Unknown Tree in Garden

[matt900900]

Hi,

Please could someone help my identify what species of tree this and how tall they grow too.

Thanks

Matt

[Andy Warne]

They look like Lawson Cypress, apparently they can grow up to thirty five metres.

[Adam Cheeseman]

Can you get a close-up to show detail of the 'leaf' arrangement?

Cheers,

Adam

[matt900900]

Hi Adam

Not sure if this will help or I will have to wait till tomorrow when its light.

Matt

[Paul mabbott]

This looks like a hedgerow that has gone out of control - the dreaded leylandii: BBC NEWS | UK | R.I.P. Leylandii

Whatever, it is an exotic conifer which is of very little use for British wildlife and would best be exterminated. If you want trees there are plenty of native and/or pretty ones. Ditto if you want a hedge!

Welcome!

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

This looks like a hedgerow that has gone out of control - the dreaded leylandii: BBC NEWS | UK | R.I.P. Leylandii

Whatever, it is an exotic conifer which is of very little use for British wildlife and would best be exterminated. If you want trees there are plenty of native and/or pretty ones. Ditto if you want a hedge!

Welcome!

That's not true!!! The vast majority of the time the leylandii that provides nest sites and foraging for birds including blackbirds, greenfinch, chaffinch, collard dove, goldcrest etc is removed and replaced with flowers or worse nothing but some gravel and a bit of decking that provide no nest sites and limited foraging
so which has the greater value to wildlife -
Often within a built up area, mature trees or even rarer groups of trees of a decent size that provide enough cover for nests are few and far between having been removed for people's desire for extra sun or for stupid smealth and maftey reasons, leylandii however are often still present providing at least somewhere for the birds to nest and therefore are sometimes quite valuable it seems to me!

Good to be disagreeing with you again Paul - we have been agreeing for far too long

[aeshna5]

Not only can these conifers provide shelter/nesting for birds as Gill says but there's a few invertebrates that have flourished with the spread of conifers- a variety of moths + Juniper Shieldbug are some examples.

[Paul mabbott]

But better to have juniper? or indeed any of the native conifers.

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Not only can these conifers provide shelter/nesting for birds as Gill says but there's a few invertebrates that have flourished with the spread of conifers- a variety of moths + Juniper Shieldbug are some examples.

[Paul mabbott]

Quite agree () that some people destroy all trees but I did specify replacing it with a native species. Any tree will do for nesting and leylandii has no specific value for any insects. Indeed, floppy leaved conifers are a hazard for nesting birds insofar as that while they are dark and dense the branches/foliage offer no protection against nest predators such as squirrels and magpies.

I am a staunch champion of pines and junipers in gardens (orelsewhere) so I'm not an anti-conifer person, as such!

PS: what's 'smealth and maftey'?

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

That's not true!!! The vast majority of the time the leylandii that provides nest sites and foraging for birds including blackbirds, greenfinch, chaffinch, collard dove, goldcrest etc is removed and replaced with flowers or worse nothing but some gravel and a bit of decking that provide no nest sites and limited foraging
so which has the greater value to wildlife -
Often within a built up area, mature trees or even rarer groups of trees of a decent size that provide enough cover for nests are few and far between having been removed for people's desire for extra sun or for stupid smealth and maftey reasons, leylandii however are often still present providing at least somewhere for the birds to nest and therefore are sometimes quite valuable it seems to me!

Good to be disagreeing with you again Paul - we have been agreeing for far too long

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Quite agree () that some people destroy all trees but I did specify replacing it with a native species. Any tree will do for nesting and leylandii has no specific value for any insects. Indeed, floppy leaved conifers are a hazard for nesting birds insofar as that while they are dark and dense the branches/foliage offer no protection against nest predators such as squirrels and magpies.

I am a staunch champion of pines and junipers in gardens (orelsewhere) so I'm not an anti-conifer person, as such!

PS: what's 'smealth and maftey'?

its a spoonerism I have inherited from my father to illustrate my lack of faith in official 'health and safety' term