Green Alder vs Falsebox - TreeTime.ca

Green Alder vs Falsebox

Alnus alnobetula subsp. crispa

Paxistima myrsinites

COMING SOON

CUSTOM GROW

Green Alder
Falsebox

Green Alder is a native, cold-hardy shrub found in boreal forests, along slopes, and in open upland habitats. It fixes nitrogen in the soil, improving fertility and helping other plants grow, while its roots help stabilize slopes and disturbed ground. Fast to establish on poor soils, it is widely used in reclamation, restoration, and erosion control projects.

With its smooth grey bark and shiny green leaves, Green Alder often forms dense thickets that provide cover for birds and small mammals. Its seeds, buds, and catkins also supply food for wildlife. Green Alder is well suited for naturalization and ecological restoration.

Note: We use Green Alder for Alnus alnobetula subsp. crispa. This species is also known by many other common names, including Mountain Alder, Sitka Alder, and others. Please confirm the scientific name to ensure you are ordering the correct plant.

Falsebox is a hardy, native evergreen shrub found in forests, rocky slopes, and open woodland sites. Though small and easily overlooked among the leaves, the maroon flowers still supply nectar and pollen for pollinators such as native bees and flies. Blooming in spring, they provide an important early-season food source. Its year-round greenery adds visual interest through the winter.

Falsebox is a low-growing shrub that tolerates a wide range of conditions, including drought once established. It thrives particularly well beneath the shade of mature trees, where few other plants succeed. With its resilience and ecological value, Falsebox is well-suited for naturalization, restoration projects, and diverse landscape plantings.

Green Alder Quick Facts

Falsebox Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 5a
Height: 7 m (23 ft)
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: any
Light: any
Moisture: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: slow
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: prostrate to spreading
Spreading: layering - medium
Suckering: high


Foliage: evergreen, leathery leaves
Bark: reddish-brown
Flowers: small, maroon-purple, fragrant
Bloom time: summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: yes
Catkins: no

In row spacing: 0.9 m (3 ft)

Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: AB, SK, MB, ON, NS, NB, NL, YT
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: american green alder
Other Names: false box, mountain boxwood, mountain lover, myrtle boxwood, oregon boxleaf, oregon boxwood