Prunus cerasifera – Cherry Plum

Habitat

• native to Asia

Habit and Form

• a small, deciduous tree
• 15' to 28' tall
• similar spread
• upright, spreading habit
• rounded crown
• moderate to fast growth rate

Summer Foliage

• alternate leaf arrangement
• simple, deciduous leaves
• serrate margins
• obovate leaf shape
• 1.5" to 2.5" long
• flushpurpleish then bright green leaf colour

Autumn Foliage

• not ornamentally important

Flowers

• pinkish, white flowers
• up to 1" long
• fragrant
• blooms before leaves emerge
• solitary
• showy

Fruit

• edible
• 1" in diameter
• matures in late summer
• attracts birds

Bark

• dark, reddish brown

 Top of Page

Prunus padus - Bird Cherry

Habitat

• ornamental parkland tree
• used in thicket and hedgeplanting

Habit and Form

• medium tree
• deciduous
• height up to 40’
• prone to suckering

Summer Foliage

• uniform dark green colour

Autumn Foliage

• good autumn yellow colour

Flowers

• flowers appear after the leaves in elongated spikes of 7-15cm containing 15-35 white almond scented flowers

Fruit

• tart shiny black
• not edible

Bark

• smooth grey brown with a strong unpleasant smell

 Top of Page

Prunus spinosa – Blackthorn – Sloe

Habitat

• hedgerow plant
• native to all parts of Europe and North America

Habit and Form

• small to medium tree
• deciduous
• up to 20’

Summer Foliage

• small light green colour

Autumn Foliage

• not ornamentally important

Flowers

• mass of small white flowers appearing well before the leaves

Fruit

• long bunches of blueish black fruit with a greyish waxy bloom
• used for making sloe gin

    Top of Page

Quercus ilex – Evergreen Oak

Habitat

• native to the Mediterranean but widely planted throughout the world as an ornamental tree

Habit and Form

• small to medium tree
• evergreen

Summer Foliage

• uniform dark green colour

Autumn Foliage

• uniform dark green colour

Flowers

• insignificant unattractive narrow held in clusters

Fruit

• bitter tasting long cluster of up to 3 acorns
• acorns held in a cup which covers approx a third of the acorn

 Top of Page

Quercus petraea – Sessile Oak

Habitat

• widespread throughout Europe
• prefers lighter soil conditions

Habit and Form

• large tree of up to 120’
• deciduous

Summer Foliage

• slightly hairy green leaves which have a prominent stalk

Autumn Foliage

• not ornamentally important
• slightly yellowish/brown in colour when they drop

Flowers

• insignificant flowers resembling catkins

Fruit

• bitter tasting long cluster of up to 6 acorns
• acorns held in a cup which covers approx a third of the acorn

 Top of Page

Quercus robur – Pedunculate Oak

Habitat

• native to Europe, northern Africa and western Asia