• Home
  • Order Form
  • Request our Services
  • Gift Card
  • Hours and Directions
  • Contact Us

Edge Of The Woods Native Plant Nursery, LLC

Specializing in plants native to mid-Atlantic ecosystem

June 7, 2018

Species Spotlight: Common Alder- An Ecosystem at Work

Alnus serrulalta, Tag Alder

A Nitrogen Fixing Pioneer Species

If you are looking for a shining example of the intricate relationships between all the elements of an ecosystem, Alnus serrulata (Smooth or Common Alder) is it!

This nitrogen-fixing shrub can help an area recover from flooding, logging, mining or almost any disturbance.  All it needs is moist or wet soil and some sun.  It will provide itself with all the nitrogen it needs, so thrives in the poorest of soils.   As it grows, the soil is gradually improved and becomes receptive for other plants.

Ecosystem Wildlife Value

Alder attracts a particular aphid (yes,  aphids are part of the ecosystem!) which is food for the larvae of our carnivorous butterfly, the Harvester.  Tiger swallowtail, pallid tiger swallowtail, white admiral, green comma, and mourning cloak also rely on Alder for larval food.  To top it off, Alder also supports goldfinches and grouse.

Birds help spread plants by moving seed around, and the alder — by attracting birds — plays an important role in getting new seed to the area.  This increases the diversity of plant species, helping the area support even more birds, butterflies, pollinators, and wildlife.

Erosion Control

You don’t need a disturbed site to appreciate the alder, though.  They are excellent at erosion control on streambanks.  This sturdy shrub is heat and humidity tolerant and will even grow in up to 3 feet of water.

Alders form a fine-branched thicket and produce attractive catkins that dangle in the breeze in late winter andearly spring..  The male catkins are longer and the female catkins are short and stubby, resembling pine cones.  The female catkins remain on the shrub for up a year and provide an interesting visual appeal.  If you are looking to tidy up its appearance, it can be rejuvenated every few years by cutting to 6” from the ground.

Our container grown alders will transplants readily,  even into saturated soils.  Stop in today!

Harvester butterfly is the only carnivorous butterfly in North America. (It eats insects.) Appears in early spring until fall and is generally scarce. Lives in wooded areas near streams close to alders.
Catkins on Alnus. Male catkins are longer and sway in the breeze. Female catkins resemble short stubby pine cones and remain on the shrub through winter.

Article by Louise Schaefer / Insects, Plants, Why Natives?

Recent Posts

  • Opening for the Season April 1 2021
  • Five Spring Garden Maintenance Tips
  • Love Red Flowers? So Does Cupid! (P.S. Gift Cards Available)
  • Native Plant Starter Kits
  • Winter Greetings

Retail Nursery Hours

Sunday Closed
Monday - Saturday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Our Plants

You can view the signage for most of our plants here!

Trees, Shrubs, Vines by botanic name

Trees, Shrubs, Vines by common name

Perennials by Botanic Name

Perennials by Common Name

Our Newsletter

Click here to see recent issue of our e-news and to sign up to receive it.

Find Us On Facebook

2 days ago

Want some blueberries this season? We have some beautiful blueberry bushes that will bear fruit this year.

View on facebook
2 days ago

We just released gallon-sized native deciduous and evergreen azaleas/Rhododendrons. Color of flowers is noted after the botanical name :)

Azaleas (deciduous):

Flame azalea (R. calendulaceum) ORANGE
Pinxter azalea (R. periclymenoides) PINK
Piedmont azalea (R. canescens) PINK
Rose shell azalea (R. prinophyllum) PINK
Onocee azalea (R. flammeum) ORANGE
Swamp azalea (R. viscosum) WHITE
Sweet azalea (R. arborescens) WHITE
Coast azalea (R. atlanticum) WHITE

“Rhodies” (evergreen):

Great laurel (Rhododendron maximum) WHITE
‘Roseum Elegans’ (Rhododendron catawbiense ‘Roseum Elegans’) MAGENTA-PINK
‘Boursalt’ (Rhododendron catawbiense ‘Boursalt’) MAGENTA-PINK

We also have limited amounts of some in larger containers:

Great laurel (R. maximum) WHITE
Sweet azalea (R. arborescens) WHITE
Coast azalea (R. atlanticum) WHITE
Flame azalea (R. calendulaceum) ORANGE
Swamp azalea (R. viscosum) WHITE

We also have plenty of mountain laurel left (Kalmia latifolia) including:

Straight species
‘Olympic Fire’
‘Elf’ (dwarf)
... See more

View on facebook
3 days ago
Climate-Wise Landscaping

Replace the seasonal non-native plantings that need to be replaced every few months with native perennial borders. And instead of wide spaces of mulch between the plants, place them close together so that there is little room for weeds. This practice is part of climate-wise landscaping because it reduces soil disturbances, which reduces the carbon released to the air and it reduces the large footprint of repetitive production and transport to supply new plants every season. The perennials will last for many seasons and require much less labor.
www.climatewiselandscaping.com
... See more

View on facebook
2 weeks ago

Trees, trees, and more trees! Oh, and shrubs, shrubs, and yes, more shrubs! We have a wonderful selection of native trees and shrubs available now. Woody plants provide interest all year long, height to the garden, vital habitat for wildlife, and years of satisfaction as you watch your plant grow into a mature specimen! They are the foundation of our greater, forested ecosystem spanning most of eastern North America, which historically covered nearly 100% of Pennsylvania’s landmass. Today, forested land still makes up the majority of Pennsylvania’s total land area, at about 58% coverage. Below are some of the trees we have now, keep an eye for another post soon about shrubs :)

Available now:

*Trees*

Shagbark hickory
Shellbark hickory
Red maple
Sugar maple
Red oak
Willow oak
Black oak
Shumard oak
Pin oak
Beech
Sycamore
Fringetree
Red bud
Carolina silver bell
White pine
Red pine
Virginia pine
Pitch pine
White spruce
Red spruce
Eastern Red Cedar
American linden
Sassafrass
Bald cypress
Franklinia
Sweetbay magnolia
River birch
‘Heritage’ River Birch
Yellow Birch
Mountain ash
... See more

View on facebook
« ‹ 1 of 10 › »

Testimonials

Friendly, knowledgeable people, large selection of native plants, trees and shrubs. Great place!

Jeremy

Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery, LLC
A WBE Certified Woman Owned Business
Promoting Native Plants Since 2003

2415 Route 100, Orefield, PA 18069
(610) 395-2570
Email Us

Our Nursery

  • Gift Card
  • Our Plants
    • -Starter Kits
    • -Plugs/Liners
    • -Plant Lists
    • -Right Plant, Right Place
    • -Order Form
  • Planning Your Visit
    • -Hours/Directions
    • -Nursery Tours
  • Shipping
  • Customer Loyalty
  • Sample Designs

Our Services

  • Why EOTW?
    • -Site Visits
    • -Consultation
    • -Maintenance & Design
    • -Request Services
    • -Rates
  • Events
  • Photos
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Pay An Invoice

Other Info

  • About Us
    • -Our Mission
    • -Women’s Business Enterprise Certified
    • -Community Outreach
    • -Testimonials
    • -Feedback
  • Helpful Links
  • Books
  • Jobs at EOTW
  • Our E-Newsletter
  • FAQs
  • Site Index

Connect With Us

Copyright © 2021 · Site Developed by: KLK Web Services, LLC