European alder tends to be light tan to reddish brown; color darkens and reddens with age. There is no visible distinction between heartwood and sapwood. Large aggregate rays appear as occasional small streaks on the face grain that can be mistaken for defects in the wood. Grain is usually straight, but can also be wild or irregular depending on the growth form of each individual tree. With a fine, even texture European alder is very easy to work with both hand and machine tools; it sands especially easy. The wood is rather soft, however, and care must be taken to avoid denting it in some applications. European alder has excellent gluing, staining, and finishing properties; it also turns well and behaves similar to Black Cherry.