Small cones (fruits) that are 2 to 2.5 cm long and 1 to 1.5 cm across.
Taste
Somewhat bitter
Red alder scientifically known as Alnus rubra is a deciduous tree native to the Pacific Northwest of North America (Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho and Montana). Other common names of Red Alder are Alnus Serrulata, Canyon Alder, Hazel Alder, Mountain Alder, Oregon Alder, River Alder, Smooth Alder, Tag Alder, Thinleaf Alder and Western Alder. Red alder is a member of the Betulaceae family. This species is called red alder because the scraped or bruised tree barks develop a bright rusty reddish hue. Red Alder wood is soft and even-grained and is used particularly for firewood, but Native Americans have used it for a variety of small items such as bowls and rattles. The trees are not loved by foresters, as they grow more rapidly than the conifers planted in tree plantations and can out compete them for sunlight and other resources.
Plant Description
Red alder is a deciduous broadleaf tree reaching various heights from 20 to 30 m (66 to 98 ft.) tall when mature. These fast-growing trees often grow 1 meter per year until 20 years of age. The trees can live to 100 years of age with trunks from 36 to 46 cm in diameter. Red alder grows on cool and moist slopes; inland and at the southern end of its range it grows mostly along the margins of watercourses and wetlands. It occurs on a wide variety of soil types ranging from well-drained gravels and sands to poorly drained clay or organic soils. The best stands are found on deep, well-drained loams or sandy loams of alluvial origin. Stands also grow well on residual or colluvial soils of volcanic origin. Barks are thin, generally smooth, and greenish on young trees, turning grey to whitish with age. The inner bark and fresh wounds tend to turn deep reddish-orange when exposed to air and is usually covered with white lichen and moss as it ages. The inner bark is reddish brown. Branches are slender and spreading.
Leaves
Alternately arranged leaves are dark green, simple and broadly ovate. The leaves are 6 to 15 cm long with a pointed tip. The leaf edges are serrated or softly lobed and slightly rolled under, giving a dark-green edging effect from the underside of the leaf. The undersides of the leaves are rusty colored and covered with fine soft hairs. The leaves turn yellow in the autumn before falling.
Flower
The flowers occur as either male or female clusters. Male flowers are in long, drooping, reddish catkins and hang in clusters of 2 to 5, and female flowers are in short, woody, brown cones borne at the ends of branchlets. Flowering normally takes place from March and April.
Fruit
Fruits are small-scaled cones that are 2 to 2.5cm long and 1 to 1.5 cm across. Each cone contains from 50 to 100 seeds that are tiny flat nutlets.
History
Red Alder is native to the West coast of America, where it is also known as Oregon Alder. It was introduced to Britain in the late 1800’s. Like the rest of the Alder family, Red Alder has symbiotic bacteria living in nodules on its roots that improve the soil by releasing water-soluble nitrogen based compounds. Alders are particularly useful for quickly binding loose, rocky soil. Red Alder is the traditional wood for smoking salmon in America.
