Wood: The
European alder has recently come to be considered a useful nurse tree for
more valuable timber trees, and as a source of wood for pulp, furniture
and charcoal.
Wildlife: Some birds eat the buds and seeds (redpolls, siskins and goldfinches), and gamebirds and hoofed browsers feed on other parts of the plant. Dense colonies of alders provide cover for many species of wildlife.
Horticulture: With attractive cones and male catkins, this alder is sometimes planted in Iowa as an ornamental. The native alders, being more disease-prone and less attractive, have perhaps tainted the reputation of this genus. European alder is good for exceptionally wet areas along ponds and streams, and is widely planted in Europe. 'Pyramidalis' is a form with a columnar habit, to 50 feet tall; 'Laciniata' has finely-cut leaves; and 'Imperialis' has finer-cut leaves than 'Laciniata'. The red alder (A. rubra) is a tree to 40 feet tall, and is native to the Pacific Northwest. The speckled alder (A. rugosa), with crooked, twisted branches, is native to northeast Iowa and grows to 30 feet tall.
