Italian alder Betulaceae Alnus cordata (Loisel.) Duby   symbol: ALCO13
	Leaf: Alternate, simple, alternate, broadly ovate, heart-shaped base, 2 to 4 inches long, finely serrate, dark green and shiny above, paler with a few scattered brown hairs below particularly in vein axils and along midrib. Flower: Monoecious; males are yellow-green elongated, catkins about 2 to 3 inches long, in hanging clusters; females are very small (1/4 inch) reddish green, upright appearing in early spring. Fruit: Cone-like, woody, 1 inch long, green but turning reddish brown when ripe, contains numerous small winged seeds, ripen in early fall and persist through the winter. Twig: Slender, olive green, slightly sticky when young, light colored lenticels; buds are stalked, green turning red and 1/4 inch long. Bark: Young bark a greenish gray with numerous lenticels, often appearing blistered; later becoming a light gray-brown with shallow fissures and flat ridges. Form: Medium sized upright tree reaching up to 60 feet tall with a narrow crown.
	USDA Plants Database Alnus cordata is planted in the highlighted USDA hardiness zones to the left and is not known to widely escape cultivaton.