Fagus sylvatica (Beech)

LOCATION: BOGGART HOLE CLOUGH, MANCHESTER

BEECH IS A VERY LARGE DECIDUOUS TREE, REACHING UP TO 35 METRES. THE TREE BARK IS SMOOTH AND LIGHT GREY. I WAS LUCKY TO FIND BEECH FRUITS THIS TIME OF YEAR AS THEY ARE MOSTLY EATEN BY SQUIRRELS. THE FRUIT IS A SMALL, SHARPLY THREE-ANGLED NUT. THE LEAVES ARE 5-15CM LONG, GREEN, ROUNDED, WITH SLIGHTLY SHINY SURFACE. ON THE AUTUMN THE LEAVES TURN YELLOW AND RED, AS SHOWN ON THE PHOTOGRAPHS, HOWEVER THEY OFTEN STAY ON THE TREE TILL LATE SPRING. THE TREE LOOKED LIKE IT HAD ENOUGH SPACE TO LIVE AND THE ROOTS SPREAD AROUND THE TRUNK QUITE WIDELY.

 

Crataegus monogyna (Hawthorn)

LOCATION: BOGGART HOLE CLOUGH, MANCHESTER 

HAWTHORN IS CLASSIFIED AS A SHRUB OR A SMALL TREE, CHARACTERISED BY ITS STRONG THORNS WHICH GROW ALONG EACH BRANCH AND ALSO VERY DISTINCT RED BERRIES WHICH APPEAR IN THE SPRING. IT HAS A VERY DENSE CROWN. THIS PLANT HAS LOST ALMOST ALL OF ITS LEAVES AND FRUITS AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. THE LEAVES CAN BE RECOGNISED BY IT'S SMALL SHAPE AS THEY ONLY REACH UP TO 2-4CM, THEY ARE OBOVATE AND DEEPLY LOBED. THE SURFACE OF THE LEAF IS MUCH DARKER THAN ON THE UNDERNEATH.

 

TREE BARK IS DULL BROWN AND MOSTLY HAS VERTICAL ORANGE CRACKS. FROM WHAT I HAVE OBSERVED, THIS PLANT LIVES IN A NATURAL ENVIRONMENT BUT IS SQUEEZED BETWEEN MUCH TALLER AND BIGGER TREES AROUND IT, HOWEVER IT STILL MANAGES TO SURVIVE.

Urtica dioica (perennial stinging nettle)

LOCATION: BOGGART HOLE CLOUGH, MANCHESTER

THE LEAVES OF STINGING NETTLE ARE QUITE LONG AND SOFT, THEY HAVE STRONGLY SERRATED MARGIN, A CORDATE BASE AND A ACUMINATE TIP. THE STEM IS GREEN AND WIRY. FROM MY OBSERVATIONS I NOTED THAT BOTH THE LEAVES AND THE STEM ARE HAIRY, THEY ARE USUALLY THE STINGING HAIRS WHICH COME OFF WHEN TOUCHED, TRANSFORMING THE HAIR INTO A NEEDLE WITH VARIOUS CHEMICALS AND THEN CAUSING PAIN.

I FOUND THIS SPECIES NEAR THE WETLANDS. IT ALSO HAS SMALL, LONG, HANGING GREEN FLOWERS WHICH INDICATE THAT THE PLANT IS FEMALE AS PURPLE FLOWERS GROW ONLY ON MALE SPECIES. THIS SPECIFIC PLANT WAS FIRMLY EATEN BY INSECTS, OR PROBABLY SNAILS.

Sorbus aucuparia (Mountain ash)

LOCATION: BOGGART HOLE CLOUGH, MANCHESTER

Chamerion angustifolium (Rosebay willowherb)

LOCATION: BOGGART HOLE CLOUGH, MANCHESTER

THE PLANT IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS A ROSEBAY WILLOWHERB AND IT IS SOMETIMES CLASSIFIED AS A WEED BECAUSE IT IS A GOOD COLONISER. I FOUND IT IN THE WETLAND AREA IN ONE OF THE PARKS. FROM MY OBSERVATIONS IT SEEMS LIKE THEY GROW IN GROUPS. ROSEBAY WILLOWHERB IS FAVOURED BY CONDITIONS AFTER WOODLAND CLEARANCE AND BURNED AREAS THEREFORE THE OTHER COMMON NAMES FOR THIS PLANTS ARE 'BOMBWEED' AND 'FIREWEED'. 

ROSEBAY WILLOWHERD CONSISTS OF A LONG STEM, NARROW LEAVES AND THEIR UNIQUE VEIN STRUCTURE AND FLOWERS - PINK IN SUMMER AND TURNING INTO FLUFFY WHITE SEED HEADS IN AUTUMN AS SEEN ON THE PHOTOGRAPHS. THE SEEDS HAVE SILKY HAIRS AN ARE VERY EASILY SPREAD BY THE WIND, IT GROWS IN THE OPEN SPACES WHERE IT'S WINDY AND THE SEED CAN REACH THE FULLEST SPEED. 

 

Sambucus nigra (Elder)

LOCATION: BOGGART HOLE CLOUGH, MANCHESTER