Elder seedling identification, Sambucus nigra

Elder seedling identification Sambucus nigra.

Elder, Sambucus nigra identification

Elder grow quickly and can become a big weed shrub, though they do produce an abundance of fruit for the birds in autumn. The Elder rely on birds to distribute their seeds and is why the Elder are spread wide and far.

It is difficult to identify what the plant by the cotyledons and even the first pair of true leaves. You can identify the Elder when they grow the pinata leaves which grow in oppositepais consisting of two, three or four pairs of broadly egg-shaped, serrated leaflets and terminal one.

Images Copyright Neil Bromhall. www.rightplants4me.co.uk

For in interactive plant database to help with plant identification where you can select by Latin or common name, colour, height, month etc. and accompanied with 9,000 images please see www.complete-gardens.co.uk

Hazel seedling identification. Corylus avellana

Hazel seedling with roots

 

Plant identification. Hazel seedling. 

Corylus avellana. 

The first true rounded, serrated edged  leaves grow quickly 

The protective nut shell from where the Hazel germinated is still attached.

 

Hazel can be a bit of an unwanted weed shrub if the seedling is given the opportunity to take root. The seedlings are easy to pull up when small but will need digging up if the plant is more than a year or two old.

Hazel nut seedling and roots

 

Here is a time-lapse of the male hazel catkins. The small red female stigmas protrude from the bud. The pollen sticks to the ends of the stigmas and fertilises the plant.