Hazel Alder

Alnus serrulata

Found in streambanks, bogs, wet thickets, pondshores, lakeshores. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Florida edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

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Height: 10–15 feet
Spread: 8–15 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Usually moist

Space about 11.5 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

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Alnus serrulata — foliage photograph — (c) bobkennedy, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: February to March
Fruiting season: August to October

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Recorded in 24 Florida counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 4

Named place / source context. Shown: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Georgia and Tennessee; which part is not recorded, a neighboring state.Wooded scene looking out over partially open fields, Richard Schlecht, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Regional / representative. Shown: Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Georgia; representative pond ecosystem, a neighboring state.Georgia pond and emergent wetland, Robert 'Bob' Hynes, 1997. Public domain. Source record.

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

Depression ponds and limesinks

Shallow ponds in Coastal Plain depressions, such as limesinks and the ponds in some Carolina bays, that rise and fall with the seasons.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Florida. Shared habitat, not food. 189 animals.

Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Lincoln's Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Long-billed Curlew
Numenius americanus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Merlin
Falco columbarius
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Mottled Duck
Anas fulvigula
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Ammodramus nelsoni
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Orange-crowned Warbler
Vermivora celata
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Ovenbird
Seiurus aurocapilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Painted Bunting
Passerina ciris
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Palm Warbler
Dendroica palmarum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Pied-billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Pine Siskin
Carduelis pinus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Purple Martin
Progne subis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Red Knot
Calidris canutus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellata
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Redhead
Aythya americana
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Ring-billed Gull
Larus delawarensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Florida

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

101CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Alnus

Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
Achatodes zeaeElder Shoot Border Moth, Spindele Worm, Cornstalk Borer
Acrobasis rubrifasciellaAlder Tubemaker Moth
Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
Acronicta hastuliferaFrosted Dagger, Hoary Alder Dagger
Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
Acronicta lanceolariaNarrow-Winged Dagger, Lanceolate Dagger
Acronicta longaLong-Winged Dagger, Darkish Dagger
Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger

Show all 101

Actias lunaLuna Moth
Aethalura intertextaFour-Barred Gray
Agonopterix argillaceaClay-Colored Agonopterix
Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
Amorpha juglandisWalnut Sphinx
Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Archips negundanaLarger Boxelder Leafroller Moth
Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
Baileya doubledayiDoubleday's Baileya
Baileya ophthalmicaEyed Baileya
Besma quercivorariaOak Besma
Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
Cenopis pettitanaMaple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
Choristoneura conflictanaLarge Aspen Tortrix
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Clostera inclusaAngle-Lined Prominent, Poplar Tent Maker, Poplar Leaf-Tier
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Colocasia flavicornisYellowhorn, Saddled Yellowhorn
Derrima stellataPink Star
Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
Episimus argutanaSumac Leaftier
Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
Euchlaena marginariaOchre Euchlaena
Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
Eupithecia fletcherataFletcher's Eupithecia
Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades
Feniseca tarquiniusHarvester
Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
Herpetogramma pertextalisBold-Feathered Grass Moth
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hydriomena pluviataSharp Green Hydriomena
Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
Hypena eductalisRed-Footed Bomolocha, Red-footed Snout
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Limenitis arthemisBanded Purple, Red-Spotted Admiral
Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
Lycia ypsilonWoolly Gray
Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
Metarranthis duariaRuddy Metarranthis
Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
Nola clethraeSweet Pepperbush Nola
Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
Oedemasia semirufescensRed-Washed Prominent
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
Paranthrene asilipennisOak Stump Borer Moth, Oak Borer
Pero ancetariaHubner's Pero
Phlogophora periculosaBrown Angle Shades
Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
Plagodis alcoolariaHollow-Spotted Plagodis
Pococera aplastellaAspen Webworm Moth
Probole alienariaDogwood Probole, Alien Probole
Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
Protitame virginalisVirgin Moth
Pyrrhia ciliscaAmerican Bordered Sallow, Noble Sun Moth
Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Syndemis afflictanaFall Dead-Leaf Roller, Gray Leafroller, Black-and-Grey Banded Leafroller
Tacparia detersataPale Alder
Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Venusia comptariaBrown-Shaded Carpet
Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
Zale minereaColorful Zale
Acleris placidana
Anania extricalis
Olethreutes brunneopurpurata

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

0BeesSoutheastern regional records

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

5BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Alnus

Acanthis flammeaCommon Redpoll
Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
Lagopus leucuraWhite-tailed Ptarmigan
Lagopus mutaRock Ptarmigan
Oreortyx pictusMountain Quail

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Betulaceae
Hardiness: Zones 4a–9b
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Flower color: Brown/copper, yellow or red
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Several stems
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: August
Fruit ends: October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “February to March” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Brown/copper, yellow or red” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “August” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 4a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “10–15 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain differ)
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain differ)
Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “8–15 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Smooth Alder

Conservation status

Florida rank	SNR
Global rank	G5
FL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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Hazel Alder

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Alnus