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Alnus jorullensis - Kunth

Common Name Mexican alder, Evergreen Alder
Family Betulaceae
USDA hardiness 7-12
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Moist soil habitats, such as stream and river banks, swamps and moist montane slopes, often in very dense stands, at moderate to high elevations[338 ].
Range C. America - Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico
Edibility Rating    (0 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (0 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Wet Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Alnus jorullensis Mexican alder, Evergreen Alder


Auckland Museum
Alnus jorullensis Mexican alder, Evergreen Alder
Auckland Museum

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of cone
Alnus jorullensis is an evergreen Tree growing to 25 m (82ft) by 20 m (65ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. The flowers are pollinated by Wind.
It can fix Nitrogen.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Alnus acuminata jorullensis (Kunth) Regel Alnus firmifolia Fernald

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

None known

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.


None known

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Charcoal  Fuel  Hedge  Soil conditioner  Tannin  Wood

Agroforestry Uses: Alnus jorullensis is an early successional species that regenerates and colonizes on open disturbed ground where other forest types have been destroyed though natural processes, such as landslides, or as a result of anthropogenic activities. It is used extensively in reforestation on disturbed sites and is widely grown in plantations throughout MesoAmerica and South America as a timber and fuel wood species[338 ]. In agroforestry it is used in silvo-pastures to provide nitrogen for increasing forage availability and quality, to improve soil fertility, and it is grown in association with crops such as corn and beans, coffee and wild blackberries[338 ]. Other Uses: The wood and bark is rich in tannin, which is used to impart a red colour[331 , 338 ]. Woodland guides select this species for marking new trails through the mountain forests. The red marks of the bark cut by their machetes re as effective as red paint in marking the way[331 ]. The wood is rather light and soft but firm, straight-grained, rather fine-textured, easy to work, tough and strong, finishes smoothly, is not durable in contact with the ground[331 ]. It is used for the manufacture of boxes for transporting vegetables, shoe trees, matchsticks, post poles, broom handles, domestic implements, plywood cores and particle board. It is also locally harvested for firewood, and charcoal production[338 ]. Used for ornamental planting in warm temperate areas such as southern California. Good for hedging and screening.

Special Uses

Carbon Farming  Coppice  Food Forest  Hedge  Nitrogen Fixer

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Agroforestry Services: Crop shade  Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Management: Coppice  Management: Standard  Regional Crop

Alnus jorullensis is a plant of tropical montane forests, where temperatures are cool, with abundant rainfall. They are also found in high-elevation, open, oak-pine and fir woodlands in Mexico[338 ]. Grows best in a sunny position, but is somewhat shade tolerant[310 ]. Prefers a heavy soil and a damp situation, but it succeeds in ordinary garden soil[11 ]. Grows well in heavy clay soils[11 ]. Tolerates very infertile sites[200 ]. The tree responds well to coppicing[303 ]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil micro-organisms, these form nodules on the roots of the plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200 ]. Semi-deciduous in cool climates. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is branching: a heart root, dividing from the crown into several primary roots going down and out [2-1].

Carbon Farming

  • Agroforestry Services: Crop shade  Plants providing crop shade especially trees.
  • Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.
  • Management: Coppice  Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
  • Management: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
  • Regional Crop  These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plant Propagation

Seed

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: Mexico (Chihuahua, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Chiapas, Colima, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Tlaxcala, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Ciudad de México) SOUTHERN AMERICA: Guatemala

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Status: Least Concern

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Alnus acuminataAlderTree25.0 10-12 FLMHSNM023
Alnus cordataItalian AlderTree25.0 5-9 FMHSNDMWe004
Alnus glutinosaAlder, European alder , Common Alder, Black AlderTree25.0 3-7 FMHSNMWe035
Alnus hirsuta Tree18.0 3-7  MHSNMWe002
Alnus incanaGrey Alder, Speckled alder, Thinleaf alder, White AlderTree18.0 2-6 FMHSNDMWe003
Alnus japonicaJapanese AlderTree22.0 4-8 FMHSNDMWe012
Alnus maritimaSeaside Alder, Beach AlderTree9.0 3-7 MMHNMWe003
Alnus maximowiczii Tree9.0 4-8  MHSNMWe002
Alnus nepalensisNepalese AlderTree22.0 8-11 FMHSNMWe013
Alnus nitidaWest Himalayan AlderTree30.0 7-10  MHSNDMWe013
Alnus rhombifoliaWhite AlderTree12.0 8-11 FMHSNMWe122
Alnus rubraRed Alder, Oregon AlderTree20.0 6-8 FMHSNMWe224
Alnus rugosaSpeckled AlderTree22.0 2-6 FMHSNMWe023
Alnus serrulataSmooth Alder, Hazel alderShrub4.5 3-9  MHNMWe022
Alnus sinuataSitka AlderShrub4.0 2-9 FMHSNMWe113
Alnus tenuifoliaMountain Alder, Thinleaf alderTree9.0 5-7 FMHSNMWe123
Alnus viridis crispaAmerican Green AlderShrub3.0 4-8  MHSNMWe123

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Kunth

Botanical References

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.

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