# Yellow Alder (*turnera ulmifolia*)

The Yellow Alder is a bright and cheerful flower that loves to soak up the sun! Its beautiful yellow blooms attract butterflies and bees, making it a fun plant to spot in gardens.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** Yellow Alders thrive in warm, tropical areas, often found in gardens and along roadsides.
- **Also known as:** Buttercup Tree, Golden Alder

![Yellow Alder](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/YellowAlderKeyWest.JPG&width=800)

Photo: UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:YellowAlderKeyWest.JPG)

## Appearance

The Yellow Alder is a compact shrub featuring vibrant yellow, five-petaled flowers, often with a dark central eye. Its serrated, oval leaves are bright green and slightly fuzzy, providing a lovely contrast to the cheerful blooms.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Malpighiales
- **Family:** Turneraceae
- **Genus:** Turnera

## Interesting facts

- Each bright yellow flower opens in the morning and closes by late afternoon!
- Its scientific name, Turnera ulmifolia, means "elm-leaved" because of its similar leaves!
- Look closely! Tiny glands on its stems can feed ants, attracting their protection.
- Some believe its leaves brewed into tea can help soothe upset tummies.

## Special abilities

- **Desert Survivor:** Yellow Alder has a strong root system that helps it withstand dry conditions and flourish in sunny, less watered areas.
- **Pollinator Magnet:** Yellow Alder creates sweet nectar and vibrant petals to constantly lure in insects like bees and butterflies.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 50-150 cm
- **Spread:** 40-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 3-5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Year-round in warm climates
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen from its bright flowers.
- **Pollinates:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Visits its cheerful blooms for a sweet nectar treat.
- **Shelter:** Silky Ant (*Formica fusca*) — Attracted to extrafloral nectaries, protecting the plant.

## Traits

- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Yellow 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 Yellow Alder?

50-150 cm

### How wide does Yellow Alder spread?

40-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on Yellow Alder?

3-5 cm

### When does Yellow Alder bloom?

Year-round in warm climates

### Is Yellow Alder edible?

No

### Is Yellow Alder toxic?

None

### What is Yellow Alder's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/panaewa-rainforest-zoo) — Hawaii, US · Zoo
- [Monkey Jungle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monkey-jungle) — Florida, US · Zoo
- [Tamiami Regional Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tamiami-regional-park) — Florida, US · Park

[View all places to see Yellow Alder](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/yellow-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*)

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Source: [Yellow Alder: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-alder)