First leaf

Record first leaf when it’s fully open and recognisably the shape, if not the full size, of the adult leaf.

If you have recorded alder events before, please continue to record on the same tree.

Expected date range: late March to mid May

Available historic data: our dataset starts in 2000 

Just right

  • Photograph of alder first leaf
    (Christine Tansey/WTML)

Too early

  • (Christine Tansey/WTML)

Too late

  • Photograph of alder first leaf too late
    (Christine Tansey/WTML)