Research and analysis

Tree supply report, data analysis and appendix

Published 27 April 2026

1. Considerations and limitations

Production data was collected between September 2025 and January 2026 from some of the largest 16 private forest nurseries in England, Scotland, and Wales, as well as the 2 public nurseries in England and Scotland. 4 nurseries had not supplied their most recent data at the time of analysis; therefore, previous production figures were used in these cases. We estimate that these 18 nurseries grow over 90% of the saplings used in forest and woodland planting in UK. 

We have left the figures of Christmas trees, hedging species and native shrubs as stated by the producers. It should be noted however that the report targeted nurseries which produce forest and woodland trees, therefore this report does not aim to be representative of the production of Christmas trees, hedging species or native shrubs. Amenity and urban planting are likewise outside of the scope of this report, although we cannot exclude some overlap.   

Nurseries were asked to provide the species and quantities of trees expected to be ready for sale in the 2025/26 season. As such, the dataset is based on sample extrapolations and predicted figures, rather than verified counts or sales data. It also does not consider seedlings and saplings currently in production, but too small for the forestry market. Where nurseries did not provide their most recent figures, their previous year’s data was used for analysis.  

Nurseries also reported a total of 554,000 imported trees for inclusion in this study. The true number of imports is likely higher, as many saplings are imported after the period during which data were collected. Despite this, imports and exports of forestry saplings are considered marginal and have therefore been excluded from further analysis.

This report aims to illustrate the overall production of saplings for woodland and forestry planting in the 2025/26 season in the United Kingdom. Unless otherwise stated, ‘tree’ and ‘sapling’ are used interchangeably and refer to stock destined to woodland and forestry.   

The given figures represent overall saleable tree production in 2025/26, but do not intend to represent availability for sale, nor market demand.  

The complete species dataset used for analysis can be found in the Appendix.

2. Number of trees produced

Figure 1: Number of saplings grown for sale in season 2025/26 (dark yellow), compared to previous years (lighter yellow).

The nurseries surveyed reported a combined total production of 139.2 million saplings for the 2025/2026 season, representing a 14% decrease compared with the previous year (Figure 1). This reduction is likely associated with the decline in Scottish woodland creation funding during the preceding year, which prompted nurseries to adjust their production in anticipation of reduced market demand. 

This figure does not include production estimates for nurseries that did not participate in the survey. There is also uncertainty regarding the final output of one of the largest nurseries in the dataset. The nursery entered administration and subsequently changed ownership during a peak operational period. At the point of writing, its final production for the season remains unclear.

3. Number of species produced

Figure 2: Number of tree and shrub species grown at the 18 nurseries surveyed.

The nurseries surveyed have produced a total of 116 species, which is lower than previously recorded (Figure 2). A complete list of all the species can be found in the Appendix. Because this total includes several species grown in small quantities, simple species counts provide limited insight into the practical diversity available to the forestry sector. It can therefore be useful to consider an alternative metric that captures both variety and abundance.

Figure 3 illustrates the number of species grown in high volumes, specifically those exceeding 500,000 and 1,000,000 saplings. These categories give a more accurate indication of species availability for largescale woodland and forestry projects. The data indicates that the availability of high volume species has remained broadly consistent across survey years.

Figure 3: Species with more than 1 million (green) and 500,000 (yellow) saplings produced, from 2023 to 2026.

4. Method of growing

The increase in cell-grown production observed last season has not continued in 2025/26. Cell-grown saplings account for 31% of total production (Figure 4), compared with 34% in the previous year. This figure is still higher than the previous two years (27% and 24% respectively). The proportion of bareroot stock has therefore increased slightly.

Figure 4: Breakdown of saplings by growing method in the nurseries surveyed.

5. Broadleaved and conifers

Figure 5: Pie and ring chart illustrating the proportion of broadleaves (light green) and conifers (dark green) within total nursery production. The inner pie chart presents the total number of trees produced in each group, while the outer ring chart indicates the number of species represented within each group.

A total of 90 million conifer saplings were produced in 2025/26, representing 64.6% of total output (Figure 5). The number of conifer species grown has remained stable over the last four years, ranging between 41 and 43 species. In contrast, nurseries have reduced the number of broadleaf species produced from 91 in 2023 to 78 in 2026. Some broadleaf species removed from production this year include green alder and several Eucalyptus species (E. gunnii, E. nitens and E. glaucescens). 

This reduction reflects a shift by nurseries towards lower risk production strategies. Species with inconsistent or low customer demand are being phased out in favour of those with predictable sales. This trend highlights the importance of early communication between customers and nurseries, particularly when demand exists for less commonly produced species.

Figure 6: Stacked area chart showing percentage of broadleaves (light green) and conifer (dark green) sapling production 2023 to 2026.

The ratio of broadleaf to conifer saplings has continued to rise throughout the survey period. This trend aligns with broader patterns in woodland creation, including increases in native broadleaf planting in England (Figure 6). An overview of annual changes within the most commonly produced species is provided in Figure 11 to 13.

6. Nurseries and species

Figure 7: Broadleaves as a percentage of the total production of each nursery. Each circle represents a nursery surveyed.

Figure 7 (left) shows broadleaf production as a percentage of total output at each nursery. The mean proportion is 55%, which is one percentage point higher than the previous season. These percentages do not account for nursery size, as larger nurseries tend to focus on conifer production. 

Despite the overall reduction in the total number of species grown, the minimum number of species produced at each nursery has increased. Figure 7 (right) shows the minimum has risen from 4-5 species in previous years to 14 species in 2026. The average number of species grown per nursery remains similar to previous years.

7. Top species produced

Despite a substantial reduction in overall conifer production, Sitka spruce comfortably remains the predominant species in UK sapling production, with 59.5 million plants grown. It is followed by Scots pine at 10.6 million and hawthorn and downy birch shortly behind (Figure 8). Productive conifers Norway spruce and Douglas fir, at 6.6 and 5.8 million trees respectively, are the next most commonly produced species. Changes in production volumes for the leading species are presented in Figures  11 and 12.

Figure 8: Top 10 species grown in UK. The measurement bar for Picea sitchensis has been faded for ease of interpretation. Scots pine includes both native provenances as well as improved material. Dark green coloured bars denote coniferous trees, while lighter green represents broadleaves.

Figure 9: Top species grown in UK- continued (n11-30). The unit of measurement has changed from M trees in the previous graph, to thousand (K) trees. Dark green coloured bars denote conifer species, and light green broadleaf species.

Figure 10: Top species grown in UK -continued (n31-50). Dark green coloured bars denote conifer species, and light green broadleaf species.

8. Species change from previous year

Figure 11: Change in production of Sitka spruce from 2023 to 2026 at the nurseries surveyed.

Figure 12: Change in production of the other most commonly produced species from 2023 to 2026.

Figures 11 and 12 show a marked decrease in Sitka spruce and Scots pine nursery production compared to the previous years. As discussed earlier, this can be attributed to the decreased planting in Scotland, where productive conifers are the prevalent stock used in forestry.

Figure 13: Line chart showing the total amount of saplings which are defined as 'principal' and 'secondary' species in Forest Research's Tree Species Database. Native trees species have not been included. A secondary axis has been used for the secondary species to allow a clearer visualisation of the production trends.

Figure 13 shows production trends for non-native species grouped according to Forest Research categories. Principal tree species have well-established silvicultural characteristics across Britain. This group includes Sitka spruce, lodgepole pine, noble fir, Populus species and sycamore.

Secondary tree species have shown positive performance in trial plots, but gaps in silvicultural knowledge or limited operational experience restrict wider deployment at this point. Species in this category include coast redwood, Eucalyptus species, Japanese cedar and walnut.

9. Overview of tree supply trends

Across the survey period, nurseries have adjusted production in response to policy changes, market expectations and operational risk. We can identify 3 trends in the figures: 

1. Total production has decreased relative to previous years, reflecting reduced planting expectations in Scotland. Conifer production has been particularly affected. 
2. The number of species grown has fallen, with nurseries withdrawing low volume and higher risk species. However, the minimum number of species grown per nursery has increased, suggesting a shift towards broader but more predictable portfolios. 
3. The steady increase in broadleaf proportions aligns with national trends that promote native broadleaf woodland expansion. Despite fluctuating species diversity, broadleaf production as a share of total output has increased each year.

10. Appendix

Table 1: All tree and shrub species grown for 2025-26 season, as reported by the nurseries surveyed, and rounded to the nearest hundred in alphabetical order.

Group	Scientific name	Common name	N. of trees
CF	Abies alba	Silver fir	282,500
CF	Abies amabilis	Pacific silver fir	145,900
CF	Abies balsamea	Balsam blue fir	900
CF	Abies concolor	White fir	6,000
CF	Abies fraseri	Fraser fir	129,100
CF	Abies grandis	Grand fir	330,600
CF	Abies nobilis	Noble fir	531,600
CF	Abies nordmanniana	Nordmann fir	853,700
CF	Abies procera	Noble (red) fir	76,600
BL	Acer campestre	Field maple	1,200,100
BL	Acer platanoides	Norway maple	139,200
BL	Acer pseudoplatanus	Sycamore	869,300
BL	Aesculus hippocastanum	Horse chestnut	2,800
BL	Alnus cordata	Italian alder	134,500
BL	Alnus glutinosa	Common alder	3,512,000
BL	Alnus incana	Grey alder	58,400
BL	Alnus rubra	Red alder	53,800
CF	Araucaria araucana	Monkey puzzle tree	100
BL	Betula nana	Dwarf birch	126,200
BL	Betula pendula	Silver birch	4,145,500
BL	Betula pubescens	Downy birch	7,911,400
BL	Carpinus betulus	Hornbeam	816,500
BL	Castanea sativa	Sweet chestnut	249,900
CF	Cedrus atlantica	Atlas cedar	102,800
CF	Cedrus deodara	Deodar cedar	1,100
CF	Cedrus libani	Lebanon cedar	30,000
CF	Chamaecyparis lawsoniana	Lawson’s cypress	68,700
BL	Cornus alba	Siberian dogwood	22,600
BL	Cornus sanguinea	Common dogwood	356,500
BL	Corylus avellana	Hazel	1,894,000
BL	Crataegus laevigata	Midland hawthorn	2,000
BL	Crataegus monogyna	Hawthorn	8,174,400
CF	Cryptomeria japonica	Japanese cedar	334,100
BL	Eucalyptus dalrympleana	Mountain gum	3,000
BL	Euonymus europaeus	European spindle	72,400
BL	Fagus orientalis	Oriental beech	2,000
BL	Fagus sylvatica	Beech	1,366,600
CF	Ginkgo biloba	Ginkgo	200
BL	Hippophae rhamnoides	Seaberry	4,600
BL	Ilex aquifolium	Common holly	260,200
BL	Juglans nigra	Black walnut	18,400
BL	Juglans regia	English walnut	40,000
CF	Juniperus communis	Juniper	102,400
CF	Larix decidua	European larch	314,800
CF	Larix eurolepis	Hybrid larch	67,500
CF	Larix laricina	Tamarack	11,000
BL	Malus sylvestris	Crab apple	501,900
CF	Metasequoia glyptostroboides	Dawn redwood	70,100
CF	Picea abies	Norway spruce	6,561,100
CF	Picea lutzii	Lutz spruce	1,000
CF	Picea omorika	Serbian spruce	116,600
CF	Picea orientalis	Oriental spruce	31,600
CF	Picea pungens glauca	Colorado blue spruce	31,600
CF	Picea sitchensis	Sitka spruce	59,497,900
CF	Pinus contorta	Lodgepole pine	1,903,600
CF	Pinus nigra maritima	Corsican pine	80,500
CF	Pinus nigra nigra	Austrian pine	17,400
CF	Pinus peuce	Macedonian pine	273,900
CF	Pinus pinaster	Maritime pine	100,300
CF	Pinus radiata	Monterey pine	55,400
CF	Pinus strobus	Eastern white pine	23,000
CF	Pinus sylvestris	Scots pine	10,645,100
CF	Pinus taeda	Loblolly pine	20,000
BL	Populus Hybrid	Hybrid poplar	31,000
BL	Populus nigra	Black poplar	40,000
BL	Populus tremula	Aspen	1,677,000
BL	Prunus avium	Wild cherry	1,242,300
BL	Prunus cerasifera	Cherry plum	22,000
BL	Prunus domestica	Plum	1,000
BL	Prunus institia	Damson plum	1,000
BL	Prunus lusitanica	Portoguese laurel	17,500
BL	Prunus padus	Bird cherry	314,500
BL	Prunus spinosa	Blackthorn	1,946,300
CF	Pseudotsuga menziesii	Douglas fir	5,756,900
BL	Pyrus communis	Common pear	50,000
BL	Quercus cerris	Turkey oak	4,300
BL	Quercus ilex	Holm oak	17,400
BL	Quercus petraea	Sessile oak	2,455,500
BL	Quercus robur	Pedunculate oak	2,586,100
BL	Quercus rubra	Red oak	183,300
BL	Rhamnus cathartica	Purging buckthorn	58,900
BL	Rhamnus frangula	Alder buckthorn	72,000
BL	Robinia pseudoacacia	Black locust	3,300
BL	Rosa arvensis	Field rose	5,100
BL	Rosa caesia	Northern dog-rose	38,100
BL	Rosa canina	Dog rose	289,800
BL	Rosa rubiginosa	Sweet briar rose	5,000
BL	Rosa rugosa	Red japanese rose	46,600
BL	Rosa spinosissima	Scotch rose	8,400
BL	Salix alba	White willow	30,300
BL	Salix aurita	Eared willow	562,600
BL	Salix caprea	Goat willow	1,019,400
BL	Salix cinerea	Grey willow	908,100
BL	Salix fragilis	Crack willow	29,000
BL	Salix lapponum	Downy willow	70,000
BL	Salix myrsinifolia	Dark-leaved willow	50,000
BL	Salix pentandra	Bay willow	30,300
BL	Salix purpurea	Purple willow	2,000
BL	Salix repens	Creeping willow	35,000
BL	Salix viminalis	Osier willow	13,100
BL	Sambucus nigra	Elder	143,600
BL	Scandosorbus intermedia	Swedish whitebeam	43,100
CF	Sequoia sempervirens	Coast redwood	51,800
CF	Sequoiadendron giganteum	Giant redwood	20,100
BL	Sorbus aria	Common whitebeam	93,200
BL	Sorbus aucuparia	Rowan	2,470,000
BL	Sorbus torminalis	Wild service tree	82,900
CF	Taxus baccata	Yew	97,600
CF	Thuja plicata	Western red cedar	997,400
BL	Tilia cordata	Small-leaved lime	325,800
BL	Tilia platyphyllos	Large-leaved lime	24,500
CF	Tsuga heterophylla	Western hemlock	189,300
BL	Ulex europaeus	Gorse	57,000
BL	Ulmus glabra	Wych elm	58,200
BL	Viburnum lantana	Wayfaring tree	40,900
BL	Viburnum opulus	Guelder rose	69,800