Tremendous-trees.co.uk
Trees 19 to 31.
19. Elder.
Sambucus nigra.
Many will know of Elderberry wine, both berries and flowers may be used for producing cordials, preserves and wine. The berries produce a purple dye, the leaves a green/yellow dye and the bark a dark almost black dye.
The Elder can quite often be a bit of a scruffy tree especially when it is overgrown by brambles. But find a mature lone tree and it is really quite impressive. The wood is used for carving and whittling. As the wood dries and decays the centre of the branches can become hollow. These hollow stems were used as bellows to help make fire. Elder gets its name from the Saxon "aeld" which means "fire",
Plant an Elder near your home for good luck but burn it indoors and you will see the devil. The tree that Judas Iscariot is said to have hanged himself from.
20. London Plane.
Platanus x hispanica
A brilliant tree. Superbly adapted to growing in polluted areas with seeds that can take root in the most limited soils. Not to mention the huge leathery leaves and superb autumn colour.
The London Plane is a cross between the American sycamore and Oriental Plane. Both varieties were grown by the famous botanist John Tradescant in his London nursery. The two crossed some time in the mid 17th century which was noted by Tradescant who named the new tree after its home town. Today, Tradescant Road is all that is left of that once great nursery in "delightful" Vauxhall, London, SW8.
Our trees can be found in neat rows at the Southern end of the former hospital plant nursery.
21. Hornbeam.
Carpinus betulus.
Strictly speaking we do not have a Hornbeam tree but a hedge. The one that runs down hill from the Tardis to the Bat house.
The wood of the Hornbeam is exceptionally hard. Used today for furniture, flooring, roof tiles and for turning. The Romans favoured it for making their chariots from and also for making the yokes pulled by oxen. It is a bit of a waste but Hornbeam logs will burn for an eternity!
Hornbeam are marcescant, which means that they are one of those deciduous trees that hang on to their leaves through winter. This makes them valuable to wildlife, in particular nesting birds.
The name has its origin in old English. Horn meaning hard and beam being tree.
22. Holly.
Ilex aquifolium.
Is there really anyone that does not know what Holly is? Associated today with Christmas it has a longer association with our pre- Christian religions. A symbol of fertility, re-birth and as a powerful method of protection from evil spirits, fairies and the devil. It is for these reasons that Holly was initially brought into the home.
Holly was used as a form of winter fodder for cattle. The prickly leaves often put through a grinder to make them more palatable for the animals to eat.
Holly is a valuable wildlife tree. The protection that its evergreen leaves give to birds, the flowers for pollinators, the berries as food and the prickly leaf litter gives cover to ground dwelling beasts.
23. Horse Chestnut.
Aesculus hippocastanum.
Another tree that will be familiar to many, especially for the conkers that most of us surely played with in the school yard? In those glorious days free from health and safety was a thing!
Despite it being a common sight throughout the land it is a relatively recent introduction to the British Isles. Once again we can thank John Tradescant for this introduction who brought from its native Balkans homeland.
The timber is not especially hard and mostly used for carving. The conkers do have medicinal properties and were used to treat strains and bruises, to make shampoo and even as a starch substitute.
24. Tulip tree.
Liriodendron tulipifera.
This tree has its home in Eastern America and is part of the magnolia family. The flower (when it flowers) is reminiscent of magnolia and of course a tulip, hence the name.
It is usually planted as a specimen tree just as our own tree was. A recent addition to the trees of the park. The tree does not have a great deal of folklore attached to it nor does it have many uses in Britain for this reason.
In its homeland the timber is used for cabinet and furniture making, veneers and internal framing. Its former name of canoewood indicates its use to make canoes by native Americans.
25. Yew.
Taxus baccata.
Often associated with Churches and Churchyards, death and morbidity its links with such ideas pre-date Christianity. Favoured by druids it was the tree of death and resurrection to the ancient Celts.
It is an especially toxic tree. The needles being very poisonous as cited by Shakespeare in Macbeth. That said the Yew does have some beneficial aspects with the berries used to treat cystitis, headaches and neuralgia. Do not be tempted to try any home grown treatments with Yew, it is likely to have the very opposite result. Scientists have found evidence of a cancer treatment from Yew extracts.
The timber is hard and used to make furniture though more famously for making the English longbow.
26. Holm Oak.
Quercus ilex.
The Holm Oak is not a native of Great Britain but it was introduced so long ago as to make very little difference. It is thought that it came to Britain in the 1500's as acorns. Its native habitat is the Southern coast of the Mediterranean, Greece, Turkey and parts of North Africa. It is resistant to salt spray and so is often grown in coastal areas.
It has been widely planted in the UK as a specimen tree as it was in our park. The acorns were fed to pigs which is how we get Iberico ham. In ancient Greece the leaves and acorns were considered to aid fertility. As such acorns were added to clothing and worn as jewellery to increase the chances of conception.
27. Silver Fir.
Abies alba.
It is fair to say that at time of writting I am not convinced that this tree is Abies alba! There are many varieties and the cones which help provide evidence are missing this time of year.
For the sake of argument I shall stick with the Silver Fir at present. It is a native of mainland Southern half of Europe, brought to this country as a specimen tree for grand designs. It is highly likely that this tree was planted in the early days of the park or soon after.
Traditionally the resin was used for making soaps and perfumes. The leaves and bark for making Spruce beer and the timber for furniture, construction and paper pulp. Formerly used by the Romans to make their chariots.
28. Norway Maple.
Acer platanoides.
Not to be confused with the Sycamore, the Norway Maple was introduced into the UK in the 17th century from its central and Eastern European home.
The timber is hard and strong being used in furniture making and turnery. In Britain it is usually planted as a specimen and autumnal leaf colour and therefore not usually harvested.
The leaves provide food for various moth caterpillars, the flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and the seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals.
29. Walnut.
Juglans regia.
For a tree that originates in South East Europe and as far as China the Walnut grows well in lowland England and will fruit most years. We have several in our park including one in the freshly planted orchard.
The name is connected to the Roman god Jupiter the tree being "Jupiter's nut". An important food source for both humans and wildlife. The leaves are used to treat a wide range of ailments which include acne, diarrhoea, ulcers and even excessive sweating. The nuts are used to lower cholesterol and the nut shells to treat blood poisoning, make dyes and for the tanning industry. A compound called Juglone is also extracted from the walnut and used as an ingredient in insecticides.
30. Turkey Oak.
Quercus cerris.
Another tree that was introduced into the British Isles several hundred years ago. It was imported as an ornamental tree but has now colonised much of the UK. It is not especially useful as a source of timber as its wood is known to crack and warp. Mostly used for wainscoting or as fire wood if well seasoned.
The Turkey Oak is easily differentiated from the English Oak by its longer, narrow and deeply lobed leaves and the hairy acorn cups.
In its home land the Turkey Oak is associated with magic and ritual. Also considered to be a home of fairies who may be seen dancing beneath its boughs of a night.
31. Western Red Cedar.
Thuja plicata.
A native of North America it is neither a Redwood or a Cedar! Most commonly planted in the UK as a hedging plant or grown for timber production. Left to grow on its own or where its neighbours have passed away, as is the case for most of our Thuja trees, it makes for a large and graceful tree.
It is not terribly useful as a wildlife tree other than to give refuge to nesting birds. It was however known as the "tree of life" by native Americans as it provided so much for them. The bark could make baskets for carrying food and water, clothes and rope. The timber provided shelter and made canoes as well as providing various local medicinal treatments. Some native tribes naming themselves (in translation) "people of the red cedar"
©Copyright. All rights reserved.
We need your consent to load the translations
We use a third-party service to translate the website content that may collect data about your activity. Please review the details in the privacy policy and accept the service to view the translations.