Leaves are alternate, obovate-eliptic, short acuminate at the apex, shallowly cordate at the base, subdensely serrulate, deep green, lustrous and glabrous above, yellowish-green and glaucous beneath.

Flowers in February to March before the leaves.

Nuts orbicular- obovate, compressed, thin on the margin but without wing.

This alder is rather a rare tree and found at open swampy places in the warm and intermediate temperate zone.

The wood may be used in the same way as that of the Japanese alder.

Distribution ; Honshu (Ibaragi and Niigata to west), Kyushu (Miyazaki), China (east and south)