Trees of Doddington Wood
Oak
Perhaps the most famous of the UK’s trees, and easily identifiable by it’s distinctive leaf shape and seed, the acorn. There are two types of Oak native to the UK, the English Oak (Quercus robur) and the Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea). The English oak is broader than the Sessile oak, and carries its acorns on stalks.Worldwide there are thought to be around 500 different varieties. They have an immense value to wildlife by providing shelter, habitat and food to mammals, birds, insects, plants and fungi; no other tree in the UK supports such a great diversity of life.
Oaks are known for living for over hundreds of years, with the oldest Oaks in England being thought to be over 2,000 years old. There is a common country saying which says ‘an Oak tree takes 300 years to grow, 300 years to mature, and 300 years to die.’
Hawthorn
Hawthorn is most commonly seen in towns and cities as a hedgerow, but left to grow it will easily reach upwards of over 30ft. The bark of the Hawthorn tree looks twisted and ancient and they can live anywhere from 150 years old to over 400 years old! In old mythology it is said that if you come across a old Hawthorn tree, standing alone in the woods, it might just be standing over a gateway to the fairy realms.
The blossoms bloom in full force around May, and another name for the Hawthorn is May Tree of May Flower. The blossoms are usually white, sometimes pink, with five petals and are followed by bright red berries around September, called Haws, which are a special favourite of Blackbirds.
Beech
Beech trees are some of the tallest trees which grow at Doddington Wood, and they are known to grow over 100 feet tall. In Autumn their oval leaves turn a vivid copper colour and they are some of the last leaves to fall, and can sometimes still be found clinging to the tree in early Spring. The nuts which appear in Autumn are enclosed in a spiky casing and they drop from the tree in their thousands. These nuts are a vital winter food source for mammals like mice and squirrels, as well as most birds.
Not only are they known for their height, but for their girth as well. One particular tree in Anglesey was measured at 10 metres at its widest point! Their height and girth is due to their great age, they can live to be over 300 years old and are quite common on the ancient tree map kept by the Woodland Trust.
