Identification keys to trees

Part 1: Key to deciduous trees and shrubs, including broad-leaved evergreens, in summer
Part 2: Key to deciduous trees and shrubs, including broad-leaved evergreens, in winter (Updated on 10/12/06)
Part 3: Key to coniferous trees and shrubs in winter


Key to trees and shrubs in summer
(Ignoring flowers and fruits and only including species growing to above head height)


1. Leaves consisting a mass of sharp spines only – It is Common Gorse Ulex europaeus.
Leaves consisting of single or grouped needles or sprays of small scale leaves – A Conifer
Leaves broad and flat –Go to 2

2. Evergreen (Leaves on younger shoots paler and softer than older leaves) – Go to 3
Deciduous (Leaves on all shoots the same colour and texture) – Go to 10

3. Leaves hard and shiny with sharp spines on the edges – Holly Ilex aquilifolium
Leaves various and without sharp spines – Go to 4

4. Leaves arranged in opposite pairs on the stem – Go to 5
Leaves arranged alternately along the stem – Go to 7

5. Leaves large (over 4 inches long), toothed, acute, whitish below – Buddleia Buddleia davidii
Leaves medium (2 to 4 inches long), entire, ovate, green below– Lauristinus Viburnum tinus
Leaves small (under 2 inches long), dark green, slightly shiny. Twigs can be tied in a knot without breaking them – Go to 6

6. Leaves oval (twice as long as wide) - Japanese Privet Ligustrum ovalifolium
Leaves narrowly oval (at least three times longer than wide) - Common Privet Ligustrum vulgare

7. Leaves ovate, breaking noisily and spicy scented – Bay Tree Laurus nobilis
Leaves large, oblong and shiny with a bitter almonds scent when crushed
Cherry Laurel Prunus laurocerasus
Leaves not as above and with no distinctive scent – Go to 8

8. Leaves dark green, rather shiny and with serrated edge – Go to 9a
Leaves mid to dark green, shiny or matt but with entire edge – Go to 9b
Leaves dark green above, rather matt with a few or many sharp teeth - Holm Oak Quercus ilex

9a. Leaves broadly ovate and acute, up to 5 inches long with wine-red stalks
Portugal Laurel Prunus lusitanica
Leaves elliptical and obtuse, less than 3 inches long with greenish stalks- Strawberry Tree Arbutus unedo

9b Leaves large (about 5 inches), elliptical and glabrous or tomentose below (a large shrub on
acid soils) - Rhododendron Rhododendron sp.
Leaves small (less than 4 inches), narrowly ovate, shiny, glabrous (a small shrub on chalky soils) – Spurge Laurel Daphne laureola
Leaves smaller than 5 inches, entire edge and not as above
– Likely to be a Cotoneaster sp. or Photinia davidiana
-
10. Leaves and/or twigs in opposite pairs along the branches – Go to 11
Leaves and/or twigs distinctly alternate along branches – Go to 17

11. Leaves are pinnate i.e. consisting of five or more leaflets in opposite pairs – Go to 12
Leaves are single on the stalk but palmate in shape – Go to 13
Leaves are ovate or otherwise not as above – Go to 15

12. An irregularly branched shrub and leaves with a strong scent, leaf-stalks are conspicuously hairy – Elder Sambucus nigra
A regularly branched tree with one strong central trunk, leaves without a strong scent when crushed, leaf-stalks are hairless – Ash Fraxinus excelsior

13. Leaves three lobed with indentations between lobes less than a third of way to centre of leaf - Guelder Rose Viburnum opulus
Leaves 5-7 lobed with indentations between lobes over a third the depth of the leaf – Go to 14


14. Leaves bluntly lobed, lobes with numerous pointed teeth - Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus
Leaves bluntly lobed, lobes without teeth but wavy edged - Field Maple Acer campestre
Leaves sharply lobed, not serrate but with dentate (pointed) teeth (resembling the leaf on the Canada flag) - Norway Maple Acer platanoides

15. Leaves large, downy, wrinkled and with minute teeth – Wayfaring Tree Virburnum opulus
Leaves elliptical and acute (pointed at end) and finely toothed– Spindle Euonymus europaeus
Leaves small to medium sized, glabrous and not wrinkled, not toothed (entire) – Go to 16

16. Leaves ovate with cuneate base and prominently veined – Dogwood Cornus sp.
Leaves somewhat triangular with a slightly cordate base, veins not prominent - Lilac Syringa sp.

17. Spines or thorns present on the twigs – Go to 18
Spines or thorns completely absent from twigs – Go to 25

18. Twigs are armed with long straight, sharply pointed spines, leaves variously shaped
– Go to 19
Twigs are armed with very sharp, triangular thorns (on lower branches), leaves pinnate with oval un-toothed leaflets – Robinia Robinia pseudoacacia
Twigs are armed with hook-like or very small thorns, leaves variously shaped – Go to 23

19. Spines usually in groups of three, leaves palmate - Gooseberry Ribes uva-crispa
Spines produced singly on the twigs, leaves variously shaped – Go to 20

20. Leaves small and palmate, dull (matt) or shiny - Go to 21
Leaves small, ovate and toothed, not shiny – Go to 22

21. Leaves matt with five or seven deeply cut lobes – Common Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna
Leaves shiny with three shallowly cut lobes – Midland Hawthorn C.laevigata

22. Leaves twice as long as wide and coarsely toothed (less than 20 teeth on each side of leaf) – Blackthorn Prunus spinosa
Leaves only slightly longer than broad and finely toothed (more than 2o teeth on each side of leaf) - Buckthorn Rhamnus catharticus

23. Leaves all pinnate (in groups of five) and each individual leaflet neatly oval and toothed, thorns strong and down-curved or thin and fine – Go to 23a
Leaves in palmate (in groups of five), toothed, thorns strong and down-curved – Go to 24a
At least some leaves ternate (in groups of three), toothed, thorns weak, thin or small
– Go to 24b

23a. Low growing, suckering shrub with numerous fine, thin spines – Burnet Rose Rosa pimpinellifolia
Scrambling shrub with strong prickles, hairless leaves not scented when crushed – Go to 23b
Scrambling shrub with strong prickled, downy or hairy leaves with a fragrant scent when crushed – Go to 23c

23b. Stems glaucous and purple, leaflets very round, leaves rather greyish green – Field Rose Rosa arvensis
Stems not glaucous and leaflets green and/or reddish and ovate– Dog Rose Rosa canina agg.
(If leaves downy and habitat is heath land Round-leaved Dog Rose Rosa obtusifolia is possible)

23c. Leaves with numerous reddish stalked glands, apple scented when crushed, prickles strongly down-curved – Sweetbriar Rosa rubiginosa agg.
Leaves downy with unstalked glands, weakly scented when crushed, prickled only slightly curved – Downy Rose Rosa tomentosa agg.

24a. Leaves strongly whitish below and the stems very stout – Himalayan Bramble Rubus armeniacum
Leaves paler below but not whitish, stems rather slender – Bramble Rubus fruticosus agg.



24b. Low-growing, often prostrate shrub with greyish, wrinkled leaves and numerous small prickles – Dewberry Rubus caesius
Erect, almost unbranced (no branches arising from low on stems) shrub with wrinkled leaves very pale below and a few weak prickles – Raspberry Rubus idaeus

24. Leaves palmate (maple-like or with radiating leaflets) – Go to 26a
Leaves ternate (trefoil) or pinnate (at least three paired leaflets along stalk) – Go to 26b
Leaves ordinary and not like any of the above - Go to 27a

26a Leaves large and palmate with 5-7 separate leaflets radiating from a central point –
Horse Chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum
Leaves with blunt palmate lobes (maple like) and white below – White Polplar Populus alba
Leaves with pointed palmate lobes (maple like) and not white below – Wild Service Tree Sorbus torminalis

26b. Leaves ternate i.e. trefoil with three leaflets – Laburnum Laburnum anagyroides
Leaves pinnate with 3-9 un-toothed, hairless and entire leaflets – Walnut Juglans regia
Leaves pinnate with 5-9 toothed, toothed leaflets that are downy below – Rowan Sorbus acauparia

27a. Leaves cordate (heart-shaped), glabrous with a crenate (bluntly toothed edge) – Italian Alder Alnus cordata
Leaves not cordate (or cordate with sharp teeth around edge) – Go to 27b.

27b. Leaves entire and oval with no teeth or lobes around edges (can be wavy at edge) – Go to 28
Leaves with shallow, blunt teeth or lobes around the edges – Go to 29
Leaves with distinct sharp teeth around the edges – Go to 33

28. Leaves 5- 9 cm (2-3 inches) long with ciliate edge, on short stalks (less than 9mm or third of an inch) - Beech Fagus sylvatica
Leaves up to 5cm (2 inches) long without a ciliate edge, on long stalks (10-14mm or about half an inch) – Alder Buckthorn Rhamnus alnus

29. Leaves with large wavy lobes on edges, green below – Go to 30
Leaves round with a few coarse, shallow lobes, whitish below – Grey Poplar Populus x canescens
Leaves with numerous shallow, blunt teeth around the edges, paler below – Go to 31

30. Leaves with blunt wavy lobes and almost un-stalked with ‘auricles’ a base of leaves – Common Oak Quercus robur
Leaves with blunt wavy lobes and distinct stalks but no ‘auricles’ – Sessile Oak Quercus patraea
Leaves narrow with sharply pointed triangular lobes – Turkey Oak Quercus cerris

31. Leaves on long stalks, as long as the rest of the leaf – Aspen Populus tremula
Leaves on short stalks, much shorter than the rest of the leaf – Go to 32

32. Leaves round with tapering base but broad at the end – Alder Alnus glutinosa
(Twigs are fragile and break easily)
Leaves broadly ovate and widest in the middle – Goat Willow Salix caprea
Leaves narrowly ovate and widest above the middle – Sallow Salix cinerea
(Twigs are pliable and can be tied into a knot)

33. Leaves cordate i.e heart-shaped at the base– Go to 34
Leaves are long and narrow i.e. at least 2.5 times as long as wide – Go to 38
Leaves are distinctly triangular i.e. with three roughly equal edges – Go to 40
Leaves less than 3 as long as wide and otherwise not as above – Go to 41

34. Leaves asymmetrical i.e. with two unequal halves – Go to 35
Leaves symmetrical i.e. equal on both sides, and always cordate – Go to 36

35. Leaves matt, slightly contorted and very rough to the feel – English Elm Ulmus procera
Leaves dark green, slightly shiny, small and flat – Small-leaved Elm Ulmus minor
Leaves large, mid green, flat, matt and smooth – Wych Elm Ulmus glabra

36. Leaf stalks roughly hairy, leaves both shallowly lobed and toothed – Hazel Corylus avellana
Leaf stalks hairless, not at all lobed, toothed and cordate i.e. heart-shaped – Go to 37

37. Leaves uniformly downy below, no bosses on trunk – Large-leaved lime Tilia platyphila
Leaves with tufts of white hairs between veins below leaf, bosses on the trunk and suckering growth at base of tree – Common Lime Tilia x europaea
Leaves with reddish tufts of hairs beneath, no bosses on trunk – Small-leaved Lime Tilia cordata.


38. Leaves large (over 10cm or 4 inches long), with sharply toothed edges and herring-bone like vein structure – Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa
Leaves long and narrow (but less than 12cm or 5 inches long), finely serrated or entire and tapering at the ends, twigs pliable i.e. can be tied into a knot without breaking – Go to 39

39. A shrub with almost toothless leaves, extremely narrow leaves – Osier Salix viminalis
A shrub with glaucous, toothless narrow leaves broadest near tip
– Purple Willow Salix purpurea
A tree with long, mid green leaves and very fragile twigs – Crack Willow Salix fragilis
A tree with long, narrow leaves that are white below – White Willow Salix alba
A tree with long, narrow leaves and pendulous branches – Weeping Willow Salix babylonica (usually a hybrid of this and something else)
A tree or shrub, not as above – other Willow Salix sp. (difficult).

40a. Outer bark papery and twigs pliable i.e. can be tied into a knot without breaking – Go to 40b.
Outer bark not papery and twigs fragile i.e. they break when tied in a knot - – Black Poplar Populus nigra agg.

40b. Leaf tips plane near tip on outer edges, twigs downy and soft to the feel – Downy Birch Betula pubescens
Leaf tips concave near tip on outer edges, twigs hairless and very rough to the feel Silver Birch Betula pendula

41. Distinctive shiny and dark red-brown bark with horizontal lenticels – Cherry Prunus avium
Bark of tree otherwise – Go to 42

42. Leaves toothed and ovate but base slightly indented (cordate) – Hornbeam Carpinus betulus
Leaves toothed and ovate but cuneate at base i.e. at an acute angle to the stalk - Go to 43

43. Leaves large (over 8cm or 3 inches long), lobed and toothed, silvery-white below – Go to 44
Leaves variously sized, not lobed or silvery below, and finely toothed or serrated – Go to 45

44. Leaves only shallowly lobed (fifth or less of the way to centre of leaf) and almost as broad as long – Common Whitebeam Sorbus aria
Leaves distinctly lobed (to about third of the way to centre of leaf) and obviously much longer than wide – Swedish Whitebeam Sorbus intermedia

45. Leaves shiny above, ovate and on stalks at least half the length of leaf– Pear Pyrus sp.
(The presence of any spines indicates Wild Pear Pyrus pyraster)
Leaves dull (matt) above, ovate or narrowly so and on stalks much less than half the length of the leaf – Go to 46

46. Leaves variable in size, ovate, densely woolly i.e. tomentose below and not flat - Apple Malus sp.
(The presence of a few spines indicates native Crab Apple Malus sylvestris)
Leaves flat, not tomentose below and no more than 8cm (3 inches) long – Go to 47
Leaves flat, not tomentose below and the larger ones over 8cm (3 inches) long – Go to 48

47. Leaves almost oblong (parallel sided in middle), totally hairless and no more than 8cm (3 inches) long – June Berry Amelanchier lamarkii
Leaves clearly ovate, downy (at least below) and no more than 3 inches long – Go to 49

48. Leaves three times as long as wide, shiny above – Rum Cherry Prunus serotina
Leaves about twice as long as wide, dull on both sides – Bird Cherry Prunus padus

49. Twigs smooth and somewhat shiny and greenish – Cherry Plum Prunus cerasifera
Twigs downy and dull brownish (occasionally spiny) – Plum Prunus domestica
Phil Budd Update: 19/07/2006



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Part 2: Key to trees and shrubs in winter
(Ignoring deciduous leaves, flowers and mature fruits)

1. Evergreen (living leaves persistent in winter) – Go to 2
Deciduous (leaves dead, dying or fallen) – Go to 10

2. Leaves just a mass of sharp spines – It is Gorse Ulex europaeus
Leaves consisting of single or grouped needles or sprays of small scale-like leaves– An evergreen Conifer
Leaves broad and flat –Go to 3

3. Leaves shiny, dark green and spiny but no spines on stem– Go to 3a
Leaves shiny, dark green and spiny but with spines on stem also – Berberis sp.
Leaves various and without sharp spines on leaves or stems – Go to 4

3a Leaves pinnate with almost flat leaflets – Oregon Grape Mahonia aquifolium
Leaves not pinnate and distinctly undulating – Holly Ilex aquilifolium

4. Leaves arranged in opposite pairs on the stem – Go to 5
Leaves arranged alternately – Go to 7

5. Leaves large (over 4 inches long), matt, whitish below – Buddleia Buddleia davidii
Leaves medium (2 to 4 inches long), shiny, not whitish below, hairy on edges– Lauristinus Viburnum tinus
Leaves small (1 to 2 inches long), dark green, dull or shiny, acute at tip – Go to 6
Leaves very small (less than 1 inch), as above but very shiny and obtuse at tip
- Evergreen Honeysuckle Lonicera nitida

6. Leaves oval (twice as long as wide) - Japanese Privet Ligustrum ovalifolium
Leaves narrowly oval (at least three times longer than wide)
- Common Privet Ligustrum vulgare

7. Leaves ovate, breaking noisily and spicy scented – Bay Tree Laurus nobilis
Leaves large, oblong, shiny above and scent of bitter almonds when crushed –- Cherry Laurel Prunus laurocerasus
Leaves not as above and no distinctive scent – Go to 8

8. Leaves entire (i.e. not toothed at all) – Go to 8a
Leaves clearly toothed or serrated on the edge – Go to 9

8a. Leaves large (over 4 inches) and narrow elliptical, tough, leathery and dull- Rhododendron Rhododendron sp.
Leaves smaller than 4 inches long, not very tough – Go to 8b

8b. Leaves ovate to elliptical and obtuse at tip – Go to 8c.
Leaves ovate to elliptical and acute at tip – Go to 8d

8c. Leaves ovate, quite shiny and dark green with veins impressed above- Late Cotoneaster Cotoneaster lacteus
Leaves ovate to oblong, dull green without impressed veins above- Tree Cotoneaster Cotoneaster frigidus

8d. Leaves elliptical and smooth above without impressed veins
- Stransvaesia Photinia davidiana
Leaves ovate to elliptical and with distinct impressed veins above- Cotoneaster sp. (difficult to ID)

9. Leaves dull green, teeth few and large and with spines – Holm Oak Quercus ilex
Leaves rather shiny dark green & finely serrated - Strawberry Tree Arbutus unedo
Leaves shiny very dark green & coarsely serrated & leaf stalks pinkish- Portugal Laurel Prunus lusitanica

10. Buds clearly and neatly arranged in opposite pairs – Go to 11
Buds on either side of twig and distinctly alternate– Go to 16
Buds opposite or alternate, spherical and randomly placed on twig– Larch Larix sp.

11. Twigs thick and grey, buds large, round and black – Ash Fraxinus excelsior
Twigs thin and dark, purplish red, buds small – Dogwood Cornus sanguineus
Twigs thin and bright green, buds small – Spindle Tree Euonymus europaeus
Twigs brown to dull greyish, buds various but not black – Go to 13

12. Buds just embryonic leaves with no protective scales –
Wayfaring Tree Viburnum lantana
Buds small and positioned at the end of short stalks
Dawn Redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Buds not at the end of short stalks and with distinct protective scales – Go to 13

13. Twigs snap easily breaking the skin, no scent produced – Go to 14
Twigs are more pliable and don’t snap readily, produces a smoky scent when damaged –Go to 15

14. Twigs a pale pinkish-brown, terminal bud small, dark brown and green- Field Maple Acer campestre
Twigs pale grey-brown, thin (some >3mm wide), terminal bud green or purple- Norway Maple Acer platanoides
Twigs dark green-brown, thicker (all <3mm wide), terminal bud green- Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus
Twigs grey and very thick (mostly over 9mm or third of an inch thick), buds chestnut coloured and very sticky - Horse Chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum


15. Twigs irregularly branched, producing a strong scent when broken- Elder Sambucus nigra
Twigs more regularly branched, only a faint scent when broken
- Guelder Rose Viburnum opulus

16. Spines or thorns present on the twigs – Go to 17
Spines or thorns completely absent from twigs – Go to 23a

17. Twigs are armed with straight, sharply pointed spines – Go to 18
Twigs are armed with very sharp, triangular thorns (on lower branches)– Robinia Robinia pseudoacacia
Twigs are armed with (usually down curved) hook-like thorns – Go to 20

18. Spines in groups of three, twigs pale brown - Gooseberry Ribes uva-crispa
Spines groups of three to seven or single and over an inch long – Berberis sp.
Spines produced singly on the twigs and less than an inch long– Go to 19

19. Twigs dark brown, buds blackish and pointed – Buckthorn Rhamnus catharticus
Twigs dark brown, buds small and rounded - Blackthorn Prunus spinosa
Twigs grey-brown, buds small and rounded - Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna

20. Thorns strong, large and sharp – Go to 21
Thorns very small and weak – Go to 22

21. Twigs terete (round in section), thorns paler than twigs – Rose Rosa sp.
Twigs deeply grooved or angular in section, thorns no paler than twigs- Bramble Rubus fruticosa agg.

22. Twigs reddish, leafy stipule with the buds – Dewberry Rubus caesius
Twigs pale brown, buds greenish, no stipules – Raspberry Rubus idaeus

23a. Overall shape of the tree conical with fibrous reddish bark
- Swamp Cypress Taxodium distichum
Overall shape of the tree clearly not like above – Go to 23b.

23b.Buds very acute at tip and at over twice as long as broad– Go to 24a
Buds obtuse, or if acute at tip, then not more than twice as long as broad – Go to 25

24a Buds shiny and resinous - Aspen Populus tremula or other Poplar Populus sp.
Buds dry (not resinous), terminal bud single – Go to 24b
Buds dry (not resinous), terminal buds in groups of three or more – Go to 24c

24b.Buds very narrow (five times longer than wide), red-brown – Beech Fagus sylvatica
Buds triangular (two to three times longer than wide), dull brown- Hornbeam Carpinus betulus

24c. Young twig dark brown above and green below, shiny or dull - Black (= Rum) Cherry Prunus serotina
Young twig shiny dark brown all around – Bird Cherry Prunus padus

25. Twigs pliable and elastic, they can be tied in a knot without breaking – Go to 26
Twigs snap fairly easily and usually audibly – Go to 29

26. Young catkins present on twigs – Go to 27
No sign of catkins on the twigs – Go to 28

27. Twigs smooth to the touch with a velvety – Downy Birch Betula pubescens
Twigs rough to the touch and not velvety– Silver Birch Betula pendula

28. Twigs smooth and reddish with large round, blunt red buds – Lime Tilia sp.
Twigs somewhat hairy and dull coloured with very small, dark buds – Elm Ulmus sp.
Twigs smooth and not dark or reddish and with quite large, usually greenish buds – Willow or Sallow Salix sp.

29. Young catkins present on twigs – Go to 30
No sign of catkins on the twigs – Go to 31

30. Twigs dull brown, buds greenish, catkins (from January) – Hazel Corylus avellana
Twigs dark brown, buds very dark and rough to feel, catkins (from February)- Alder Alnus sp.
-
31. Twigs fairly thick with distinct longitudinal ridges and white dots, buds triangular and greenish - Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa
Twigs very thick, red brown, buds brown, short and broad – Walnut Juglans regia
Twigs rather slender and reddish with large round, blunt red buds – Lime Tilia sp.
Twigs less distinctive and not as above – Go to 32

32. Bark of tree is distinctive, dark red-brown and shiny with horizontal lenticels- Cherry Prunus avium
Bark of tree otherwise – Go to 33

33. Some of the buds on the youngest twigs almost in opposite pairs – Alder Buckthorn Frangula alnus
All buds distinctly alternate with space between them (even on the youngest twigs)
– Go to 34

34. All buds are sessile on twigs and terminal buds not single – Go to 35
Most buds (except on the youngest twigs) are at the top of stalks, terminal buds single or in groups of three or more – Go to 36

35. Smooth brown buds on smooth, grey twigs
– English (= Pedunculate) Oak Quercus robur
[Consider Sessile Oak Quercus patraea very similar (acorns sessile and dead leaves with stalks)]
Dark brown buds surrounded by long hairs, rough dark brown twigs - Turkey Oak Quercus cerris

36. Terminal bud in groups of three or more – Go to 37
Terminal bud is single – Tree or shrub in Rosaceae (difficult to ID)
(Possibilities include Apple Malus; Pear Pyrus; Sorbus sp.; Amelanchier lamarkii)

37. Young twigs shiny, green and hairless - Cherry Plum Prunus cerasifera
Young twigs dull, brown or grey and usually rather hairy – Plum Prunus domestica

P.A.Budd Update: 9/12/2006









































Part 3:
Key to coniferous trees and shrubs in summer (or evergreen species in winter)
(Note: Only includes species likely to be seen outside collections and arboreta)


1. Leaves can’t be removed cleanly when pulled outward or leaves scale like – Go to 2
Leaves needle like and not as above, leaving a scar or peg behind – Go to 13

2. Leaves pinnate (like the teeth of a two sided comb) – Go to 3
Leaves not pinnate, triangular, leathery and 25 – 50 mm long (1” to 2”)
- Monkey Puzzle Araucaria araucana
Leaves not pinnate, like narrow needles, in 5 ranks and less than 25mm (1”) long
.. Japanese Red Cedar Cryptomeria japonica
Leaves not pinnate, like narrow needles with sharp tips, in 3 ranks and less than 6mm (1/4 “) long – Juniper Juniperinus communis
Leaves less than 5mm long, scale-like and arranged in sprays (cypress-like)– Go to 4

3. Leaves mid green above but glaucous below – Redwood Sequoia sempervirens
Leaves dark green and dull yellowish green below – Yew Taxus baccata

4. Shoots and leaves all lying in one plane – Go to 5
Shoots and leaves arranged in three planes – Go to 9
Older shoots in one plane younger, terminal ones in three planes and leaves with turpentine odour when crushed – Leyland Cypress x Cupressocyparis leylandii

5. Fragile foliage that breaks up into small pieces when crushed and almost odour-less
- Chinese Thuja Platycladus orientalis
Tough foliage that usually has an odour when crushed – Go to 6

6. Leaves with odour of apple or pineapple when crushed and shiny – Go to 6a
Leaves with no pineapple or apple odour and not at all shiny – Go to 7

6a. Leaves with a strong pineapple odour when leaves are crushed and with white markings below – Western Red Cedar Thuja plicata
Leaves with an apple odour when crushed and uniformly yellowish below – White Cedar Thuja occidentalis

7. Individual leaves curved inward toward the tip, leaves dull, crushed leaves have an odour of sour parsley – Lawson’s Cypress Chamaecyparis lawsoniana
As above but leaves bright green and with eucalyptus scent when crushed – Hinoki Cypress Chamaecyparis obtusa
Individual leaves not curved inward toward the tip but spreading outwards, leaves dull – Go to 8

8. Leaves in pendulous sprays, dark green with no pale markings below, odour sweetly parsley like when crushed – Nootka Cypress Chamaecyparis nootkatensis
Leaves in ascending sprays, pale bluish or bright green, odour of orange peel (citrus) when crushed – Sawara Cypress Chamaecyparis pisifera

9. Leaf tips long, sharp at tip and spreading, odour of orange peel mixed with aniseed when crushed – Wellingtonia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Leaf tips not spreading and individual leaves convex – Go to 10

10. Very young leaves resembling Juniper leaves present as well as sprays of small-scale leaves, individual scale-leaves pale edged – Go to 11
All leaves, including young ones, in cypress-like three-dimensional sprays, individual scale leaves not pale at margin – Go to 12


11. Scale leaves with an acute point at tip, leaves with a strong odour of ‘roast lamb and mint sauce’ or paint when crushed – Pencil Cedar Juniperinus virginiana
Scale leaves are blunt at the tip, leaves with a weak odour of parsley when crushed – Chinese Juniper Juniperinus chinensis

12. Leaves a bright yellowish-green colour with an odour of lemons when crushed – Monterey Cypress Cupressus macrocarpa
Leaves a dull mid-green colour with almost no odour when crushed
– Italian Cypress Cupressus sempervirens

13. Leaves all separate solitary needles spaced along the twigs – Go to 14
Leaves paired long needles or long needles in groups of 3 or 5 – Go to 23
Leaves are needle like and clustered in whorls on short shoots – Go to 27

14. Leaves are stiff, mid to dark green and evergreen – Go to 15
Leaves are soft, usually pale or yellowish green and deciduous – Go to 22
(Note: These can only be keyed out between May and October)

15. Leaves, twigs and part of buds are green, twigs longitudinally ridged –
. Yew Taxus baccata
Leaves mid to dark green or glaucous, twigs not green, buds entirely brown or brownish – Go to 16

16. When leaves are pulled off upright brown pegs are left behind, leaves obtuse (blunt) or acute (sharp), terminal bud is blunt – Go to 17
When leaves are pulled off slightly raised oblique pegs are left behind, leaves obtuse (or blunt) – Go to 17a
When leaves are pulled circular scars are left behind, leaves obtuse (blunt), terminal bud acute (pointed) or obtuse (blunt) – Go to 18

17. Leaves flattened and sharply pointed, 20 – 25mm (1”) long, glaucous below, twigs dull,pale brown, leaves almost with no odour when crushed – Sitka Spruce Picea sitchensis
Leaves very narrow and four angled, sharply pointed, less than 20mm (3/4”), bright green, twigs orange, leaves with odour of turpentine when crushed – Norway Spruce Picea abies
Leaves rounded in section, sharply pointed, 30- 40mm (1.5”) long, uniform dark green, twigs cream coloured, leaves with no distinctive odour – Morinda Spruce Picea smithiana
Leaves obtuse (blunt) or acute (but other features different) – Spruce sp. Picea sp.

17a. Leaves unequal but no third row of twisted leaves below shoot – Western Hemlock Tsuga heterophylla
Leaves all about equal with third row of twisted leaves above shoot – Eastern Hemlock Tsuga canadensis

18. Terminal bud is shiny, slender and acute (pointed), leaves with strong odour of tangerines when crushed, bark very rough with deep fissures– Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii
Terminal bud is dull or resinous, rounded and blunt, leaves various, bark not as above and usually rather smooth or scaly – Go to 19

19. Axis of twig covered in needles so that it is mostly invisible from above – Go to 20
Axis of twig mostly exposed and visible from above – Go to 21

20. Leaves straight and dark green above – Caucasian Fir Abies nordmanniana
Leaves curving outward and glaucous grey green above – Noble Fir Abies procera

21. Leaves about 25mm (1”) long, dark green above, silvery below, leaves have an odour of grapefruit when crushed – Silver Fir Abies alba
Leaves typically 50mm (2”) long, bright grass green, leaves have an odour of tangerine when crushed – Grand Fir Abies grandis




22. Leaves pinnate and arranged in opposite pairs on the twigs – Dawn Redwood
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Leaves pinnate and arranged alternately on the twigs – Swamp Cypress Taxodium distichum
Leaves needle like and arranged in whorls along twigs – Larch Larix sp.

23. Leaves 3 to 20 cm (1 to 8”) long and arranged in pairs – Go to 24
Leaves bright green (dark green in mass) with 5mm white, 10 to 25 cm (4 to 10”) long and arranged in groups of three – Monterey Pine Pinus radiata
Leaves pale green, lax and pendulous, 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8”) and arranged in groups of five – Bhutan Pine Pinus wallichiana
(Any other pine with needles in groups of 3 or 5 is rare outside collections)

24. Leaves usually shorter than 10cm (4”) long – Go to 25
Leaves usually longer than 10cm (4”) long – Go to 26

25. Leaves bluish green showing fine white fibres when broken, bud acute at tip and not resinous – Scot’s Pine Pinus sylvestris
Leaves grass green and not showing fibres when broken, bud blunt at tip and very resinous – Lodgepole Pine Pinus contorta

26. Leaves up to 20cm (8”) long, stiff and dark green, foliage rather sparse on tree, bud not resinous - Maritime Pine Pinus pinaster
Leaves up to 17cm (7”) long, lax and greyish green, foliage rather dense on tree, bud quite resinous – Corsican Pine Pinus nigra var corsicana

27. Most leaves over 25mm (1”) long, all leaves grass green, younger shoots droping at the tip – Deodar or Himalayan Cedar Cedrus deodara
Most leaves less than 25mm (1”) long, all leaves dark green or glaucous – Go to 28

28. Leaves usually in whorls of 15-20, leaf tips abruptly tapered to a 0.2mm long reddish point – Cedar of Lebanon Cedrus libani
Leaves usually in whorls of 30 – 45, leaf tips gradually tapered to a 0.5mm long yellowish point – Atlas Cedar Cedrus atlantica

......... ..... Phil Budd 17/02/07