The Alder Italian (Alnus Cordata) is a fast growing deciduous hedge which is often seen as the finer example of the species. Originally from northern Italy, it provides a wonderful medium to large conical bushy tree. Again, like its counterparts, it is excellent at helping to fertilise poor soil, so these hedges/trees are the best variety to plant in dry, poor quality soils. It can even withstand waterlogged and poorly drained soils too.

They produce yellow male catkins before the leaves blossom in spring, with female catkins containing seeds which feed wildlife in the autumn months. It is great for providing a large windbreaker hedge of five feet upwards, to help provide protection for most of the year. A lot of farms and nurseries use it for protection in their outdoor landscapes. It is also often spotted in parkland and along coastal areas, because of its hardiness with regards to withstanding strong wind and poor soil quality. The leaves normally develop in April and can last right up until December. The Alder Italian hedge plant has even won the Award of Garden Merit from the RHS for being a fine, handsome specimen of a tree. This means not only does it look gorgeous in a setting, it is useful too – and has been recognised for this. As well as supplying you with planting and cultural instructions with your order, we’d recommend rootgrow and bonemeal to help give your new plants a helping hand in their new site. We also recommend that you prune your Alder Italian during the months of July and August.

For any further advice or recommendations feel free to contact our dedicated members of staff, who will be happy to help.