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 viridis (Chaix) DC. – green alder

Subspecies Alnus viridis (Chaix) DC. ssp. sinuata (Regel) A. Löve & D. Löve – Sitka alder

A beautiful shrubby tree, Sitka Alder grows to 15’ tall and 10’ wide.

It is found at high elevations along the coast from central Alaska to California and east across North America in USDA zones 2-8.

In its native habitat this tree is invaluable. It grows quickly to form thickets that provide wildlife habitat. Furthermore, it improves the soil through nitrogen fixation and its rich leaf litter, it stabilizes steep slopes, avalanches rarely damage it and it slows the flow of water during spring snowmelt.