Woolly White Alder is a deciduous shrub native to the damp woodlands and swamps of the southeastern U.S., from North Carolina to Louisiana, prized for its intensely fragrant summer blooms and graceful, rounded habit. Growing 3 to 6 feet tall and wide in hardiness zones 7 through 9, this densely branched plant produces sweetly scented flower spikes from mid-July into September, attracting butterflies and other pollinators. Its woolly young leaves and shoots give the plant a soft, distinctive appearance, while its tolerance for wet soils and erosion makes it equally at home in challenging garden conditions. The Missouri Botanical Garden notes that it performs best in consistently moist, acidic, sandy soils in part shade, though it adapts well to full sun and even tolerates clay.
Partial Sun
Moderate
7-9
72in H x 72in W
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High
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The fragrance alone makes Woolly White Alder worth planting: those spires of tiny, sweetly scented flowers bloom reliably from midsummer through early fall, attracting butterflies and other pollinators when many other shrubs have finished flowering. Its soft, woolly young growth and rounded, suckering habit create a naturalized appearance that softens garden edges, while its proven tolerance for wet soils and erosion control means it thrives in spots where many shrubs struggle. A native plant that asks for moderate care and rewards you with months of honey-scented blooms.
Woolly White Alder works beautifully as a hedge or screen planting, particularly in naturalized or woodland-edge gardens where its suckering habit and dense branching create a full, textured barrier. Its ability to stabilize erosion and tolerate wet soils makes it valuable for rain gardens, streamside plantings, and low-lying areas where conventional shrubs fail.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Prune in late winter if needed to shape the plant. Promptly remove root suckers unless you prefer a naturalized, multi-stemmed look with spreading growth.
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