Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Fabids: Fagales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Alnus serrulata
FAMILY
Betulaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
You may also want to check Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina
Read more about Tag Alder at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Alnus serrulata
FAMILY
Betulaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Alnus serrulata
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 054-01-002:
Alnus serrulata FAMILY Betulaceae
COMMON NAME:
Tag Alder, Hazel Alder, Smooth Alder
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide pnd_alse2_003_lvd
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JK Marlow jkm0401d_37
January Greenville County SC
Roadside/creekside
)
JK Marlow jkm240213_7351
February Greenville County SC
)
JK Marlow jkm240213_7353
February Greenville County SC
Leaf buds few-scaled and frequently stalked; 3 or more bundle scars, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_alnus_serrulata_2
February
Bark frequently fluted and twisted, similar to that of Carpinus caroliniana, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).
COMPARE
bark of American Hornbeam and Tag Alder
)
Sam Pratt sbp_021223_1128
February Spartanburg County SC
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Gill Newberry gn03_a_serrulata_female
March
Female flowers reddish.
)
Gill Newberry gn03_a_serrulata_malecatk
March
Male catkins longer than female catkins, pendent, each one stalked, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).
)
Gill Newberry gn03_a_serrulata_oldcones
March
Fruit: Narrowly winged nutlets in persistent semi-woody conelike structures, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).
)
Gill Newberry gn03_a_serrulata_plant
March
)
JK Marlow jkm0503a_02
March Greenville County SC
Paris Mountain State Park
Persistent inflorescences and fruit cones make this not easily confused, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).
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JK Marlow jkm240312_7663
March Greenville County SC
)
JK Marlow jkm0307c_18
July Rutherford County NC
Chimney Rock Park
)
JK Marlow jkm0407b_32
July Rutherford County NC
Chimney Rock Park
Principal leaves are broadest at or beyond the middle, per Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988).
)
JK Marlow jkm090725_038
July Jackson County NC
Western Carolina University
Leaves stipulate, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
JK Marlow jkm090725_039
July Jackson County NC
Western Carolina University
Leaf margins finely toothed and occasionally slightly wavy, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).
)
JK Marlow jkm120704_553
July Greenville County SC
Ashmore Heritage Preserve
Leaves straight-veined, petiolate; apex acute or rounded; base widely cuneate, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
COMPARE
leaves of Hazel Alder, Hazelnut, Witch Hazel and Witch-alder
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_alnus_serrulata_4
July
)
JK Marlow jkm0308e_27
August Greenville County SC
Pistillate flowers borne in erect, short, ovoid, cone-like spikes, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).
)
JK Marlow jkm0309b_10
September Greenville County SC
Ashmore Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow s020924_a
September Greenville County SC
Furman University
)
JK Marlow jkm0310d_30
October Greenville County SC
Roadside/creekside
Male catkins are conspicuous in winter, and pendulous, per Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988).
)
JK Marlow jkm221004_0236
October Greenville County SC
Bald Rock Heritage Preserve
)
JK Marlow jkm221004_0237
October Greenville County SC
Bald Rock Heritage Preserve
Leaf buds stalked, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).
)
Keith Bradley kab_alnus_serrulata_7842
October Sumter County SC
Mill Creek Park
)
Keith Bradley kab_alnus_serrulata_7847
October Sumter County SC
Mill Creek Park
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_a_serrulata_cnc_1
November
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Alnus serrulata
FAMILY
Betulaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Alnus serrulata
FAMILY
Betulaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Alnus serrulata
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 054-01-002:
Alnus serrulata
FAMILY
Betulaceae
60
Shrub; Tree
Perennial
Monoecious
Habitat: Streambanks, bogs, wet thickets, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Deciduous
Simple
Alternate
Leaves are subtended by stipules.
FLOWER:
Spring
Staminate calyx 4-parted, pistillate calyx absent
Petals absent in pistillate flowers
4 stamens in staminate flowers
Inferior ovary
Unisexual
Flowers in catkins (staminate catkins elongate)
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Nut
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Gardening with Native Plants of the South (Wasowski & Wasowski, 1994, 2020) p061
- Gardening with the Native Plants of Tennessee (Hunter, 2002) p236
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 1st ed. (Porcher & Rayner, 2001) p115
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p109
- How to Recognize Shrubs (Grimm, 1966) p092
- Landscaping with Native Trees (Sternberg & Wilson, 1995) p057
- Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast (Foote & Jones, 1989) p055
- Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007) p086
- Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Georgia (Chafin, 2007) p039
- Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988) p267
- Wildflowers of the Carolina Lowcountry (Porcher, 1995) p108
- Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance) p37
- Wildflowers & Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont (Spira, 2011) p269
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p054
- Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region (Sorrie, 2011) p285
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