Alnus serrulata
Hazel Alder
Please register or login to build your personal plant list.Hazel Alder is a fast-growing, deciduous shrub with a tendency to form thickets. It is monoecious (separate male and female flowers appear on the...
Description:
Hazel Alder is a fast-growing, deciduous shrub with a tendency to form thickets. It is monoecious (separate male and female flowers appear on the same plant). The greenish male catkins and reddish female catkins bloom March-April. The female catkins are followed by woody, cone-like structures containing the seeds; the “cones” turn a maroon color in fall and persist into winter. A variety of bird species eat the seeds. Fall foliage is yellow-orange. It prefers moist to wet soils, and is flood-tolerant. It grows naturally along stream banks and swampy areas. Alder is a nitrogen-fixing species, adding nutrients to the soil. For these reasons, Hazel Alder is planted as a pioneer species for revegetating disturbed areas along streams or ponds. It can also be used in mass plantings for erosion control or to restore wetlands.
Plant Details:
Other Common Names: Smooth Alder
Plant Type: Shrub
New Jersey Native: Yes
Bloom Times: Spring
Bloom Colors: Red, Green
Deer Resistance: Some
Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Bees and Other Pollinators, Butterflies, Birds
Salt Tolerance: Low to None
Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Physiographic Region: All Regions in NJ
Grows in Special Ecoregions: Pinelands
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type: Loam, Organic, Sandy, Clay
Soil Moisture: Moist, Wet
Soil pH: Acidic, Slightly Acidic, Neutral
Light Needs of Plant
Optimal Light: Full Sun
Light Range: Full Sun
Water Needs of Plant
Soil Moisture: Moist, Wet
Drought Tolerance: Low
Size and Growth Rate
Height: 6 - 20 ft
Spread: 6 - 20 ft
Growth Rate: Fast