21 August 2020
Quiz: Are you a tree genius?
Take our quiz to test your tree knowledge.
Across our gardens at Kew and Wakehurst we have an incredible and unique collection of trees, from the rare and ancient to the beautiful and big.
Think you're a tree expert? Do you know your oak from your ash?
Have a go at these 15 fun questions all about trees and find the answers at the bottom of the page. Good luck!
1. Name the tree in the pictures below.
A. Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)
B. Common beech (Fagus sylvatica)
C. Japanese cherry (Prunus serrulata)
D. Monkey puzzle (Araucaria araucana)
2. What is the tallest tree in the world?
A. English oak (Quercus robur)
B. Sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana)
C. Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
D. Coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
3. Which plant family does the pear tree (Pyrus communis) belong to?
A. Olive (Oleaceae)
B. Rose (Rosaceae)
C. Lily (Liliaceae)
D. Poppy (Papaveraceae)
4. What does the Latin word ‘arboretum’ mean?
A. Woodland glade
B. Ancient field
C. Group of trees near water
D. Place with trees
5. What tree do the leaves in the picture below belong to?
A. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
B. Cacao tree (Theobroma cacao)
C. Blue spruce (Picea pungens)
D. English walnut (Juglans regia)
6. Which of the following trees does NOT produce nuts?
A. Hazel
B. Hickory
C. Juniper
D. Almond
7. What is the native continent of the arabica coffee tree (Coffea arabica), which produces 65% of global coffee?
A. North America
B. Asia
C. Africa
D. South America
8. What is the common name of the tree species Fraxinus excelsior?
A. Alder
B. Black walnut
C. Rowan
D. Ash
9. What is a bonsai tree?
A. A tree growing at the centre of a traditional Japanese garden
B. A large Japanese cherry tree
C. A miniature tree in a container
D. A tree pruned into a spherical shape
10. Name the type of tree in the picture below.
A. Spruce
B. Elm
C. Oak
D. Magnolia
11. What is the native region of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera)?
A. Western United States
B. Brazil to Argentina
C. Central Malesia to South West Pacific
D. North Africa
12. What is the age of the oldest recorded maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba)?
A. 400 years old
B. 900 years old
C. 2,000 years old
D. 3,500 years old
13. What is the largest tree by volume growing at Kew?
A. Chestnut-leaved oak (Quercus castaneifolia)
B. Red maple (Acer rubrum)
C. White willow (Salix alba)
D. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)
14. What tree has earned the nickname 'tree of the dead'?
A. Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
B. Yew (Taxus baccata)
C. London plane (Platanus x hispanica)
D. Silver birch (Betula pendula)
15. What fruit does the tree Malus domestica produce?
A. Apricot
B. Apple
C. Cherry
D. Orange
Answers
1. Name the tree in the pictures below.
B. Common beech (Fagus sylvatica)
Explore our Natural Area with its beech trees
2. What is the tallest tree in the world?
D. Coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
3. Which plant family does the pear tree (Pyrus communis) belong to?
B. Rose (Rosaceae)
Discover more about the rose family
4. What does the Latin word ‘arboretum’ mean?
D. Place with trees
5. What tree do the leaves in the picture below belong to?
A. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
Take a look at our best autumn trees
6. Which of the following trees does NOT produce nuts?
C. Juniper
7. What is the native continent of the arabica coffee tree (Coffea arabica), which produces 65% of global coffee?
C. Africa
Read up on the arabica coffee tree
8. What is the common name of the tree species Fraxinus excelsior?
D. Ash
Watch our film to see how Kew is tackling ash dieback
9. What is a bonsai tree?
C. A miniature tree in a container
Find out the secrets of our Bonsai House
10. Name the type of tree in the picture below.
A. Spruce
Read about this winter favourite
11. What is the native region of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera)?
C. Central Malesia to South West Pacific
12. What is the age of the oldest recorded maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba)?
D. 3,500 years old
See what else makes the maidenhair tree so special
13. What is the largest tree by volume growing at Kew?
A. Chestnut-leaved oak (Quercus castaneifolia)
Find out fun facts about our chestnut-leaved oak
14. What tree has earned the nickname 'tree of the dead'?
B. Yew (Taxus baccata)
Get knowledgeable about the yew tree
15. What fruit does the tree Malus domestica produce?
B. Apple
Your score
Add up your score out of 15 to see if you're an expert or amateur...
11 or above: You're a tree genius!
6 to 10: You have tree-mendous talent
1 to 5: Good try but leaves room for improvement
0: You're barking up the wrong tree
Let us know how you did on Kew Gardens' Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or Wakehurst's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.