Tree and Shrub Identification Decision Tree

Golf courses, parks and many amenity areas and sports grounds will typically have a number of trees and shrubs/ hedgerow plants present, with them all being categorised as either broad-leaved or conifers.

Whilst a grounds manager may not be an arboriculture expert, having the ability to identify and understand about these plants will significantly improve their capability and effectiveness in managing any ground or golf course. Encouraging wildlife and biodiversity, providing wind breaks or screens, adding to the visual appearance of a site and selecting plants better suited to being near sporting activities will all be a consideration when planting new trees and shrubs.

This key is presented to group the likely native and commonly planted species found under the option selected. Work through the letters until you arrive at the selected ID group. The key has been designed to identify the more common species (about 70 broad leaved plants) from a range of relatively easily identified vegetative features, although this isn't a detailed botanical key, it will help as an initial primer for identification purposes. Some plants are included more than once as certain features can vary on individual specimens. Refer to more detailed botanical keys, such as Poland, J. & Clement, E, (2020) 2nd Edn, ‘The Vegetative Key to the British Flora' (BSBI), and similar ones. Using a range of reference materials helps to better understand the differences that can arise within a species.