Aulne maritime vs epilobe hérissé

Alnus maritima compared with Epilobium hirsutum

Key Differences

• Aulne maritime is Endangered while epilobe hérissé is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Aulne maritime	epilobe hérissé
Kingdom same	Plantae (plante)	Plantae (plante)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Fagales (Beeches & Oaks)	Myrtales (Myrtales)
Family	Betulaceae	Onagraceae
Genus	Alnus	Epilobium
Species	Alnus maritima	Epilobium hirsutum

Evolutionary Relationship

Aulne maritime and epilobe hérissé share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

Conservation Status

Aulne maritime

EN — Endangered

epilobe hérissé

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Aulne maritime	epilobe hérissé
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Aulne maritime

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, France, Netherlands, and United Kingdom. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

epilobe hérissé

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas and deserts and xeric shrublands within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Angola), Europe (7 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (Australia).

Aulne maritime

The Brook Alder (Alnus maritima) is a species in the genus Alnus. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

epilobe hérissé

Codlins and Cream (Epilobium hirsutum), also known as Great Hairy Willowherb, is a robust perennial herb in the family Onagraceae, widespread across temperate regions of Europe, Asia, and introduced populations in North America, Australia, and parts of Africa. Plants grow 60–150 centimetres tall, covered in soft, spreading hairs that give the species its common name 'hairy', and produce showy four-petalled flowers of deep rose-pink with a white centre—the namesake 'codlins and cream' referencing the pale and rosy colour combination. The species is an obligate wetland plant, colonising riversides, canal margins, fens, ditches, and marshy ground where soils remain consistently moist or waterlogged. It spreads vigorously by both wind-dispersed seeds and underground rhizomes, often forming dense monospecific stands that can outcompete native riparian vegetation and is considered invasive in some parts of North America and Australia. Ecologically, it provides important nectar and pollen resources for bumblebees, hoverflies, and other pollinators during summer. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN given its broad distribution and stable populations across its native Eurasian range. Young shoots were historically eaten in some regions, and the plant has been used in folk medicine for its astringent properties.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇷 France