Smooth Alder (Alnus serrulata)

Smooth Alder, a generous grower and a beauty, loves to form thickets in moist to wet soils. Male catkins and female flowers are among the first to bloom in spring. Female flowers form cones bearing seeds to feed birds. An excellent wildlife supporter, Alnus serrulata can host 232 species of butterflies and moths in our area.

This Adler’s native habitat is moist areas such as wetlands and stream edges. Because it is fast-growing, thicket-forming, and flood tolerant, it can provide erosion control along watercourses. Alders fix nitrogen and thus serve as nutrient-giving pioneers in reclamation projects.