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Trees woods and wildlife

Plane, London

A real city slicker, the London plane is the capital’s most common tree. As a hybrid of American sycamore and Oriental plane, it was first discovered in the 17th century then widely planted in the 18th.

Trees woods and wildlife

Cedar

Stately, aromatic, gigantic. Find out more about one of the most majestic of all planted trees.

Trees woods and wildlife

Spruce, Norway

Festive, useful, squirrel food. Made popular by Prince Albert, Norway spruce is a familiar non-native, with friendly winter colour and a value to native wildlife.

Trees woods and wildlife

Wild service tree

A true springtime stunner, it’s not so long ago that you could find wild-service fruit at a market. These days it’s rare and hard to find but it’s still a favourite with wildlife like the wood pigeon, whose gut softens its seeds for propagation.

Trees woods and wildlife

Asian and citrus longhorn beetles

The Asian longhorn beetle is a killer of broadleaf trees. It’s not in the UK yet, but there’s a high risk of it being imported on wood packaging.

Trees woods and wildlife

Shaggy parasol

Elegant and shabby-chic. Good to eat – unless you’re one of the one in 25 people whose stomach can’t tolerate it.

Trees woods and wildlife

Yellow brain

A frilly sign of a witch’s curse, yellow brain is a parasitic jelly fungus that looks a little like a brain and feeds on fungi that feed on dead wood.

Trees woods and wildlife

Scarlet elf cup

Mystical and cheery, the scarlet elf cup grows on decaying sticks and branches in damp spots and beneath leaf litter on the woodland floor. Their bright pops of colour brighten up even the darkest winter day.

Trees woods and wildlife

Charcoal burner

Crumbly, tasty and ruddy, the charcoal burner is a favourite with chefs.

Trees woods and wildlife

Speckled wood

Understated yet headstrong, the speckled wood spends its time basking in sun-dappled woodland and fiercely patrolling its patch.