Alnus glutinosa

• BOTANICAL NAME: Alnus glutinosa
• PRONUNCIATION: AL-nus glu-ti-NO-sa
• COMMON NAME: Common Alder, Black Alder
• FAMILY: Betulaceae
• NATIVITY: Europe, western Asia, northern Africa
• GROWTH HABIT: Pyramidal to upright oval tree growing 40'-60' tall. Often grown multistemmed.
• HARDINESS: Zone 3-7
• CULTURE: Native to moist soils where it will colonize rapidly; tolerates standing water to dry sites. Acid or slightly alkaline soils in sun to part shade. A nitrogen fixer.
• LANDSCAPE USE: Good medium tree for wet sites and naturalizing.
• FOLIAGE: Alternate, simple, 2"-4" long, broadly oval, doubly serrate.
• BUDS: Valvate buds 1/4"-1/2" long, stalked, red to red-brown. Male catkins present from fall to spring and offer a good identification feature.
• BARK: Greenish brown stems.
• FRUIT: Small winged nutlet borne in woody persistent strobile.
• PROPAGATION: Seeds, grafting of cultivars.
• PESTS: Cankers may attack stems.
• CULTIVARS:
  • 'Laciniata' - Leaves lobed and cut. Grows 50'-70' tall.
  • 'Pyramidalis' - Upright, columnar form, 40'-50' tall.