Conifers in the British Isles

This week I was inspired to write something about the Ethnobotanical uses of conifers!

Conifers are magnificent, awe-inspiring plants that have resisted 300 million years of whatever the planet has thrown at them!

Scots Pines at Church Preen, Shropshire

My earlier posts have all been about Flowering Plants or Angiosperms which evolved from ~125 million years ago.

The main difference with the conifers is that the seeds develop in ovaries and are surrounded by a protective fruit.

The conifers are also called Gymnosperms or Naked seeds bearers in plain English..

See here for a longer explanation between Gymnosperms and Angiosperms.

Contents:

Conifers in the British Isles

The Larch

  • Larix x marschlinskii or Dunkeld Hybrid Larch
  • Larix decidua or European Larch
  • Larix kaempferi or Japanese Larch

Pinus sylvestris or Scotch Pine

Taxus baccata or Yew

Juniperus communis or Common Juniper

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