Plant and Animal Identification

In order to assist you with the plant identification required for the survey, the following is a list of some of the trees that may typically be found in gardens and in Ireland’s countryside. We've also prepared pages for shrubs and herbs, bulbs and wildflowers. Irish native and/or those deemed to be naturalized are also distinguished in the lists. For descriptions of the various mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians and for more details on Ireland’s plant life you can visit some of the following websites:

Visit www.irishwildflowers.ie for a comprehensive list of Irish wildflowers and their images
Visit the National Parks and Wildlife Service website for descriptions and images of a variety of different plant and animal species at www.npws.ie/Biodiversity/Ireland/.
Birdwatch Ireland for comprehensive details on Ireland’s bird life at www.birdwatchireland.ie.
Irish Wildlife Trust provides further information on biodiversity and the different animal species found in Ireland (www.iwt.ie).
Notice Nature is a detailed source of information on Ireland’s biodiversity and can be found at www.noticenature.ie.

For a more extensive list of garden plants or for more detailed information on any of these plants then one can also visit the Royal Horticultural Society website at www.rhs.org.uk.

Trees

Please use the links below to navigate:
Alder	Field Maple	Norway Maple
Ash	Hornbeam	Oak
Beech	Horse Chestnut	Pine
Birch	Japanese Maple	Rowan (Mountain Ash)
Crab Apple	Laburnum	Sycamore
Elm	Lime	Whitebeam
Field Maple	London Plane	Willow
Gean (Wild Cherry)	Lombardy Poplar	Yew

Common Name: Alder
Latin Name: Alnus glutinosa
Description:Medium\large tree with broad shiny leaves and green woody cones turning brown as winter comes in.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Ash
Latin Name: Fraxinus excelsior
Description: Large common hedgerow tree with finger like leaves and large black buds in winter.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Beech
Latin Name: Fagus sylvatica
Description: Large common woodland & parkland tree with dome shaped crown. Smooth grey bark and can be seen as hedging plant retaining brown leaves in winter.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Birch
Latin Name: Betula pendula
Description: Medium to large tree with upright habit. Has white bark that turns rugged black at the base with age. Have small, oval, pointed leaves.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Crab Apple
Latin Name: Malus sylvestris
Description: Small apple like fruits with sour taste on this small/medium sized tree.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Elm
Latin Name: Ulmus glabra
Description: Large spreading tree with rough dark green leaves and bears winged green fruits in late spring.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Field Maple
Latin Name: Acer campestre
Description: Small\medium sized tree typical in hedgerows. Has 5 lobed leaves and winged fruit.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Gean (Wild Cherry)
Latin Name: Prunus avium
Description: Rounded crown with white flowers in spring. Leaves turn red and yellow in autumn.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Hazel
Latin Name: Corylus avellana
Description: Bushy tree\shrub with toothed leaves. In winter branches are covered with pendent yellow catkins.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Hornbeam
Latin Name: Carpinus betulus
Description: Large round headed tree often used as hedging similar to beech. It has oval leaves with prominent veins that turn yellow orange in autumn. Bears winged nuts in autumn.
Native / Naturalised: N
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Horse Chestnut
Latin Name: Aesculus hippocastanum
Description: Large parkland tree with 5 fingered leave. Produces white flowers in spring with chestnuts or ‘conkers’ in autumn.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Japanese Maple
Latin Name: Acer palmatum
Description: Small garden tree with slender branches with leaves that turn red orange in autumn.
Native / Naturalised: N
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Laburnum
Latin Name: Laburnum x watereri ‘Vossii’
Description: Small spreading tree with long drooping clusters of yellow flowers in late spring.
Native / Naturalised: N
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Lime
Latin Name: Tilia cordata
Description: Large parkland and roadside tree with small rounded glossy green leaves.
Native / Naturalised: N
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: London Plane
Latin Name: Platanus x hispanica
Description: Large parkland or roadside tree common in many cities. Has flaky bark and fruit is borne on long stalks.
Native / Naturalised: N
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Lombardy Poplar
Latin Name: Populus nigra ‘Italica’
Description: Very fast growing and tall conical tree with small pointed leaves.
Native / Naturalised: N
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Norway Maple
Latin Name: Acer platanoides
Description: Large tree with rounded crown with yellow flower clusters in mid-spring with green winged fruits. Leaves turn yellow, red or orange in autumn.
Native / Naturalised: N
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Oak
Latin Name: Quercus robur
Description: Large parkland or woodland tree with rugged bark, wavy leaves and produces acorns.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Pine
Latin Name: Pinus sylvestris
Description: Large upright conifer with dense habit when young but with spreading habit and clear rugged stem when mature. Has blue green needles for leaves.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: N

Common Name: Rowan (Mountain Ash)
Latin Name: Sorbus aucuparia
Description: Small to medium sized tree leaves like the ash tree. It produces white flowers in spring with drooping bunches of red berries in autumn. Leaves turn reddish in autumn.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Sycamore
Latin Name: Acer pseudoplatanus
Description: Fast growing spreading tree with 5 pointed dark green leaves.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Whitebeam
Latin Name: Sorbus aria ‘Lutescens’
Description: Ornamental medium sized tree with hairy, silvery grey leaves. White flowers are produced in late spring.
Native / Naturalised: N
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Willow
Latin Name: Salix spp.
Description: Long narrow leaves. Shoots are green, yellow, golden or orange when young. Popular weeping trees near water bodies.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: Y

Common Name: Yew
Latin Name: Taxus baccata
Description: Medium sized conifer that has dark green leaves. Can be used in hedgerows and common in graveyards.
Native / Naturalised: Y
Deciduous: N

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