Alnus incana Grey Alder

Alnus incana, Grey Alder, is native throughout mainland Europe and the Caucasus and was first recorded as an introduction in the British flora in 1920. It is widely used in reclamation schemes, e.g. on mining waste, and is often found on sites that were previously used for open cast mining and has also been planted widely in plantations, along forest roads. Good examples of this in West Glamorgan can be seen in Neath Port Talbot at Maes Gwyn near Banwen and Selar near Blaengwrach. Redpolls sometimes forage in large numbers on the mature female 'cones' in winter. The occurrence of nitrogen-fixing actinomycetes in the roots of Alder allow them to colonise nitrogen-poor substrates, which in turn become fertilised with fixed nitrogen. Grey Alder is quite distinctive, particularly when it is producing its large yellowish female 'cones'. Unlike Common Alder the pleated leaves are sharply toothed and prominently pointed at the apex. The bark of young trees has a distinctive speckled appearance (see photo) and in North America it is known as Speckled Alder.

Neophyte