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Trees ID Guides

The books are arranged by publication date with the most recent at the top.

There are a number of pages covering books about British trees:

Identification guides
Urban trees
Hedgerows

More pages will be added as time allows.

For books about some specific families or species of trees see:

Ash
Elm
Hazel
Lime
Oak
Poplar
Rowan
Willow
Yew

Green Guide to Trees of Britain and Europe

Bob Press

2016

"Trees are the defining characteristics of any landscape, from quiet woodland to suburban streets, exhibiting great variety in their leaves, bark, fruit and flowers. The Green Guide to Trees makes identifying them easy for beginners and amateur naturalists alike. Concise descriptions, accompanied by beautiful colour illustrations, include information on height, shape and important features like foliage and fruit. A detailed introduction includes colour photographs and information on families of trees, leaf types and botanical keys."

Collins British Tree Guide

Owen Johnson & David More

2015

"This comprehensive guide to British trees contains some of the finest original tree illustrations ever produced. Covering all tree species commonly found outside the major arboretums, the text highlights the most important things to look for to aid fast and accurate identification, and the illustrations are annotated with essential features. The introduction contains illustrations of the main leaves, buds, and firs you are likely to find, which also provide the starting point for identification by leading you to a 'key' species. Within each tree family there is a list of key species and a guide to the most important features to look for when identifying a particular tree from that family. Individual species are then thoroughly described and a detailed illustration features on the same page."

A Naturalist's Guide to Trees of Britain & Northern Europe

Andrew Cleave

John Beaufoy Books

2015

"This easy-to-use identification guide to 280 tree species most commonly seen in Britain and northern Europe is perfect for amateur naturalists. High quality photographs from Britain’s top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include common and scientific name, height, distribution and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers the different habitats, a definition of what is a tree and how to identify the species, as well as a glossary."

Illustrated Trees of Britain and Northern Europe

David More, John White

2nd edition

2013

"Trees are of enduring interest to naturalists and gardeners alike, and this extraordinary book is one of the most magnificent volumes ever published on the subject. Every European species is covered within its 800+ pages as well as many introduced species from all over the world. In addition to an authoritative text, every species is illustrated with stunning artwork that depicts leaves, flowers, fruits and bark as well as images of the whole tree, both in leaf and bare in the case of deciduous trees. This fabulous volume has been updated and reprinted at a highly competitive price, and remains the most comprehensive work on European trees."

RSPB What's That Tree?: The Simplest ID Guide Ever

Tony Russell

2013

"RSPB What's That Tree? is ideal if you struggle to tell the difference between a Serbian spruce and a Silver birch. It's the perfect pocket guide for beginners but also a handy reference for the more seasoned naturalist. Featuring over 150 common trees from around the UK and Europe, species overviews show you what to look for where and related trees are shown side by side for quick comparison and identification."

Collins Gem: Trees

Alastair Fitter & David More

2012

"This is the perfect pocket guide for nature enthusiasts keen to identify the most commonly seen trees, whether they are out on the town or strolling through the countryside. Authoritative text, beautiful photographs and detailed illustrations show not only the overall shape of the tree but also details of leaf shape, flowers, fruits and bark. Features both deciduous and evergreen species, with information on the origin of each species, its height, preferred habitat and growing conditions. Illustrations of cones, catkins, nuts and fruits allow you to distinguish between similar species at a glance."

RSPB First Book Of Trees

Derek Niemann

2012

Trees of Britain and Europe

Margot Spohn, Roland Spohn

A & C Black

2008

"This indispensable guide to the Trees of Britain and Europe is part of the new Black's Nature Guide series. Over 350 species of tree are covered, each beautifully illustrated with detailed paintings and clear photographs. The images not only show you what the tree looks like in its habitat, but also focus in on specific features such as the leaves to aid identification. Clear and concise information is provided, such as when the tree is in flower, the approximate leaf size and preferred habitat."

Complete Guide To British Trees

Paul Sterry

2008

"An essential guide to every species of tree found in the British Isles outside of arboretums. This easy-to-use guide covers the 360 species of tree that are found in Britain & Ireland. Each species is covered in detail with information on how to identify, whether from a leaf, twig, bark or whole tree, plus extra information on where the tree grows (including a map), how high they grow, what uses the tree is used for and its unique history. Every species is also comprehensively illustrated with photographs of every useful feature – bark, leaf, seed, flower, twig and whole tree."

Collins Tree Guide

Owen Johnson & David More

Paperback edition

2006

"This brand-new field guide to the trees of northern Europe contains some of the finest original tree illustrations ever produced. The introduction contains illustrations of the main leaves, buds, and firs you are likely to find, and these provide the starting point for identification by leading you to a 'key' species. Within each tree family there is a list of key species and a guide to the most important features to look for when identifying a particular tree from that family. Then individual species are clearly described and a detailed illustration is given on the same page."

Collins Tree Guide

Owen Johnson & David More

2004

"This brand-new field guide to the trees of northern Europe contains some of the finest original tree illustrations ever produced. The introduction contains illustrations of the main leaves, buds, and firs you are likely to find, and these provide the starting point for identification by leading you to a 'key' species. Within each tree family there is a list of key species and a guide to the most important features to look for when identifying a particular tree from that family. Then individual species are clearly described and a detailed illustration is given on the same page. Covering all the tree species found outside the major arboretums, from the olive tree to the eucalyptus, this is one of the most important tree guides to have appeared in the last 20 years."

Green Guide to Trees of Britain and Europe

Bob Press

2001

"This guide offers information on observing and identifying common tree species in Britain and Europe. Each tree is described in detail with information on height, shape and important features such as foliage and fruit. Keys that provide step-by-step clues to identification are included."

The Complete Guide to Trees of Britain and Northern Europe

Alan Mitchell

Parkgate Books

1997

Field Guide to Trees of Britain, Europe and North America

Andrew Cleave

1994

"Because of introductions, a great many North American trees can be found in Europe and vice-versa. This guide should enable the identification of most of the species to be found in the two regions. It describes over 470 species, and includes full details of distribution and habitat."

Trees Of Britain & Europe

G. Aas, A. Riedmiller

Collins

1994

"The Collins Nature Guides are comprehensive, photographically illustrated reference books that are perfect for any lover of nature and the outdoors. This volume covers over 300 species of trees found in the forests of England and Europe."

Photographic Key to the Trees of Britain and Northern Europe

Jean Denis Godet, Alan Mitchell

1988

The Complete Guide to Trees of Britain and Northern Europe

Alan Mitchell

Dragon's World

1985

The Trees of Britain and Northern Europe

Alan Mitchell

Collins Pocket Guide

Collins

1982

Handguide to the Trees of Britain and Northern Europe

Alan Mitchell

Collins Handguide

Collins

1978

Trees in Britain, Europe and North America

Roger Philips

1978

"Trees in Britain, Europe and North America is a unique encyclopaedia of the trees found in Britain, Europe and North America. Well over 500 trees are illustrated in full colour, accompanied by comprehensive descriptions set out according to botanical classification and a unique Leaf Index. The trees are identified for the reader by leaf, flower, fruit, silhouette and bark."

A Field Guide To The Trees Of Britain And Northern Europe

Alan Mitchell

1974