Tree Name Translator: English/French/Latin (Botanical)

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When reading around the subject of woodwork, it is often that you will find references to trees or timbers in languages other than English, or using the Latin, or botanical, names. The following table gives the equivalent names for many of our common European trees and timbers used in woodworking. Apologies to our US friends, but maybe that will follow if someone cares to provide the data.

If you spot any errors or can expand or improve the list, please let me know by e-mail.

NB: I know that this page may scroll off the screen for some viewers but this is the best compromise I can think of between readability and layout. Sorry if it's a problem for you.

English	French	German	Dutch	Botanical/Latin
A
Acacia (Robinia)	Robinier (faux acacia)	Akazie (Robinie)	Valse acacia	Robinia Pseudoacacia
Alder, Common/Black	Aune glutineux/Verne/Vergne	Schwarze Erlen / Rote Erle	Grauwe els	Alnus glutinosa
Alder, Grey/European	Aune blanc/Aune de montagne	Grau Erlen	Witte of grijze els	Alnus incana
Apple	Pommier	Apfel	Sierappel	Malus
Ash, Common/European	Frêne commun/Grand frêne	Esche	Gewone es	Fraxinus excelsior
Aspen, European	Peuplier tremble/Tremble	Espen	Tril- of ratelpopulier	Populus tremula
B
Bay/Laurel	Laurier d'Apollon/Laurier-sauce	Lorbeer	Groenblijvende laurier	Laurus nobilis
Beech, Common/European	Hêtre/Fayard/Fouteau	Buche	Beuk	Fagus sylvatica
Birch, Downy	Bouleau pubescent	Moor Birke	Zachte berk	Betula pubescens
Birch, Silver/European white	Bouleau d'Europe	Silber Birke	Ruwe, witte, gewone berk	Betula pendula
Blackthorn/Sloe	Epine noir/Prunellier	Schlehdorn/Schwarzdorn	Sleedoorn of zwarte doorn	Prunus spinosa
Box	Buis	Buchsbaum	Gewone palm	Buxux sempevirens
C
Cedar of Lebanon	Cèdre du Liban	Zeder	Libanonceder	Cedrus libani
Cherry	Cerisier	Kirsche	Amerikaanse, late, tros- of vogelkers	Prunus serotina
Chestnut, Sweet/Spanish	Châtaignier	Kastanie	Tamme kastanje	Castanea sativa
Crab Apple/Wild Crab	Pommier sauvage/paradis	Holzapfel	Appel	Malus sylvestris
Cypress, Lawson	Cyprès de Lawson	Zypresse	Dwerg- of schijncipres	Chamaecyparis lawsonia
E
Elder	Sureau noir/Susier	Holunder	Gewone vlier	Sambucus nigra
Elm, Dutch	Orme Hollandais	Holländische Ulme	Hollandse bastaardiep	Ulmus x hollandica
Elm, English	Orme d'Angleterre/champêtre	Englische Ulme	Engelse veldiep	Ulmus procera
Elm, European white/Fluttering	-	Flatter Ulme	n/a	Ulmus laevis
Elm, Wych/Scotch	Orme blanc/de montagne	Berg Ulme / Weißrüster Ulme	Iep	Ulmus glabra
F, G
Fir, Douglas	Douglas vert/Sapin de l'Oregon	Tanne	Douglasspar	Pseudotsuga menziessi
Gean/Wild cherry/Mazzard	Merisier/Merisier des oiseaux	Süßkirsche / Vogelkirsche	Zoete kers	Prunus avium
H
Hawthorn, Common	Epine blanche/Aubépine à un style	Eingriffliger Weißdorn	Eenstijlige meidoorn	Crataegus monogyna
Hawthorn, Midland/English/May	Aubépine/ Aubépine à deux styles	Gemeiner Weißdorn	Tweestijlige meidoorn	Crataegus laevigata
Hazel, Common/Cobnut	Coudrier/Noisetier	Haselnuß	Gewone hazelnoot	Corylus avellana
Holly, Common/English	Houx commun	Stechpalme	Gewone, scherpe hulst	Ilex aquifolium
Hornbeam, European/Common	Charme/Faux Bouleau	Hainbuche	Gewone haagbeuk	Carpinus betulus
Horse Chestnut, Common	Marronnier d'Inde	Roßkastanie	Witte paardekastanje	Aesculus hippocastanum
L
Laburnum	Aubour (faux ébénier)	Goldregen		Laburnum anagyroides
Larch, European/Common	Mélèze d'Europe/commun	Lärche	Europese lork	Larix decidua
Lime, Common/Linden	Tilleul de Hollande	Holländische Linde	Hollandse linde	Tilia x europea
Lime, Large-leaved	Tilleul à grandes feuilles	Sommer Linde	Grootbladige of zomerlinde	Tilia platyphyllos
Lime, Small-leaved	Tilleul à petites feuilles	Winter Linde / Stein Linde	Kleinbladige, winter of steenlinde	Tilia cordata
M
Mahogany	Acajou	Mahogani		Swietenia macrophylla
Maple, Field/Hedge	Erable Chapêtre	Ahorn	Spaanse aak of veldesdoorn	Acer campestre
Medlar	Néflier commun	Mispel	Mispel	Mespilus germanica
O
Oak, Sessile/Durmast	Chêne à glands sessiles/Rouvre	Winter Eiche / Trauben Eiche	Wintereik	Quercus petraea
Oak, English/Pedunculate	Chêne pedonculé	Sommer Eiche	Zomereik	Quercus robur
Oak, Holm/Holly	Chêne vert/Yeuse	Steineiche	Steeneik	Quercus ilex
P
Pear, Common	Poirier commun	Birnbaum	Gewone of tuinpeer	Pyrus communis
Pine, pitch, northern	Pin dur	Kiefer	Doornden	Pinus rigida
Pine, Scots	Pin sylvestre	Föhrer	Grove den	Pinus sylvestris
Plane, London	Platane commun/à feuille d'érable	Platane	Plataan	Platanus acerifolia
Plum	Prunier	Pflaume	Pruim of kers	Prunus
Poplar, Lombardy	Peuplier d'Italie	Schwarze Pappel	Italiaanse populier	Populus nigra 'Italica'
Poplar, White/ Abele	Peuplier d'Holland/blanc/Ypreau	Weiß Pappel	Witte abeel	Populus alba
R, S
Rowan, Mountain Ash (Euro)	Sorbier des oiseaux (des oiseleurs)	Eberesche	Gewone of wilde lijsterbes	Sorbus aucuparia
Spruce, Norway	Epicéa commun/Sapin rouge	Fichte/Rottanne	Gewone spar	Picea abies
Sycamore	Sycomore/Faux platane	Bergahorn	Gewone esdoorn	Acer pseudoplatanus
W
Walnut, Black	Noyer noir	Schwarznuß	Zwarte ofwel Amerikaanse noot	Juglans nigra
Walnut, English/Persian	Noyer commun	Walnuß	Walnoot, okkernoot of gewone noot	Juglans regia
Whitebeam	Alisier blanc/Alouchier	Echte Mehlbeere	Meelbes	Sorbus aria
Wild Service Tree	Alisier torminal	Elsbeere	Lijsterbes	Sorbus torminalis
Willow, Crack/Brittle	Saule cassant	Bruch Weide / Knackweide	Knak- of breekwilg	Salis fragilis
Willow, Goat/Pussy	Saule marsault	Kätzchenweide	Waterwilg	Salix caprea
Willow, White	Saule argenté/blanc	Silber Weide / Weiß Weide	Gewone wilg	Salix alba
Y
Yew, Common or English	If commun	Eibe	Venijnboom	Taxus baccata


	My thanks to Ralf Konrad, Wolfgang Portratz and Kaj Andersen for their assistance with the German translations, to Jacques Joly and Francis Wild for help with the French and to Truus Beisterveld of the Dutch Woodturner's Association for his provision of the Dutch translations (and for spotting the typos in my Latin)

©1997-2004 P. Hemsley. The information on this website is the copyright property of Peter Hemsley. Whilst reasonable efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, no liability can be accepted for errors in this information nor for contingencies arising therefrom. If you are inexperienced in any aspect of woodworking, we would strongly counsel that you take a course of formal instruction before commencing to practice

woodworking, woodturning, woodcarving, wood, turning, AWGB, Association of Woodturners of Great Britain, woodwork, carving, carpentry, woodwares, treen, gifts, Robert Sorby, Henry Taylor, Ashley Isles, timber, forestry, bodging, gouge, skew,

lathe, bowl-turning, spindle-turning, crafts, woodcrafts, trees, Willy Vanhoutte, wivamac, Peter Hemsley, Floyd, t/f/c, wood-turning, wood-carving, wood-working, chip-carving, gallery, calendar, events, seminar, veneer, yew, maple, oak, ash, sycamore, burr, burl, plane, chisel, holz, schnitzen, schnitzer, schnitzarbeit, schnitzwerk, drechsler, drechslerarbeit, holzarbeit, holzwerk, zimmermann, holzdrechslen, drechslen, bois, ééniste, charpente, travails du bois, sculpture, sculpture sur bois, ébénisterie, tournage, tournage sur bois, hout, houtdraaien