1.  Early May.  Alder cone from previous
year.

2.  Early May.  Male catkin which formed
in mid-summer of previous year, see
photo 10.  Bud at top is probably a
female catkin bud.

3.  Late May.  Cones from preceding year.
Male catkins.  Female catkins emerging from
buds and leaf buds just opening.

4.  Late May.  Male catkin beginning to
bloom with young leaves emerging
from buds.

5.  Late May.  Young leaves emerging
from buds.

6. Late May.  Male catkins in bloom
with female catkins and leaves emerging
from upper bud and young leaves
emerging from lower bud.

7. Late May.  Close-up of 6.

8.  Late May.  Large group of blooming
male catkins.

9.  Alder shrub with blooming male
catkins.

10.  Late July.  See right for full description.

Photo 10.

Fully-leaved alder shrub with cones
from last year and new developing cones
from this year.

Also visible are green male
catkins which will bloom the following
year and the remains of a male catkin
which bloomed this year.

Leaves and female structures are on
petioles while male parts are attached
directly to stems.

Also there is a rolled leaf at the upper
left of the photo.

11.  Mid-September.  Male catkins, now brown.
which will bloom in the spring.  Also a black bud
which will develop into female catkins and leaves
in the spring.

12.  Mid-September.  Leaves in fall color.

13.  Mid-September.  Another leaf which
began decomposing before yellow
color could be seen.

Photos 1-13 were taken of shrubs along
roads.

Photos 14-17 were taken in early September
of plants in the deep woods.

The plants in wooded areas often grow to
considerable size.  The vertical trunk in
15 had a diameter of approximately 6 inches.

Groups of alders usually do not have
vertical trunks. This is seen in photo 14.
Sometimes the trunks are almost
horizontal for several feet before tending to
become vertical.

Also the leaves in the deep woods tend to
begin decomposition before the fall color
can develop as seen in photo 17.

14. 

15. 

16. 

17.