The woodlands of Ireland are made up of a number of native species of tree, but few remaining woodlands are entirely devoid of exotic species. Many of the exotic species, such as Sycamore, Beech and Horse Chestnut are now so common that most people would never think of them as alien to this country.

Although Ireland has fewer tree species than almost any other European country and lacks many trees common elsewhere, there are quite a number of different species native on the island.

The following pages give some details of the various different species, including their Irish names and some mythology and uses. The various common exotic species are also detailed.

These pages will be expanded over time to become a complete index of all tree species native to Ireland and will susequently include additional information about the complexity and types of woodlands found in Ireland...

Rowan (Mountain Ash) Sorbus aucuparia (Caorthan)
A deciduous tree, native throughout Ireland, the Rowan can grow to 15 metres. Often known as the Mountain Ash, because of its preference for mountainous areas and the similarity of its leaves to those of Ash, Rowan produces large crops of scarlet berries which are greedily consumed by birds such as Thrushes and Blackbirds.

Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna (Sceach Gheal)
Probably one of the most common trees in Ireland, Hawthron is frequently found in woodlands, hedgerows and even mountain tops . One of the first trees to bloom, its familiar display of white flowers has earned it the additional name of Whitethorn. In autumn and winter its distinctive red berries provide an important food source for wild birds. Hawthorn also has a special place in Irish mythology and many of the famous thorn trees around the country are of this species.
Lone Rowan

Sessile Oak Quercus petrea (Dair ghaelach)

Pedunculate Oak Quercus robur (Dair ghallda)
There are two species of Oak native to Ireland, the Sessile Oak, which is Ireland's national tree is the more common, and the Pedunculate Oak (also known as the Common Oak or English Oak). The two species are relatively easy to distinguish, especially in Autumn when the acorns are produced. Sessile Oak leaves grow on a longer stalk, whereas Pedunculate Oak leaves grow directly from the branch. In addition, Sessile Oak produce their acorns with little or no stalk, whereas Pedunculate acorns are attached to an obvious stalk.

Scots Pine Pinus Sylvestris (Péine Albanach)
Scots Pine of native Irish stock is considered by many academics to be extinct. Although the species is found widely in Ireland, the fashion for planting trees of exotic stock (which favoured the planting of Scots Pine from Scotland throughout the 18th century) has continued in Ireland until the present day. It is possible that some existing stands or individual trees of Scots Pine are native, but it is currently impossible to verify this. Scots Pine is the only pine tree native to Ireland. The only other native coniferous trees are Juniper (Juniperus communis) and the Yew (Taxus baccata). Scots Pine

Wych Elm Ulmus glabra (Leamhán sléibhe)
Wych Elm is the only species of Elm native to Ireland. Unlike most of the other species found in Britain and Europe, the Wych Elm does not reproduce by suckering (new trees growing from roots of the original tree) and is only spread by seed. Despite being one of Ireland's most common trees before the arrival of man, Elm is rare in Ireland due to its tendency to occupy the most fertile soils which are the most sought after for agriculture. The species has also suffered from the effects of the infamous 'Dutch' Elm disease. Many different species of Elm are still very common in hedgerows throughout Ireland, but truly native trees are probably confined to rocky hillsides and remote valleys in the west of Ireland.

Strawberry Tree Arbutus unedo (Caithne)
The strawberry tree is one of our rarest native trees. Its presence in Ireland has also been somewhat of a mystery, as it is not found in Britain and is a tree typical of the Mediterranean and western France. There is, however, no doubt that the tree is native, as its pollen has been found buried in peat bogs and has been dated to over 4,000 BC. Theories as to how it persists in Ireland range from colonising via a land bridge between Ireland and western Europe in prehistoric times, to surviving the last Ice age. The tree is now found only in Kerry and West Cork, with one isolated locality near Lough Gill in County Sligo, although there is evidence that it was once far more widespread in Waterford, Clare and Mayo.

Alder Aldus glutinosa (Fearnóg)
A deciduous, fast growing, tree, Alder is very tolerant of wet conditions and can be often found growing near water. Alder’s ability to fix nitrogen is a characteristic shared by few other trees, and it colonises new ground quickly, helping boost soil fertility. It is a fast grower, and can reach a height of 20 metres. The wood of the alder was commonly used in canal gates as it has a high resistance to rotting under water. It is a member of the Birch family.

Ash Fraxinus excelsior (Fuinseog)
One of the commonest of our native trees, Ash is easily found growing in hedgerows on farmland, and spreads easily with wind-blown seeds known as keys. The leaves, which are typically the last to emerge of our native trees, grow in pairs on the branches, and the ash can be easily identified in winter by its prominent black buds.  They can grow quite large, reaching a height of 40 metres, but prefer lime-rich soils. They are a member of the olive family, and the wood is traditionally favoured for making hurleys.

Hazel Corylus avellana (Coll)
Hazel is a small deciduous tree, and is commonly found as an understorey tree in old woodland. Not a long lived tree, it can reach a height of six metres. One of our few trees which can produce an harvest palatable to humans, the nuts are favoured by small mammals and some bird species. Hazel was often coppiced to produce raw materials for basketry and walking sticks and related crafts.

Holly Ilex aquifolium (Cuileann)
Our only non-conifer evergreen tree, Holly is a small tree which can reach a height of twenty metres and can sometimes be found as an understorey tree. It is quite a hardy tree and can often be found in exposed areas. The female tree produces the well-known red berries, but the demand for red berried holly at Christmas has resulted in a shortage of female trees in some areas. The berries themselves are poisonous, but can provide a food source for birds once they have started to soften in the spring.

Willow Salix (Saileach)
There are up to a dozen species of willow found in Ireland, and they can often be difficult to distinguish. Often found alongside Alder, they are tolerant of wet conditions and are vigorous growers, often growing from cuttings. Willow wood is soft and was often used for basket-making.

Yew Taxus baccata (Iúr)
Yew is a relatively small evergreen tree and is the longest lived of our native species. Examples of yews of over 1000 years of age are known in Ireland and as a result the yew has commonly been associated with renewal, which has led to the common practice of them being planted in graveyards. The only part of the yew which is not poisonous is the red flesh of the berry, and as such they provide food for birds (the poisonous seed is hard enough to avoid digestion and is passed by the bird, which helps with the spread of the tree). There is only one native Yew wood in Ireland, Reenadinna Wood in Killarney. The wood was traditionally used to make longbows.

Wild Cherry Prunus Avium (Crann silíní fiáin)
Also known as the gean, Wild Cherry is a tree which prefers alkaline soils, and is often found in old hedgerows or on the outskirts of woodland. Although the cherries are not poisonous, they are usually too bitter for human consumption, but are much favoured by birds in late summer. It is not an especially large tree, reaching approx. 20 metres.

Bird Cherry Prunus padus (Donnroisc)
Although the scientific name of the Wild Cherry literally translates as ‘Bird Cherry’, our Bird Cherry is a smaller tree which favours similar conditions to the Wild Cherry, and its fruit is even less palatable to humans, but is a favoured food source of birds.  It is found mainly in the northwest.

Silver Birch Betula pendula (Beith gheal) / Downy Birch Betula pubescens (Beith chlúmhach)
The two species of Birch native to Ireland are quite similar in appearance.  Silver Birch is more likely to feature a blackened, fissured trunk, and Downy Birch has ‘fuzzy’ leaves and whiter bark. Birch typically reach a mature height of about 25 metres, and are not long lived trees. They are a strong colonising trees (aided by the small light seeds), and can tolerate poorer soils than a lot of our other native trees. They were a pioneer tree after the last Ice Age, and have a wide spread as a result.

Aspen / Trembling Poplar Populus tremula (Crann Creathach)
The Trembling Poplar earns its name from the behaviour of the near-circular leaves to tremble in even the slightest breeze.  It is not a common tree in Ireland, but where it does grow, it favours rich soils alongside rivers and lakes, reaching heights of up to 25 metres. It can spread by suckering.

Crab Apple Malus sylvestris (Crann fia- úll)
A tree natively found in Oak woodland, it is more commonly  found today in hedgerows. The Crab Apple is a small tree, typically reaching a height of 10 metres, and produces fruit which is commonly favoured as a food source by birds