The Druids worshipped and practised their rites in oak groves. ⢠There are a number of non-native oaks in the UK inclu
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Tilia cordata
English oak
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Quercus robur
Common ash
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Fraxinus excelsior
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Sweet chestnut
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Yew
Taxus baccata
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Common holly Ilex aquifolium
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Yew
Taxus baccata
Yew needles grow along a very short leaf stalk. They are narrow, flat and blunt at the top.
•The yew is one of three conifers native to Britain – Scots pine and juniper are also native. •Yew trees have long been associated with churchyards and there are at least 500 churchyards in England which contain yew trees older than the building itself. •One of the world’s oldest surviving wooden artefacts is a yew spear head, found in 1911 at Clacton-on-sea, in Essex, UK. It is estimated to be about 450,000 years old.
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Be aTree
Explorer
2 Ash
Fraxinus excelsior
Ash has compound leaves instead of single leaves. These are in pairs with an odd one on the end. They are lanc ed shaped with slightly toothed edges. •Ash wood is very strong and elas tic. It is said that an ash joint can bear more weight than any other type of wood. •Ash is a great source of firewood . Its Latin name ‘Fraxinus’ means firelight. •The main threat to ash trees is Cha lara dieback; a disease that causes tree s to lose their leaves and the crown to die back, usually resulting in their death. One way to help combat the spread is by restricting the movement of ash plan ts and seeds into and within the UK.
Walking trail
3 Small-leaved lime Tilia cordata
Lime has broad, heart shaped leaves with a fine point at the top. Usually the two halves aren’t symmetrical.
The small-leaved and large-leaved lime are native to the UK but you are less likely to see the large-leaved lime as it is more rare. • Lime trees can live for over 1,000 years. • During the war, lime blossom was used to make a soothing tea. •The wood does not warp, and is still used today to make sounding boards and piano keys. •The lime tree is no relation to the citrus fruit.
Sweet chestnut Castanea sativa
S weet chestnut leaf edges have very prominent saw like ‘teeth’ and are dark green. They can grow up to 25cm in length. •Sweet chestnut was introduced by the Romans, for the nuts which were ground up to make ‘polenta’. •The leaves and bark are said to have astringent, anti-flammatory properties. In the past, infusions of leaves have been used to treat whooping cough, diarrhoea, rheumatism, and to relieve stiffness in joints and muscles. •In the south east of England it was widely planted for hop poles, and coppiced for fencing.
5 English oak Quercus robur
The oak tree has long irregular and deep lobed green leaves. They grow alternately along the twig.
•Oak trees can live for 500 years, and reach a height of 30m. •The oak has always been held in high esteem. The Druids worshipped and practised their rites in oak groves. •There are a number of non-native oaks in the UK including holm, red and turkey oak. The only other native is the sessile oak. •Oak trees provide a rich habitat for wildlife and support more life forms that any other native trees.
6 Holly
Ilex aquifolium
olly leaves are probably the H most well-known of all leaves. They are dark green and glossy on the top and have points along the sides.
•Holly produces red berries that only appear on female trees. •The leaves are eaten by caterpillars of the holly blue butterfly. •Holly wood is the whitest of all woods, and is heavy, hard and fine grained. It can be stained and polished, and is used to make furniture or in engraving work. It is commonly used to make walking sticks.
