Anyone else grow native trees?

Forum rules
Same as all HTUK forums, be courteous, polite and tolerant, remember everyone is entitled to an opinion, even if you don't agree with it ;)
doncasterpalmguy123

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by doncasterpalmguy123 »

Hehe i know :D i mean not to take anyone on however they became extinct naturally. As the ice receded north when the Ice age ended, the band of conifers across the northern hemisphere moved northward too, effectively following it. In the case of the UK, the scots pines moved to the caledonian region being replaced further south by our native Broadleaved trees. Trust me they were native but they became non native naturally. I know I'm new but i do know a thing or two about trees and the natural history of Britain.

For the person with the English elm, well done for keeping it alive, there are few now that aren't cut to ground level each year by dutch elm decease. However it is not a native, despite its name. It was introduced by the Romans. The Wych elm is the only British native elm. :lol:

One thing i do find interesting is how the juniper and especially the yew managed to stay native to other parts of the UK. In fact the Yew is our only conifer not naturally found in the caledonian forest. However plantings have resulted in them being present there.
doncasterpalmguy123

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by doncasterpalmguy123 »

Well tree, shrub whatever you want to call it Blairs. I walked through a beautiful deciduous woodland full of junipers in the Lake district earlier this year. It was a beautiful sight. :D
Conifers
Posts: 13147
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:11 pm
Location: Northumbs

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by Conifers »

Agree Common Juniper is more a shrub than a tree; here's a native juniper 'forest' in Northumbs, the tallest are 3-4 metres tall.
Picture 114a.jpg
Just very occasionally tree-size specimens 10 m or more tall can be found, the tallest one reported in Britain is 12m tall at Comrie, Perth, Scotland.
fern Rob

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by fern Rob »

The elm is young but apparently the spores that effect the elm may be in the atmosphere at a certain hight and then can contract the disease. So keeping it small may be the best option. icon_thumleft
User avatar
Dave Brown
Site Admin
Posts: 19742
Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:17 am
Location: Chalk, (Thames Estuary) Kent, England 51.5N 0.3E
Contact:

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by Dave Brown »

fern Rob wrote:The elm is young but apparently the spores that effect the elm may be in the atmosphere at a certain hight and then can contract the disease. So keeping it small may be the best option. icon_thumleft
It's beetle that spreads Dutch Elm Disease, and when the Elms get to a certain size the beetles attack.

The days of an Elm tree are gone, but you can grow them as coppiced small trees.
Best regards
Dave
icon_thumright
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
doncasterpalmguy123

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by doncasterpalmguy123 »

Yes its unfortunate what happened and i suppose is still happening to the elm. They can still be found though as small shrubs growing in woods shielded from the beetle. Until they grow big enough to be detected. But what i find settling is that they are not gone and they still lurk in the undergrowth. :D

Has anyone ever grew law sons cypress from seed. I know they're not native but they are really lovely trees plus they are threatened by a decease in their native american home.
bordersboy

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by bordersboy »

weird thing is Ive got an Elm in the back garden.Mature,about 75ft healthy.Its a pity its so rare because I ciould do with it falling down as it blocks the light to the back garden.
Theres 5-6 dead ones about 200meters away that died years ago but this one seems immune ?
fern Rob

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by fern Rob »

bordersboy wrote:weird thing is Ive got an Elm in the back garden.Mature,about 75ft healthy.Its a pity its so rare because I ciould do with it falling down as it blocks the light to the back garden.
Theres 5-6 dead ones about 200meters away that died years ago but this one seems immune ?
There are very few that are immune. You are not felling it are you. It's one of the last of its kind.
doncasterpalmguy123

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by doncasterpalmguy123 »

It would be a tragedy if you felled the tree for the sake of your growing wants/needs when it is one of the last of its kind and to be frank it is part of the natural heritage of your area. You should be proud to have it. Try taking cuttings and rooting them. You can then sell them for a hefty price. Someones made a wealthy business down south from doing this. He even got the english elm into chelsea flower show in about 2011. :D
User avatar
Dave Brown
Site Admin
Posts: 19742
Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:17 am
Location: Chalk, (Thames Estuary) Kent, England 51.5N 0.3E
Contact:

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by Dave Brown »

Bordersboy, it may be worth finding out if it is immuned or has just been lucky and escaped. Either way for a full grown tree to survive is extremely rare. If immuned will be worth a fortune in cuttings to regenerate the whole of north west Europe.
Best regards
Dave
icon_thumright
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
User avatar
Yorkshire Kris
Posts: 10163
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:59 am
Location: Rural South Wakefield, Yorkshire Lat 53.64 Long-1.54

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

Shouldn't talking about native trees be on the OFF topics thread? Lol
Blairs

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by Blairs »

Dave Brown wrote:Bordersboy, it may be worth finding out if it is immuned or has just been lucky and escaped. Either way for a full grown tree to survive is extremely rare. If immuned will be worth a fortune in cuttings to regenerate the whole of north west Europe.
They are not that rare in the further north you go, mainly as the concentration of Elms the further north you go is less.

The virulent form of Dutch Elm disease has slowly reached up our island - apparently it only reached Inverness in 2006. Edinburgh has the highest concentration of mature Elms in the UK (according to Wikipedia), particularly in Leith Links and The Meadows - both laid out in the 18th cent. onwards.
User avatar
Yorkshire Kris
Posts: 10163
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:59 am
Location: Rural South Wakefield, Yorkshire Lat 53.64 Long-1.54

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

bordersboy wrote:weird thing is Ive got an Elm in the back garden.Mature,about 75ft healthy.Its a pity its so rare because I ciould do with it falling down as it blocks the light to the back garden.
Theres 5-6 dead ones about 200meters away that died years ago but this one seems immune ?
Maybe wrong but think its illegal to fell a healthy elm tree. Is it an English Elm or a Wych Elm which are more resistant to Dutch elm disease.
doncasterpalmguy123

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by doncasterpalmguy123 »

English elm is supposedly more resistant however wych is our native one. Apparently though it is known not if they are actually immune just resistant. Its not the first time its happened though. Through extensive research I've found that there was a sharp decline in elms throughout europe and asia during the reign of the roman empire. As the romans planted the English elm in the UK, they obviously recorded their observations. Scientists now believe that it is an every few thousand year or so natural process. A disease breaks out leaving a small few and thousands of years later once the population has grown it happens again. We are now seeing this pattern in ash trees. Don't worry they'll be back.

In geographical terms, its a very short time period for a species to be gone. Plus it allows other species to dominate our forests. As elms used to, the ash which is one of our most numerous natives then took the baton when the elms declined. It will be interesting to see over the next few decades once dieback really sets in what species will dominate our forests and woods (other than the mighty oak of course). Apparently theres a lot of bets on the Rowan in the scientific world, but i guess we'll see in time. :D

Kris, i adore your videos but your attitude towards native trees is poor :lol: This was posted on the wildlife section of the forum. I thought British native trees would fit perfectly in that category just as much as animals do.
fern Rob

Re: Anyone else grow native trees?

Post by fern Rob »

That fine but there isn't that many forests left to be able to loose full species .
Post Reply