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.