Circumpolar alder group

Circumpolar alder is a shrub or small tree found along stream margins and moist meadows from coast to alpine areas across northern North America, Europe, and Asia. Its smooth, lenticeled bark and catkin flowers signal its presence in riparian zones at cooler elevations. It reaches up to 32 feet in ideal conditions.

This nitrogen-fixing species thrives in moist to wet soils, part shade to sun, and tolerates poor soils that many landscape plants cannot. Watch for catkin hypertrophy, rust, and various fungal diseases; leaf-feeding insects like tent caterpillars and fall webworms are also common. Its primary landscape value is in restoration and riparian plantings rather than ornamental use.