Tree shoots (I think) ID needed

dannystupple

Hi All, I’ve recently moved house with around an acre of young woodland / meadow. There are literally thousands of these shoots/saplings growing. Can anyone identify them? Note I have only been in since November, so haven’t seen them with leaves (except the black one hanging on for dear life).

Dovefromabove

Hello @dannystupple and welcome to the forum 😊 

What sort of mature trees do you have growing around the place?  

If you’re not sure photos of them may help us …

Uff

It looks like a poplar leaf to me dannystupple.

dannystupple

@Dovefromabove the previous owner planted various native species around 20yrs ago… lots of birch and oak, the odd ash, plus smaller trees such as hazel, holly, buckthorn (I think) plus lots of other berry-type trees. Identifying the rest is pushing it for me, as it’s winter and I’m fairly new to plant identification generally. Just concerned that I have a ‘problem’ on my hands with all
this growth. They’re typically 1-2m in height. Thanks!

Dovefromabove

I was thinking White Poplar too @Uff … they can sucker from the roots if there are mature ones around … but topping the meadows a couple of times a year used to sort it out when we had the smallholding. That and the sheep grazing them off of course. 

dannystupple

@Uff @Dovefromabove. After a quick google search you could be right. There are plenty of these trees in the general area where the growth is. Thanks a lot

Dovefromabove

Glad to help 😊 They’re good trees for a boundary windbreak /screen. 

Just mow or strim around them two or three times a year to keep the suckering down … BUT when doing it make sure not to mow or strim too close to the trees you want to keep because damaging the bark can kill the trees, either outright or it can allow bacteria and rot to set in and kill them off slowly.