Berry Bearing Alder

 Small suckering Berry Bearing Alder

Berry Bearing Alder, a smaller shrub tree than a Hawthorn, with a long flowering and fruiting season and so is good for wildlife;

These little trees are not one of the first trees to arrive on a site, in fact, they often are not present at all.  But where they are present; they spread quickly and speed up the process of reforestation, by creating a protective and tangled habitat for young big-trees to grow through. 

The pictures on this article are all ones I have planted on year 7.  The success rate is quite low.  Only about half ever take and they are prone to having their bark eaten.  This is certainly a plant that requires a big root ball.

I am pretty sure their is no immediate relation to the Common Alder, which is more similar to Birch.  This tree continually flowers and fruits throughout the growing season, even from little plants, like these.

The picture at the bottom is from around my local playing field.  Berry Bearing Alder, with Gorse and Hawthorn, just like how it grows in the wild.