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Hazel Alder

Alnus serrulata

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in streambanks, bogs, wet thickets, pondshores, lakeshores. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

65
Strong

Native to Louisiana (estimated). How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

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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At a glance

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

Recorded in 22 Louisiana parishes.

Natural habitats

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

1 of 3

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

Forest edges and thickets

Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.

Ponds, lakes and their shores

Still water and its edges: ponds, lakes, millponds and reservoirs.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Louisiana. Shared habitat, not food. 125 animals.

All wildlife of Louisiana

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

92CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including LA

Genus host records with ranges including LA · 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 longaLong-Winged Dagger, Darkish Dagger
  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Actias lunaLuna Moth
Show all 92
  • 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
  • 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 rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Clostera inclusaAngle-Lined Prominent, Poplar Tent Maker, Poplar Leaf-Tier
  • Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
  • 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 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
  • Hydriomena renunciataRenounced Hydriomena
  • Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
  • Hypena eductalisRed-Footed Bomolocha, Red-footed Snout
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
  • 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
  • Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Oedemasia semirufescensRed-Washed Prominent
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
  • Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
  • 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
  • Plagodis alcoolariaHollow-Spotted Plagodis
  • Pococera aplastellaAspen Webworm Moth
  • Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
  • Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
  • Protitame virginalisVirgin Moth
  • Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
  • 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
  • Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Venusia comptariaBrown-Shaded Carpet
  • Zale minereaColorful Zale
  • Anania extricalis
  • Gretchena watchungana
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
Also known as

Smooth Alder

Conservation status

Louisiana rankSNR
Global rankG5
LA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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