Speckled Alder
Alnus incana
Speckled alder is a multi-stemmed wetland shrub of northern stream edges and swamps, fixing nitrogen and stabilizing banks. Its dangling catkins and tiny conelike fruit feed siskins and redpolls.
- Family
- Betulaceae
- Type
- tree
- Lifespan
- perennial
- Height
- 40–60 ft
- Spacing
- 30–50 ft apart
- Light
- sun, part shade, shade
- Soil moisture
- moist, wet
- Soil pH
- acidic, neutral
- Bloom
- March, April, May
- Bloom colors
- red, green
- Wildlife value
- songbirds, larval host
- Caterpillar hosts
- ~255 butterfly & moth species
- Landscape uses
- specimen, rain garden, erosion control
- Native states
- AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, IA, ID, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MT, ND, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY