Green Alder

Alnus crispa

Native status unresolved in South Carolina

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

130CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including SC

Genus host records with ranges including SC · Alnus

Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
Achatodes zeaeElder Shoot Border Moth, Spindele Worm, Cornstalk Borer
Acleris semiannulaHalf-Ringed Acleris
Acrobasis rubrifasciellaAlder Tubemaker Moth
Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
Acronicta fragilisFragile Dagger
Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
Acronicta hastuliferaFrosted Dagger, Hoary Alder Dagger
Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
Acronicta innotataUnmarked Dagger

Show all 130

Acronicta longaLong-Winged Dagger, Darkish Dagger
Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
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
Apamea amputatrixYellow-Headed Cutworm 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
Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
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
Cladara atroliturataThe Scribbler
Clostera inclusaAngle-Lined Prominent, Poplar Tent Maker, Poplar Leaf-Tier
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Colocasia flavicornisYellowhorn, Saddled Yellowhorn
Cyclophora pendulinariaSweetfern Geometer
Derrima stellataPink Star
Drepana arcuataArched Hooktip, Masked Birch Caterpillar
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
Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
Euchlaena marginariaOchre Euchlaena
Euchlaena tigrinariaMotted Euchlaena
Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
Eupithecia fletcherataFletcher's Eupithecia
Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades
Eupsilia tristigmataThree-Spotted Sallow, Brown Fruitworm
Feniseca tarquiniusHarvester
Fishia illocataWandering Brocade
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
Hyppa xylinoidesCommon Hyppa
Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
Limenitis arthemisBanded Purple, Red-Spotted Admiral
Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
Lithophane innominataNameless Pinion
Lithophane petulcaWanton Pinion
Lomographa semiclarataBluish Spring Moth, Wildcherry Looper
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
Mesoleuca ruficillataWhite-Ribboned Carpet, Red-fringed Carpet
Metarranthis duariaRuddy Metarranthis
Morrisonia latexFluid Arches, Fluid Mamestra
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
Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
Orthosia revictaSubdued Quaker
Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
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
Pero morrisonariaMorrison's Pero
Phlogophora irisOlive Angle Shades
Phlogophora periculosaBrown Angle Shades
Plagodis alcoolariaHollow-Spotted Plagodis
Plagodis phlogosariaStraight-Lined Plagodis
Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
Pococera aplastellaAspen Webworm Moth
Probole alienariaDogwood Probole, Alien Probole
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
Tacparia detersataPale Alder
Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Tortricidia testaceaEarly Button Slug
Venusia comptariaBrown-Shaded Carpet
Xanthotype urticariaFalse Crocus Geometer
Zale minereaColorful Zale
Acleris placidana
Anania extricalis
Olethreutes albiciliana
Olethreutes brunneopurpurata
Olethreutes concinnana

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

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist 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)

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

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Betulaceae
Flower color: Yellow
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Forms thickets
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Summer
Fruit ends: Fall

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

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Flower color · “Yellow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Forms thickets” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Height · “About 10 feet” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Leaf retention · “Deciduous” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Light · “Partial shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team) · Carolinas and Georgia
primary_flower_color · “yellow” · USDA PLANTS
Soil · “Dry; Moist; Wet (documented habitat)” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team) · Carolinas and Georgia

Conservation status

South Carolina rank	Not available
Global rank	G5T5 [G5]
SC status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your spot?

Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

Choose a county to begin.

How to check your spot