Native Trees and Shrubs for Wet Ground

Alder (Alnus glutinosa)This useful, easy, and fast growing neatly shaped tree supports over 90 species. It has colourful yellow catkins in spring and cones in the winter. It needs moist soil but not acid, and is commonly found in wet woods, fens, and streamsides - so numbers have fallen due to drainage and reclamation schemes.

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Common Ash (Fraxinus excelsior)These fast growing vaulting domed trees are large but short lived. They are distributed throughout Britain, but are shade intolerant and tend to grow on calcerous soils. Ash seeds encourage birds and small mammals.

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Aspen (Populus tremula)Aspen only typically live for 50 years. Their leaves tremble in the wind and make a noise described as a "rustling whisper". They are common throughout Europe, partly as they regenerate so quickly. They demand light and are wind tolerant - a good pioneer species - and like heavy damp conditions, so can be used to improve clay soils.

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Downy Birch (Betula pubescens)Downy Birch is a valuable tree, looking similar to Silver Birch, but has a darker trunk and its shoots are covered in soft white hairs. It does well in the cold and wet, rather than the Silver Birch's preference for the dry. Like the other native Birch, however, it supports over a hundred insect species and its seeds attract birds, especially redpolls.

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Silver Birch (Betula pendula)Silver Birch is a pretty and valuable fast growing tree, although short lived. Like Downy Birch it supports over a hundred insect species and its massive numbers of seeds attract birds, especially redpolls. It also prefers full sun.

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Alder Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula)Alder Buckthorn is a shrub with glossy green leaves that turn yellow, contrasting with red berries in the Autumn. It prefers damp, peaty sites, and unlike Purging or Common Buckthorn is thornless. Both Buckthorns are, however, the only foodplants of the Brimstone butterfly.

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Bird Cherry (Prunus padus)Bird Cherry is a small tree found in the north, with pretty white flowers and bittersweet edible cherries which the birds crop. It's a very hardy tree that unlike Wild Cherry does not sucker, so is often found on its own.

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Common Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea)The Common Dogwood is a colourful and versatile shrub. It does well in most conditions and suckers freely, making it a good hedging plant. It has red twigs and attractive autumn foliage, delicate white flowers in the spring, and black berries that attract birds.

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Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus)Guelder Rose is a very beautiful shrub. It has large lobed leaves which turn well in the autumn, and globes of white flowers in early summer, followed by bright red fruit.

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Black Poplar (Populus nigra)There are estimated to be only 4-6,000 of these long living trees left in the country, largely as a consequence of land reclamation and drainage. They are very fast growing landmark trees that need the wet.

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Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)The Rowan, or Mountain Ash, prefers cool conditions and any soil other than heavy clay and calcareous. It has pretty white flowers in June and attractive autumn foliage and large bunches of red berries, which are eaten by birds and small mammals.

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Bay Willow (Salix pentandra) Bay Willow is a handsome small tree naturally found in Northern areas. Its leaves rather oddly smell of Bay when crushed. Male trees produce bight yellow catkins in early Summer.

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Crack Willow (Salix fragilis)Small and rapid growing, surprisingly pollards have lived as long as 1000 years across the UK. Unpollarded, they tend to split open under their own weight. Among its dependent species is the spectacular Purple Emperor, for which it is a foodplant.

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Goat Willow (Salix caprea)The odd one out - Goat Willow (or Pussy Willow, or Sallow) doesn't need wet conditions. In the female form it has silver catkins. Pretty yellow flowers in spring.

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White Willow (Salix alba)White Willow is identified by its beautiful silvery leaves. It is the largest of the British species and together with Osier, a non native shrub species, it is traditionally used for making baskets and hurdles.

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Wet Woodland CollectionThis wet woodland collection includes native trees which will do well in wet ground, including alder, ash, birch, and willows.

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