Hansen's Northwest Native Plant Database

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Hamamelididae

Order Fagales

Family Betulaceae – Birch family

Genus Alnus Mill. – alder

Species Alnus rubra Bong. – red alder

An attractive, fast growing tree, Red Alder attains heights of 75.’

A coastal tree, it grows no more than 100 miles inland, from southern Alaska to California in USDA zones 7-10.

They are found growing on poor, moist soils and on steep slopes, where they prevent erosion.

The bark is gray and the leaves remain a vibrant green until they drop.

Red Alder has many medicinal qualities and is also used as a dye plant. It is the most important commercial hardwood in the Pacific Northwest. The roots of Red alder fix nitrogen at rates of 40-300 lbs per acre, (compared to 105 lbs per acre for soybeans). This is an outstanding species for reclaiming bare land.

Red Alder can tolerate some drought and thrives in brackish wetlands.

It transplants well.