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Alnus rubra Bong.
Red alder
Synonyms: Alnus oregona
USDA Symbol: ALRU2
USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.
Graceful tree with straight trunk, pointed or rounded crown, and mottled, light gray to whitish, smooth bark. Alder roots, like those of legumes, often have swellings or root nodules containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which enrich the soil by converting nitrogen from the air into chemicals like fertilizers that the plants can use. The common name describes the reddish-brown inner bark and heartwood.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial Habit: Tree Leaf Retention: Deciduous Leaf Arrangement: Alternate Leaf Complexity: Simple Size Class: More than 100 ft.
Leaf Shape: Elliptic ,
Ovate Leaf Venation: Pinnately Veined
Leaf Margin: Double-serrate
Breeding System: Monoecious Fruit Type: Cone
Size Notes: Height 100-130 feet, spread 20-30 feet.
Leaf Color: Dark green above.
Fruit Length: Cones 1/2 to 1 inch long.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Red , Green , Brown
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr
Distribution
USA: AK , CA , ID , OR , WA
Canada: BC Native Distribution: SE. Alaska southeast to central California; also local in N. Idaho; to 2500 (762 m).
Native Habitat: Moist soils including loam, gravel, sand, and clay, along streams and lower slopes; often in nearly pure stands.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), AK(N), CAN(N) Growing Conditions
Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Benefit
Use Other: Furniture, veneer, cabinets.
Bark was used by Indians for dyes.
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds
Propagation
Propagation Material: Seeds , Softwood Cuttings
Seed Treatment: Best germination in full sun.
Maintenance: Can be shaped by pruning when young.
Metadata
Record Modified: 2007-01-01
Research By: TWC Staff
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