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Questions and Answers: 2022

Question: I have a wetland in front of my house which consists mostly of Alnus incana (rugosa). Town wetland restrictions apply …

• Question

  I have a wetland in front of my house which consists mostly of Alnus incana (rugosa). Town wetland restrictions apply since across the street is a pond,so I don’t want to kill it but manage it. My question is can the alder be cut back, since it has become quite tall and many break in the winter, and will it regenerate by either sending up new shoots or regrow from the old trucks that have been cut? I have not been able to find any info on this anywhere and the head conservation in town is sure.

  Answer

  Dear susanohara, good morning to you. The stems of Alnus incana do not regenerate, once cut that shoot will die (if cut near the base). But, the plants can send up additional shoots from the rhizomes (i.e., underground stems). Cutting them individually is a non-toxic way to reduce the numbers of shoots.