Plant Details

Alnus incana

Grey alder, White alder

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Common names

36 names · 26 languages
EnglishYour language
  • gray alder[1]
  • Grey alder[1]
  • speckled alder[1]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • tag alder[1]
  • White alder
Other languages (25)
Dutch
French
  • Aulne blanc[1]
Belarusian
  • Вольха белая[1]
  • Вольха шэрая[1]
Bulgarian
  • Бяла елша[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Czech
  • olše šedá[1]
Danish
Estonian
Finnish
  • harmaaleppä[1]
German
Hebrew
  • אלנוס לבן[1]
Hungarian
  • hamvas éger[1]
Italian
  • Ontano bianco[1]
Latvian
  • Baltalksnis[1]
Lithuanian
  • Baltalksnis[1]
Navajo
Norwegian
Ojibwe
  • Waadiipiin (Wadoop-Agaasaa)[1]
Polish
  • Olsza szara[1]
Russian
  • Елоха[1]
  • Ольха белая[1]
  • Ольха серая[1]
Slovak
  • jelša sivá[1]
Slovenian
  • Siva jelša[1]
Swedish
Ukrainian
  • Вільха сіра[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 incana — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

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

Source records
  • grey alder — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • aulne blanc — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Ольха серая — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Ольха белая — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • speckled alder — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Елоха — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • gray alder — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Вольха шэрая — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Вольха белая — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • olše šedá — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Grau-Erle — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • tag alder — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Baltalksnis — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Grå-el — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Grauwe els — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Witte els — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • gråor — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • hall lepp — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • valge lepp — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • harmaaleppä — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Olsza szara — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Weiß-Erle — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Waadiipiin (Wadoop-Agaasaa) — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • gråal — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • 灰桤木 — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • 灰赤楊 — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Бяла елша — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Вільха сіра — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • K'ish — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Siva jelša — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • hamvas éger — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Baltalksnis — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • Ontano bianco — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • אלנוס לבן — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.
  • jelša sivá — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 75377; Alnus incana.

General information

Scientific name: Alnus incana
Accepted name (Kew): Alnus incana (L.) Moench 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: Grey alder, White alder
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Tree
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 18.00 m
Spread: 5.00 m
Growth rate: Slow
Foliage: Deciduous

Leaf retention described in the New England flora.

Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 7-8
Soil moisture:
Wet, Moist
Soil:
Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun, Partial shade

Uses

Edible parts:
Inner bark, Leaves, Sap
Edibility rating:
(0)
Medicinal rating:
(0)
Functions:
Hedge, Pioneer species, Nitrogen fixer, Windbreak, Wood, Charcoal, Dye

Description

This species fixes atmospheric nitrogen and is also tolerant of polluted soil. It can be used for soil remediation, especially on gravel heaps. This is an excellent pioneer species for re-establishing forests on abandoned agricultural land, difficult terrains, and so on. Due to its rapid growth rate, it quickly provides sheltered conditions, allowing more permanent trees in the forest to thrive. Additionally, bacteria on the roots fix atmospheric nitrogen – although this enables the tree to grow well in relatively poor soils, it also makes some of this nitrogen available to other nearby plants. Alder trees also have a dense canopy, and when the leaves fall in autumn, they help to build up the humus content of the soil. Alder seedlings do not compete well in shady forest conditions, and thus this species gradually dies out as other trees establish themselves. The bark and fruits contain up to 20% tannin. The wood is light, soft, fairly elastic, and easy to split. It is used for clogs, bowls, woodcuts, and so on. It is highly valued by furniture makers.

Harvest

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

Crown

Crown shape: Narrow 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 950160; name ID 6417; Alnus incana (L.) Moench.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

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

    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 1772706, ID 5TWTV: Alnus incana (L.) Moench (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. Native Plant Trust; Go Botany Alnus incana — Go Botany
    Supports: Foliage
    Relevant sections
    • Foliage: Leaf duration

    Source checked on .