Alder is a tree, a long-term addition to the landscape. It's hardy across USDA zones 6 through 12 and shrugs off deer. A nitrogen-fixer, it draws nitrogen from the air and feeds it back to the soil — turn it under or leave the roots in place, and the next planting inherits a richer bed.
Zones
6-12
pH Range
4.4-7.2
Sun
Part Sun
Days to Maturity
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Score Alder on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether alder actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score alder against your land's real conditions.
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What Alder is
Alder grows as a perennial and reaches around 50 feet at maturity. It blooms purple in mid spring. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Alder
Alder grows in USDA zones 6 through 12. Alder does best in part sun — at least 4 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.4 to 7.2, on consistently moist ground. It needs about 500 hours of winter chill, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
6-12
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4.4 - 7.2
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Part Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
poorly (saturated >50% of year)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Tolerance
-18°F
The lowest temperature it shrugs off — below this, expect damage without cover.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
50 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Chill Hours
500+
Winter hours below ~45°F it needs to fruit — too-mild winters can leave it bloom-shy.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
0+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Plant it right
Set alder in part sun with consistently moist soil. Many fruit trees need a second variety nearby to pollinate — check before you plant just one.
Match the soil
Alder prefers pH 4.4 to 7.2 (USDA PLANTS). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band. It fixes its own nitrogen, so skip the high-nitrogen feed and instead dust the seed with a matching rhizobium inoculant at sowing.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. Match watering to the plant's drainage preference and your local rainfall.
Be patient, then harvest
Prune annually while the tree establishes; fruit trees reward patience with years of harvest. Local Extension guides publish per-cultivar bearing-age tables.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — alder isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Alder isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data — pair it with high-value bloomers nearby to feed bees.
Where Alder thrives
Alder is hardy across USDA zones 6 through 12. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 6–12·Where Alder growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Alder can grow in these states:
See if Alder will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether alder actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Alder in my zone?
Alder grows in USDA hardiness zones 6 through 12 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Alder?
Set alder out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does Alder need?
Alder does well in partial sun — around 4 hours of direct sun, and it takes some afternoon shade in stride. That flexibility makes it a good match for a bed the house or a nearby tree shades for part of the day. A Growable Ground report maps how the sun actually falls on your land, hour by hour, so you can set it where the light lines up.
What soil does Alder need?
Alder prefers soil pH 4.4 to 7.2, on consistently moist ground (USDA PLANTS). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Alder attract pollinators?
Alder isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data. Pairing it with high-value bloomers nearby keeps bees and butterflies fed.
Is Alder safe for pets?
Alder is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data. Always supervise pets around new plantings. (Source: ASPCA.)