Plant Details

Alnus viridis

Green Alder

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Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Alnus viridis.

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Common names

4 names · 3 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Green Alder
Other languages (2)
Dutch
  • Alpenels
  • Groene els
French
  • Aulne vert
Sources & name notes

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

General information

Scientific name: Alnus viridis
Botanical family: Betulaceae

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

Sources [1]
Also known as: Green Alder

Plant characteristics

Layer: Shrub
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 3.00 m
Spread: 3.00 m
Growth rate: None
Foliage: Deciduous

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4-8
Soil moisture:
Moist, Wet
Soil:
Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Flowers
Edibility rating:
(1)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Nitrogen fixer, Dye

Description

Katjes - raw or cooked. They have a bitter taste. Do you want to eat them fresh or prefer them cooked? The choice is yours!

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/09
Harvest ends: 31/03

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 family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 949920; name ID 6245; Alnus Mill.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.