Field identification guide for bonsai-worthy trees in Île-de-France

Île-de-France · Yamadori

Bonsai field identification guide

Six native species worth collecting. Focus on leaves, twigs, and habitat.

Tier 1 — best bonsai candidates

Field maple

Acer campestre · Érable champêtre

Tier 1
Field maple leaves Field maple bark Field maple samaras
Leaf
5 lobes, blunt rounded tips. 4–7 cm. Darker above, paler below with tufts in vein axils.
Bark
Young: greenish-grey, smooth. Old: grey-brown, finely fissured. Often corky ridges on twigs.
Fruit
Paired samaras with wings nearly flat (180°). Reddish-green in summer.
Where to find
Hedgerows, forest edges, embankments. Very common throughout Île-de-France.
Clincher: break a leaf petiole — it exudes a milky white sap. No other common local maple does this.
Don't confuse with sycamore maple (A. pseudoplatanus): that has sharply pointed lobe tips, larger leaves (8–16 cm), and no milky sap.

Hawthorn

Crataegus monogyna · Aubépine monogyne

Tier 1
Hawthorn leaves Hawthorn berries Hawthorn thorns
Leaf
Deeply lobed, 3–7 lobes cut more than halfway to midrib. Glossy dark green above. Base wedge-shaped.
Thorns
Stout, sharp, straight spines on branches. True stem tissue — cannot be pulled off cleanly. Unmistakable.
Fruit
Dark red berries (haws) from September, each containing one seed (monogyna = one seed).
Where to find
Hedgerows, scrubland, anywhere birds perch. Self-seeds prolifically under trees and along fence lines.
Clincher: thorns + deeply lobed leaves together are unmistakable. No other common hedgerow shrub combines both.
Best seedling spots: directly under fence posts and isolated trees where birds perch and drop seeds.

Hornbeam

Carpinus betulus · Charme commun

Tier 1
Hornbeam leaves Hornbeam bark Hornbeam fruit
Leaf
Oval, sharply pointed tip. 9–15 pairs of strongly impressed parallel veins — deeply corrugated surface. Doubly serrate.
Bark
Smooth grey with characteristic muscular longitudinal ridges (fluted, like tensed muscle). Distinctive on larger trunks.
Fruit
Clusters of three-lobed leafy bracts, each holding a small ribbed nut. Visible summer through autumn.
Where to find
Forest understorey and edges (Rambouillet, Sénart). Traditional hedging plant — look in old boundaries.
Clincher: the deeply corrugated, strongly veined leaf surface is the best ID feature. Run your finger along a leaf — it feels ribbed.
Hornbeam vs hazel — easily confused. Hornbeam: sharply pointed tip, 9–15 vein pairs, symmetric leaf base, non-glandular twig hairs. Hazel: more rounded tip, 7–9 vein pairs, slightly asymmetric base, glandular sticky hairs on twig.
Tier 2 — very good candidates

Beech

Fagus sylvatica · Hêtre commun

Tier 2
Beech leaves Beech buds Beech bark
Leaf
Oval, 5–10 cm. Wavy (not toothed) margin. Silky hairs on margin when young. 5–9 vein pairs. Glossy mid-green.
Buds
Long, slender, pointed, coppery-brown, held at an angle from the twig. Look like small cigars. Unmistakable in winter.
Bark
Smooth, pale grey, elephant-skin texture. Stays smooth even on very old trees — unique among common forest species.
Where to find
Forest interiors on well-drained soils. Seedlings abundant under mature beeches in good mast years (autumn/winter).
Clincher: the elongated cigar-like buds are unmistakable in winter. In summer, smooth grey bark + wavy-margined glossy leaves confirm it.

Wild crabapple

Malus sylvestris · Pommier sauvage

Tier 2
Wild crabapple leaves Wild crabapple fruit Wild crabapple flowers
Leaf
Oval, finely serrate, 3–7 cm. Hairless or nearly so when mature — key distinction from cultivated apple which stays hairy.
Twigs
Short lateral shoots often end in a sharp spine — a key diagnostic. Buds small, reddish-brown.
Fruit
Small hard apple, 2–3 cm, yellow-green to reddish, very bitter to taste. Larger sweeter fruit = cultivated seedling.
Where to find
Hedgerows, forest margins, scrubland. Less common than hawthorn — search old established hedges.
Clincher in autumn: hard bitter fruit 2–3 cm diameter. Rub a mature leaf — smooth above confirms wild vs cultivated.

Field elm

Ulmus minor · Orme champêtre

Tier 2
Field elm leaves Field elm bark Field elm samaras
Leaf
Oval, doubly serrate. Strongly asymmetric base — one side extends further down the petiole than the other. Rough sandpaper texture above.
Buds
Alternate (not opposite like maple). Dark brown, small, slightly hairy. Important — alternate vs opposite is a quick family-level check.
Fruit
Round papery samara with seed in the centre. Appears in spring before or with the leaves — earlier than most other species.
Where to find
Hedgerows, roadsides, riverbanks. Less common since Dutch elm disease. Young root suckers still found — prioritise these.
Clincher: the strongly asymmetric leaf base is the single best diagnostic. Hold the leaf flat — one side of the base clearly extends lower than the other.
If you find a healthy young elm, collect it. Exceptional ramification makes it one of the finest European bonsai species. Prioritise over all others in this tier.

Best collection time: February–March, just before bud burst · Collect with owner permission · Pot in free-draining mix · First year goal: establishment only