American Sweetgums could be mistaken for one of the Maple species because they have pointed, five-lobed leaves.
But their seeds are held in balls, unlike the winged 'samara' or helicopters of the Maples.
Sweetgums have great autumn colours which you can see very late into the season and some trees may retain a few leaves right through the winter in mild years.
Trees provide more benefits the older and larger they are.
Beech trees are large native trees with smooth grey bark and oval leaves. They produce triangular nuts held in woody cases in the autumn which in some years, known as mast years, can occur in vast quantities.
Copper beeches have distinctive purple leaves which make these trees easy to spot. When the foliage furst emerges in spring, they are a beautiful copper colour. This characteristic is where the name comes from.
Trees provide more benefits the older and larger they are.
Trees provide more benefits the older and larger they are.
Trees support 100s of other living things. This tree provides a medium benefit to insects (biomass of foliage insects).
Hop hornbeams look similar to regular hornbeams, but they are an entirley different species. Distuinguish them from their similar looking cousins by rough bark and denser, hop-like fruiting bodies.
Trees provide more benefits the older and larger they are.
Hornbeams are fine attractive trees that eventually become quite large, but not quite as big as beech trees.
Look out for fluted, muscular trunks and serrated oval leaves, similar to beech. Drooping clusters of winged nuts become quite conspicuous in the autumn.
Trees provide more benefits the older and larger they are.
Trees support 100s of other living things. This tree provides a medium benefit to insects (biomass of foliage insects).
Hornbeams are fine attractive trees that eventually become quite large, but not quite as big as beech trees.
Look out for fluted, muscular trunks and serrated oval leaves, similar to beech. Drooping clusters of winged nuts become quite conspicuous in the autumn.
Trees provide more benefits the older and larger they are.
Trees support 100s of other living things. This tree provides a medium benefit to insects (biomass of foliage insects).
Trees provide more benefits the older and larger they are.
Our only native Pine tree is found in the wild in Scotland, but is often seen in parks and gardens, and very occasionally it is found on streets too. Mature trees have attractive open canopies and younger bark is orange.
Trees provide more benefits the older and larger they are.
Trees support 100s of other living things. This tree provides a medium benefit to insects (biomass of foliage insects).
Trees provide more benefits the older and larger they are.
Tulip Trees are a large North American species from the east coast related to the Magnolias. They have distinctive square-ended leaves, and in May produce cream-soda smelling flowers resembling tulips.
Trees provide more benefits the older and larger they are.
Elsewhere on Hounslow Greentalk
Check out our Tree of the Month. Create your own tree-lined walk! Let your friends know.
To start the year off, the Winter Flowering Cherry takes centre stage...
People are often fooled into thinking that global warming causes these trees to flower in the depths of winter, but they are supposed to flower now. In fact, they flower from November all the way through to April. They are Winter flowering cherries (Prunus x subhirtella 'Autumnalis'). There are two cultivars to see, one with white flowers ('Autumnalis'), and another with pink flowers ('Autumnalis Rosea').
Flowering can be a little hit and miss, they like it when the weather is milder, so you may not see many flowers if there's been snow or a frost.
Why not seek out some Winter Flowering Cherries for yourself, you can find them all over London.
Do you know that you can adopt a tree near you for free?
