
Horse chestnut beside the river Taff
In the centre of Cardiff we are blessed with long paths alongside the River Taff and I walk along one of them at least once a week. I have been watching the trees as they have gradually come into leaf and have managed to make quite a few basic identifications.

This bank of the river is wilder than the far side, on the right, where you find Bute Park
Most of the trees along this side of the river are more of less native to Britain, while looking across to the Bute Park arboretum you see tree treasures from all over the world gathered together.
Here are some of the “wild” trees I have spotted in April – I won’t call it spring as it’s still very cold here, sunny sometimes but with northerly winds, very unusual for these parts.

The horse chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum) are way ahead of all the other trees

The flowers are already well out
Coming along behind the chestnuts are the maples – the British sycamores (Acer pseudoplatanus) seem to be first but there are other Acers here that I can’t quite pin down.

Something like sycamore leaves

Something like sycamore flowers

This also looks like a sycamore…

…but the leaves are a bit later than the other sycamores

This always looks like two trees canoodling

I think this may be an Acer of some sort

The leaf buds aren’t open yet
There are many willows (Salix) beside the river but I am not sure what species they are.

Willow

Female willow catkins – possibly crack willow (Salix fragilis or Salix euxina)?

More developed female willow catkins a week later?

Leaves and willow catkins on April 21

Maybe male catkins of goat willow (Salix capra)?
One sort of tree that has intrigued me all winter is this – which has silvery bark and lots of thin parallel shoots sprouting upwards from bigger branches.

I think it may be a sort of poplar (Populus)

It has many vertical stems and the silvery bark has diamond-shaped lenticels, which suggest it might be white poplar or abele (Populus alba)

The leaves are roughly diamond shaped and silver-backed
Then there are trees which still haven’t realised it’s spring…

This is an alder (Alnus glutinosa) – no signs of leaves yet

This is the coarse alder bark

You can tell it’s an alder from last year’s cones

The same with this ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) – no leaves yet but last year’s seed keys hang on

I think this is a hazel sapling (Corylus avellana)

These white flowers were a pleasant surprise…

…cherry (Prunus) I think

There are quite a few swans on this city centre stretch of the river at the moment – maybe as many as six

This oak bush (Quercus robur) beside the path helped me identify the tree I am following this year in Thompson’s Park (see my Tree Following posts)

Soft green oak leaves

Can you see the neat hole in the top right oak marble? That’s where the Andricus kollari gall wasp let itself out

Over the red bridge is Bute Park – on the right is the big old hybrid wingnut tree (Pterocarya × rehderiana) and on the left a pond cypress (Taxodium ascendens)

Just 100 yards away is the city centre

Looking back up the river, the path I followed is on the left and Bute Park on the right
I’m sure we’ll pass this way again as the year goes on…
Awesome update thank you for sharing have BLESSED DAY
Thanks for visiting, take care 🙂
What a lovely walk. And well done for identifying all those trees. I can just about make out what type some are but I never go as far as species. I’m happy to know oak, willow, etc. Lovely shot of the oak galls.
Thank you for your kind comment.
I have just taken a quick look at your blogs – history is my kind of thing (I read archaeology at university), so I am about to start following you.
Best wishes 🙂
I have come across several people commenting about the colour of new oak leaves this year. Your picture shows this very well – one person said the colour was chartreuse!
Yes, I think I know what you mean, it’s that orange and green at the same time, as if it changes when you move your head…
All the best 🙂
It’s a fun game isn’t it? I am doing the same on dog walks. I must check the oaks here, ‘cos I hadn’t noticed any open leaves yet.
I have only just caught up with your blog but I am now following it – looks fascinating.
I suspect you are a week or so later than us in terms of spring. I lived in Cambridge for a couple of years and it was always colder than south Wales. Having said that this month has been ridiculously cold, with northerly winds instead of the usual warm southwesterlies.
Speak again soon, I hope 🙂
A regular walk for me as well, though I love the wilder bits: the woodland trail in Bute Park. and north of Blackweir on ‘your’ side of the river.
I don’t really know those two parts very well, but one day I must explore.
By the way, I am pleased that I can now, apparently, recognise dawn redwoods. There is one like a miniature version of “yours” in Thompson’s Park and I was delighted that it is sprouting with new growth now.
Best wishes 🙂
Oh, must go and see the little Dawn. Thanks for the heads up. 🙂
I’m sure one day our paths will cross 🙂
I was surprised to see the oaks as you enter Upton Country Park here with lots of leaves. And no, I don’t know which species they are! It was so peaceful today with greenery and birdsong. I am envious of your identifications Pat.
How I love Upton Park and wish I could be there now!
Best wishes 🙂
I have noticed for the first time this spring how bright green the new oak leaves are. (This may be due to my poor observation!) Thanks for the informative walk.
That’s the great thing, isn’t it, when you start looking properly for the first time!
All the best 🙂
I applaud your ability and knowledge in being able to identify all these trees – I only know the most common – a big gap in my knowledge – it does look a lovely place to wander.
I’m still just starting to learn, really.
All the every best now the days are starting to get a bit warmer 🙂
Beautiful trees, well observed as always, you’re getting good! Thank goodness our forebears had the foresight to provide such rich and accessible public spaces. Let’s hope we maintain them for generations to come.
Indeed. Bless the Marquess of Bute!
Best wishes 🙂