Alnus incana ssp. rugosa
Alnus incana ssp. rugosa
speckled alder
- Plant type and subtype:
- Shrubs
- Deciduous
- Tree-like Shrubs
- Shrubs
- Hardiness Zone:
- 3,
- 4,
- 5,
- 6
- Light Requirements:
- shade,
- part-shade,
- part-sun,
- sun
- Height: 6'-20'
- Leaf Color:
- green
- Bloom Color:
- yellow,
- brown,
- green
- Bloom Time:
- Mar,
- Apr,
- May
- Water Use:
- medium
- Soil Moisture:
- moist,
- wet
- Soil Description:
- acid,
- rich,
- average,
- loam,
- sand,
- clay,
- gravel / rock
- Additional Tags:
- attracts birds,
- bog plant,
- attracts butterflies,
- colonizing,
- medicinal,
- naturalizing,
- ornamental foliage,
- pond margin plant,
- shade garden plant,
- stream margin plant,
- swamp plant,
- wetland plant
- Description:
Alnus incana ssp. rugosa is a deciduous shrub, or small tree that can grow to 30' under ideal conditions. The bark is reddish- brown, with white spots that are actually spongy openings for gas exchange, hence the common name "speckled alder".
- Cultivation:
Alnus incana ssp. rugosa is a fast-growing species, that can be pruned to maintain a hedge form, or trimmed up to create a tree form. Individual plants are short lived, but form self-regenerating colonies by means of root suckers. It is adaptable to poor soils. a moisture loving shrub, it does well with seasonal or regular inundation, and can be used as wetland restoration and stabilization plant. Established specimens are also fairly drought tolerant. If left unmanaged, speckled alder will colonize, forming dense thickets. Blooms early spring; March to May. Zones 3-6
- Propagation:
Propagate from seed, or by cuttings.
- Additional Notes:
The roots have the ability to fix nitrogen, making it a good plant to rehabilitated depleted soils. Native Americans have used this plant medicinally to treat a wide range of ailments, from toothaches and diarrhea,as well as internal bleeding, and as an aid in childbirth.
Map of Native Range
- Range by State: USDA data
- Recorded County Distribution: USDA data
*The map of native range is based on the latest available USDA data.
There may be gaps in the county level distribution.
CT, IA, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, ND, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VA, VT, WI, WV
Classification
| Kingdom: | Plantae | Plants |
| Subkingdom: | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants |
| Superdivision: | Spermatophyta | Seed plants |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons |
| Subclass: | Hamamelididae | |
| Order: | Fagales | |
| Family: | Betulaceae | Birch family |
| Genus: | Alnus | alder |
| Species: | Alnus incana ssp. rugosa | speckled alder |
| Synonyms: | Alnus rugosa |
tag alder, gray alder, hoary alder, hazel alder, swamp alder |
USDA Endangered Status
| N/A |
You must be logged in to post a comment.