Alnus jorullensis aka Evergreen Alder

Alnus jorullensis, also known as Mexican alder, is an evergreen or semi-evergreen tree native to eastern and southern Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. It has a graceful form, reaching a height of up to 25m. The tree retains its leaves throughout winter and quickly replaces them with new ones in spring. The leaves are slender, with widely-spaced teeth and a strong green color. Male catkins, cream in color, appear in spring, while female woody cones develop in autumn. Alnus jorullensis can be trimmed into a hedge or pleached with a clear trunk. The tree produces monoecious flowers that are collected in catkins, formed in autumn and winter, and bloom in early spring before the leaves emerge. Male flowers are found in groups of three on widened thyroid pedicels, with a simple perianth and four stamens. Female flowers appear in pairs in the axils of fleshy scales, which become woody and form cone-like structures as the fruits ripen. The wood of alder, although not durable, has a uniform structure and a reddish color, making it suitable for crafts, joinery, and turning products. Alder wood is also used as firewood and for small underwater structures due to its longevity in water. It is valued for burning off soot in chimneys and its shavings and sawdust are used for smoking meat and fish.