Pruno-Fraxinetum comprises floodplain forests dominated by Alnus glutinosa or Fraxinus excelsior, with a well-developed shrub layer of Prunus padus subsp. padus and other species. Herb layer comprises nutrient-demanding species of shaded wet habitats or wet meadows. Species of mesic forests are rare. This association occurs in broad floodplains from the lowlands to altitudes of about 500 m. Many of the current stands originated through forest succession from abandoned wet meadows.