Whitebeam is a medium sized deciduous tree
growing up to 25m, often appearing to be little more than a shrub with a
generally spreading crown. Its bark is smooth and grey but sometimes ridged.
Its branches are spreading; twigs are brown on the upper surface and usually
green below. Its buds are up to 2cm long, ovoid and green tipped with hair. Its
leaves are oval shaped up to 12cm long with toothed or shallow lobed margins
and very hairy, especially on their white underside. When leaves first appear,
their white undersides can make the tree appear white (hence the name
Whitebeam).
It has white flowers that grow in stalked
clusters, appearing in May. Its fruits are ovoid, about 1.5 cm long and are
bright red.
The tree is native only to the South of
Britain, commonly found in hedgerows and at the edge of woodlands, mainly on
limestone and calcareous soils.
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