Plants and their children

by Frances Theodora Parsons

ALDERS AND BIRCHES

There is another shrub or low tree growing along the brook’s edge which flowers almost as early as the willows.

This is the alder.

Perhaps you noticed last fall that these alders were hung with a quantity of little green tassels. These tassels did not fall off with the leaves in November. Through the long winter they clung to the shrub. Sometimes they wore little coats of ice which made them look like the glass ornaments on a Christmas tree.

When the warm weather came, they put off their ice coats, and grew larger and longer, and at last let out a quantity of stamens.

Fig. 199

But on the same alder tree that bears these tassels with flowers made up of stamens or dust boxes (Fig. [199], a), you find also the tassels flowers made up of pistils (Fig. [199], b).

If you make a search, you will find the little upright clusters composed of these flowers with pistils.