• Photo of Alnus serrulata (Alnus serrulatas)

Plant Profile: Alnus serrulata

Taxonomy: Alnus serrulata

Names

Alder, Hazel Alder, Smooth Alder, Tag Alder

  • Photo of Alnus serrulata (Alnus serrulatas)

Phonetic Spelling:AL-nus ser-yoo-LAY-tuh

Genus:Alnus

Species:serrulata

Family:Betulaceae

Tag Alder is a modest-sized deciduous tree, typically reaching heights of 10 to 15 feet. It thrives in naturally moist environments such as streambanks and bogs. The leaves are arranged alternately, featuring a wavy edge and a hairy underside. Its bark is smooth, displaying a gray-brown hue with a fluted texture. In late winter, the tree produces slender green male flowers alongside vibrant red female flowers. By fall, it generates seeds that remain through the winter months.

**Fire Risk:** This species is rated low in flammability.

**Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Issues:** Tag Alder is particularly vulnerable to canker, which can be quite severe. Additionally, it may experience issues with powdery mildew and leaf curl. Keep an eye out for pests such as aphids, leaf miners, tent caterpillars, lace bugs, and flea beetles. Chlorosis can occur in soils with high pH levels. Furthermore, this plant is highly prone to damage from deer.

Alnus serrulata Feature Summary

Alnus serrulata Image Gallery

Tags

#deciduous
#small tree
#wildlife plant
#showy
#native tree
#winter interest
#erosion control
#wet sites
#pond margins
#small mammals
#moist soil
#food source
#low flammability
#NC native
#fire resistant
#naturalizes
#pollinator plant
#larval host plant
#predatory insects
#food source herbage
#Coastal FACW
#Piedmont Mountains OBL
#bird friendly
#food source hard mast fruit
#butterfly friendly
#pollinator garden
#bog gardens
#audubon
#harvester butterfly

Similar Plants

Alnus serrulata is often confused with:

Alnus serrulata Feature Summary

Attributes
It is native to boggy ground along streams/lakes/rivers, wetland
This plant supports Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius) larvae which appear from February-September in the south. The Harvester butterfly does not sip flower nectar but they do feed on aphid honeydew. Harvester butterfly and carnivorous larvae eat the aphids commonly found on alder.  White-tailed deer browse the foliage.  Birds and small mammals eat the pollen-rich male flower clusters in the spring.
Wildlife Food Source
low flammability
Fruit
Female catkins develop into 1-inch long fruiting cones (strobiles) to 3/4” long containing winged nutlets (seeds). Fruiting cones mature to dark brown in fall, with persistence into winter. Cones have woody scales and resemble small pine cones. The fruit attracts butterfly larvae, mammals, and birds which feed on the seeds.
Brown/Copper
Flowers
In late spring this monoecious tree bears separate male and female flowers on the same plant. The male flowers are yellow-brown and the females are red catkins.
Gold/Yellow
Red/Burgundy
Brown/Copper
Spring
Winter
Leaves
Dull green 2-4" long serrulate margins pointed tips and wedge-shaped at the base.
Green
Orange
Elliptical
Ovate
1-3 inches
Bark
Its trunks feature smooth gray bark with inconspicuous lenticels (pores).
Light Gray
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Tree
Native Plant
Multi-stemmed
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Native Garden
Drought
Heat
Wet Soil
Compaction
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Naturalized Area
Slope/Bank
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Predatory Insects

Alnus serrulata Attributes

Alnus serrulata: Country Or Region Of Origin

Eastern US

Alnus serrulata: Distribution

It is native to boggy ground along streams/lakes/rivers, wetland

Alnus serrulata: Wildlife Value

This plant supports Harvester (Feniseca tarquinius) larvae which appear from February-September in the south. The Harvester butterfly does not sip flower nectar but they do feed on aphid honeydew. Harvester butterfly and carnivorous larvae eat the aphids commonly found on alder.  White-tailed deer browse the foliage.  Birds and small mammals eat the pollen-rich male flower clusters in the spring.

Alnus serrulata: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

Resistant to fire in landscape

Alnus serrulata: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Alnus serrulata: Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Alnus serrulata: Fire Risk Rating

extreme flammability
high flammability
low flammability
medium flammability

Alnus serrulata: Climbing Method

Clinging
Scrambler
Tendrils
Twining

Alnus serrulata Fruit

Alnus serrulata: Fruit Description

Female catkins develop into 1-inch long fruiting cones (strobiles) to 3/4” long containing winged nutlets (seeds). Fruiting cones mature to dark brown in fall, with persistence into winter. Cones have woody scales and resemble small pine cones. The fruit attracts butterfly larvae, mammals, and birds which feed on the seeds.

Alnus serrulata: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Alnus serrulata: Fruit Color

grass
Brown/Copper

Alnus serrulata: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Alnus serrulata Flowers

Alnus serrulata: Flower Description

In late spring this monoecious tree bears separate male and female flowers on the same plant. The male flowers are yellow-brown and the females are red catkins.

Alnus serrulata: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Brown/Copper
filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow
filter_vintage
Red/Burgundy

Alnus serrulata: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Alnus serrulata: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Alnus serrulata: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Alnus serrulata Leaves

Alnus serrulata: Leaf Description

Dull green 2-4" long serrulate margins pointed tips and wedge-shaped at the base.

Alnus serrulata: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Alnus serrulata: Leaf Color

spa
Green
spa
Orange

Alnus serrulata: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Alnus serrulata: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Alnus serrulata: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Alnus serrulata: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Alnus serrulata Bark

Alnus serrulata: Bark Description

Its trunks feature smooth gray bark with inconspicuous lenticels (pores).

Alnus serrulata: Bark Color

grass
Light Gray

Alnus serrulata: Surface/Attachment

Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy

Alnus serrulata Whole Plant Traits

Alnus serrulata: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Alnus serrulata: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Alnus serrulata: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Alnus serrulata: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Alnus serrulata Cultural Conditions

Alnus serrulata: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Alnus serrulata: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Alnus serrulata: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Alnus serrulata: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Alnus serrulata: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Alnus serrulata: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Alnus serrulata: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Alnus serrulata Stem

Alnus serrulata: Stem Color

grass
Brown/Copper

Alnus serrulata: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Alnus serrulata Landscape

Alnus serrulata: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Alnus serrulata: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Alnus serrulata: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Alnus serrulata: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees