Common Alder

Alnus glutinosa, or Common Alder, is a tree native to the UK. It is a tough contender capable of thriving in all soils, even poor ones, and tolerates air pollution. This tree is tolerant of boggy and damp areas, owing to its natural habitat being boggy land and river banks. Alnus glutinosa is an excellent species for planting in areas prone to flooding and can survive for several weeks with its roots submerged in water.

At Barcham, we grow this Alder as a single-stem and multi-stemmed tree. Multi-stemmed Alnus glutinosa are particularly useful for lower-level screens in wet areas and also work well in windy sites, as their centre of gravity is low.

The Common Alder is a tree of medium to large size. Its multi-stemmed specimen matures to a broad, rounded shape. Alnus glutinosa produces yellow catkins in March and is a superb host to diverse wildlife.

This tree is a tough and vigorous contender, making a great addition to any native planting mix.

Mature height: 17-22m

Common names

Common Alder

Height of tree

17-22m

Soil type

Clay, Wet, Will tolerate most soil types

Shape

Multi-stemmed

Foliage Colour

Green

Good for waterlogged soil

Yes

Information Flags

Native

Looks good in

Winter

Location

Wetland

Genus

Alnus