Alder, Speckled (Alnus incana rugosa)
Jim Morefield from Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Soil type: clay, muck, loam, sand, gravel, pH 4.8-7.7
Soil moisture: wet to medium
Sun: full sun to partial sun, very shade intolerant
Natural habitat: wet, poorly drained areas, wet meadows, prairies, swamps
Tolerates: wet sites, wide range of soil types, some drought once established
Height/Spread: 5’ – 25’ tall x 15’ – 25’ wide, moderately fast growing
Bloom range: March - May, before leaf emergence
Hardiness Zone: 2 – 6
Noteworthy: An important early blooming pollen source for bees and a host plant for multiple insects eaten by birds. Fast growing, multi-stemmed, clonal thicket-forming shrub or tree with tolerance for a range of soil types.
$35 (18"-36" / 3 gallon pot)