Alder (black)

Do you want to plant a Alder (black)? Here you will find all the information you need on how to best plant the Alder (black), and on pruning and caring for your Alder (black).
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General characteristics of a Alder (black)

The tree is also known as the common alder and can be recognized by its black cone-shaped fruits. Through root nodules containing bacteria, the tree manages to absorb nitrogen from the air directly: this has a soil-improving effect.

Characteristics


How to plant a Alder (black)

Dig a planting hole 1.5x as wide as the root system; make sure roots are covered with soil; do not plant deeper than to where the trunk begins. Roots at least 10 cm below ground level. 

How to harvest a Alder (black)

Black alder can be recognized by its black alder plugs (alder catkins) and leaves with a blunt to slightly indented tip. The leaf is further inverted ovoid and has a double-serrated leaf edge.

Caring for and pruning your Alder (black)

The Black Alder requires very little maintenance. The tree only needs to be pruned if it gets too big or if there are dead, crossing branches. The best time to prune is when the trees are dormant and the leaves are off the trees (between October and April).

Where does a Alder (black) grow

On nutrient-rich and mineral-rich soils, this light-loving tree species grows best. Low oxygen soil conditions, e.g. during prolonged flooding, black alder can also survive well.


General

Origin
Native
Tree Type Deciduous tree

Length and Age

Length in about 10 years 8 Up to 10 Meter
Reproductive Maturity in How Many Years 10 Up to 50 year
Maximum Age 80 Up to 160 year
Required Space 30 Up to 50m2
Growth Rate

Reproduction

Tree is Self-Pollinating Yes
Reproduction Method
Makes seedlings
Reproduction rate

Reproduction rate

1. Very low reproduction rate. The plant hardly spreads, has few seeds or vegetative spread (e.g., trees with heavy seeds).
2. Low reproduction rate. Spread via limited seed production or specific conditions required
3. Average reproduction rate. Regular spread, depending on wind, water, or animals, at a moderate speed (e.g., dandelion).
4. High reproduction rate. Many seeds and multiple spread strategies (wind, birds, vegetative). Quickly colonizes open spaces
5. Very high reproduction rate. Invasive species that spread explosively over large distances (e.g., Japanese knotweed).

Pruning Period

This Tree is Evergreen Yes
Summer No pruning in summer
Winter October tot April
Leaf Shapes Egg-shaped
Easy to prune No

Bark Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Lenticels Yes
Colour

Bud Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Colour
Bud Position
Standing upright
Bud Shape
Pointed

Other

Root
Deep and wide roots
Bloom
Has fruits
Has catkins
Wind sensitivity Moderately sensitive to (sea) wind

Diseases

Sensitive to the Following Diseases Information not available

Harvest/recognition in winter

Purple oval buds; white dots on dark bark

Light requirement of the Alder (black)

The Alder (black) thrives best under these light conditions.
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade

    • Suitable soil types for the Alder (black)

    In this overview, you can find which soil types are best for the Alder (black) to grow.
    Soil type Suitability
    light clay
    heavy clay
    sand
    peatland
    Loam
    Moerig op zand
    Lichte zavel
    Zware zavel

    Humidity

    A (ground)water level indicates how deep the groundwater usually is below the surface. The higher the Roman numeral, the deeper the groundwater.
    I
    II
    III
    IV
    V
    VI
    VII
    VIII

    Suitable acidity level for the Alder (black)

    Each soil type has a certain acidity level, measured in pH values. You can plant the Alder (black) in soil that falls within this range:
    0.0
    0.5
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0

    Nutritional needs of the Alder (black)

    Some soil types offer more nutritional richness than others.
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Very nutrient-poor soil
    2. Very nutrient-poor to nutrient-poor soil
    3. Nutrient-poor soil
    4. Nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich soil
    5. Moderately nutrient-rich soil
    6. Moderately nutrient-rich to nutrient-rich soil
    7. Nutrient-rich soil
    8. Extremely nutrient-rich soil
    9. Very extremely nutrient-rich soil

    Humidity

    Does Alder (black) like to have its roots in extremely dry (1.0) or wet (9.0) soil?
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Extremely dry soils
    2. Extremely dry to dry soils
    3. Dry soils
    4. Dry to dry/moist soils
    5. Dry/moist soils
    6. Dry/moist to moist soils
    7. Moist soils
    8. Moist to wet soils
    9. Wet soils

    To be applied in landscapes

    0 = not filled in, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Landscape Suitability
    Agroforestry
    Hedge
    Hedge
    Forest
    Feeding hedge
    Back yard
    Small back yard
    Solitary
    Wood wall

    Cultural-historical value

    0 = not filled in, 1 = low, 9 = high

    Insects

    How many insects typically live on this tree/plant? 141
    Which insect groups live on this tree/plant?
    Are there insects dependent on this species? No
    Which insect species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Birds

    Average number of birds per tree/plant?
    Which bird groups live on this tree/plant?

    Mammals

    Average number of mammals per tree/plant?
    Which mammal groups live on this tree/plant?
    Are there mammals dependent on this species? No
    Which mammal species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Bloom Period

    Summer February Up to March

    Tree Species

    Tree species that this tree prefers to grow with

    Suitable for mammals?

    toxic, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Mammal Suitability
    Badgers
    Squirrel
    Ferret
    Goat
    Herbivorous rodents
    Deer
    Dog
    Cat
    Chicken
    Human
    Cow
    Mouse
    Horse
    Roe deer
    Sheep
    Pig
    Foxes
    Wild boar
    Beavers

    Explanation

    Explanation

    Edibility

    • Toxic: This tree or shrub is toxic to mammals and absolutely unsuitable for consumption.
    1. Very unsuitable: This tree or shrub is unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can be harmful.
    2. Unsuitable: This tree or shrub is generally unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can have adverse effects.
    3. Moderately suitable: This tree or shrub is moderately suitable as food for mammals, possibly with certain risks or limitations.
    4. Suitable: This tree or shrub is generally suitable as food for mammals, with little to no risks.
    5. Very suitable: This tree or shrub is very suitable as food for mammals, safe, and of high nutritional value.


    Trunk Height

    Average Trunk Height (hg) of the basal area median tree

    from - to, in whole meters, average

    Information not available

    Trunk Diameter

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree.

    from - to, in whole centimeters, average

    Information not available

    Aboveground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Belowground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Substance Binder

    Which substances can be bound or absorbed?
    CO2

    Carbon Attraction (kf)

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree Deciduous Trees (Kf = 0,48)

    Warming Resistance

    This tree is well resistant to the warming (plus 3 degrees) of our climate and fits into the future of our climate (heat and drought resistant). No
    CO2

    CO2

    0. not filled in
    1. no storage
    2. low storage
    3. moderate storage
    4. high storage
    5. very high storage

    Fine Dust

    0. not filled in
    1. no capture capacity
    2. low capture capacity
    3. moderate capture capacity
    4. high capture capacity
    5. very high capture capacity

    This is what an adult tree Alder (black) looks like

    Black alder, a mature tree
    Black Elder in winter

    This is what a Alder (black) in bloom looks like

    Black alder in bloom, masculin
    Black alder in bloom, feminin

    This is what the bud of a Alder (black) looks like

    A bud of the black alder

    This is what the leaf of a Alder (black) looks like

    Leaf of the black alder