The Mystery Tree

Buying a house is an adventure. Since people have (likely) lived there before, interesting moments occur when artifacts from the past surface. While our house is only 24 years old, we've unearthed plenty of relics. Digging in the yard and garden just seems to summon these things forth.

There was the baby spoon we found while digging post holes for the grape trellis. Then the thousand nails mixed with the pea gravel in the side yard. Perhaps most surprising of all was the sprinkler head hidden under the shed. No wonder the ground was always so moist over there!

These sorts of discoveries are all part of owning a house. Each holds a new mystery (Why on earth would someone leave an uncapped sprinkler under the shed?). But perhaps the most common and visible artifacts of past residents are plants.

Bulbs surrounding the Japanese Maple

Bulbs are a surprise, since they don’t advertise their presence until they sprout. I enjoy the discovery of new bulbs, as at times I have arrived home from work to find tall flowers where I had thought only weeds grew. The mint and bee balm on the north side of the house, while not a surprise, have been appreciated in twilight summer mojitos.

The hedges were put in when the home was built, and likely chosen for their hardiness and price. To the garden-oriented, such hedges are of little use and are just there for looks (until replaced with more useful plants). Meanwhile, the morning glory/bindweed is so annoying and so difficult to get rid of that whoever planted it has ensured they will never be forgotten (not to mention frequently cursed).

And then there are the trees. When we moved in, our house had four trees: three redwood trees in the back yard and one mystery tree in the front yard. The redwood trees are my favorite type of tree and shade the house and yard from the late afternoon sun.

The mystery tree in the front yard is a different beast altogether. It litters the ground during every season. It drops leaves, long pollen-powdered pods, and small crunchy pods and really just makes a mess all year round. I really detested the tree during our first year here, since it made for so much work. And I had no idea what type of tree it was. But with all the time I spent cleaning up after it, I was determined to find out.

Branches, leaves, and female catkins

I first tried using the internet to discover what kind of tree it was. I browsed a variety of websites that contained a lot of information, but none led me down the right path. Descriptions of leaves did little; I just kept reaching dead ends. After a few days, I stopped looking. Months went by, and I just kept cleaning up after the messy mystery tree.

Then, by luck, I hit upon a discovery. I was reading about wild edibles (an interest to many self reliant gardeners) and found an article on edible catkins. There, in that article, I found the exact image of the messy pollen pods on my mystery tree. They were called catkins. It was just the clue I needed, and from there I discovered my tree.

The mystery tree...

It turns out the  mystery tree is an Alder.

Once I found this out I felt ashamed. Alders are one of the best types of trees to have in the yard. First and foremost, Alder trees fix nitrogen in the soil, boosting the growth of the plants around them. This alone propels the Alder to the top tier of trees on the list of non-fruit and non-nut producers. The “mess” the tree makes is great for compost and mulch. The branches grow nice and straight, and can be used for a variety of projects around the yard, including tripods for vines and home-made stakes. The wood is commonly used in smoking meat, especially fish. Alder is a hardwood that is easy to work, and the color and grain are pleasing to look at. The male catkins can be eaten, although I've never tried (yet!).

Now I scoop up the mess of my Alder with joy. Since starting the garden I often find I have too little organic matter and the Alder litter is appreciated; besides the lawn, the Alder is my most prolific source of for compost and mulch. While I only have grass growing under the tree right now, I plan to place other, productive, plants underneath it to put its companion capabilities to use. I am happy to have an Alder tree!