Alder Buckthorn is a deciduous tree that can grow to around 23 feet in height.
Its flowers are green and white in colour, star shaped with five petals and found from May to June. The fruit is a small black berry that turns from green to red in late summer and to purple or black in early autumn as it ripens. The flowers are important for bees while the fruit is a good food source for birds.
Its bark is used in traditional medicine and is planted for ornamental purposes.