Alder

Scientific name: Alnus glutinosa

Family: Betulaceae

What3Words location: tigers.fresh.answer

Origin: native

Maximum height: 28 metres

Lives for: up to 60 years

Alder flowers are on catkins; the female catkins are oval and the male catkins are thinner. Both male and female flowers are found on the same tree, meaning alder is monoecious. In the past, the flowers were used to make a green dye that coloured the clothes of outlaws like Robin Hood. Alder is the only native deciduous tree (meaning it sheds its leaves) in Britain that has cone-like fruits.