Alnus cordata Desf. Italian Alder
Native to south Italy and Corsica, cultivated in parks and gardens. Height to 15m (50ft). Male catkins extend to about 7.5-10cm (3-4in) and shed their pollen between February and April when tiny red females are produced. Fruit is 2.5cm (1in) long, much longer than other alders. The ripened cone, after shedding its seed, is shown with the flowers. The leaves have 5-6 pairs of veins, are shallowly toothed and dark glossy green with tufts of down in vein axils beneath. Bark is smooth, grey, covered with lenticels and some short vertical cracks. Z7.