew and larch.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
Living in the Taiga (Boreal Forest Biome), I taught tree ID to prospective Registered Professional Foresters.
About 40 gymnos, including some astounding landscaping ornamentals and the same # of broad leaf species, some of economic importance. I'm very visually oriented so it's really easy for me, even just driving by. For most everybody else, tree ID is a skill to be very proud of.

I look to the anthropologists to tell me which are the multipurpose trees in North America. There are two.
In the west, Western Red Cedar Thuja plicata. In the east, Paper Birch Betula papyrifera.

I planted fruit bearing shrubs instead of trees. The only multipurpose one might be the Saskatoon/Service Berry Amelanchier alnifolia. A prolific berry-producer and a fine source of arrow shaft woods, every 5-6 years or so.
I like my 2001 grape vines for all the things they give me.
My crappy apple trees feed pigs for pork and the bigger limbs are chunked for the BBQ smoker of ribs & chickens.
 
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Emjay

Member
Apr 13, 2010
11
4
Yorkshire,Angleland
To be honest I don't think you'll find better guides than the two Collins ones below:



Part of my native plants database that I'm building (have been for a few years and probably will be till I die) includes the native tree species and what they are and have been used for; I can email you relevant section if you want it.
To be honest I don't think you'll find better guides than the two Collins ones below:



Part of my native plants database that I'm building (have been for a few years and probably will be till I die) includes the native tree species and what they are and have been used for; I can email you relevant section if you want it.
 

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