The buds of the alder buckthorn are quite inconspicuous in winter - only to be all the more noticeable in spring. All important information about the appearance and development of the buds is summarized in this compact article!
The young leaves of the buckthorn taper to a point
Characteristics of Buckthorn Buds
Depending on the season, the buds of the alder buckthorn are more or less prominent.
Buckthorn buds in winter
In winter, when they first appear, the buds of the alder buckthorn present themselves in an egg-shaped, pointed shape. They are about five to six millimeters in size. Typical is the dense hair in a cinnamon-colored nuance or in an ocher-brown to grey-brown tone. Unlike the buckthorn, the buds of the buckthorn have no bud scales.
In short, the buckthorn buds in winter are on the one hand very small and inconspicuous, but on the other hand so special that you can easily distinguish them from the buds of related plants.
General note: The buds are alternately located on the branches.
Alder buckthorn buds in spring
In spring, when the leaves begin to form, the buds of the alder buckthorn are much more prominent. The initially folded leaves gradually unfold - in the truest sense of the word. After the completed process, the leaves have a length of about three to seven centimeters. They are broadly elliptical and mostly (still) pointed in front.
Exciting: When the leaves are unfolding, you can already see the flowers inside the buds if you look closely.
Extra: flower development
From the end of May, the small, greenish-white and extremely nectar-rich flowers appear in the leaf axils in clusters of two to ten specimens. The real alder buckthorn is a so-called growth bloomer, which constantly forms new flowers over many weeks - often even up to the end of August. In fact, it has the longest flowering period of any native tree. Accordingly, it offers an exceptionally long, reliable bee hive.