white alder
Alnus rhombifolia
USDA zones6 to 10
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterHandles moderate to wet soil
Size50 to 80 feet tall40 to 60 feet wide
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Green
- Foliage color
- Dark green and glossy above.
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
White alder (Alnus rhombifolia) is a tree for low maintenance gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 6, or down to -10°F (-23°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and average to wet soil of most types. It grows fast and has a tall, straight trunk with glossy, dark green leaves. Long, golden catkins hang from its bare twigs in winter. Alders fix nitrogen, so they help feed the soil around them.
Pairs well with California sycamore, Red twig dogwood, Oregon ash, and Californian allspice.
Native range
CA, ID, MT, NV, and 2 more places. See all 6
CA, ID, MT, NV, OR, and WA.