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Home  /  Plants  /  Budburst Species  /  Alnus serrulata
Phenology Observation Sheet for Deciduous Trees and Shrubs

COMMON NAME

Tag alder

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Alnus serrulata

ALSO KNOWN AS

Common alder, Hazel alder, Smooth alder

Plant family

Birch (Betulaceae)

Plant group

Deciduous Trees and Shrubs

A multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with alternate, oval green leaves. Each shrub produces male and female catkins. Female flowers develop into cone-like fruits.
21 reports
12+
OBSERVERS
21+
OBSERVATIONS
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Identification hints

Tag alder is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with brownish gray bark. The leaves alternate along the twigs and are simple, oval, and doubly serrated (toothed). The leaves are 2 to 4 in long, dull dark green above, paler and may be velvety below, with prominent, parallel veins. Each shrub produces both both male and female flowers called catkins. The male catkins are green and can be up to 2.5 in long. The female flowers are about 0.5 in long and develop into cone-like fruits that release the seeds. These cones often persist through the winter. Tag alder flowers bloom between March and April and fruits become ripe later in the summer.
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Did you know?

Tag alder, also known as hazel or smooth alder, is commonly found in wetland areas. Because this shrub does well in wet habitats, it is often used for stream restoration and bank stabilization projects. This shrub also provides important habitat for Woodcock, a woodland game bird.  Tag alder shrubs are also nitrogen fixers (like many legumes) and can enrich the nitrogen in the soil where they grow.
DISTRIBUTION IN TH U.S.
Alabama , Arkansas , Connecticut , Delaware , Florida , Georgia , Illinois , Indiana , Kansas , Kentucky , Louisiana , Massachusetts , Maryland , Maine , Missouri , Mississippi , North Carolina , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New York , Ohio , Oklahoma , Pennsylvania , Rhode Island , South Carolina , Tennessee , Texas , Virginia , Vermont , West Virginia
HABITAT
There is no information available about this species.

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