Fraxinus excelsior
European ash Ht 30-40m
Britain, Europe, Caucasus & Alborz Mts. (Iran). Broadly columnar, deciduous tree with stout greenish-grey shoots with jet black buds. Leaves with 7-13 coarsely serrate leaflets, late into leaf & early to fall. Flowers before the leaves, developing into bunches of 'keys'. Vigorous grower, best on deep moist to wet soils but tolerates much drier soils, enjoys limestone. Valuable light coloured hardwood timber for tool handles, sports goods, and joinery. Steams and bends well. Coppices readily, producing straight poles and rods. Great firewood, burns cut green.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Large tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates wet sites
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Timber
- Firewood
- Erosion control
- Tolerates limestone soils
Fraxinus angustifolia (syn. F.oxycarpa)
Mediterranean ash Ht 20-30m
Central & Southern Europe, N.W. Africa & S.W. Asia. Medium sized deciduous pioneer species. Tolerates dry and hot soils but best growth on deep moist soils, casting a heavy shade. Can be pollarded for stock feed. Buds pale brown, Leaves with 7-13 narrow leaflets, purplish autumn colour on some trees. Flowers in early spring, developing into bunches of brown samaras. Timber inferior in strength & elasticity to F. excelsior.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates dry sites
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive autumn colours - purple
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Timber
- Firewood
Cupressus torulosa (Green form) (POT grown)
Himalayan cypress (Green form) Ht 25-30m
Himalayan Mountains to W. Szechuan. Broadly conical, evergreen. Dark green foliage. Drought tolerant and canker resistant. Good quality timber.
Group trees and shrubs:
No
Categories:
- Large tree
- Evergreen
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Tolerates dry sites
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Timber
- Shelter
- Container Grown
Picea abies
European spruce Ht 30-40m
Boehmerwald (Czech) & Nelson origins. Narrowly conical, evergreen. A tree for moist sites in colder districts. A major timber tree in Europe and for Christmas trees in USA and Europe.
Group trees and shrubs:
No
Categories:
- Large tree
- Evergreen
- Tolerates wet sites
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Timber
- Christmas Trees
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Dawn redwood Ht 30-40m
China. Conical, deciduous. Long fossil history. Found growing in NW Hupeh in 1941. New seed import brings wider genetic base to NZ. Cypress-like timber is light, strong and durable. Prefers damp sites, deep rooted shade tree for streamsides.
Group trees and shrubs:
No
Categories:
- Large tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates wet sites
- Attractive autumn colours - brown
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Timber
- Erosion control
- Forestry species
Liquidambar styraciflua 1/0
American sweet gum (1 yr old) Ht 25-35m
E USA. Broadly conical, deciduous. Renowned for its autumn colours of yellow, orange, red and purple. Prefers moist soils and can tolerate periodic inundation. Wood is valuable. 1 year old.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Large tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates wet sites
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive autumn colours - orange
- Attractive autumn colours - red
- Attractive autumn colours - purple
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Timber
Larix kaempferi
Japanese larch Ht 30-35m
Narrowly conical, deciduous. Valuable timber tree. Soft bluey-green needles in spring, orange in autumn, quite spectacular. Copes with warmer sites better than L. decidua. Less flammable than pines. Good interplant for Sequoia.
Group trees and shrubs:
No
Categories:
- Large tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - orange
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Timber
- Christmas Trees
- Tolerates limestone soils
Larix decidua
European larch Ht 30-35m
Narrowly conical, deciduous. Valuable timber tree. Soft light green needles in spring, pale yellow in autumn. Does well in colder areas right up to the tree line, preferring sheltered sites and deeper soils.
Group trees and shrubs:
No
Categories:
- Large tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Timber
- Christmas Trees
- Tolerates limestone soils
Juglans regia (OG grown)
Common walnut Ht 15-20m
S E Europe to China. Broadly spreading, deciduous. Edible nuts and high quality decorative timber. Must have free draining soils, will not tolerate clays.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Large tree
- Deciduous
- Intolerant to clay soils
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Edible fruits and seeds
- Timber
Juglans nigra
Black walnut Ht 25-35m
E USA. Broadly spreading, deciduous. Best in sheltered fertile site. Rough green fruit husk and rough thick shelled nut. Grown primarily for timber; very durable, rich dark brown, used for cabinets, gunstocks and boat building.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Large tree
- Deciduous
- Intolerant to clay soils
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Edible fruits and seeds
- Timber
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