Alnus cordata
Common name: 
Italian Alder
Pronunciation: 
AL-nus cor-DA-ta
Family: 
Betulaceae
Genus: 
Alnus
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Broadleaf, deciduous tree, generally 30-50(80) ft [9-15(25) m] tall, crown ovoid-conic, stems angled, soon glabrous, sticky red-grown.  Bark glossy brown.  Leaves alternate, simple, broadly oval to rounded, 5-12 cm long, base cordate to wedge-shaped, margin unevenly sharply toothed, glossy green above, paler below, petioles 2-3 cm long.  Male (pollen) catkins in small clusters at stem tips, about 5-8 cm long at pollination.  Female flower catkins 2-3 cm long, erect, produced singly; mature seed catkins, woody, (cone-like), egg-shaped, 2.5-3 cm long.
  • Sun.  Does well in infertile, dry, high pH soil, but also does well near water.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 5         Native to Corsica and southern Italy.
  • cordata: Latin, heart-shaped, the leaf base.
  • Corvallis, Oregon: southeast corner, 30th St. and Johnson Ave.; 726 15th St.
  • Portland, Oregon: Hoyt Arboretum
Click image to enlarge
  • male catkins and cones, winter

    male catkins and cones, winter

  • cones and catkins, winter

    cones and catkins, winter

  • cones and seeds

    cones and seeds

  • plant habit, spring

    plant habit, spring

  • female and male catkins, spring

    female and male catkins, spring

  • male catkins, spring

    male catkins, spring

  • developing seed cones

    developing seed cones

  • plant habit, summer

    plant habit, summer

  • leaves

    leaves

  • leaf, upper surface and margin

    leaf, upper surface and margin

  • trunk, bark

    trunk, bark