Tree descriptions

Lloyd Park tree descriptions

Tree 1: Weeping Beech
Fagus sylvatica Pendula

The common beech is locally native, there are disused pollards in Epping Forest that probably supplied London with domestic charcoal, though this tent-like variety was introduced from Europe in 1820.

Tree 2: Yew
Taxus baccata

Native to the British Isles and together with the holly expanded in response to Neolithic clearance of woodland. The yew is the oldest tree name in the Indo European languages and evidence of its existence has been found at a quarter of excavated Bronze Age sites. The yew has many religious connections, Christian and pagan, and is often associated with churches. It is an extremely hard timber, the oldest surviving wooden artefact in the world is a 13,000 year old spear of yew found at Clanton. In England up until 1550 it was a crime to use yew for any purpose other than the manufacture of the national weapon, the long bow.

Tree 3: Cercis siliquastrum
Cercis siliquastrum

It is claimed that Judas Iscariot hung himself on a tree of this species. However the name of the tree may refer to its country of origin - Judea. It is in the pea family and has root nodules containing nitrogen fixing bacteria. Unusually its flowers sprout straight from the bark of its trunk and branches. In the past it was valued when sugar was rare as its petals can be used to sweeten food.

Tree 4: Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris

One of the first trees to grow in Britain after the ice age. Our only native pine, easily recognized by its characteristic, attractive, reddish young bark and bluish needles. In Britain the only true wild stands of this species are in northern Scotland and the heathland of southern England.

Tree 5: Crimson Norway Maple
Acer platanoides Crimson King

The species Acer platanoides is a native of continental Europe, where it is widespread in the wild from Norway southwards. Though it has been cultivated in Britain for centuries it is not native. The cultivar Crimson King, with its attractive dark purple leaves, was first grown around 1946 by a French nurseryman. This tree is tolerant of atmospheric pollution making it an important amenity tree for street and parks in towns.

Tree 6: Turkey Oak
Quercus cerris

The common name refers to its country of origin - Turkey, though it is native to Southern Europe and Asia Minor, It was introduced to England in 1735 and has spread rapidly through hedgerows and woods. ft grows quickly into a large tree, but the timber is poor and difficult to season and is often called iron oak as it is heavier than common oak, though not as strong. It is readily distinguished from the common oak by the whiskers on the acorn cup and buds. Oak marble galls are part of the life cycle of a gall wasp which breeds in bud galls on turkey oak and are the commonest of the wasp galls found on oak. The galls are rich in tannin and can he used to make black ink by putting them in a jar of water with iron filings.

Tree 7: Pyramidal Hornbeam
Carpinus betulus Fastigiata

The hornbeam is native to S. E. England, where it thrives on the heavy clay soils. It is common in this area as a hedgerow tree, but perhaps more important are the pollards and coppice of Epping Forest William Morris helped the commoners defend these in a diatribe against the Experts of Essex in 1895. Its name relates to its very hard timber that was suitable for mill cogs, though it was also an important source of fuel. This narrow crowned cultivar with an erect pyramidal habit of radiating branches is ideal for street tree plantings. It has good orange-brown autumn colour and attractive hop-like fruit clusters. Introduced from Europe about 1885.

Tree 8: Horse Chestnut
Aesculus hippocastanum

There are several possible sources of the name Horse Chestnut, Matioli (a 16th Century botanist) named it Atkastane meaning Horse-chest-nut after the Turks who used the wood to cure coughs in horses; the Turkish soldiers used conkers as a food for horses; but the more likely source , are the horseshoe shaped scars left on the twigs after the leaves fall. Possibly the most beautiful of the large flowering trees hardy in the British Isles with stout candles of white flowers in May. It is native to the wild border region between Greece and Albania, and was introduced to Britain in 1616. Its leaves and conkers contain saponin making it a very useful source of soap and medicine. It will grow on a wide variety of soils and tolerates atmospheric pollution, making it a valuable parkland tree.

Tree 9: Silver Birch
Betula pendula

The common silver birch aptly described as the Lady of the Woods was one of the first trees to recolonise Britain after the Ice Age. It grows fast, sets fruit while young, improves the soil and provides shelter for other tree species. It is the first tree in the succession of species that occurs as woodland spreads into grassland when grazing pressure decreases in Epping Forest. It was one of the most important natural resources. in Scotland; its timber used for construction, its sap for medicine, wine and beer, its bark for tea. It is still the most important timber in Norway and because of its low moisture requirement and light foliage it is used as a street tree in London.

Tree 10: Purple Leafed Plum
Prunus ceresifera Pissardii

The cherry plum P. ceresifera is the ancestor of the domestic plum. This purple leafed cultivar was discovered by Mons Pissard, gardener to the Shar of Persia before 1880 and introduced to Britain around 1884. it is one of the earliest flowering street trees producing a profusion of white flowers and occasionally purple edible fruits.

Tree 11: Common Lime
Tilia x europaea

The common lime, arising from a natural cross between native species, is possibly itself a native, certainly there is no date for its introduction, it rarely produces fertile seeds and is usually propagated by layering from stools. The ease with which it could be produced in this way explains its use as a tree for formal avenues where uniformity is essential. The common lime reaches a great age, and has the ability to stay alive for many years after the centre of the trunk has decayed. In consequence many historical trees and avenues exist, Its German name "Lind" means bast, which is the fibre beneath the bark used in basic agricultural and domestic implements, and thought to have been important in the development of early civilisation in Europe. Its fibres are still used today to make fishing nets. It was used to make paper and in Greece is known as the Liber tree hence the word library.

Tree 12: Yellow False Acacia
Robinia pseudoacacia Frisia

A large growing deciduous tree native only in the North American Appalachians; it has been cultivated in France and England since 1630. It is a member of the pea family, with graceful feathery foliage and a unique diagonal furrowed pattern to the bark. The tree can thrive in city streets, industrial waste sites and soils devoid of nitrogen by virtue of its nitrogen fixing root nodules. The wood is very resistant to decay and will last 80 years in the ground in ground as fence posts. It is important for tree nails used in wooden shipbuilding as it does not shrink. Being as strong as oak and as resilient as ash it was widely used in Europe for agricultural implements and wheel spokes. This outstanding yellow variety creates a brilliant splash of colour from spring to autumn.

Tree 13: Hawthorn
Crataegus monogyna

Native from Ireland to Afghanistan it has been the main constituent of hedges in this country since the earliet Saxon enclosures. It is known as the May tree and was linked to the fertility rites of May day. It was considered an untouchable fairy tree and if chopped down, the witch trapped within it would be freed. The crown of thorns worn by Christ is supposed to have come from this tree. The winter flowering variety Crataegus monogyna Biflora originates from the staff which Joseph of Arimathea brought to Glastonbury Abbey where it broke into bloom on Christmas Day. It is thought to be unlucky to bring hawthorn into the house, probably because it smells of decay.

Tree 14: Holm Oak
Quercus ilex

A native of the Mediterranean region but cultivated in England since the 16th century. The holm oak is in many respects the finest of all broad-leaved evergreen trees grown in Britain. It usually has a well shaped, spreading crown and distinctly patterned bark either black or brown in colour. The leaves open silvery, then turn through yellow green to shiny dark green with khaki below. The timber of holm oak is harder than common oak, but as durable and more flexible making it ideal for stocks of tools and mallet heads.

Tree 15: Tree of Heaven
Ailanthus altissima

A large imposing tree introduced from northern China in 1751. it grows rapidly, and can reach a height of 30M, hence its Latin name that is derived from the Chinese for "sky scraping tree". Few trees thrive so well in towns, though the female trees are generally preferred due to the objectionable odour of the male trees when in flower. It is extremely tolerant of atmospheric pollution and is hardy over most parts of the British Isles.

Tree 16: The Deodar
Cedrus deodara

Of the three species of cedar, the deodar is the most graceful. It is native to the Himalayas where it is the principal timber tree. It was introduced to Britain in 1831 and tried without success as a commercial softwood in this country though in India it has made miles of railway sleepers.

Tree 17: Golden Weeping Willow
Salix x chrysocoma

A weeping willow of unrecorded origin. The most frequently planted of all pendulous tree, and fine specimens are often seen in suburban gardens. A large spreading tree with golden yellow, pendulous branches. Due to its high water demand, it is often associated with lakes and riversides.

Tree 18: Common Oak
Quercus robur

A large long lived tree, developing a broad head of rugged branches wider than the tree is high when growing in the open. One of the most valued timber trees in the world before iron and steel came into use, especially for shipbuilding. Since then, the use of oak in industry has declined though it still the best for house building, floors and panelling. Oaks have long been associated with English legend and folklore and they are still our most admired trees. It is also of great ecological importance, for example 284 insect species have been found living in oaks.

Tree 19: Blue Atlas Cedar
Cedrus atantica Glauca

Perhaps the most spectacular of all blue conifers, very popular for specimen planting. A fast growing, large tree able to tolerate dry, chalky soils. Native of Morocco and Algeria (the Atlas Mountains) the blue form was first introduced to England in 1841.

Tree 20: London Plane
Platanus x acerifolia

The origin of the London plane is obscure, though it is generally accepted to be a hybrid between the oriental and the American plane first recorded about 1663. A large tree with attractive mottled, flaking bark and palmate leaves, it was worshipped by the Greeks and Roman who fed its roots with wine. Extensively planted by the Victorians as a street tree owing to its tolerance of atmospheric pollution and pruning. The oldest planes in central London are thought to be in Berkeley square, they were planted in 1789. The timber of plane is known as lacewood. It is very hard, and has been much used by London piano builders for parts of the mechanism.