Poplar tree

Scientific name: Populus alba
Common name: Poplar tree
Origin: Europe, Asia, North Africa.

We can find poplar trees in all over the Iberian peninsula
.
The poplar tree is a deciduous tree, that is, it loses its leaves in autumn.

It can be up to 20-30 metres high. It has a round shape and grows fast.

Their leaves are green on one side and white on the other side. They are simple, they have an oval shape. In autumn they turn yellow or brown and they fall to the ground.

Flowers are big and yellow.

This tree has huge roots, that’s why people don’t plant poplar trees near buildings.

Its wood is used in carpentry or to make paper.

It grows in damp areas, usually next to rivers.
It’s a very resistant species.

Laurel tree

Scientific name: Laurus nobilis
Common name: Laurel tree
Origin: Mediterranean region

It’s an aromatic evergreen tree, that is, it doesn't lose its leaves at one time, but change little by little. It can be up to 5-10 metres high and it’s native to the Mediterranean region.

It has a straight trunk, grey coloured. The top of the tree is dense and dark.

The leaves are simple, they have an oval shape and about 3-9 cm long.

Its flowers are yellow-green, about 1 cm diameter.

The fruit is a small black berry about 1cm long, containing a single seed.

Laurel leaves are used for their flavour in cooking.

Laurel trees are also widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in regions with Mediterranean or oceanic climates.

Pine tree

Scientific name: Pinus halepensis
Common name: Pine tree
Origin: Mediterranean region.

Pine trees are evergreen, that is, they don’t lose all their leaves at one time, but change little by little. That’s why we always see these trees with green leaves in their branches.
The pine tree can be up to 15 or 20 metres high. It usually has an oval or pyramidal shape.

The trunk is large and dark grey.

The leaves are evergreen, they look like thin needles. They can be 6-15 cm long with light green colours.

It blossoms in spring. Its flowers are violet or pink.

Its fruits are cones, that can be 8 or 12 cm long. Cones are light brown.

Pine trees grow very quickly and in all kind of land. They support pollution, wind, frost and droughts, but not salt.
Normally they spread their seeds in spring or autumn.

Its wood is not very appreciated, it can be used to make furniture or as fuel.

Oak tree

Scientific name: Quercus robur
Common name: Oak tree
Origin: Europe

The oak tree is a deciduous tree, that is, it loses its leaves in autumn.
It’s a common tree in the Iberian peninsula.
Oak trees can be up to 50 metres high. They grow very slowly and specially in damp areas.

Their leaves are dark green coloured, soft and with wavy edges.

The trunk of this tree is grey.

It blossoms in late spring.

Its fruit is the acron, similar to the fruit of the holm oak tree. Acrons are brown, they grow in autumn and fall to the ground in winter. The acrons of the oak tree are edible (you can eat them). Acrons are symbols of good luck.

Its wood is very appreciated. We can use the oak tree wood to make furniture or ornamental objects.

Walnut tree

Scientific name: Juglans regia
Common name: walnut tree
Origin: Asia and South-eastern Europe.

The walnut is a deciduous tree (it loses its leaves in autumn).

Walnut trees can be up to 30 metres high. The top of the tree has a round shape.

Leaves are big, they can be 25 cm long. They are used in traditional medicine.

Walnuts blossom in spring (April-May) and their fruit will be ready among the months of August and October.

Their flowers are green coloured.

Their fruit, the walnuts, are edible (you can eat them). Walnuts are good for health. They have vitamins B, C and E. They are also used to produce oil.
Walnuts have a hard surface, that’s why you have to break the shell to eat them.
An average walnut tree can produce between 20 and 40 Kg of fruit.

The wood of the walnut tree is commonly used in carpentry.

It’s a tree that needs to be plant in damp areas because it needs a lot of water.

Walnut trees are easily propagated from the nuts. Seedlings grow rapidly on good soils.

Walnuts are very attractive trees in parks and large gardens.

Apple tree

Scientific name: Malus pumila

Common name: Apple tree

Origin: Europe

It’s a common tree in the north of Spain.

The apple tree is a deciduous tree, it loses its leaves in Autumn.

It grows very slowly, and it can be up to 2 or 8 metres high. The top of the tree has a round shape and a lot of leaves.

The leaves are simple, they have an oval shape.

The flowers are white and pink. They are pollinated by bees and other insects.

It blossoms in Spring.

Its fruit is the apple. Apples can have different colours (green/yellow/red) and sizes. Apples are ready to eat in September.

Depending on the variety of the tree we can use the fruits (apples) as food, or to make apple vinegar or cider.

There is a proverb that says: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away", referring to the favourable health effects of apples.

Holm oak tree

Scientific name: Quercus Ilex.
Common name: holm oak.
Origin: Mediterranean region.

The holm oak is a common tree in the north of Spain.

It is usually 8-12 metres high. Its top is wide and round.

The trunk of this tree is dark grey.

Their leaves are evergreen and dark coloured.

Its fruit is the acron (2-3 cm). Acrons are brown, they grow in Autumn and then they fall to the ground in Winter. Acrons are edible, that is, you can eat them. There are also some animals that eat acrons, for example: squirrels.

This tree grows very slowly.

Its wood is hard and solid. We can use the holm oak wood to make tools, furniture or ornamental objects. It is also good as fuel.

The holm oak grows in all types of land.

You can plant a holm oak tree using its seeds, which are the acrons.

Olive tree

Scientific name: Olea europaea.
Common name: Olive tree
Origin: Mediterranean region.
Etimology: its name derives from the latin term “oleum” that means oil.

It’s an emblematic tree of the Mediterranean culture.

There are many olive trees in Spain. These trees are very appreciated because of their fruits (the olives) and the quality of the oil that we can obtain.

They can live more than 1500 years.

These trees have many leaves, they grow slowly, and aren't usually higher than 10 metres.

Their trunk is thick and irregular. Their leaves are evergreen. Their flowers are white with a fine aroma. This tree blossoms in Spring.

At the end of Autumn or in Winter, the fruits (olives) grow. At first they are green, then their colour changes and they turn black.

There are more than three hundred varieties of olive trees in Spain.

Their fruit, the olives, are used to obtain oil, which can be used in the kitchen, as part of a Mediterranean diet, in cosmetics, and also it has some medicinal uses.