Common (black) Alder (Alnus glutinosa), fam. Betulaceae.
   Grows in the forest, usually close to water. Flowers early, when this water is still covered with yet unmelted ice.
   The soil below the alder trees is almost always more fertile than in the neighborhoods. It is one of the few plants apart from the Fabaceae family, which is involved in symbiosis with bacteria that enrich the soil with nitrogen, and provide this valuable element fot the tree itself.
   The alder leaves are also noticeable for their feature not to become yellow in autumn. They fall green, only a little brownish. The alder wood has light, slightly orange tint, which is a standard in furniture production.
   The compound fruits, bark, and leaves of alder have astringent properties. They are used to treat inflammatory processes.

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