Speckled alder
(Alnus incana ssp. rugosa)
Conservation • Wetland • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Use • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List
not listed
NatureServe
N5 - Secure
SNR - Unranked
Minnesota
not listed
Wetland Indicator Status
Great Plains
FACW - Facultative wetland
Midwest
FACW - Facultative wetland
Northcentral & Northeast
FACW - Facultative wetland
Description
The lateral female catkins are stalkless, the terminal one is on a short stalk ⅛″ to 5 ⁄16″ (4 to 8 mm) long.
Height
15′ to 26′
Flower Color
Red
Similar Species
Habitat
Lowland deciduous forests, margins of swamps and marshes. lake shores, streambanks. Full to partial sun.
Ecology
Flowering
Late March to early May
Pests and Diseases
Use
Distribution
Sources
Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu. Accessed 10/14/2026.
Midwest Herbaria Portal. 2026. https://midwestherbaria.org/portal/index.php. Accessed 10/14/2026.
Alnus incana (L.) Moench in Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Abreu, C., Acero P, A., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (2026-08-26 XR). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgyy9
Smith, Welby R. 2008. Trees and Shrubs of Minnesota: The Complete Guide to Species Identification. The University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, MN.
Nativity
Native
Occurrence
Common
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Subkingdom
Pteridobiotina
Phylum
Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)
Class
Order
Fagales (Beeches, Oaks, Walnuts, and Allies)
Family
Betulaceae (Birch)
Subfamily
Betuloideae
Genus
Alnus (Alders)
Species
Alnus incana (Gray Alder)
Species
Catalogue of Life, GBIF, and World Plants treat this as Alnus rugosa. Almost all other sources treat this as Alnus incana ssp. rugosa.
Subordinate Taxa
Synonyms
Alnus glauca
Alnus incana var. americana
Alnus rugosa
Alnus rugosa var. americana
Betula alnus
Betula rugosa
Common Names
gray alder
speckled alder
swamp alder
Visitor Photos
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Speckled alder (male catkin)
A small shrub like plant 3-4 ft tall.
Minnesota Seasons Photos
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Other Videos
Felling some trees
Kunnarr
Visitor Sightings
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Luciearl
10/10/2026
Location: Lake Shore, MN
Luciearl
12/24/2019
Location: Cass County
A small shrub like plant 3-4 ft tall. Appeared to look like a dark red berry bush from afar. Up close had a more of a pine cone appearance.