Platanus orientalis
Oriental plane Ht 25-30m
S E Europe to Asia Minor. Broadly columnar, deciduous. Trunk often continuous right through the crown. Bark flakes in plates. Leaves 10-20cm, more incised than P. x acerifolia. Popular avenue tree. Timber used for interior finishing and furniture. SEED grown.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Large tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates wet sites
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Timber
- Firewood
- Erosion control
Betula platyphylla v. japonica
Japanese white birch Ht 15-25m
Narrowly weeping, deciduous. Bark pure white and retained to ground level longer than B. pendula. Leaves larger than B. pendula. Not affected by rust and has bright yellow autumn colour. Highly recommended.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Timber
- Firewood
- Erosion control
- Shelter
Betula papyrifera
Paper birch Ht 20-30m
Northern North America. Broadly conical, deciduous. Bark white, peeling in thin layers, pale pinkish-orange when freshly exposed. Leaves relatively large, bright yellow in autumn. Yields hard white timber.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive flowers or catkins
- Timber
- Firewood
- Erosion control
- Shelter
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
Juglans hindsii
Californian walnut Ht 25-35m
Broadly spreading, deciduous. Smooth green husk and nearly smooth shelled nut. Large compound leaves. Wood heavy, hard dark brown and rather coarse grained. Fairly rare in NZ.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Intolerant to clay soils
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Edible fruits and seeds
- Timber
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Green ash Ht 20-25m
East USA westward to the Rockies. Broadly columnar, deciduous. Vigorous grower. Brilliant golden yellow autumn leaves. Prefers damp soils.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Large tree
- Deciduous
- Tolerates wet sites
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Timber
- Firewood
- Erosion control
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
Acer saccharum
Sugar maple Ht 20-30m
Broadly columnar, deciduous. Appears to need fertile soils for good growth. Also known as rock maple. Spring sap is processed into maple syrup in USA and now in NZ. Orange is the predominant autumn colour, quite spectacular. Cold hardy.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Medium tree
- Deciduous
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive autumn colours - orange
- Attractive autumn colours - red
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
- Timber
Acer pseudoplatanus purpureum
Sycamore (purple under leaf) Ht 25-30m
Broadly columnar, deciduous. Vigorous grower. Similar in all characteristics to the green leaf form. The purple colour under the leaf adds variety. White hardwood joinery timber.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Large tree
- Deciduous
- Resistant to salt spray
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Tolerates dry sites
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
- Timber
- Firewood
Acer pseudoplatanus
Sycamore Ht 25-30m
Europe and south west Asia. Broadly columnar, deciduous. Vigorous grower. Tolerates harsh conditions. Can seed prolifically and provide fodder for grazing animals. In Central Otago it gives good yellow autumn colour.
Group trees and shrubs:
Yes
Categories:
- Large tree
- Deciduous
- Resistant to salt spray
- Tolerates exposed sites
- Tolerates dry sites
- Attractive autumn colours - yellow
- Attractive berries fruits or cone
- Attracts bees
- Timber
- Firewood
- Tolerates limestone soils
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