Red Alder is the most important hardwood in the Pacific Northwest. Use by people: The wood of Red Alder was second only to Cedars in its use for woodworking by natives. Use by wildlife: Finches eat the seeds of Red Alder. Habitat: Red Alder is most often found in moist woods and along streambanks. Red Alder The Birch Family–Betulaceae. Rubra means red– referring to the red dye made from its bark and the color of the wood when cut. Relationships: There are about eight alder species that reach tree size in the United States and Canada, about 20 or 30 species worldwide. The tree likes sun to half-shade at the location and the soil should be sandy to loamy. Deer and elk eat the leaves, twigs and buds of young trees. Diagnostic Characters: Red Alder has thin, gray bark often with patches of white lichens. Alder pollen is a major allergen. The bark is mottled, ashy-gray and smooth, often colonized by white lichen and moss. © Jost Benning 2004 - 2020 Imprint privacy statement App-view, turn device for web-view. Alder wood is considered the best wood for smoking salmon. “Volunteers” weeded out of other areas can be easily potted up or transplanted to more appropriate locations. The leaves are ovoid and the flowers are yellowish. It quickly colonizes recently cleared land. *All photographs on this site were taken by Dana, Edmund or Sky Bressette unless otherwise noted. Conservationand erosion control: Red alder is … The bark of Red Alder is smooth, light gray, but turns white with age. The lateral buds stick out. Wetland designation: FAC, Facultative, it is equally likely to occur in wetlands or non-wetlands. Red alder trees provide valuable nesting for birds and thermal cover for black-tailed deer and other wildlife. The official tallest red alder (1979) stands 32 m (105 ft) tall in Clatsop County, Oregon (US). The Tree is a deciduous tree, it will be up to 30 m (99 ft) high. Wind dissemination is very effective for natural regeneration. Western Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum aleuticum. Red Alder can form attractive groves in young forests, especially along rivers and streams. In the Landscape: Although many consider Red Alder a “weed” tree because it will often invade landscapes, this tree is the first choice for ecological restoration. The cones become woody , first they are green and later dark brown to black. Stands of Red Alder are favorable habitat for deer, especially on hot days in summer and early fall. The margins of the leaves are coarsely toothed and roll under. A red or orange dye was made from the bark to color red cedar bark and to make fishnets invisible to fish. It produces small brown cone-like strobiles less than an inch (2cm) long that remain on the tree through the winter. This alder is widespread and based in Alaska, North America and Western Canada. Growth: Red Alder grows rapidly and can reach 40-80 feet (15-25m). Red Alder is a host to nitrogen-fixing bacteria that form nodules on tree roots. Red Alder leaves are slightly rolled under at the margins. The leaf margin is serrated and the leaf arrangement is alternate. Names: Red Alder is sometimes called Oregon Alder. Distribution of Red Alder from USGS ( “Atlas of United States Trees” by Elbert L. Little, Jr. ). Because of the whitish appearance of the bark, it is often confused with Paper Birch. Phenology: Bloom Period: February to April. The cone-like strobiles shed large amounts of small winged nutlets September to December. The name derives from the bright rusty red color that develops in bruised or scraped bark. Its most distinguishing feature is its wavy, toothed leaves with revolute margins (edges that are slightly rolled under). White Alder, Alnus rhombifolia, is similar to Red Alder but is smaller; it is mostly an inland species is found in our range in northern Oregon. 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October 14, 2020
