Tree Species Database

Trees of Great Britain and Ireland

Native trees

Alders
Alder (Alnus glutinosa)

Apples
Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris)

Ashes
Common Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

Birches
Silver Birch (Betula pendula)
Downy Birch (Betula pubescens)

Beeches
European Beech (Fagus sylvatica; southern Great Britain only)

Box
Box (Buxus sempervirens; southern England only)

Cherries and Plums
Wild Cherry (Prunus avium)
Bird Cherry (Prunus padus)
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)

Elms
Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra)
Smooth-leaved Elm (Ulmus minor, syn. U. carpinifolia; southern Great Britain only)

Hawthorns
Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
Midland Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata; southern Great Britain only)
Crataegus × media - occurs as a natural hybrid wherever monogyna and laevigata overlap.

Hazels Common Hazel (Corylus avellana)

Hornbeams European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus; southern Great Britain only)

Hollies European Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

Junipers Common Juniper (Juniperus communis)

Lindens (Limes) Small-leaved Linden/Lime (Tilia cordata; southern Great Britain only)
Large-leaved Linden/Lime (Tilia platyphyllos; southern Great Britain only)

Maples Field Maple (Acer campestre; southern Great Britain only)

Oaks Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur)
Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea)

Pines Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris)

Poplars Aspen (Populus tremula)
Black Poplar (Populus nigra; southern Great Britain only)

Rowans and Whitebeams European Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
Common Whitebeam (Sorbus aria) and several related apomictic microspecies
Service Tree (Sorbus domestica; recently discovered growing wild on a cliff in south Wales)
Wild Service Tree (Sorbus torminalis)

Strawberry Tree Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo; Ireland only)

Willows (Salix spp.; several species) Bay Willow (Salix pentandra)
Crack Willow (Salix fragilis)
White Willow (Salix alba)
Almond-leaved Willow (Salix triandra)

Yews European Yew (Taxus baccata)

Native large shrubs

These larger shrubs occasionally reach tree size:

Alder Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula)
Purging Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)
Elder (Sambucus nigra)
Common Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea)
Rock Whitebeam (Sorbus rupicola)
(Common) Sea-buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)
Spindle (Euonymus europaeus)
Sallow, Goat Willow (Salix caprea)
Grey Willow (Salix cinerea)
Purple Willow (Salix purpurea)
Common Osier (Salix viminalis)
Eared Willow (Salix aurita)
Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus)
Wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana)
Common Privet (Ligustrum vulgare)

Naturalised trees

From Europe Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster; rarely)
European Black Pine (Pinus nigra; rarely)
Norway Spruce (Picea abies; rarely)
European Larch (Larix decidua)
European Pear (Pyrus communis; sometimes regarded as native)
Plymouth Pear (Pyrus cordata; sometimes regarded as native)
Cherry Plum (Prunus cerasifera)
Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)
Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)
Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa; a Roman introduction)
Holm Oak (Quercus ilex)
Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris)
Common Horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)
English Elm (Ulmus procera; a Roman introduction)

From Asia European Yew (Taxus baccata)

From North America Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta)
Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis)
Black Spruce (Picea mariana; rarely)
Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
Grand Fir (Abies grandis)
Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)
Western Redcedar (Thuja plicata)
Lawson's Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)
Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa; rarely)

Endemic species

Plot's Elm – English Midlands only.

Apomictic Whitebeams endemic to the British Isles: Sorbus arranensis – Isle of Arran only.
Arran Service Tree – Isle of Arran only.
Sorbus pseudomeinichii - Isle of Arran only.
Lancaster Whitebeam - Lancaster only.
English Whitebeam - Great Britain and Ireland only.
Bristol Whitebeam - Avon Gorge only.
Devon Whitebeam – Devon, Somerset, Cornwall and Ireland only.
Ley’s Whitebeam – Brecon Beacons only.
Lesser Whitebeam – Brecon Beacons only.
Sorbus leptophylla – endemic to UK
Sorbus wilmottiana – endemic to UK
Bloody Whitebeam – Exmoor only.
Sorbus subcuneata – coastal North Devon and Western Somerset only.
Cheddar Whitebeam – Cheddar Gorge only.
“No Parking” Whitebeam – North Devon only.
Llangollen Whitebeam – Llangollen only.
Irish Whitebeam – Ireland only.
Leigh Woods Whitebeam, Leigh Woods only.