Speckled Alder Flower

The long hanging flowers are the male catkins of the Speckled Alder or Gray alder, Alnus incana. The short green ones are the female flower. A few subtle difference between the two are that the grey alder has a shallower root system as well as large amount of suckering that takes place from the stump as well as from the root system. The bark is of course much more speckled versus the more grayish bark on the gray alder

Wonderful wildlife plant in our northern forest, alder runs are a great area when hunting the woodcock or the ruffed grouse. They grow mostly in wet, damp growth areas and are certainly one of the pioneer small trees in the forest.