Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Betulaceae

Genus:

Alnus

Species:

Alnus cordata

USDA Symbol:

ALCO13

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Tree

Height:

1500 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

feb,mar,apr

Bloom Colors:

yellow, brown

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from the root crown following fire or coppicing. Not fire-dependent for reproduction.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

tolerates poor drainage

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

native to southern Italy and Corsica, often found near water bodies

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination and benefit from cold stratification. Fresh seed germinates more readily than stored seed.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI