Plant Identification - Horticulture

Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)

• Not native to Ireland

• Large white flower spikes ("candles") in spring

• Palmate compound leaves (5–7 leaflets)

• Spiky green fruit with large shiny brown seed ("conker")

Birch (Betula)

• Peeling bark (white or greyish)

• Triangular leaves with serrated edges

• Catkins (male and female on same tree)

• Pendula (weeping habit), Silver Birch common

Alder (Alnus)

• Rounded leaves with toothed edges, often notched tip

• Woody cone-like fruits

• Found near water, riverbanks

• Catkins - reddish yellow, drooping flower clusters

Cherry (Prunus)

• Spring flowers: white or pink, five petals

• Red bark

• Horizontal lenticels on bark (dashed lines)

• Prunus kanzan: double pink flowers

Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

• Evergreen

• Shiny, leathery oval leaves

• White flower spikes in spring, red to black berries

• Smells like almonds when crushed (cyanide-like scent)

Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)

• Black buds in spring (opposite pairs)

• Compound leaves (pinnate, 9–13 leaflets)

• Grey bark, deeply ridged with age

• Opposite branching pattern

Beech (Fagus sylvatica)

• Not native to Ireland

• Oval green leaves with wavy edges that alternate

• Smooth gray bark ("elephant skin")

• Zigzag twigs

• Pointed brown buds (alternating on zigzags)

Oak (Quercus spp.)

• Q. robur (Common oak): short petiole, lobed leaves, acorns on long stalks

• Q. petraea (Sessile oak): long petiole, acorns have no stalks

• Q. rubra (red oak) and Q. ilex (evergreen oak) are two more species

Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)

• Five-lobed leaves with pointed tips

• Milky sap from leaf stem

• Cultivars: Drummondii (variegated), Crimson King (deep purple leaves)

Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)

• Large leaves with 5 rounded lobes

• Smooth-edged

• Dark tar spots (fungus)

• Paired winged seeds ("helicopters")

Spruce (Picea spp.)

• Needles: sharp, square, roll between fingers

• Grow all around twig, point upward

• Needles come off with bark

• Cones hang downward

• Norway spruce: traditional Christmas tree

Fir (Abies spp.)

• Needles: soft, flat, not easily rolled

• White lines (stomata) on underside

• Needles come off without bark

• Cones stand upright, disintegrate on tree

Pine (Pinus spp.)

• Paired needles (in 2s or 3s depending on species)

• Needles long and slender

• Cones woody and thick-scaled

Yew (Taxus spp.)

• Short, flat, dark green needles

• Red, berry-like arils (fleshy cones)

• Toxic to livestock

• Common in graveyards, clipped into hedges

Cedar (Cedrus atlantica, Cedrus deodara)

• Needles in tufts/clusters from short spur shoots

• C. atlantica: upright branching

• C. deodara: weeping habit

• Barrel-shaped cones sit upright on branches

Spotted Laurel (Aucuba japonica)

• Glossy green leaves with yellow spots

• Dioecious (male and female plants separate)

• Red berries on female plants

Fuchsia

• Not native to Ireland

• Pendant bell-shaped flowers (pink/purple)

• Not cold-hardy (-10°C)

Rhododendron

• Invasive to Ireland

• Large leathery evergreen leaves

• Bell-shaped flowers (purple, pink, white) in clusters

• Poisonous to livestock (sheep and deer)

Camellia (Camellia japonica)

• Evergreen

• Glossy, dark green leaves with serrated edges

• Large rose-like flowers in winter/spring

• Likes acidic soil

Heather (Erica, Calluna)

• Erica carnea: early blooming

• Calluna vulgaris: summer blooming

• Tiny scale-like or needle-like leaves

• Low-growing mat-forming shrubs

Holly (Ilex aquifolium)

• Glossy, spiny evergreen leaves

• Red berries (on female plants)

• Dioecious - male and female organs separate

Ivy (Hedera helix, Hedera colchica)

• Climbing vine

• Evergreen

• Star shaped

• H. colchica: larger leaves

• Aerial roots on stems

• Rounded triangular