Month: October 2013Page 2 of 3

Native Trees Trail: Juniper

Juniper is a shrubby conifer, with a wide range throughout the cooler regions of the northern hemisphere.

Native Trees Trail: Bird Cherry

Native to northern Europe and northern Asia it flourishes along streams and on woodland edges, tolerating quite poor and limey soils.

Native Trees Trail: Gean

Gean is native to Europe, north west Africa and west Asia. In Britain it grows in deciduous woodland and is easily recognisable in the early summer, when large clusters of white flowers cover its branches.

Native Trees Trail: Willow

Willow is native throughout Europe, and western Asia. There are numerous species, many of which are known as willow, with more than a dozen in Scotland.

Native Trees Trail: Yew

The evergreen conifer Yew is native to Europe and Asia Minor. It can be very long-lived, with reports of trees reaching thousands of years old.

Native Trees Trail: Birch

The birch is native throughout Europe, and can be found more widely as it is an attractive tree frequently used in gardens and parks.

Native Trees Trail: Holly

Holly is native to western and southern Europe, and is perhaps one of the most easily recognisable of those trees native to Scotland.

Native Trees Trail: Elm

Elm is native across large parts of Europe and western Asia. In Britain many large specimens of Elm have been lost as a result of Dutch Elm disease, with few populations, including those in northern and western Scotland and Brighton, escaping the destruction it caused.

Native Trees Trail: Ash

Ash is native to most of Europe, and is one of the commonest large trees in Scottish woodlands, growing 25-30m in height. The Common Ash can be distinguished from other species by the black leaf buds which are present during the winter.

Native Trees Trail: Alder

Alder is found in wet places and has a wide native range through Europe, west Asia and north Africa. It is a pioneer species of wet and marshy land, helping to open up water-logged soils and stabilising river banks, allowing other species to colonise these areas.

Native Trees Trail: Hazel

Hazel is a small shrubby, multi-stemmed tree, found throughout Europe and west Asia.

Native Trees Trail: Oak

The sessile oak is native to Europe and Asia minor. It is the dominant tree of the Atlantic (west coast) woodlands in Scotland, these are temperate rainforests supporting a wide variety of species, including large numbers of lichens.

Native Trees Trail: Beech

Beech isn’t native to Scotland as its range only reaches into Southern Britain. It was introduced to Scotland as it was planted widely for ornament and shelter, so can often been seen in woodlands, estates and field margins.

Native Trees Trail: Sycamore

Whilst sycamore is a common sight in Scottish woodlands it isn’t a native species and was introduced from Europe, possibly by the Romans.

Native Tree Trail: Introduction

This trail showcases examples of eighteen of Scotland’s most significant woodland trees. A tour of these maturing specimens will take the visitor on an informative circular wander around the Inverleith Garden.

Earth Mandala

A beautiful mandala was created in the garden yesterday from leaves, fruits and flowers. Celebrating the bounty of autumn, this transient piece of art is on the grassy slope…

Full of fruit

Young plants of Euonymus oxyphyllus have enjoyed this summer’s climate. The fruit produced are held pendulously on this season’s growth. The fleshy capsule, segmented into five parts is…

Cave-dwelling plant from Chile flowers for the first time at RBGE

Valdivia gayana is a diminutive woody perennial from Chile that could be mistaken for a dandelion when not in flower. In fact, the local Chilean name ‘Planta de…

Edinburgh’s rare plants helped by local action

Holyrood Park is home to a great variety of plants. Among them are some that are relative rarities and these are carefully monitored by the Historic Scotland Ranger…

Autumn bounty

Actaea pachypoda – Fleshy and fruity Macleaya cordata – Dry and noisy Two herbaceous plants from opposing continents both doing what they should; setting a store of seed…