Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

hazel alder, smooth alder

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Alnus serrulata

Family:

Betulaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

shrub

Size:

5-30 ft tall by 5-10 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

yellow

Fruit Color:

brown

Phenology:

Deciduous

Noted For:

Showy Flowers, Interesting Bark

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Informal specimen plant or could be used as a mass planting or hedge in moist areas. It is usually a multi-stemmed tall shrub.

Considerations:

None

Availability:

Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales, Friends

Propagation:

From seed or division.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

<--------------------> ----|----|----|----|----|

Aquatic ---to--- Somewhat moist, no flooding

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam

Soil pH:

Acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B

Ecology

Wildlife:

Browsed by deer.

Native Habitats:

Swamps, river floodplains.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

It forms root nodules with a symbiont fungus to fix its own nitrogen; so it grows well in poor or sterile soil. Its persistent fruit looks like a very small pine cone.