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03-03-2006, 10:02 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 2/3/06 23:53, in article , "Janet
Baraclough" wrote:

The message
from Sacha contains these words:

In the experience of members of urg, which is the Alder with the longest
catkins? We want to plant a small number but I do most particularly want
the nice, long, catkin type.

My favourite is red alder, alnus rubra. The male catkins are about 5"
long when fully extended and very prolific. Just before reaching full
stretch they are very rosy red, the whole tree glows and is a wonderful
sight in late winter. The cones are a good size too. I used to pick
twigs of both for the house.

Plant them bare -root and cheap at 2 or 3 ft and juvenile trees will
grow at least that much again per year, making a good sized flowering
trees very fast. At the last garden I had two little copses of 7 or so
and loved them. The ones with yellowy/green catkins are less attractive
imo.

Thanks, Janet. This is precisely the sort of helpful information I'd hoped
for! Having cleared a largeish area at the bottom of our garden, where it
borders a lane, we want to plant part of it with a little group of alders. I
particularly want to find the long tasseled type of catkins and the colour
you describe sounds wonderful. There is another I've read about called
A. incana 'Ramulis coccineis', which also sounds very attractive but I don't
think I've ever seen it. Is it one you know? I'll start looking around for
the one you mention and for that one, too.

Garrya elliptica isn't an Alder.

No! ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
)