Tales from the Garden – The Alder Tree

Here at the hospice we have some lovely young trees that are starting to come into their own, one such tree is the Alder. Did you know that the Alder is monoecious, meaning that both male and female flowers are found on the same tree.

The catkins offer an early source of nectar and pollen for the bees and the seeds are loved by siskins and goldfinches so are beneficial to wildlife, also in the right conditions you will often find the bark covered in lichen which in turn is beneficial to wildlife and the ecosystem. Uses of the wood from the Alder are varied, because of it’s of and porous nature it is excellent for making charcoal and has been used in the past for making gunpowder, Alder is also the preferred wood for making clogs!’