Common trees in Ireland

This presentation is
designed for pupils in 1st
year doing woodwork for
the first time.

Oak

Oak is often called king of the

forest and is found throughout
the countryside.
An oak tree is recognized by its
sessile (stalkless) leaves and
acorns grow from its woody
stem .
Oak was always a symbol of
strength and durability so oak
was often used in the roofing of
churches.
Nowadays it is used in public
buildings, gates and fencing
posts.

Ash

This tree is very important to

Ireland and its culture.
It is normally found in hedgerows
all over the country.
Its leaf is made up of a number of
different leaflets arranged on
either side, its seeds have wings
and are easily dispersed by wind.
Its timber is tough and can
withstand hard blows, so this is
why it is used in hurley making
and in the handle of the mallet.

Beech

Beech is not a native to the

country and was introduced
during the 18th century. It has
added to the scenic beauty of the
countryside.
The Beech can have both green
and cooper coloured leaves with
their seeds contained in fury
shells.
Beech timber has a variety of
uses. It is used extensively in
woodturning. It is also used in
the heads off mallets.

Horse Chestnut
There are lots of horse chestnut
trees in Ireland. They are native to
Asia and Greece.
Do you know why they are called
horse chestnuts?
Some people say its because the
trees are as strong as a horse!

Silver Birch

The white-grey colour of its

bark makes it look silver in the
light.

The silver birch is a deciduous tree.

Its branches droop towards the
ground.
Did you know that the silver birch
is the national tree of Finland?

Sycamore

A non-native tree is one that was

brought to Ireland after the last Ice
Age.

Some non-native trees have been

growing in Ireland for over 1,000
years e.g. the beech tree.
Related to the Maple tree

Yew
The yew tree is an evergreen tree. It
is one of the oldest species of trees
growing in Northern Europe.
the oldest tree is Europe is believed
to be a yew tree. It is growing in a
churchyard in Fortingall, Scotland.
It is thought to be about 2,000
years old!
Did you know that Co. Mayo is
named after the yew tree? The Irish
name for Mayo is 'Maigh Eo',
which means Plain of the Yew.

Mountain Ash / Rowan

Rowan trees usually only grow to
between 10 and 20 metres high.
They are deciduous trees.
Some people call the rowan
'mountain ash'. This is because
the leaves of the ash tree and
rowan are very alike.
However, the trees are not
related at all!

Black Alder

The black alder loves wet,

marshy ground.
Catkins are the name given to
the flowers of the alder. They
open out in March.
Alder wood is used for making
harps, clogs, and charcoal. It
was once called 'Irish
Mahogany'.

Holly
Holly is an evergreen tree. It is a
small tree and grows to about one
metre high.
Red berries of the Holly Tree
Copyright John Kennedy
Enlarge image
The bright red berries of the holly
tree are important food for animals
during the winter. This is because
the cold and frost make the ground
too hard to search for food

Scots Pine
The scots pine is an evergreen
coniferous tree. You know that
evergreens keep their leaves all
year round.
Do you know what a coniferous
tree is?
If a tree is coniferous, it means that
cones grow on it.

Cherry

The Cherry tree is one of the most

beautiful trees in the country when
it blossoms, it has lovely pink
flowers while in bloom.
The Cherry population has
diminished over the past hundred
years and is in limited supply.
There has been many government
schemes to re-stabilise the
population of the cherry tree due to
its relatively fast growth.
Cherry is used in high quality
furniture making due to its
distinctive grain.

Elm

The Elm is a native of Ireland , it

was one of the first trees to grow
in Ireland after the Ice Age.
It likes to grow in deep rich soils
but it was nearly wiped out in
recent years by Dutch elm
disease.
The elm is recognised by its tall
narrow appearance and its lovely
soft green leaves.
It is sometimes used in furniture
such as tables. It is particularly
used by wood turners due to its
attractive grain pattern.

Hedgerows

What is a hedgerow?
It is a row of bushes that have
been planted along the edges of
fields. A hedgerow separates
fields from each other.
Other bushes and plants grow
between those that have been
planted. Lots of different
flowers, fruits, bushes and trees
grow in a hedgerow.
Hedgerows are very important
for wildlife. They give shelter to
birds and other animals.

Native Hedgerows

Hedgerows were planted to

mark out different fields and
town-lands.

Hawthorn and blackthorn

were very popular as
hedgerow plants. They grew
very quickly into thick
bushes. This stopped cattle
from straying.

Hawthorn

The hawthorn is very common in

Ireland.
You may know it by another name.
It is also called whitethorn or
mayflower. It is a deciduous shrub.
It usually grows to about six metres
high.
The hawthorn can easily survive
cutting. It can start growing again
even if cut right down to the
ground.

Blackthorn

The blackthorn is another very

common shrub. It has woody
thorns and thick brambles. This
makes it a perfect hedgerow
shrub.
Blackthorn grows to about four
metres high. Sometimes it is
called the 'sloe' bush or 'wild
plum'. This is because of the
dark fruit the grows in the
autumn.

Beech

Beech hedging is a deciduous

hedge plant that provides all
year screening and colour.
Beech hedge plants can form
dense hedges that are easily
maintained and only need
pruning once annually.
Beech leaves turn brown in
autumn, but are retained for
winter months. This enhances
its winter appearance and
makes beech hedging suitable
as a year round hedge screen.

Non-Native Hedges
Laurel
Leylandii
Fuschia
Rhododendrons

More Useful Information

The following are very good web pages
on ;
history of trees in Ireland ,
and
trees in Ireland .