Tall and slender Italian Alders (Alnus cordata) come into their own in December as they are one of the few deciduous trees to keep their leaves right through the month. They’re still green too, and won't entirely disappear until the striking male catkins appear in February.

You can recognise an Italian Alder by its heart-shaped, or cordate, leaves, and by the small seed-bearing ‘cones’ that you may find scattering the ground around it. But don’t be fooled, this tree is no conifer!