Black alder (Alnus glutinosa)
Appearance; A tree that sheds its leaves for winter, usually growing up 25 m in height. In Poland, numerous specimens above the height are known 30, and even 40 meters. The crown is widely spread in young specimens, becomes roundly vaulted with age or has a short apex. Branches quite far and loosely set, at the bottom of the crown erect, in the upper – rather horizontally protruding,
Brown-gray bark, divided into oblong or almost square lobes. Green or light purple shoots, with prominent lenticels of orange-red color. Donuts on long stalks, oval, brown.
Long, twisted leaves 4-10 cm, broadly wedge-shaped in outline, widest in the front part of the plate, slightly sharpened or (more often) cut out, Shallow at the edges, double serrated and slightly wavy, on both sides of the z axis 5-8 nerves, where tufts of yellowish hairs grow on the underside of the leaf.
The flowers unfold before the leaves develop and are already clearly visible in the winter aspect of the trees, Monoecious tree. Initially, the purple male cats are approx 3 cm in length. they develop two or three in small groups. Females approximately in length 1-1.5 cm group into two to eight, in winter they are purple, at flowering – greenish. Fruiting female cats up to 3 cm are strongly woody and in appearance similar to small ones, long dark brown cones. Habitat: Almost all alders prefer loose or stony washed soils, periodically flooded. A pioneering genre. Occurrence: Widespread throughout Europe, especially along rivers and streams as well as in riparian forests and alders. Shallow groundwater indicator plant, The wood turns orange-yellow when cut. Flowering period; March to April. General thoughts: The alder is in a leafy state, how leafless, they are always easily recognizable by their respective inflorescences, similar to cones, which remain on the tree all year round and do not fall off long after the seeds have been scattered. No other European deciduous tree has such distinctive features. Related species:
Heart-shaped alder (Alnus cordata) it has very large heart-shaped leaves, with slightly serrated edges. Occurs in southern Italy, in Sardinia and Corsica and replaces black alder there, widespread in other parts of Europe. The term "red alder" is often used in Germany” with regard to black alder, it is misleading, because there can be confusion with the American species Alnus rubra.