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grey alder | Plant Finder | Fill My Garden

Home/Plants/Trees

Plants > Trees

grey alder

Alnus incana

Genus: Alnus
Family: Betulaceae
Common Names: American black alder, common black alder, gray alder, hoary-leaved alder, speckled alder

About this plant

A conical tree, to 20m, with dark-green leaves to 10cm long, grey-white and hairy beneath. Yellow-brown male catkins in pendent clusters of 3 or 4 are produced in late winter or early spring, before the leaves. Ovoid fruit is produced in summer

Growing Information

Height

Higher Than 12 Metres

Spread

Wider Than 8 Metres

Hardiness

Foliage

Deciduous

Growing Conditions

Sunlight

Full Sun

Soil

ClayChalkLoamSandy

AcidAlkaline

Not Currently Available

This plant is not currently stocked at any garden centres on our platform.

Neutral

Moisture

Poorly DrainedMoist But Well DrainedWell Drained

Aspect

North FacingEast FacingSouth FacingWest Facing

Exposure

ShelteredExposed

Care Guide

Cultivation

Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or part shade. Noted for its ability to thrive in poor, wet conditions but is also tolerant of dry soils

Pruning

Pruning group 1 between leaf fall and midwinter

Propagation

Propagate by seed or hardwood cuttings

Pests

May be affected by alder sucker, alder leaf beetle and leaf-mining sawflies

Diseases

Susceptible to Phytophthora

Garden Uses

Uses

Flower BordersGround CoverBanks Slopes

Season of Interest

SpringSummerAutumnWinter

Size & Characteristics

Height

Higher Than 12 Metres

Spread

Wider Than 8 Metres

Habit

Climbing

Time to Full Height

Fifty To Hundred Years