Bush or shrub growing up to 4 meters high, common throughout Europe in wet soils in open woods, scrublands, hedgerows and bogs; its small berries ripe from red in late summer to blue-black in early autumn.
Alder buckthorn blooms and bears fruit continuously for five months and, during this period, its flowers are valuable for bees and other pollinators while fruit is an important food source for many bird species.