Collins Complete Guide to British Trees: A Photographic Guide to every common species. Paul Sterry

vast lengths of hedgerows have already disappeared, grubbed up by farmers in the mid-20th century; they were seen as a threat to farming ‘efficiency’. Today, grants for hedgerow planting schemes are, to some extent, redressing the balance.

      The ecological importance of hedgerows is hinted at by the number of native plant and animal species with ‘hedge’ in their names: Hedge-sparrow (an old name for the Dunnock), Upright Hedge-parsley, Hedge Bindweed, Hedge Bedstraw, Hedge Brown (an old name for the Gatekeeper butterfly) spring to mind. A dense hedgerow is an ideal location for nesting birds such as Yellowhammers, Chaffinches and Goldfinches, while innumerable insects also make it their home, the species present dependent upon the exact composition of the hedge in question. And, of course, the herb layer associated with most hedgerows is also important, both for the plants that it comprises and for the invertebrates associated with it.

       Notonly does a badly flailed hedge (top) look unsightly, but its value to wildlife is degraded and frequently it ceases to be stockproof as well. By contrast, within a couple of years, a well-laid hedge (above) forms an impenetrable, wildlife-rich barrier that lasts for a decade or more without the need for further work.

WINTER TWIGS

      If you have the time and the patience, identifying native deciduous trees and shrubs is not too daunting during periods of the year when there are leaves and flowers or fruits to help. But during the winter months, identification is considerably more challenging. Challenging, but not impossible, because the texture and colour of the twigs themselves and their buds, as well as the way in which they branch, all give clues to a tree’s identity.

      Identifying winter twigs is not just an academic exercise. It can have practical applications too. Imagine, for example, that you want to cut back a native hedge (best done in the winter) but do not want to damage certain key tree and shrub species. Or you might want to undertake some woodland conservation work to remove alien species but leave notable native trees or shrubs untouched. Unless you had the foresight to identify and mark every tree and shrub back in the summer months, you will need to be able to recognise the trees and shrubs by their winter twigs alone. The following pages illustrate some of the more common and widespread native and widely naturalised trees and shrubs. For ease of reference, I have divided them into three sections: classic hedgerow shrubs and trees; woodland trees; and garden and park trees that are sometimes naturalised. Of course, these are artificial divisions so be aware, for example, that some hedgerow shrubs and trees may be found in woodland and vice versa.

      CLASSIC HEDGEROW SHRUBS AND TREES

      OPPOSITE BUDS

      ELDER Sambucus nigra

      Curved, greyish and warty twigs with purplish buds.

      GUELDER-ROSE Viburnum opulus

      Straight, hairless and greyish, angled in cross section; buds scaly, reddish and paired. Terminal fruit stalk often persists.

      WAYFARING-TREE Viburnum lantana

      Straight, downy and yellowish brown, rounded in cross section; buds non-scaly, yellowish and paired.

      SPINDLE Euonymus europaeus

      Straight, stiff and greenish brown, slightly angled in cross section; buds paired, ovoid to conical and greenish brown.

      DOGWOOD Cornus sanguinea

      Straight, stiff and reddish, downy at first but then shiny; buds reddish and flattened-conical at first.

      BUCKTHORN Rhamnus cathartica

      Straight and greyish to yellowish brown; buds conical to talon-like, reddish brown and in slightly staggered, opposite pairs.

      BLACKTHORN Prunus spinosa

      Straight and stiff, purplish and shiny but often coated with a bloom of green algae; side shoots terminate in sharp spines. Buds small, reddish and ovoid.

      WILD PRIVET Ligustrum vulgare

      Straight and greyish to yellowish brown, and slightly rough; buds reddish green, ovoid and borne in staggered, opposite pairs.

      FIELD MAPLE Acer campestre

      Straight to slightly curved, greyish to yellowish brown; buds paired, yellowish brown with greyish hairs.

      ALTERNATE BUDS

      COMMON HAWTHORN Crataegus monogyna

      Stiff, reddish brown or greenish with 1–2cm spines and knobbly brown buds.

      MIDLAND HAWTHORN Crataegus laevigata

      Similar to Common Hawthorn but twigs less stiff and less spiny (often spineless).

      HAZEL Corylus avellana

      Mainly straight (but sometimes zigzag towards tip, between nodes), greenish brown and sparsely hairy; buds green and ovoid. Male catkins usually present by mid-January; tiny reddish female flowers sessile.

      ALDER BUCKTHORN Frangula alnus

      Straight, with side branches widely spreading, purplish brown with white streaks created by elongated lenticels; buds alternate and scale-less, with tufts of orange hairs.

      WEEPING WILLOW Salix × sepulcralis

      Straight and pendulous, greyish at first but yellowish later (golden in some cultivars); buds yellowish and narrow-conical to talon-like.

      CRACK WILLOW Salix fragilis

      Straight, yellowish brown or reddish, and downy at first but soon hairless and shiny; buds narrow, flattened and smooth.

      GOAT