# Red Alder (*Alnus rubra*)

Red Alder is a special tree with red-brown bark and bright green leaves! It likes to grow near water.

- **Category:** [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/tree)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** Riverbanks and forests
- **Also known as:** Pacific Alder, Western Alder

![Red Alder](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426644/objects/4814.jpg)

## Appearance

The Red Alder is a medium-to-large tree with smooth, ash-gray bark when young, maturing to scaly. Its oval, finely serrated leaves are dark green above and paler, sometimes rusty below. Small, dark brown, cone-like fruits persist through winter, giving it a distinctive look.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Fagales
- **Family:** Betulaceae
- **Genus:** Alnus

## Interesting facts

- Its small, woody cones stay on the tree all winter, looking like tiny ornaments!
- Native Americans used Red Alder bark to make beautiful reddish dyes for baskets and nets!
- Red Alder is super important for salmon, shading streams and providing leaf nutrients!
- When Red Alder wood is cut, it quickly changes color from white to reddish-orange!

## Special abilities

- **Nitrogen Power-Up:** Red Alder can partner with tiny soil bacteria to create its own fertilizer, helping it grow fast in poor soils.
- **Soil Super-Booster:** Red Alder enriches the soil by adding nitrogen, which helps other plants thrive and makes the forest healthier.
- **Quick Colonizer:** Red Alder can quickly grow in disturbed areas like clearcuts or landslides, starting the recovery process for new forests.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 20-40 m
- **Spread:** 8-15 m
- **Edible:** No
- **Size:** 30-80 cm
- **Lifespan:** 60-100 years
- **Fruit Type:** Cone-like strobile
- **Growth Rate:** Fast
- **Leaf Type:** Deciduous

## Ecological connections

- **Symbiotic with:** Frankia bacteria (*Frankia alni*) — fixes nitrogen in roots
- **Shelter:** [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) — leaves and shade cool streams
- **Eats:** North American Beaver (*Castor canadensis*) — eats bark and twigs
- **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — browses on young twigs and leaves
- **Shelter:** [Hairy Woodpecker](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hairy-woodpecker) (*Picoides villosus*) — nests in cavities in trunks

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants.
- [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/trees)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Red Alder?

Compare leaves or needles, how they attach to the twig, buds, bark and the shape of the crown. Lobed leaves are useful clues, but several unrelated trees share a similar outline. Tree Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Red Alder?

20-40 m

### How wide does Red Alder spread?

8-15 m

### Is Red Alder edible?

No

### How big is Red Alder?

30-80 cm

### How long does Red Alder live?

60-100 years

### Where is Red Alder usually found?

Riverbanks and forests

### What kind of fruit does Red Alder produce?

Cone-like strobile

## Where to spot

- [Tantalus Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tantalus-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park
- [Carl S. English, Jr., Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carl-s-english-jr-botanical-gardens) — Washington, US · Botanical Garden
- [Cougar Mountain Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-zoo) — Washington, US · Zoo

[View all places to see Red Alder](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/red-alder)

## More Trees

- [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*)
- [Sessile Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sessile-oak) (*Quercus petraea*)
- [Northern Red Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-red-oak) (*Quercus rubra*)
- [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*)

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Source: [Red Alder: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-alder)