How to identify a tree?

[nectarine]

Does anybody know of a website where I might be able to identify a tree? There's plenty of sites but mostly localised, American ones, which doesn't help. I have leaves from an inconveniently situated tree and don't know whether it is one that I want to keep, or cut down - depends on what type it is. I may try and post a photo later ... not done this before ... or does anybody know a website from which I could try and work out what it is?

Many thanks all.

[moonraker]

A few here:

http://krapooarboricole.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/quelques-feuilles-darbres/

[Weedon]

I have a good book by Collins titled "How to identify trees" but even so it looks quite a job to try to identify a particular tree if you have no idea what it is to start with.

Here is a website that might be a start. http://www.woodlands.co.uk/owning-a-wood/tree-identification/

[Renaud]

William Brown and the Outlaws maintain that there are only two types of trees - those you can climb and those you can't.

[Grumpy]

Tree ident is easy. Usually they are the large things with a trunk, branches and either needles or leaves unlike houses which don't have any of the afforementioned! (etc. etc. etc.)

But seriously.................... try identifying the general leaf shape on Google images; it takes a while but there are loads of pics.  If not please do have a go at posting a pic as you'll get loads of help.

Grumpy

[Gardengirl]

There is also this very helpful website for all sorts of wildlife and nature:

http://planetepassion.freeforums.org/search.php?search_id=active_topics

[Patf]

A bit of thread-drift on this one:

I had tried to identify a tree in our "orchard" which was looking rather poorly and never produced any fruit just a small amount of blossom. For at least 5 years. I used a website in the end and decided on almond. I did tidy it up a bit, cut off loads of dead twigs etc.

Then one day last week, looked out of the window and was amazed to see it covered in bright golden globes [:D] It's an apricot tree!

[Grumpy]

Nice one Patf.  I used to run a tree ident. course at Flatford Mill.  One year we came accross a tree in early winter and I spent some time explaning looking at the bark and buds and finding leaves nearby.  Eventually I decided that it was some kind of apple tree at which point the students started roaring with laughter and pointing.  I looked up and saw.........................................an apple hanging on the tree!  So I was right but the moral was look for the obvious first!!

Grumpy

[Pierre ZFP]

I don't think this site does trees  www.fleurs-des-champs.com

but it is useful for all sorts of plants as you can refine your search by characteristic (size, colour, type of leaf or flower etc)

 

[Grumpy]

Nectarine, any chance of putting a picture up here?

Grumpy