England's Common Trees

English Oak

England was once extensively forested during ancient times. Unfortunately, most of the country is no longer how it was due to extensive deforestation that occurred throughout the centuries. In a way, the aforementioned fact is rather sad because a region’s flora often forms an integral part of its history and culture. It’s mainly for that reason why one should know what species of trees grow around them. However, only a handful of individuals that reside in England are equipped with that knowledge. Because of that, we’ve decided to help out by listing down the five most abundant species of trees in the country.

Sweet Chestnut (Castanea Sativa)A bowl of roasted chestnuts is a delightful treat which is rather hard to pass. It’s the product of the sweet chestnut that’s found extensively throughout the British Isles where it grows naturally and is also artificially propagated. The tree is easy to identify in comparison to other species of chestnut trees because to the fact that it yields smaller-than-average nuts which grow in clusters and are enclosed in a seed casing that is covered with spikes.

Common Ash (Fraxinus Excelsior)
The common ash is true to its namesake in the sense that it’s the most common species of ash that grows in the UK. What’s nice about this certain species is that it grows rapidly and produces wood that’s incredibly resilient and has many uses. As a matter of fact, it’s a staple of the timber industry in many countries because of that. A quick way to spot and distinguish the tree among others is by looking at its distinct leaflets that are lance-shaped with toothed edges.

Silver Birch (Betula Pendula)One of the most prised ornamental trees in England is the Silver Birch. People can easily find it growing across the countryside and in urban settings because its bark has a distinct colour that can range from off-white to grey. Like the other trees on this list, this one produces valuable wood and that’s widely used to manufacture a countless number of products. An interesting thing about the Silver Birch is that it’s the only tree on this list that has a symbiotic relationship with the common toadstool mushroom (amanitas muscaria).

Aspen (Populus Tremula)
Aspen wood is known for having a low rate of flammability and is commonly used to manufacture matches and paper. In addition to that, the species is unique in the sense that it doesn’t naturally produce irritants called phenols. To properly determine if a tree is an aspen, one should look for its petioles which are almost exclusive to it as many species in England don’t have them.

Sessile Oak (Quercus Petraea)
While there are many species of oaks, the sessile is arguably the most common species that grows in England. The tree is arguably one of the most economically important ones in the country because its wood has a plethora of uses which include ship construction, luxury furniture, paddles, and thousands of other objects. Now to determine if a tree is a sessile oak, individuals should look at its uniquely shaped leaves and acorns which fascinatingly lack stalks.