There are a lot of British trees to choose from and they each have preferred habitats. Below, we offer advice on whether these trees exist all across the UK or only parts and what their preferred environment is.
Types Of British Trees
You may already have an idea about some of the types of trees that you would like to have planted, but aren’t sure if you are in the right area. Use this alphabetical list of the British trees in this guide if you want to jump to a specific type of tree:
- Alder
- Alder Buckthorn
- Apple (Crab)
- Ash
- Aspen
- Beech
- Birch (Downy)
- Birch (Silver)
- Blackthorn
- Box
- Buckthorn
- Cherry (Bird)
- Cherry (Wild)
- Dogwood
- Elder
- Elm (English)
- Elm (Wych)
- Guelder rose
- Hawthorn
- Hawthorn (Midland)
- Hazel
- Holly
- Hornbeam
- Juniper
- Lime (Common)
- Lime (Large-leaved)
- Lime (Small-leaved)
- Maple (Field)
- Oak (English)
- Oak (Sessile)
- Pear (Plymouth)
- Pine (Scots)
- Poplar (Black)
- Rowan
- Spindle
- Whitebeam
- Whitebeam (Arran)
- Whitebream (Rock)
- Wild Service Tree
- Willow (Bay)
- Willow (Crack)
- Willow (Goat)
- Willow (Grey)
- Willow (Osier)
- Willow (White)
- Yew
Alder
Found all over the UK. Best planted near to rivers, ponds, lakes, marshes, wetland and streams.
Alder Buckthorn
Found all over the UK. Best planted on river banks, in bogs or near wet heathland and open woods.
Apple (Crab)
Found all over the UK. Best planted in scrub and well drained soil.
Ash
Found all over the UK. Best planted in cooler areas in well drained soil.
Aspen
Found only in parts of the UK, specifically north west Scotland. Best planted in cool regions such as heaths, near ancient woodland and rivers.
Beech
Found only in parts of the UK, namely south east England and Wales. Best planted in humid atmospheres in well drained soil. They can be planted in woods or as solo trees.
Birch (Downy)
Found all over the UK. Best planted in damp soil at high elevations, specifically bogs.
Birch (Silver)
Only found in Scotland. Best planted in dry woodlands, downs and heaths.
Blackthorn
Found all across the UK. Best planted in woodland, scrub and copses. Prefers moist, well drained soil with lots of sunlight.
Box
Found only in certain areas of the UK, namely: Box Hill in Surrey, the North Downs, the Chilterns and the Cotswolds. Best planted on hillsides, in woodland or scrub.
Buckthorn
Found in England and Wales in the UK. Best planted in woodland and scrub.
Cherry (Bird)
Found only in some parts of the UK. Best planted in wet woodland, near streams and river banks or in hedgerows.
Cherry (Wild)
Found all over the UK, though not the very far north of Scotland. Needs full sunlight.
Dogwood
Found all over the UK. Prefers woodland edges and hedgerows.
Elder
Found all over the UK in woodland, scrub, wasteland and along hedgerows. Does well near to rabbit warrens and badger setts.
Elm (English)
Found only in southern England. Best planted in hedgerows and woodland.
Elm (Wych)
Found only in the north and west of England and parts of Scotland. Best planted in hilly or rocky woodland, near streams or ditches.
Guelder Rose
Found across the UK but very rare in Scotland. Best planted on riversides, in fens, scrub, parks and old hedgerows. Prefers low altitudes.
Hawthorn
Found all around the UK. Best planted in hedgerows, woodland and scrub.
Hawthorn (Midland)
Found only in central and southern England – south of the Humber. Best planted in ancient or old woodlands and hedges banks.
Hazel
Found all across the UK. Best planted in hedgerows, scrub, woodland – preferably oak, ash and birch woods.
Holly
Found all over the UK. Best planted in oak and beech woodland, scrub and hedgerows.
Hornbeam
Found only in some parts of the south of the UK. Best planted in oak woodland.
Juniper
Found all across the UK. Best planted near shrubs and small trees. Does well in old native pine woodland, chalk lowland and moors.
Lime (Common)
Found all over the UK. Often planted in urban areas and parks.
Lime (Large-leaved)
Found only in south west England. Needs to be planted in lime rich soils.
Lime (Small-leaved)
Found all over the UK. Best planted in well drained soils and woodland.
Maple (Field)
Found all over the UK. Best planted in woods, scrub, hedgerows, gardens and parks.
Oak (English)
Most common in central and south of the UK, but can be found in other parts of the UK. Best planted in deciduous woods.
Oak (Sessile)
Found only in Ireland. Best planted in hilly regions.
Pear (Plymouth)
Found in specific parts of the UK, namely Plymouth and Truro. Best planted in hedgerows and woodland.
Pine (Scots)
Found only in Caledonian Forest in the Scottish Highlands. Best planted in heathland in that region.
Poplar (Black)
Only found in certain parts of the UK, specifically: Shropshire, Cheshire, Somerset and East Anglia. Best planted in boggy conditions, near ditches or floodplains.
Rowan
Found only in some parts of the UK, such as the Highlands of Scotland. Best planted in high altitude places. Can be planted on streets and in gardens in these conditions.
Spindle
Found all across the UK but rare in Scotland. Best planted on edges of forests, in hedges, scrub and hedgerows.
Whitebeam
Found only in southern England and most of the north of the UK. Best planted in parks and gardens.
Whitebeam (Arran)
Found only on Isle of Arran in Scotland. Best planted in acidic soil. Prefers woodland on rocky crags and steep sided slopes.
Whitebream (Rock)
Found in the north of England and Scotland. Best planted in rocky woodland, grassland, scrub and on cliffs.
Wild Service Tree
Found all over the UK. Best planted in oak and ash woods, and ancient woodland. Prefers clay and lime based soils.
Willow (Bay)
Found in Scotland and northern England. Best planted near to streams and rivers, in wet woodland or boggy ground.
Willow (Crack)
Found all over the UK. Best planted near rivers, lakes and watercourses.
Willow (Goat)
Found all over the UK. Best planted in woodland, hedgerows, scrub, and damp open ground near lakes, canals and streams.
Willow (Grey)
Found all across the UK. Best planted in damp, open ground near to streams, lakes and canals, or in woodland, hedgerows and scrub.
Willow (Osier)
Found all over the UK. Best planted in wet or damp areas near rivers and streams.
Willow (White)
Found all across the UK. Best planted near to streams and rivers, in wet or damp ground.
Yew
Found in southern England only. Best planted as hedging, in churchyards or in understorey of beech woodland.
Hire a professional tree planter
Bear in mind that planting trees properly is a skill, which is why we advise using an experienced arboriculturalist. If you aren’t sure what types of tree would work in your garden or grounds, you can contact our team for advice.
