Nannyberry
Viburnum lentago Shrub Zones 2–8 12–18 ft
Shares stream banks, the forest understory, old fields and edges in the wild.
A native we do not grow
Speckled Alder
Alnus incana subsp. rugosa. Shrub, 15 to 33 feet, zones 2 to 6; full sun, part shade or shade; average or wet ground.
We do not grow speckled alder, and it is not in our shop. This page gathers what our tools say about it and the natives we grow for the same ground.
At a glance
| Other names | Hoary alder, gray alder |
|---|---|
| Form | Shrub |
| Height, feet | 15 to 33 |
| Spread, feet | Up to 25 |
| Zones | 2 to 6 |
| Sun | Full sun, part shade or shade |
| Soil moisture | Average or wet ground |
| Growth | Fast |
| Leaves | Deciduous |
| Traits | Wildlife value, nitrogen fixing, winter interest, erosion control |
| Flowers | March to May |
| Fruit | Cones, August to February |
| First crop | 5 to 10 years (abundant crops about every 4 years) |
| Pollination | Not known whether one bears alone |
| Transplanting | The Morton Arboretum's page on speckled alder marks it as one that transplants well. |
| Black walnut | Not named on the Morton Arboretum's lists |
| Ground | Stream banks, the forest understory, swamps and wet flats, old fields and edges |
| Native in | 20 states |
Speckled alder is native in 20 states: Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The states are the USDA PLANTS Database's records, with the native range read from Silvics of North America and NatureServe Explorer.
What our tools say
How fast it grows and how big it gets, by site Whether it suits your zone, sun and soil How far from a house, wires and a septic field What grows with it in the wild and in a yard When to plant it where you live When it flowers and fruits, month by month How to sow its seed, with dates for your place Whether one you have can be moved, and what the move takes How old one is, from its height How a big one scores against the champion trees
For the same ground, we grow
These shrubs we grow share the most of speckled alder's natural communities in the wild, by the companion species tool's rules.
Squashberry
Viburnum edule Shrub Zones 2–8 2–7 ft
Shares stream banks, the forest understory, swamps and wet flats in the wild.
Alderleaf Buckthorn
Rhamnus alnifolia Shrub Zones 3–7 2–5 ft
Shares stream banks, the forest understory, swamps and wet flats in the wild.
Gray Dogwood
Cornus racemosa Shrub Zones 4–8 4–10 ft
Shares stream banks, the forest understory, old fields and edges in the wild.
Virginia Sweetspire
Itea virginica Shrub Zones 5–9 3–6 ft
Shares stream banks, the forest understory, swamps and wet flats in the wild.
Canada Yew
Taxus canadensis Shrub Zones 2–7 3–6 ft
Shares stream banks, the forest understory, swamps and wet flats in the wild.
Read from
Its figures come from Silvics of North America, the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Morton Arboretum, the Wildflower Center, the Forest Service's Fire Effects Information System, the Woody Plant Seed Manual and the USDA PLANTS Database.