Conifers can be more difficult to identify than broadleaved trees.

Conifers are affected by a number of our Observatree

priority pests and diseases

We need to be able to identify the tree hosts to aid us in the detection and identification of diseaseas as some diseases only affect particular trees

Distinguishing characteristics include features of the bark, leaf and buds and cones as well as leaf arrangements, needle attachments, foliage aroma, and cross shape of the needle in cross section

Larch Cone

Conifer ID

Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii; not a real fir)

Widely planted

Chestnut brown buds and shoots

Pointed shiny buds

Foliage smells of Citronella

Cones have ‘mouse tail’ bracts

Needle attachment rounded and sucker like

Buds

Sucker attachments

Douglas Fir Cone

Chestnut brouwm shoots 5 – 8 cm long

Pegs

Norway spruce foliage

Spruces (Picea sp)

Long pointed cones (12 - 15 cm long)

Foliage not too prickly

Diamond shaped/square needle cross section

With hand lens distinct lines of white dots/stomata

Needle attachment – ‘peg’

Norway Spruce

Shorter and blunter cones (5-8 cm long)

Foliage painfully prickly

Flattened needle cross section

Conspicuous lines of white dots/stomata

Needle attachment – ‘peg’

Likes wetter conditions

Sitka Spruce

Sitka spruce cone

Norway spruce cone

Grand Fir (Abies grandis)

Leaves attached by conspicuous rounded suckers (much bigger than those of Douglas fir)

You probably won’t see cones as they disintegrate on the tree

Foliage arranged like a centre parting

Foliage smells of tangerine

2 white lines on underside of needle

Buds white and rounded

Top of needle

Underside of needle

White buds

Centre parting

Pines (Pinus sp)

Distinguished by the number of needles in a bunch from short shoots (2, 3 or 5) Always check a number of bunches

Scots Pine has 2 needles in bunch

Woody cones 5-8 cm long

Hairy fringe when a needle is torn in half

Cone of Scots pine

Fully opened Partially opened Un opened

Scots Pine

Larch (Larix sp)

Deciduous tree

Young foliage bright green and rosette like

Soft needles

Woody cones 2-4.5 cm long

Cones normally stay attached to the shoots

Red/green female flower

Smaller yellow male flower

Larch Cone

Female flower

Small yellow male flowers

Yew (Taxus sp)

Shoots are green

Buds are green

Needle attachment

Toxic

Needles dark/blue green long and narrow tapering to a point

Underside of needle is lighter green

Red berries sometimes visible

Yellow male flowers sometimes visible

Larch Cone male flower Female cone Underside of leaf