Plant Details

Alnus glutinosa

European Alder

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Common names

57 names · 35 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Black Alder[1]
  • Black Elder[1]
  • common alder[1]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • European Alder[1]
  • European black alder[1]
Other languages (34)
Dutch
  • Gewone els
  • Grauwe els
  • Rød-el[1]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • Zwarte els[1]
French
  • Aulne glutineux[1]
  • Aulne noir[1]
  • Aulne poisseux[1]
Afrikaans
Basque
Belarusian
  • Вольха чорная[1]
Bulgarian
  • Черна елша[1]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 欧洲桤木[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 歐洲赤楊[1]
Croatian
Czech
  • olše lepkavá[1]
Danish
Estonian
Finnish
  • Tervaleppä[1]
German
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • Schwarz-Erle[1]
  • Schwarzerle[1]
Greek
  • Άλνος ο κολλώδης[1]
  • Σκλήθρο[1]
Hungarian
  • mézgás éger[1]
Italian
  • Ontano nero[1]
Japanese
  • オウシュウクロハンノキ[1]
  • セイヨウヤマハンノキ[1]
  • ヨーロッパハンノキ[1]
Latvian
  • Melnalksnis[1]
Lithuanian
  • Juodalksnis[1]
Luxembourgish
Norwegian
Ojibwe
  • Biboon-miin[1]
Polish
Portuguese
Romanian
  • Arin negru[1]
Russian
  • Ольха европейская[1]
  • Ольха клейкая[1]
  • Ольха чёрная[1]
Slovak
  • jelša lepkavá[1]
Slovenian
  • črna jelša[1]
Spanish
Swedish
Turkish
  • adi kızılağaç[1]
Ukrainian
  • Вільха клейка[1]
  • Вільха чорна[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Alnus glutinosa — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • common alder — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • European alder — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • European black alder — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • must lepp — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • sanglepp — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Вольха чорная — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Zwarte els — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Rød-el — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • olše lepkavá — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • vern — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Klibbal — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Ольха чёрная — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Ольха клейкая — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Ольха европейская — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Aulne glutineux — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • olsza czarna — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • svartor — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Juodalksnis — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Schwarz-Erle — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Schwarzerle — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Aulne poisseux — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Aulne noir — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Tervaleppä — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Rød-El — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • ヨーロッパハンノキ — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • オウシュウクロハンノキ — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • セイヨウヤマハンノキ — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Biboon-miin — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • jelša lepkavá — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Ontano nero — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Σκλήθρο — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Άλνος ο κολλώδης — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • 歐洲赤楊 — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Черна елша — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • adi kızılağaç — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Haltza — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Arin negru — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Alenter — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Вільха чорна — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Swartels — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • aliso — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Black Elder — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • 欧洲桤木 — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Amieiro — results[0].names[45]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Aliso común — results[0].names[46]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Black Alder — results[0].names[47]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Olcha — results[0].names[48]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • črna jelša — results[0].names[49]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • mézgás éger — results[0].names[50]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Melnalksnis — results[0].names[51]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Вільха клейка — results[0].names[52]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Crna joha — results[0].names[53]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Eller — results[0].names[54]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Else — results[0].names[55]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.
  • Rot-Erle — results[0].names[56]; taxon id 966205; Alnus glutinosa.

General information

Scientific name: Alnus glutinosa
Accepted name (Kew): Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Betulaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Alnus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: European Alder
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Tree
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 12.19–18.29 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 6.1–12.19 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [3]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Multi-stemmed, Pyramidal

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally Wet

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, Loam (Silt), Sand
Sources [3]
pH:
Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
None
Edibility rating:
(0)
Medicinal rating:
(3)
Functions:
Nitrogen fixer, Pioneer species, Charcoal, Dye, Hedge, Insecticide, Windbreak, Wood, Bee forage, Carbon farming

Description

The black alder is a tree that is often seen as a pioneer species and is known for its ability to extract nitrogen from the air and bind it in the soil. However, little is known about any edible parts of the black alder.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/09
Harvest ends: 28/02

Crown

Crown shape: Broad pyramidal
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 949920; name ID 6245; Alnus Mill.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 950015; name ID 6364; Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Alnus glutinosa

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 4463645, ID C2Q2: Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Alnus glutinosa — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .