Grey Alder Large Trees

Alnus incana: Grey Alder, Standard Size Trees

Alnus incana, the Grey alder, takes its name from its grey bark and the silvery-grey tint to its young leaves. In early spring, before the leaves appear, it produces yellow catkins with a pretty pink-red tinge and plump little green cones, which will mature and release seeds in autumn. Young trees are extremely vigorous, growing by up to a metre per year. It tends to grow lots of suckering shoots from its base, which provide cover for wildlife.

Wild trees tend to become multi-stemmed and shrub like, but in the garden they are fairly narrow and upright, reaching about 20 metres. It is a relatively short-lived tree in nature, where the main stem usually dies after about 100 years and other plants shade out the thicket of suckers it produces.

We also grow the tidier ornamental cultivar, Alnus incana 'Aurea'. Standard trees are the largest size that we deliver; you can also buy younger Grey Alder saplings.

Browse our other alder trees or our full range of garden trees.

Features:

• Attractive yellow catkins in spring, good for early bees
• Very vigorous, with a suckering habit
• Grows on the worst soils, wet or dry
• Fixes nitrogen & improves the soil with its fallen leaves
• To 20m

Growing Grey Alder

An extremely tough and hardy tree that will grow on practically any soil (apart from acidic peat), wet or dry, as long as it has a good amount of sun. It has a reputation for disliking chalk, but the problem is not the chalk, it is a shallow topsoil over any rocky foundation: it likes a deep soil.

It can grow quite near the coast where there is salt on the breeze.

Note on Alder roots: Alder has invasive roots that can break old water pipes and damage the foundations of old buildings or walls. 15 metres away from vulnerable structures is a safe distance to plant Alder. New build, concrete foundations are not at risk.