# grey alder (*Alnus incana*) The grey alder is a tall tree with smooth, grey bark and lovely green leaves. It grows near water and helps keep the soil healthy. This tree is great for animals and birds looking for a home! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![grey alder](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Alnus_incana_003.jpg&width=800) Photo: Nikanos, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alnus_incana_003.jpg) ## Appearance The grey alder is a slender, fast-growing tree with smooth, greyish bark that darkens with age. Its oval leaves are finely toothed and dull green. In late winter, it features long, pendulous male catkins and small, cone-like female catkins. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fagales - **Family:** Betulaceae - **Genus:** Alnus ## Interesting facts - Even its tiny, cone-like fruits stay on the branches through winter like ornaments! - Grey alders can grow where few other trees can, like next to cold mountain streams! - Its smooth, pale wood is so light, people once used it for wooden clogs! - People used to make a reddish-brown dye for cloth from its bark! ## Special abilities - **Nutrient Creator:** Grey alder can enrich poor soil because its roots partner with tiny bacteria to make nitrogen fertilizer! - **Pioneer Power:** Grey alder can be a forest 'first responder,' growing quickly in disturbed areas like riverbanks or clearings! - **Water Whisperer:** Grey alder has special roots that allow it to thrive even in very wet or waterlogged soils! ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 1000-2000 cm - **Spread:** 500-1000 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-10 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late_winter-early_spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Moose](https://www.snappit.app/explore/moose) (*Alces alces*) — browses its twigs and leaves - **Eats:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — forages on its new shoots - **Eats:** [Snowshoe hare](https://www.snappit.app/explore/snowshoe-hare) (*Lepus americanus*) — nibbles on its bark and twigs - **Eats:** Common redpoll (*Acanthis flammea*) — feeds on its seeds and buds ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always stay on paths when exploring near trees and watch for falling branches. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify grey alder? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is grey alder? 1000-2000 cm ### How wide does grey alder spread? 500-1000 cm ### How big are the flowers on grey alder? 1-10 cm ### When does grey alder bloom? Late_winter-early_spring ### Is grey alder edible? No ### Is grey alder toxic? None ### What is grey alder's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Chenango Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chenango-canal) — New York, US · Historic Site - [Logging Creek Ranger Station Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/logging-creek-ranger-station-historic-district) — Montana, US · Historic District - [Penn-Roosevelt State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/penn-roosevelt-state-park) — Pennsylvania, US · State Park - [Schlosspark Königshain](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/schlosspark-konigshain) — Sachsen, DE · Park [View all places to see grey alder](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/grey-alder) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Grey Alder: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/grey-alder)