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EXPLORE > PLANTS > ANGIOSPERMS
Alnus rubra
Red alder is a deciduous hardwood tree which can be found all along the Oregon coast. It is a thin tree with a smooth gray bark often mottled by patches of white or encrusted with lichen. The average tree can grow up to 80 feet (24.3 m), obtaining nearly half its potential height in the first five years of life. Its leaves are shaped like arrow-heads with serrated edges; and are typically dusky green above and rust-colored underneath.
The tree occupies a unique biological niche on the Oregon Coast and adjacent areas. Because they are aggressive and fast-growing, red alders will quickly occupy an area where the forest has been disturbed, whether by fire, flood, wind or human development. The presence of the tree helps to curb erosion while simultaneously providing new habitat for various animals. After a while, additional tree species will grow in and around these alder “patches,” creating a more diverse ecosystem. The tree can also improve an area through nitrogen fixation. This reduces soil acidity and allows grasses, sedges and ferns to thrive in a lush understory. For all these reasons, the alder is often referred to as a “pioneer species.”
The tree’s name relates to the muddy-red color which develops when its bark is bruised or scraped. This red bark was used extensively by Native Americans as a dye. The bark also has strong anti-biotic properties for treating everything from upper-respiratory ailments to infected wounds. Many animals also use the tree. Black-tailed deer and Roosevelt elk will browse on its twigs and buds. American beaver will eat its bark, and its seeds are gathered by birds and rodents.
Distribution
The red alder grows exclusively along the west coast of North America, from southeast Alaska to northern California. Almost all red alder is found within 125 miles (200 km) of the Pacific Ocean. The tree will often grow in pure stands within larger forests along rivers, logging roads, or on sites where forest fires have occurred.
Conservation Status
Common. In recent decades, the role of the red alder in forestry has gained greater importance and appreciation. It is now often planted to help restore damaged lands and is used as an ornamental tree by homeowners.
Alnus rubra
Red alder is a deciduous hardwood tree which can be found all along the Oregon coast. It is a thin tree with a smooth gray bark often mottled by patches of white or encrusted with lichen. The average tree can grow up to 80 feet (24.3 m), obtaining nearly half its potential height in the first five years of life. Its leaves are shaped like arrow-heads with serrated edges; and are typically dusky green above and rust-colored underneath.
The tree occupies a unique biological niche on the Oregon Coast and adjacent areas. Because they are aggressive and fast-growing, red alders will quickly occupy an area where the forest has been disturbed, whether by fire, flood, wind or human development. The presence of the tree helps to curb erosion while simultaneously providing new habitat for various animals. After a while, additional tree species will grow in and around these alder “patches,” creating a more diverse ecosystem. The tree can also improve an area through nitrogen fixation. This reduces soil acidity and allows grasses, sedges and ferns to thrive in a lush understory. For all these reasons, the alder is often referred to as a “pioneer species.”
The tree’s name relates to the muddy-red color which develops when its bark is bruised or scraped. This red bark was used extensively by Native Americans as a dye. The bark also has strong anti-biotic properties for treating everything from upper-respiratory ailments to infected wounds. Many animals also use the tree. Black-tailed deer and Roosevelt elk will browse on its twigs and buds. American beaver will eat its bark, and its seeds are gathered by birds and rodents.
Distribution
The red alder grows exclusively along the west coast of North America, from southeast Alaska to northern California. Almost all red alder is found within 125 miles (200 km) of the Pacific Ocean. The tree will often grow in pure stands within larger forests along rivers, logging roads, or on sites where forest fires have occurred.
Conservation Status
Common. In recent decades, the role of the red alder in forestry has gained greater importance and appreciation. It is now often planted to help restore damaged lands and is used as an ornamental tree by homeowners.
