Buy grey alder Alnus incana: Delivery by Waitrose Garden

Alnus incana

grey alder

Eventual height & spread

Alnus incana

grey alder

9 litre pot | 1 - 1.5m tall
£49.99
In stock (shipped within 3-5 working days)

bare root | 1.2 - 1.5m tall
£29.99
available to order from autumn

Delivery options

Standard £5.99
Named Day £10.99

Position: full sun
Soil: moist but well-drained soil
Rate of growth: average
Hardiness: fully hardy

Noted for its ability to thrive in poor, wet conditions but is also tolerant of dry and coastal soils, Alnus incana is a fast-growing conical tree, to 20m, with dark-green leaves, grey-white and hairy beneath. Emerging before the leaves, yellow-brown male catkins in pendent clusters are produced in late winter and early spring followed by brown cone-like fruits.

Garden care: Plant in full sun in moist, well-drained soil, though it will tolerate wider poor or heavy soils and even seasonally wet ground once established. It’s a tough, fast-growing tree ideal for screening or stabilising banks, especially in exposed or challenging conditions.

Water during prolonged dry spells in the first couple of seasons to help it establish. Alnus generally needs little maintenance, but you can lightly prune in late autumn or winter to remove dead, damaged or overcrowded growth. Avoid hard pruning, as this species prefers minimal disturbance once mature. Mulch in spring to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.

Grey alder tends to develop as a multi-stemmed tree, so if a standard tree is required, select and train a single main stem, removing all lateral branches up to 1.5-2m (5-6ft) from the ground between the autumn leaf-fall and mid-winter.