Alnus glutinosa aka Alder

Alnus glutinosa, also known as the common alder, black alder, European alder, or European black alder, is a deciduous tree in the family Betulaceae. Native to Europe, southwest Asia, and northern Africa, it thrives in wet locations and can grow in poor quality soils due to its association with the bacterium Frankia alni. This medium-sized tree can reach heights of up to 30 meters (98 feet) and has short-stalked rounded leaves. It produces separate male and female flowers in the form of catkins, and its small, cone-like fruits are dispersed by wind and water. The common alder plays an important role in providing food and shelter for wildlife, with various insects, lichens, and fungi relying on the tree for survival. It is a pioneer species, often colonizing vacant land and forming mixed forests as other trees follow in its wake. However, it eventually dies out of woodlands as the seedlings require more light than is available on the forest floor. Its preferred habitats include forest edges, swamps, and riverside corridors. The timber of the common alder has been used in underwater foundations, paper and fiberboard manufacturing, smoking foods, joinery, turnery, and carving. Additionally, the tree has been utilized in ethnobotany for its folk remedies for various ailments. Research has even shown that extracts from the seeds possess antibacterial properties. When young, the common alder is broadly conical in shape and can reach a height of 25 meters. Its grey-purple buds and young catkins are noticeable during the winter months, and it features rounded, bright green leaves. In North America, where it has naturalized in many areas, it is commonly called black alder. It can grow as a single trunk tree, reaching heights of 40-60 feet in cultivation, or as a multi-trunked tree with a smaller, spreading form. The leaves are obovate to rounded, glossy dark green, and have doubly toothed margins. The tree produces drooping male catkins in the fall, which persist through winter, and small, rounded female catkins in late winter to early spring. These female catkins develop into woody cones with winged seeds. The bark of the black alder is dark brown with warty striping, lending to its common name. Overall, Alnus glutinosa is a versatile and ecologically important tree, providing numerous benefits to wildlife and humans alike.