Talkback: Barking mad

Sorry to be late in replying, not often on-line. James A-S says one is wrong, which I assume is what I said was Pine species (No.1). No.2. is as you say the monkey puzzle tree (the second name of this probably should be aurucana). No.3 is Spanish Plane and numbers 4 and 5 are Oak, one being evergreen, one being deciduous.

The beauty of Linnaeus's binomial Latin names for plants is that you can ask for a plant (using its Latin name) anywhere in the world, and not have to speak the native language. Common plant names can lead to confusion. e.g. Black-eyed Susan refers to both Thunbergia and Rudbeckia.

Do try Latin plant names as they can be fun - but not if you have to write hundreds of labels as I used to do when I worked in a nursery.

1. Pinus sylvestris - Scots Pine

2. Phoenis canariensis (the bark is indeed very similar to Monkey Puzzle)

3. Platanus hispanica - London Plane
4. Quercus robur - the Oak

5. Quercus ilex - the evergreen Oak

6. Castanea sativa - sweet chestnut.

A spirited round of applause to Yakram for getting pretty darned close.