Choosing the best trees for agroforestry in the UK depends on what you want the trees to do.
Some trees are best for fruit. Some are excellent for livestock shade and shelter. Some provide timber, nuts, fodder, flowers for pollinators, riverbank protection, wildlife habitat or carbon storage. The best agroforestry systems usually combine several species so that the farm gains multiple benefits over time.
Agroforestry is not simply about planting trees on farmland. It is about choosing the right tree, in the right place, for the right purpose.
A tree that works beautifully in a silvopasture system in Devon may not be right for an exposed upland site in Scotland or a dry arable farm in East Anglia. Soil type, rainfall, drainage, exposure, livestock, machinery access, farm goals and long-term management all matter.
The good news is that the UK has a wide range of native and productive tree species suitable for agroforestry. A recent Forest Research and University of Reading tree species guide reviewed 33 species of trees and shrubs for UK agroforestry systems, looking at physical characteristics, environmental tolerances, silvicultural traits and ecosystem services.
This guide explores some of the best trees for UK agroforestry, what they are useful for, and how to choose species that fit your land.
A good agroforestry tree should earn its place in the farm system.
That does not always mean it has to produce a direct cash crop. A shelterbelt tree that reduces wind, protects lambs, lowers soil moisture loss and supports birds may be doing valuable work even if you never harvest fruit or timber from it.
Useful agroforestry trees may provide:
The best trees often provide several of these benefits at once.
For example, an oak may provide shelter, biodiversity, timber potential, carbon storage, shade and acorns. A willow may provide browse, biomass, streambank stabilisation and early pollinator forage. A hazel may provide nuts, coppice poles, wildlife habitat and hedgerow structure.
Agroforestry is at its best when trees are not passengers. They are working members of the farm team.
Before choosing species, ask what you want the trees to do.
Useful questions include:
A simple rule: observe existing trees in your area. If mature oak, alder, willow, hawthorn or apple trees are thriving nearby, they are telling you something about local conditions.
Also think in layers. A strong agroforestry system may include tall trees, smaller fruit trees, shrubs, hedges, ground flora and pasture. Diversity usually gives better resilience than relying on one species alone.
Fruit trees are a natural choice for many agroforestry systems, especially orchards, silvopasture, forest gardens, alley cropping and mixed smallholdings.
1. Apple
Apple trees are one of the best agroforestry trees for the UK.
They suit traditional orchards, silvopasture, poultry systems, forest gardens, market gardens and farm diversification projects.
Apples can provide:
Traditional orchards are also valuable habitats, especially when combined with meadow grassland, grazing, deadwood and hedgerows.
Apple trees need careful variety selection. Choose varieties suited to your region, soil, disease pressure and intended use. Cider apples may suit some farms, while dessert or culinary apples may suit direct sales.
Apples are especially useful where local processing or farm-gate sales are possible.
2. Pear
Pear trees can work well in sheltered agroforestry systems, orchards and mixed fruit plantings.
They can provide:
Pears generally prefer deeper, fertile, well-drained soils and a reasonably sheltered site. They may be slower to crop than apples but can become long-lived and productive.
For agroforestry, pears may be a good choice where there is a local market for fruit, perry or heritage varieties.
3. Plum, Damson and Gage
Plums, damsons and gages can be excellent for smaller agroforestry systems, orchards, hedgerow edges and farm diversification.
They provide:
Damsons are often hardy and useful in more marginal conditions than some dessert plums. They can work well in traditional orchard systems and mixed edible landscapes.
These trees can sucker, so management may be needed.
4. Cherry
Cherry trees can provide fruit, blossom, timber potential and wildlife value.
They are useful in:
Wild cherry can also be valuable for timber and biodiversity.
Sweet cherries generally need sheltered, well-drained sites and protection from birds if fruit production is the goal. Wild cherry is more useful where timber, blossom and habitat are priorities.
5. Mulberry
Mulberry is less common but can be a wonderful tree in suitable UK locations.
It provides:
Mulberries prefer warmer, sheltered sites and may not suit exposed or very cold locations. They are slow-growing but beautiful and productive once established.
In agroforestry, mulberry suits smaller systems, forest gardens, orchards and sheltered silvopasture.
Nut trees can provide high-value crops, long-term resilience and excellent wildlife benefits. They often take longer to produce than fruit trees, but they can become valuable farm assets.
6. Hazel
Hazel is one of the most useful trees or shrubs for UK agroforestry.
It can be grown in hedgerows, coppice systems, shelterbelts, forest gardens, silvopasture edges and alley systems.
Hazel provides:
Hazel coppices well, making it useful where regular cutting and regrowth are part of the system.
For nut production, choose productive cobnut or filbert varieties rather than relying only on wild hazel. Kentish cobnuts are a classic example.
Hazel is one of those quietly brilliant species that seems to have read the agroforestry job description in full.
7. Walnut
Walnut can be a high-value agroforestry tree for suitable sites.
It provides:
Walnut prefers deep, fertile, well-drained soils and relatively sheltered conditions. It dislikes waterlogging and can be sensitive to late frosts.
In silvoarable or alley cropping systems, walnut may be planted at wider spacing to allow crops or pasture between rows.
Walnut takes patience, but the potential returns from nuts and timber can be significant over the long term.
8. Sweet Chestnut
Sweet chestnut is another strong candidate for UK agroforestry, especially in warmer and more acidic soils.
It can provide:
Sweet chestnut grows best in free-draining, acidic to neutral soils and warmer parts of the UK. It is less suited to heavy, wet or highly alkaline soils.
It can be used in coppice systems, shelterbelts, forest gardens, wood pasture edges and productive tree rows.
Chestnuts are also interesting from a food resilience perspective because they are starchy nuts that can be processed into flour.
9. Almond
Almond is more experimental in the UK but may become more relevant in warmer and sheltered areas as climates shift.
It needs:
Almond is not a universal UK agroforestry tree, but it may be worth considering on sheltered sites in southern England or within experimental mixed systems.
For most farms, hazel, walnut and sweet chestnut are safer nut tree choices.
Silvopasture combines trees, pasture and grazing animals. Tree choice matters because livestock can damage young trees, and some trees are more useful for shade, fodder or shelter.
10. Oak
Oak is one of the most valuable native trees for UK agroforestry.
It provides:
Oak is especially valuable for biodiversity. It supports a huge range of associated species, making it one of the best trees for ecological resilience.
In silvopasture, oak can become a magnificent long-term shade tree. It is also suitable for hedgerow standards, wood pasture, parkland and field trees.
Oak is slow-growing compared with some species, so it is a long-term investment. Plant it for the next generation as much as for this one.
Very annoying of oak to think in centuries, but honestly, admirable.
11. Willow
Willow is highly useful in agroforestry, especially on wetter sites.
It can provide:
Willow grows quickly and coppices well. It is especially useful in riparian buffers, wet field corners, fodder systems and biomass plantings.
Some livestock browse willow readily. It can be used as part of tree fodder systems, although management is needed to allow regrowth.
Willow is not suitable for every location because it likes moisture and can be vigorous. But in the right place, it is a brilliant working tree.
12. Poplar
Poplar is fast-growing and useful in some agroforestry systems.
It can provide:
Poplars can work in silvopasture, shelterbelts, riparian areas and biomass systems.
They grow quickly, which can be useful where shade and shelter are needed sooner. However, they need careful siting because they can become large and may have strong water demands.
Hybrid poplars may be productive but less valuable for biodiversity than native or mixed broadleaf planting, so they are best used as part of diverse systems rather than alone.
13. Alder
Alder is excellent for damp soils, riparian buffers and wet agroforestry sites.
It provides:
Alder is one of the few UK native trees associated with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, making it valuable in certain soil-building systems.
It is especially useful near streams, wet field edges and low-lying areas where other trees may struggle.
Alder is not ideal for dry, thin soils but is a very good choice where water is part of the design.
14. Field Maple
Field maple is a useful native tree for hedgerows, shelterbelts, silvopasture and mixed agroforestry planting.
It provides:
It is smaller than oak or beech, which makes it useful where space is limited.
Field maple works well as part of mixed native shelterbelts and hedgerow systems.
15. Lime
Lime trees can be excellent in silvopasture, woodland pasture, shelter systems and tree fodder systems.
They provide:
Small-leaved lime is native to parts of the UK and has strong biodiversity value.
Lime can be pollarded or managed for leafy fodder, though this requires knowledge and labour. It is a strong choice where livestock shade, pollinators and long-term resilience are priorities.
Hedgerows and shelterbelts are among the easiest and most valuable forms of agroforestry to introduce.
They protect livestock, reduce wind, support pollinators, connect habitats and provide food for birds and insects.
16. Hawthorn
Hawthorn is one of the best hedgerow species in the UK.
It provides:
Hawthorn is tough, adaptable and widely used. It is a backbone species for mixed native hedges.
17. Blackthorn
Blackthorn is another excellent hedgerow shrub.
It provides:
Blackthorn can sucker and spread, which is useful in some places and annoying in others. Manage it carefully.
It works best as part of a mixed hedge rather than planted alone across large areas.
18. Elder
Elder is fast-growing and wildlife-friendly.
It provides:
Elderflowers and elderberries can also support small farm products such as syrups, wines, cordials or preserves.
Elder is not as long-lived or structural as hawthorn or field maple, but it is a valuable addition to diverse hedges.
19. Crab Apple
Crab apple is a brilliant small tree for hedgerows, orchards, shelterbelts and wildlife plantings.
It provides:
Crab apples are especially useful near apple orchards because they can support pollination.
20. Rowan
Rowan is useful in upland, exposed and wildlife-focused plantings.
It provides:
Rowan is not a major timber or fodder tree, but it is excellent for biodiversity and visual diversity.
21. Holly
Holly is valuable in hedgerows and shelter systems.
It provides:
Because holly is evergreen, it can improve winter shelter in mixed hedges.
It grows slowly but is tough and valuable.
Riparian buffers are strips of trees and vegetation along streams, rivers, ponds, wetlands and ditches. They help filter runoff, stabilise banks and support wildlife.
22. Alder
Alder deserves another mention here because it is one of the best riparian trees.
It tolerates wet soils, stabilises banks and supports wildlife. Its nitrogen-fixing ability can also help soil development.
23. Willow
Willow is excellent for stream edges, wet corners, ponds and drainage lines.
It roots easily and grows quickly, making it useful for erosion control and habitat creation.
24. Aspen
Aspen can be valuable in wetter or cooler sites and supports a range of wildlife.
It provides:
Aspen can spread by suckers, so it needs space and appropriate siting.
25. Downy Birch
Downy birch is useful on damp, acidic and poorer soils.
It provides:
Birch is relatively short-lived compared with oak, but it establishes quickly and can help create early shelter and soil development.
The Soil Association’s agroforestry trial work has included native species such as oak, downy birch, aspen, alder and willow, chosen for livestock nutrition and their ability to thrive in the trial environment.
If timber is a key agroforestry goal, tree choice and management become especially important. Timber trees need good form, spacing, pruning and long-term planning.
26. Oak
Oak is a premium native timber tree with excellent biodiversity value. It is slow, but valuable.
27. Walnut
Walnut can provide high-value timber and nuts on suitable sites.
28. Wild Cherry
Wild cherry can produce attractive timber and supports pollinators with spring blossom.
29. Sweet Chestnut
Sweet chestnut can provide durable timber and coppice products, especially in suitable soils and warmer regions.
30. Sycamore
Sycamore is sometimes controversial because it is non-native, but it can be useful for timber, shelter and exposed sites. It tolerates wind and salt better than many broadleaves.
It should be used thoughtfully and not planted where nature conservation goals favour native woodland communities.
Some trees are useful but need caution.
Ash
Ash has historically been one of the UK’s most important native trees, especially in hedgerows, wood pasture and traditional landscapes. However, ash dieback is now widespread in the UK. The Forestry Commission’s current guidance explains how landowners should identify and manage ash dieback, and Forest Research describes it as a serious disease affecting ash trees.
Ash may still regenerate naturally in some areas, and there is ongoing interest in trees showing tolerance. But planting ash widely is generally not the straightforward choice it once was.
Beech
Beech is beautiful and valuable, but it can cast dense shade and may struggle with drought on some sites. It is better suited to certain soils and climates than others.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus grows quickly and can produce biomass, but it is not native, may offer lower biodiversity value, and can be controversial in UK landscapes. Use with caution and only where it fits clear goals.
Leylandii and dense conifer belts
Fast-growing conifers can provide shelter, but dense, single-species belts may offer limited biodiversity and can create shading or landscape issues. Mixed shelterbelts are usually better.
Trees for different Agroforestry systems.
Best trees for silvopasture
Good choices include:
For livestock systems, think about shade, shelter, browse, tree protection and animal safety.
Best trees for silvoarable and alley cropping
Good choices include:
Choose species that fit machinery widths, crop light needs and long-term harvesting plans.
Best trees for shelterbelts
Good choices include:
Mixed species shelterbelts are usually more resilient than single-species lines.
Best trees for riparian buffers
Good choices include:
Use species suited to wet soils and bank stabilisation.
Best trees for forest gardens
Good choices include:
Forest gardens work best with layers: canopy, small trees, shrubs, climbers, herbs and groundcover.
Native trees are usually best for biodiversity because they have long-standing relationships with local insects, fungi, birds and other wildlife.
Good native choices include:
However, productive non-native or long-established species can also have a place in agroforestry, especially where food production is a goal.
Examples include:
The best approach is usually a thoughtful mix: native species for ecological function and productive species for farm yield.
Avoid creating monocultures. Diversity improves resilience to pests, disease and climate stress. The Woodland Trust also provides a tree species handbook to help with species selection for woodland creation, including profiles of 50 tree and shrub species and woodland communities.
Start with a clear design: Know whether your trees are for fruit, timber, fodder, shelter, biodiversity, water management or several functions at once.
Match trees to soil and site: Do not plant wet-loving species on dry ridges or drought-sensitive trees on exposed shallow soils.
Protect young trees: Livestock, deer, rabbits and voles can destroy young trees quickly. Use guards, fencing or tree shelters where needed.
Plan around machinery: In arable and silvoarable systems, tree rows must work with tractors, drills, sprayers, harvesters and turning areas.
Think about shade: Shade can be helpful for livestock but problematic for some crops. Consider tree orientation, spacing and mature canopy size.
Use mixed species: Mixed planting reduces risk and increases biodiversity.
Plan long-term management: Trees need pruning, coppicing, pollarding, thinning, harvesting or replacement. Planting is only the beginning.
Source carefully: Use healthy, suitable planting stock from reputable nurseries. Consider local provenance where biodiversity and adaptation are priorities.
Check grants and rules: UK agroforestry grants and schemes change, so always check current guidance before planting. GOV.UK’s agroforestry guide points farmers toward the UK agroforestry tree species guide and wider agroforestry resources.
A mixed silvopasture system might include:
This kind of diversity spreads risk and creates many different benefits.
Some trees are quick. Some are slow. Some feed livestock. Some feed insects. Some shelter animals. Some produce food. Some are mainly for the future.
That is the beauty of agroforestry: the system matures in layers over time.
The best trees for agroforestry in the UK are the trees that fit your land, climate, livestock, crops, machinery and long-term goals.
For fruit, apples, pears, plums, cherries and mulberries can be excellent. For nuts, hazel, walnut and sweet chestnut are strong options. For silvopasture, oak, willow, alder, lime, field maple and fruit trees can all play useful roles. For hedgerows and shelterbelts, hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, field maple, holly, elder and crab apple are hard to beat. For riparian buffers and wet areas, alder and willow are standout species.
But there is no single perfect agroforestry tree.
A resilient agroforestry system is usually mixed, site-specific and designed around function.
Plant for food. Plant for shelter. Plant for soil. Plant for water. Plant for wildlife. Plant for the next generation.
Because in agroforestry, trees are not just decorations in a field.
They are infrastructure, habitat, fertility, shade, income, resilience and legacy — all quietly growing rings while the rest of us rush about.
Agroforestry combines trees with crops or livestock – Soil Association –
Expanding Agroforestry: A Tree Species Guide for Agroforestry in the UK – Forest Research –
Tree Species Handbook – Woodland Trust –
Tree Species Guide for UK Agroforestry Systems – Forest Research –
