About
Alnus serrulata is a deciduous shrub that often grows in a multi-stemmed form, capable of creating dense thickets. Its leaves are thick and green, lacking any notable autumn coloration and remaining on the plant until they turn green before dropping. In winter, the upright catkins develop a deep red hue, adding visual interest. The small female flowers mature into clusters that form durable wooden cones.
About the genus
Alnus comprises robust deciduous trees and sizable shrubs characterized by their rounded foliage and, during winter, noticeable catkins.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Poorly-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, North-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H5
Plant details
- Plant type
- Shrubs
- Habit
- Bushy, Suckering
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 4-8 metres
- Spread
- 4-8 metres
- Time to full height
- 5-10 years
- Suggested uses
- Wildlife gardens
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Needs good light, permanently damp soil but very little fertility as they have nitrogen-fixing nodules on their roots. They are used for river bank stabilisation and other land reclamation purposes. This is seen to be much more tolerant of drought than other alder species
- Pruning
- Pruning group 1
- Propagation
- Grow from seed or hardwood cuttings
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to alder sucker and leaf-mining sawflies
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to Phytophthora and honey fungus