Hedge Rose vs Sitka Alder - TreeTime.ca

Hedge Rose vs Sitka Alder

Rosa rugosa x Rosa woodsii (Improved hybrid developed by PFRA)

Alnus alnobetula subsp. sinuata

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

CUSTOM GROW

Hedge Rose
Sitka Alder

Hedge Rose is a long-lived, fast-growing shrub. It bears similar flowers to the Alberta Wild Rose. Birds will love its deep red rose hips. Hedge Rose will thrive in a wide variety of soils and is a tall rose forming a useful hedge.

Excellent for shelterbelts, ecobuffers, and wildlife habitat plantings. Continuous flowering makes it attractive to pollinators. Many song and game birds utilize this tree for food and habitat.

In use since the early 1900s, this hybrid was originally developed at the PFRA's Indian Head Agroforestry Center.

Sitka Alder is a native deciduous shrub or small tree that often forms dense thickets. Its extensive root system stabilizes slopes and streambanks. Nitrogen-fixing capabilities and nutrient-rich leaf litter improve soil fertility, creating better growing conditions for surrounding plants. These qualities make it especially effective in disturbed or erosion-prone sites.
Often found in moist, high-elevation mountain environments, Sitka Alder also enhances habitat by providing cover and structure in both riparian and upland areas. Birds and small mammals utilize it for nesting, and its seeds serve as a food source.
Note: We use Sitka Alder for Alnus alnobetula subsp. sinuata. This species is also known by many other common names, including Mountain Alder, Green Alder, and others. Please confirm the scientific name to ensure you are ordering the correct plant.

Hedge Rose Quick Facts

Sitka Alder Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to prostrate, thicket-forming
Spreading: seed - medium, layering - medium
Suckering: high


Bark: redish-brown to grey, smooth
Flowers: pink or crimson
Fruit: red hips
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: yes

In row spacing: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)

Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: AB, BC, YT, NT
Other Names: wavy leaf alder