Wednesday 25th March, 2009

Summer's outrider: flowers & buds & catkins & trees

By Ash

Male catkins swinging from a common alder (Alnus glutinosa) at Owler Carrs.

Yes, Friday and Saturday were real stunners. It seemed as though summer was already upon us, even though the trees were still bare. Signs of spring were all about. Catkins still dangled from alders in droves, although most hazel catkins are now past their best; and immature catkins – probably male - were protruding stiffly from the ends of birch twigs. Sycamores (Acer pseudoplatanus) are on the verge of flushing, and I saw evidence that rowans and birches are to soon follow suit. A single larch was already sprouting bright green needles; other larches, while not yet flushing, bristled with small but beautiful flowers.

The photographs in this post were all taken on Saturday in the Ewden Valley as I walked down one side and up the other – then later on back the same way.

Two pines at the bottom of a hill. I’ve seen old maps from 1893, 1903, and 1905 that show this patch was then within the bounds of a coniferous wood. A map from 1855 shows the wood not yet in existence, and a “revision of 1929 with additions in 1938 & 1948” map shows the wood to have been much reduced in size. The wood survives today in a further reduced state, mainly to the left of this shot…

...here: a very open wood consisting primarily of stunted pines and larches. I wonder if the wood was planted as a means of sheltering Whitwell Moor, lying to the north, which in those days was grouse shooting territory.

A cluster of willowy trees growing around a spring. Are they willows? Dunno. I currently have little confidence identifying willows, but I want to change that. For the present… are these developing goat willow (a.k.a. pussy willow a.k.a. sallow - Salix caprea) catkins? Any help in the comments would be greatly appreciated!

More male common alder catkins. On the twigs just above where the male catkins are attached, immature, dark purpley-brown female ‘cones’ (technically catkins) are developing. My apologies for their being out of focus in this photo.

An unfurling rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) leaf. It’ll be up and photosynthesising in no time at all, sir.

Here are a couple of past-their-best, dead-looking male hazel (Corylus avellana) catkins. It feels as if treeblog has gone a bit crazy on the alder and hazel catkins lately. That’s a good thing.

So, you’ve seen the male parts of a hazel. In the interests of balance, how about a peek at the female parts? I’ve noticed that there are barely any of these female flowers on each plant, and I’ve read that hazel’s fertility in many parts of Britain is already compromised by grey squirrels eating the hazelnuts that these flowers develop into. It’s a wonder there are any new hazels growing at all.

Aaaah, larch flowers (probably European larch, Larix decidua). The above photo shows a bird’s nest-like male flower (left) and a beautiful, rose-like female flower (right). On the subject of L. decidua flowers, Forestry Commission Booklet No. 15, Know Your Conifers, by Herbert L. Edlin (published by HMSO in 1970) has this to say:

The male flowers, borne in spring just as the delicate needles open, are clusters of golden anthers. The female flowers, often called “larch roses”, are pretty flower-like clusters of scales, and may be green, white, or deep pink in colour. They ripen within one year to rather cylindrical cones. These cones only slowly expand their scales, and when the forester wishes to extract larch seed he has to break them apart.

And back to where it all began. The two pines from this post’s second photo join the background of this late afternoon sun-bathed pine scene.

This post lives on in March 31st's Goat willow and larch roses: a reprise.

* * * * *

Set C update – Day 14 (today): No sign of germination yet.

tags: common alder + flowers + hazel + info + larch + photos + pine + rowan + spring + willow

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7 comments for Summer's outrider: flowers & buds & catkins & trees

Dave

3 Apr 2009 02:14:44

What a great post. Interesting research on the old conifers as well too!

Ash

6 Apr 2009 14:31:13

Cheers Dave! I'd never really given much thought to the history of the small woods in my local area, but now I'll be delving into all their pasts!

Ash

6 Apr 2009 14:33:37

old-maps.co.uk and cassinimaps.co.uk have old British maps to buy in paper or electronic format

Reece

16 May 2009 13:30:44

the suspected willow tree in the post is a willow. the buds are made up of a single scale. it could be a goat willow or a grey willow, because the twigs are greyish. something you should look into.

Ash

17 May 2009 16:27:16

Reece - I've since IDed the willows as goat willow. The catkin photos in this post are from the same group of trees: http://www.treeblog.co.uk/viewpost.php?id=244

Daniel

12 Jun 2009 13:12:35

I have planted a Corylus Avellana in my garden in April in moist weel drained siol. It took very well producing many leaf buds. The leaves however have come out all curled and shrivelled and are now turning brown. Any ideas what the problem is.

Ash

15 Jun 2009 20:26:15

Daniel - I'm sorry but I can't help you there. A gardening forum might be able to help.

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