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Pin Oak Seed
Quercus palustrisPin Oak is a large dense headed deciduous tree with slender branches, not as long-lived as English Oak. The leaves are deeply and sharply lobed and turn a rich decorative scarlet in autumn though they are smaller than the Scarlet Oak. Usefully quick growing on poorer soils and clay. Wet soils in winter do not cause problems. The fibrous root system also means they are easy to transplant. Acorns take 2 seasons to form and trees need to be near other Red, Scarlet or Pin oaks for pollination.
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Pocket Handkerchief Tree Seed
Davidia involucrataThe Pocket Handkerchief or Davidia is a delightfully beautiful tree whose flower-like bracts look like doves or pocket handkerchiefs when flowering in late spring. A medium sized deciduous tree which prefers well drained loamy soils. The oval fruit hang on the tree well into winter, looking like green Christmas tree decorations.
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Portugese Laurel Seed
Prunus lusitanicaA large evergreen shrub or small tree. Dark green leaves with reddish stalks are augmented by small white flowers borne on racemes in early summer. The fruits are small and red gradually turning dark purple. It is tolerant of chalk soils. Can be pruned into shape to make a formal or informal hedge.
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Privet Seed
Ligustrum vulgareThis Privet forms a medium sized semi evergreen shrub with dark green lance shaped leaves. The small off-white flowers appear in summer and are followed by long clusters of conspicuous round black fruits in the autumn. This should not be confused with the hedging Privet, (Ligustrum ovalifolium), although they can be used for the same purposes.
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Purple Cordyline Seed
Cordyline australis purpureaPurple Cordyline is of great use in pots on patios or in borders to give substance and architectural presence. It is hardy and prefers sun. Keep in a sheltered spot, out of cold winds and keep on the dry side through winter.
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Purple Leaved Mimosa Seed
Acacia baileyana purpureaPurple Leaved Mimosa is a small tree/medium shrub. A bronze leaved version of Golden Mimosa, new growth is grey-purple-pink, contrasting with the very early yellow flowers. Very fine foliage casts only light shade. Needs a sheltered site, or to be grown in a conservatory
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Red / Canadian Maple Seed
Acer rubrumRed or Canadian Maple is a large deciduous tree with dark green upper leaf surfaces, bluish underneath and red petioles (leaf stalks) It takes on autumn colour of scarlet red early in the season and can be quite outstanding. In spring the flowers appear before the leaves and are pinkish red giving this tree 2 seasons of interest. Needs space to grow and has quite a shallow root run so thrives in a moist soil
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Red / European Dogwood Seed
Cornus sanguineaThe European Dogwood is a deciduous shrub with red flushed stems that give colour in winter. The leaves give a rich purple autumn colour. Makes a thick, informal barrier, although it can be pruned – taking one third of the branches out at the base each year. This encourages new, red stems to grow from the stool. This is the European version of Cornus alba
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Red Alder Seed
Alnus rubraRed Alder is an extremely fast growing medium sized, large leaved tree which carries male catkins up to 15cm long in the spring. It is a good choice for waterside and pioneer plantings, since it fixes nitrogen from the air into the soil. The bark was used as a source of red dye and of salicylic acid(aspirin)
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Red Barked Dogwood Seed
Cornus albaRed Barked Dogwood is a well known deciduous shrub growing a thicket of stems up to 3m high. In winter the rich red stems are impressive. The fruits are white or light blue after heads of tiny cream star flowers. Use as an informal hedge or barrier and in the wilder parts of the garden. Tolerant of most soils and very hardy.
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Red Berried Elder Seed
Sambucus racemosaRed Berried Elder is a large shrub with leaves made up of 5 to 7, toothed leaflets. It bears yellowish white flowers in flat heads in spring which give rise to dense heads of ripening scarlet red berries in summer. This species is often used as a cover plant for game. The flowers attract butterflies and although the fruit is poisonous when raw, it can be eaten when cooked. It can be used as a large informal barrier or hedge.
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Red Fir Seed
Abies magnificaRed Fir forms the great conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada of California. It has long blue-green needles and purple cones of up to 20 cm long. The bark turns red as the tree ages. Mature trees grow into a slim conical shape. Closely related to Noble Fir but it doesn’t have a groove down the centre of the needle and the needles are less densely packed along the branch. Used for timber, pulp and Christmas trees
PIC COURTESY OF Tyler Karaszewski from Alameda, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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Red Leafed Rose Seed
Rosa rubrifolia / glaucaA medium sized deciduous shrub with reddish almost thornless stems. The attractive leaves have a greyish burgundy tinge. The single flowers are pink and give rise to the ovoid dark red hips. Remove some older stems down to soil level in the late autumn or spring to rejuvenate. This shrub makes a good backdrop to any border, especially herbaceous. It arches gracefully, if allowed to making an elegant shape. Carefree and easy
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Red Oak Seed
Quercus rubra (borealis)Red Oak is a large fast growing deciduous tree with large matt, oval, lobed leaves that turn red and then russet brown before leaf fall in the autumn. It requires a lime free rich soil and doesn’t do very well in shade. Makes a superb specimen tree. Pollution tolerant, but unsuitable for town planting because it needs sunshine.
Not for forestry purposes.
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Red Stemmed Dogwood (Sibirica) Seed
Cornus alba sibericaRed Stemmed Dogwood(Sibirica) is not as robust as some forms but it is an outstanding medium sized deciduous shrub with coral crimson winter shoots and fresh green clean cut leaves appearing in spring. Heads of starry white flowers appear in May and June followed by insignificant fruit. It is often advised on established shrubs to chop about a third of branches down to ground level each year, since the younger stems thus encouraged have a better red colour.
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Redvein Maple Seed
Acer rufinerveA Snakebark Maple with attractive olive green trunk, marked and lined with grey, three lobed leaves and good autumn colour. The lime-green flowers appear early in the spring with the leaves.
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Rosa Laxa Seed
Rosa laxaA deciduous shrub growing to 2.5m which produces flowers in July with seed produced from August onwards. It is found in woodland and hedgerows. Commercially it is used as a rootstock onto which other roses are grafted.
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Rosa moyesii Seed
Rosa moyesiiRosa moyesii is a medium sized shrub with an open growth habit and single blood red flowers, followed by large hips that are crimson and flagon shaped. It will grow at the back of borders or in a wild garden happily, in sun or semi-shade and is unfussy as to soil. No pruning apart from occasional thinning out of branches from the bottom.
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Rose of Sharon Seed
Hypericum calycinumRose of Sharon is a dwarf evergreen shrub with large leathery leaves and golden flowers with long stamens all summer. It is an excellent ground-cover plant, suckering generously if kept shaded but can get a little out of control in full sun! Bits can be pulled up occasionally, and old stems chopped down, but otherwise doesn’t need much attention.
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Rugosa / Ramanas Rose
Rosa rugosaRugosa rose is a strong growing deciduous shrub which flowers throughout the season, the leaflets are veined and puckered (rugose). The purplish single flowers are up to 10 cm wide and these give rise to tomato shaped hips up to 3cm across. Makes a prickly but decorative barrier and will take pruning or trimming regularly. Rose-hip syrup is an excellent source of vitamin C and used to be given to babies during the war.
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Rugosa / Ramanas Rose (red) Seed
Rosa rugosa rubraRugosa roses are strong growing deciduous shrubs which flower throughout the season, the leaflets are veined and puckered (rugose). The scented, wine crimson single flowers are up to 10 cm wide and these give rise to tomato shaped hips over 3cm across. Makes a prickly but decorative barrier that can be pruned or trimmed to the required height. Rose-hip syrup was given to babies during the war as a source of vitamin C.
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Rugosa Rose(white) Seed
Rosa rugosa albaThe Rugosa rose(white) is a strong growing deciduous shrub which flowers throughout the season, the leaflets are veined and puckered (rugose). The white single scented flowers are up to 10 cm wide and these give rise to tomato shaped hips up to 3cm across. This form is exceptionally free fruiting.
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Scarlet Oak Seed
Quercus coccineaScarlet Oak is a large deciduous tree with dark green deeply lobed leaves which in autumn turn a glowing scarlet. A fantastic tree for autumn colour especially if challenged by cold weather during autumn. It requires a lime free soil.
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Scots Pine Seed
Pinus sylvestrisScots Pine is the only pine native to Britain and is easily recognised by its attractive reddish bark. It’s needles grow in pairs and are quite long when the tree is young and fast growing, but become shorter growing with age. It has a conical growth habit when young, making it popular for Bonsai production and increasingly for use as a Christmas tree. When mature the tree makes a wonderful architectural shape. Once extensively covering land in Scotland, there are now only a few remaining ancient Caledonian Forests due to the iconic Scots Pine being used as a timber tree. Conservation bodies and landowners are trying to rectify this. (Trees for Life)
Not for forestry purposes.
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