Cone-like infructescences are usually associated with conifers. There are a few exceptions among the deciduous trees, which also form cones. However, in some species the cones do not lignify as they do in conifers .
American Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
The fruits of the American tulip tree are cone-like aggregate fruits that are about 10 cm long. Inside are small winged seeds.
- Height: up to 35 m
- Width: up to 2 m
- Annual growth: approx. 30 – 70 cm
- Flowers: Tulip-like shape, yellow-orange, upright
- Flowering period: May – June
- Leaves: green, 4-lobed, golden yellow in autumn
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
- Soil: rich in nutrients, fresh, moderately moist
- Special features: attractive solitary tree
European hop beech (Ostrya carpinifolia)
The European hop beech can be easily recognized by the cone-shaped infructescence. The hanging infructescences also consist of rounded individual seeds up to 5 mm in size. They are also surrounded by an envelope that is bubble-like.
- Height: up to 20 cm
- Width: up to 4 m
- Annual growth: approx. 40 cm
- Flower: hanging catkins
- Flowering time: April – May
- Leaves: light green, yellow autumn color, stalked, ovate, doubly serrated
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
- Soil: rich in nutrients
- Special features: originally brought in from Asia and today partly wild and found at altitudes of up to 1300 meters.
Gray-Erle (Alnus incana)
All alder species have egg-shaped cones. They only differ in diameter and length. The alder is a deciduous tree whose cones lignify over time. The seeds themselves are small winged nuts.
- Height: up to 15 m
- Width: 4-8m
- Annual growth: up to 35 cm
- Flowers: female flowers greenish, male catkins yellow
- Flowering time: March – April
- Leaves: dark green to grey-green, elliptic, serrate, hairy underneath
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
- Soil: sandy to loamy, grows in both dry and moist soil
- Special features: suitable as a soil stabilizer on slopes
Green alder (Alnus alnobetula)
- Height: up to 6 m
- Width: 3-4m
- Annual growth: up to 20 cm
- Flowers: female flowers greenish, male catkins green-yellow
- Flowering period: April – June
- Leaves: dark green, elliptic, heavily serrate
- Location: sunny
- Soil: moist, nutritious
- Special features: pioneer plant, planted to secure embankments
Japanese alder (Alnus japonica)
- Height: up to 30 m
- Width: 6-8 m
- Annual growth: approx. 30 cm
- Flowers: female flowers greenish, male catkins green-yellow
- Flowering period: May – July
- Leaves: Shiny green, leathery, narrowly ovate, sharply pointed at the end, finely serrate
- Location: sunny
- Soil: moist to swampy
- Special features: introduced from Asia, increasingly common as a park tree or hedge
Japanese hornbeam (Carpinus japonica)
The infructescence of the Japanese hornbeam can be recognized by the fact that they look similar to hop cones. They are approx. 3 cm long, but slightly narrower than hop blossoms. In the beginning, the infructescences of this deciduous tree are still pale green, until they turn pink around August, which makes the cones very eye-catching.
- Height: up to 10 m
- Width: 5-8m
- Annual growth: approx. 20 cm
- Flowers: yellow to reddish-green, cone shape already recognizable
- Flowering time: April – May
- Leaves: dark green, tapering, sharply serrate, yellow in autumn
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
- Soil: clayey
- Special features: twigs have reddish hairs
Oregon-Erle (Alnus rubra)
- Height: up to 20 m
- Width: 6-7m
- Annual growth: approx. 30 cm
- Flowers: female flowers greenish, male catkins reddish
- Flowering period: January – February
- Leaves: dark green, ovate, roughly serrated
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
- Soil: undemanding, mineral soil is necessary for seed germination
- Special features: originally from North America, wood turns blood red after cutting, produces a lot of seeds
Oriental hornbeam (Carpinus orientalis)
- Height: up to 7 m
- Width: 3-4m
- Annual growth: approx. 30 cm
- Flower: light green catkins
- Flowering time: April – May
- Leaves: dark green, ovate, doubly toothed, golden yellow in autumn
- Location: preferably sunny
- Soil: humic, permeable, fresh
- Special features: Slightly purple bark with yellowish stripes, rather shrub-like growth, popular bonsai tree
Black alder (Alnus glutinosa)
- Height: up to 3m
- Width: 8-12 m
- Annual growth: 30 – 50 cm
- Flower: greenish
- Flowering time: March – April
- Leaves: Roundish, occasionally obovate, roughly doubly serrate
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
- Soil: undemanding, moist to wet soil preferred
- Special features: the wood turns yellow-red when cut, pioneer tree, habitat for insects and birds
