Alder buckthorn
Shrub of damp woodland edges; its small greenish flowers open continuously from May to July, giving a long, steady nectar supply.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 2-6 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Alder buckthorn is a shrub growing on moist, acidic soils, at forest edges, around wetlands and in peat bogs. Its flowers are small and inconspicuous, but their open nectar discs secrete plenty of nectar that bees can reach easily. In central Europe and Russia it is known as one of the most reliable early summer bee plants.
Flowering
It keeps opening flowers a few at a time from late May to July, sometimes into August; flowers, green fruits and ripe black fruits can be seen on the same branch. This long period fills the gaps between the major sources.
Honey and pollen
In forests where it is abundant it makes a noticeable contribution to mixed honey; in Turkey no separate alder buckthorn honey is known. Its pollen contribution is moderate.
Note for the beekeeper
Its Turkish name, meaning gunpowder tree, comes from its charcoal, which was once used to make gunpowder. The bark contains strongly laxative substances, and the berries are harmful to humans. It is invasive in North America, while in Europe and Turkey it is a native species.