Have never really worked out what these trees are - they grow in a mixed hedgerow amongst the Hawthorne and in the early Spring the leaves often look like Hawthorne as they open - can't recall ever seeing flowers or seeds and they have always bugged me - I'm sure if they would be classed as a tree or a shrub but they grow as tall as Hawthorne and the leaves are considerably larger at maturity.
Never realised how many different Hazel Trees there were until this week Blackbird - see what you've started! When I walked thru the woods this morning I kept thinking of you wearing an ex army tin hat and whacking the nuts as they attacked you!
The Squirrels tend to bite into the nuts long before they are ripe I have some recollection of a reason for this but can't recall it it.
hi there
I thought I would stir up this thread once more with one or two things for ID purposes.
These pictures where taken at the Lodge at Bedford
A leave which was a very large sized one (as you can see compared with the Holly). Lengrth and Breathwise it was longer than my hand - any ideas anyone.
Another leaf not all that large but interesting shape
One seed or conker type seed compared to a Beech Tree leaf next to it (I think it is a Beech Tree Leaf)
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Hi Black bird The long leaf Photo one and the nut Photo three both look like Sweet chesnut to me. The other Mmm not one I know off top of head, need to look that one up!
John :-)
For viewing or photography right place right time is everything. I'd rather be in the right place with poor kit than have the best kit and be in the wrong place.
Hi Blackbird this is not really a "reply" but I don't know where else to put this, I thought you folk migh like to see this beautuful tulip tree in my local park. It is fantastic when covered in bloom. The second picture was taken today, to give an idea oif size(huge!)
isn't wild wonderful
I was taught to ID trees by their bark and am still seen feeling and cuddling trees today (and then checking the leaves to make sure lol). Wonder if this was the original defintion of tree hugging rather than the denegrating way its used today.
Hi Lucybob
That's the gorgeous Field Maple, such an understated little tree, and great as either a mixed hedge or a single-species hedge. Not the showiest of trees in autumn, but such a perfect leaf shape :-)
If you want to drop by my RSPB wildlife gardening blog, it is updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and I'd love to see you there - www.rspb.org.uk/community/blogs/hfw
Hi Kathy and Dave
John's right about the Sweet Chestnut leaves and its spiny fruit (you should have opened it up and collected some chestnuts for Xmas), but as to what tree your leaf is from in the middle, I'm stumped ('stumped' - get it?! Oh dear, moving on swiftly...) Interestingly it's quite a fleshy leaf, and the spiny tips to the lobes of the leaves look really fine and sharp. I did think of one of the American oak species, but I await identification with interest...
Hi Lucy: Great to hear that you have the offical ID as Field Maple and a very pretty colouration to the leaf.
LOL with the army hat - Dave's cycle hat will be just as good. Good to get talking about Trees as they need some practice to know the species as with the birds.
john: So it is a Sweet chestnut. The leaves and the nuts where togther on the foor so that explains that both where from the same tree.
Susan: Interesting theory with hugging a Tree - bark certainly is another good way of ID-ing a tree - stating the obvious ones like Silver Birch. Must hug a tree for good luck! {smile}
Thank you Adrian for your answer and thought that the Reddish leaf was a strange one but we will work out what it is yet! The leaf was sat on one of the RSPB signposts for picture purposes, and it is a smallish one at that. i noticed that there are a lot of noticable Oak Trees in the Reserve.
Adrian Thomas Hi Kathy and Dave John's right about the Sweet Chestnut leaves and its spiny fruit (you should have opened it up and collected some chestnuts for Xmas), but as to what tree your leaf is from in the middle, I'm stumped ('stumped' - get it?! Oh dear, moving on swiftly...) Interestingly it's quite a fleshy leaf, and the spiny tips to the lobes of the leaves look really fine and sharp. I did think of one of the American oak species, but I await identification with interest...
The Sweet Chestnut Castanea Sativa is an obvious one simply by the size and shape of its leaves (not strictly a native as it is reputed to have been brought to these shores by the Romans but is a fantastic tree nonetheless). I have been fervently collecting the amazingly abundant fruits for the last month and will be satisfyingly roasting my nuts at Xmas!!
The Field Maple Acer Campestre is a native maple and is a greatly underestimated species. I have to slightly disagree with Adrian in the fact that the in last two autumns (before this one) our field maples have produced stunning yellow foliage, albeit for a relatively short time.
I agree that the middle one is definitely not a native species but is most probably a North American Oak of some description. It can be very difficult to pinpoint a precise species from a single leaf as many variations can occur (so another tip for identification purposes is to photograph a collection of leaves rather than one singly). If anyone can pin (oak?) it down I for one would be grateful!
Adrian - thank you for sorting the Field Maple out for me it has puzzled us for years! They are always plentiful in the tall old hedgerows but somehow tucked in and hidden by everything else.
Hi Blackbird - you're right about getting to know our trees also it helps when birdwatching as certain birds prefer certain trees - difficult in the winder but again if we do use the bark more to recognize them we will know them all year round. So much to keep learning!
John ( blackbird) i started a quiz on another site where i photographed 12 tree trunks and asked people to guess which trees they were from.... if people are intrested in having a go at this quiz i could repost the 12 imageds here tomorrow and as i said we could all try a ID the trees from the bark photos........ it could be fun....
dont just look enjoy and leave for others to share after you. we dont own the earth we just rent a small part of it....
there beeches look at the leaves on the ground unmistakeble as the tree trunks are
there alot in that area
the friedly bid watcher
Min Hi Blackbird this is not really a "reply" but I don't know where else to put this, I thought you folk migh like to see this beautuful tulip tree in my local park. It is fantastic when covered in bloom. The second picture was taken today, to give an idea oif size(huge!)
This is a Liriodendron Tulipifera, Commonly know as a tulip Tree due to the shape of the Flowers. Its from North America. :-)
The best time to take cuttings is when no one is looking.
Bob Flowerdew.
lucybob Have never really worked out what these trees are - they grow in a mixed hedgerow.
Have never really worked out what these trees are - they grow in a mixed hedgerow.
Acer Campestre. Commonly know as a Field Maple, its a British Native which is grown with Hawthorn as a Hedging plant of lone specimen. Wonderful Autumn foliage. :-)
Blackbird hi there I thought I would stir up this thread once more with one or two things for ID purposes. These pictures where taken at the Lodge at Bedford A leave which was a very large sized one (as you can see compared with the Holly). Lengrth and Breathwise it was longer than my hand - any ideas anyone. Another leaf not all that large but interesting shape One seed or conker type seed compared to a Beech Tree leaf next to it (I think it is a Beech Tree Leaf) Regards Kathy and Dave
Pic 1 Sweet Chestnut (yellow leaf) Castanea sativa.
Pic 2 looks like a Small Leaf of a Red Oak, Quercus rubra.
Pic 3 Tis A Beech. Fagus sylvatica.