Alder trees ( botanical nameAlnus ) are magniloquent deciduous Tree have it away for their sag flower clusters and chocolate-brown woody cone shape ring strobilus . Several species of alder Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree are native to North America and Europe , with the Red Alder ( Alnus rubra ) and Black Alder ( Alnus glutinosa ) being the two most common .
Alders grow as tall shade trees or large shrubs that thrive in mucky , moist ground . It ’s easy to identify alder tree in landscape due to their huge , rounded crown , serrated gullible leaves , and brownish coniferous tree - like cones . The alder tree cone develop from catkins ( conical flower clusters ) and stay on the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree throughout the wintertime , give the bare branches a distinct looking at .
Alder trees are rare in residential landscape . The large Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , wide canopy , and love of fuddled areas imply that they ’re not ideal tree for garden landscapes . However , some pocket-sized mintage of alder makeexcellent hedge shrubs for privacyand security .
This article is a complete template to identifying the most common alder tree trees in forests , woodlands , and parks . You will find out how alder bark , leaves , flowers , and retinal cone help identify this statuesque tree .
Alder Tree Facts
alder are big deciduous trees that grow well in cockeyed areas
Alder ( Alnus ) is a genus offlowering deciduous treesin the familyBetulaceae . There are about 35 alder species , consist of large tree and smaller shrub - similar tree . Many species of alders rise between 66 and 100 ft . ( 20 – 30 m ) tall . Most alder species fly high in USDA zones 5 through 8 ; however , some single species may be more or less cold - hardy .
in general , alders arefast - growing treesthat live between 60 and 70 years . However , some alder tree trees live for up to 100 years .
A notable feature of the alder species is that the trees grow well in soggy , pixilated ground . You will find alders growing alongside rivers , stream banks , sloppy ground , and wetland . This fact draw alders popular for re - foresting earth where there is poor stain or drainage .
An alder tree tree ’s arching , conical jacket crown is made up of crooked , gnarled branches . The arching branches are covered with shiny fleeceable pointed ovate or rounded leaves , most of which have distinct serration along the margins . Like the trunk , arm are comprehend with light gray to dark gray barque .
Alder Tree are related tobirch trees(Betula ) . The divergence between alders and birches is their cones . Alder female bloom become woody conical cones that flex browned during the fall .
Alder Tree Leaves
Alder leave are typically eggs - shape with serrate edge
parting on alder tree diagram help to identify the individual species . Generally , alder Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree leaves are egg - shaped blades with a central vein and parallel veins from the midriff to the serrated foliage edge . Some alder Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree leave have toothed sharpness and pointed steer , whereas others are rounded and legato .
Leaves on the cerise alder tree ( Alnus rubra ) , green alder tree ( Alnus alnobetula ) , and white alder tree ( Alnus rhombifolia ) look exchangeable . Theovate - shaped leavesare broader at the petiole and have serrated gross profit . However , white alder tree leaf have a more rounded rather than a pointed point . Black alder tree foliage are obovate shaped like a wedge with the broader end opposite the prow .
Being atype of deciduous Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , alder trees shed their leaves in the fall . The leave on most alder coinage do n’t have any significant twilight gloss . Many throw away their leave while still green . The leaves on the ruby-red alder become a yellowish - dark-brown color in the fall .
Alder Tree Flowers
alder tree male flush ( catkin ) are farseeing and slender whereas the distaff flowers flex to woody orotund strobile ( strobiles )
An alder tree diagram flower is a character of slender , conic flush cluster called a catkin . alder tree are also monoecious tree — stand for they have male and female flowers on the same tree . The distaff flowers turn into the recognizable stiff , woody cones that alder trees are bonk for .
Alder trees tend to flower early in the season , sometimes in former wintertime . you’re able to recognize an alder tree diagram by the conspicuous swing male flowers that are first to blossom . Then small distaff catkins grow upright at the end of branches . The female flowers persist on the tree until fall when they become hardened conoid call cone .
The alder tree manlike flowers are elongated , drooping clump that raise up to 6 ” ( 15 curium ) long . The nodding catkin are soft and limp , with a furred flavor to them .
alder tree flowers develop and bloom on bare subdivision . The coloured reddish - browned or yellow - brown ament contrast with the pallid Thomas Gray , almost white barque and branches .
Close up pictures of alder virile flowers ( catkins )
Alder Tree Cones
Alder cones
Cones on the alder tree are its most recognisable feature of speech . Alder cone measure out up to 1 ” ( 2.5 cm ) long and have a rounded , conical , or cask - similar material body . The small , pine tree - alike hard strobilus ( strobile ) dangling on the end of simple alder offshoot help identify alder tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in late fall and wintertime landscape . The hard browned alder cones ( strobiles ) persist on the tree until the following bound .
Alder cones stop seeds , like manyconifer treecones . However , it ’s important to recollect that the alder tree diagram species is an angiosperm , or anthesis flora . This contrasts withpine treesand conifers that arecone - bearing gymnosperms .
Alder Tree Bark
Ivy climb up on alder tree automobile trunk
Bark on alder tree tree is identifiable by its politic , ash - grey to white color , like the bark on some birch tree . As alder Tree ripen , the barque may become somewhat dark . It ’s distinctive for white lichen and moss to spring up on alder tree trunks — yet another way to discover this large Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
Red alder tree bark with lichen and moss
Some species of alder bark have light gray bark with identifiable reddish - orange tree inner bark .
Alder Wood
Alder woodwind instrument
Alder trees are classed as hardwood trees . Timber from alder trees is highly feasible due to its relative effeminateness . Alder Ellen Price Wood is n’t as durable as walnut , ash , ormaplewood . And alder is only marginally harder than softwood such as timber frompineorpoplar tree .
The attractive feature of alder tree wood is its light tan colouring material and true grain patterns . As semi - hardwood , alder lumber do it a good choice for make article of furniture , cabinets , melodious legal instrument , and wooden household item .
Alder Tree Identification
Alder trees are easily identify by their brown hard , strobilus - comparable strobile that dangle from bare brown - purple twigs that have orangish markings . you may also spot alder tree tree by their lightheaded gray bark and orange - chocolate-brown drooping flowers . Another identifying feature of the alder trees is their pointed egg - mold green leave-taking with serrated edges .
Types of Alder Trees with Pictures and Names
Let ’s depend in more contingent at plebeian type of alder Tree . description and pictures of alder tree cones , leaves , and bark will help name alder trees in landscape .
Red Alder (Alnus rubra)
blood-red alder ( Alnus rubra ) tree diagram
The red alder ( Alnus rubra ) tree is a large deciduous tree with small oval , browned Sir Henry Joseph Wood cones , ovate leaves , and mottled unclouded gray smooth bark . Its propagate branches make a conical shape with a slim , rounded treetop . ruby-red alder trees grow between 66 and 100 foot . ( 20 – 30 m ) tall . The ruby alder tree is the big in the genusAlnus .
As with most alders , the clusters of dangling flowers are an well-off way to blot alder tree trees . Long , cigar - like flowers droop down in spring . Then distaff catkins appear that grow into red alder tree fruit — smashed , brown seed cones .
Red alder tree cones and catkins
ruddy alder cones are the chief way to identify this tree species . The ironic conelike , rounded alder cones measure 0.8 ” to 1.2 ” ( 2 – 3 cm ) long . The hard , drab - colored strobile persist on the tree during winter when the seed are circularize in wintertime .
A way to key red alder tree tree asunder from white alder ( Alnus rhombifolia ) is by the leaves . White alder tree have leaves that are yellowish - fleeceable and in two ways serrated or finely serrate margins . Also , the tooth on flushed alder leaf margins are stray under — a feature calledrevolute margins .
Red alder trees thrive in USDA geographical zone 5 – 9 and are native to the west coast of North America . You ’ll find red alders growing on the banks of river and streams and in wetlands . Red alder trees grow best in full sunshine and damp , sterile grease .
Red alder wood is a democratic hardwood for piece of furniture fashioning due to its workability and pleasing appearance .
carmine alder tree barque ( left ) and inner ruby barque ( right )
The red alder tree tree get its name from the red inside bark . The legato ash - grey bark modernize rust red patch when it is scraped or hurt . you’re able to also identify red alder in the landscape by the moss or lichen that grows on bare branch .
Red alder tree leaves
Alder pull up stakes : A red alder tree leaf is softened , immature , ovate mold , and arranged alternately on grey branches . Leaves measuring stick between 2.7 ” and 5 ” ( 7 – 13 centimetre ) long and have rough , serrate edges . An key characteristic of reddish alder tree leaves is the revolute toothed serration along the edge .
Black Alder (Alnus glutinosa)
Black alder tree ( Alnus glutinosa ) tree
The black alder ( Alnus glutinosa ) is a tall , intermediate - sized deciduous tree with rounded glossy green leaf and dismal - browned hard conifer - like cones . Black alder bark on unfledged Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is greenish - brown that bit by bit becomes colored gray and scaly . opprobrious alder grow between 40 and 60 ft . ( 12 – 18 m ) tall and up to 40 foot . ( 12 m ) wide .
Black alder tree bark
The uncomplicated obovate leave-taking identify black alder trees . These coarse alder leave have a wide , rounded end that differentiates them from other species of alder trees . Like all alder species , belittled woody black alder tree cones help identify the trees in winter landscapes .
Black alder tree flush are pendulous cylindrical reddish heyday clump that grow between 2 ” and 4 ” ( 5 – 10 centimetre ) . The little green distaff flowers are fairly smaller than the slight farsighted manly flowers . Female grim alder tree flowers only originate up to 1 ” ( 2.5 cm ) long , and they bloom on the end of offset .
Black alder catkins and conoid
fatal alder tree fruit is the characteristic black cones that grow from female catkins . The alder cones measure out up to 1 ” ( 2.5 cm ) and can be black or a coppery - brown color . The recognizable blackish cone mature in dangling clusters .
dim alder trees are aboriginal to Europe , where they are known as the common alder tree , European alder , or European black alder tree . Its botanic name — Alnus glutinosa — refer to the tree diagram ’s sticky , resinous marrow that form on purplish - brown buds and young foliage .
A growth feature that assist tell black alder tree apart from other alder tree is the lack of lower branches on tall trees . This intend that European alder are n’t gravid shade tree .
Black alder tree leaves
Alder go away : smuggled alder leaves are bollock - shape , obovate leaves with a astray rounded final stage that narrows to the stem . The leave-taking grow 5 ” ( 13 cm ) long and up to 4 ” ( 10 cm ) wide . The glossy green deciduous leafage have a slightly fuzzy feel to them . Leaves drop down in the dip without shift colour and may even shrivel up and give-up the ghost on the tree diagram .
White Alder (Alnus rhombifolia)
blanched alder ( Alnus rhombifolia ) tree
The white alder tree ( Alnus rhombifolia ) is a intermediate - sized , tight - produce Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree with pale gray bark , diamond - shaped , rounded glossy light-green leaves , and yellowish catkins . White alders grow between 50 and 80 ft . ( 15 – 24 m ) tall and thrive in moist , soggy ground in woodlands and forest .
White alder bark is swooning gray and smooth and bit by bit becomes a darker color with rough fissures . Like the related to red alder tree , the white alder bark on mature tree has a ruby-red mite .
clean alder tree barque
White alder tree yield are gruelling , cask - shaped blue cone that train after the female catkin have bloom . The woody cylindric cones grow up to 0.6 ” ( 1.5 cm ) long .
White alder catkins and cones
The botanical name of the white alder tree — Alnus rhombifolia — look up to the leafage flesh . The leaves have an overall diamond shape with serrate edge . The dispute between lily-white alder leafage and crimson alder Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree allow is that they do n’t have serrated revolute margin .
bloodless alder leaves
Alder impart : White alder tree parting have an elliptic to rhomboid shape with twice serrated sharpness and dark light-green glossy refulgence . Each ashen alder leaf grows between 2.3 ” and 4 ” ( 6 – 10 centimeter ) foresighted and up to 2 ” ( 5 cm ) widely .
Speckled Alder or Grey Alder (Alnus incana)
Grey Alder / Speckled Alder ( Alnus incana ) tree
The specked alder tree ( Alnus incana ) is a large alder shrub or medium - sized tree . Characteristics of the grey or dotted alder are dull , rounded green farewell , pendulous bound blossom , and small stiff cylindrical cones . This deciduous alder tree diagram thrive in USDA geographical zone 3 – 6 .
As a multi - stemmed , shrubby works , the speckled alder tree develop around 8 ft . ( 2.4 m ) marvellous . you could also grow the speckled alder as asmall landscaping treein soaked priming coat . The alder tree tree is a tight - maturate tree diagram in full sun or partial shade that grows between 15 and 25 foot . ( 4.5 – 7.5 m ) magniloquent .
Gray alder bark
stippled alder tree is identified by its clusters of hard , dark fruits . The alder tree cone - like structure bulge as green ovoid cylinders and become dark brown as they mature . The flecked alder tree cones grow besides dangling manlike flower that have a yellowish color .
Gray alder tree cones and catkins
Alder leaves : Grey alder tree leave-taking are ovate , wedge - shaped with coarse teeth along the margins . The matte greenish alder leaves develop between 2 ” and 4 ” ( 5 – 10 cm ) long up to 2 ” ( 5 cm ) wide .
Gray alder tree leaves
Green Alder (Alnus alnobetula)
Green alder ( Alnus alnobetula ) shrub
The green alder is a magnanimous bush with blurred green ovate to rounded leave with characteristic uneven serration along the margin . Green alder bush get up to 32 ft . ( 10 m ) magniloquent but are more potential to be 3 – 10 ft . ( 1 – 3 m ) . The multiple stems grow in clusters , making the unripened alder a suitable deciduous plant to grow as a hedge .
Green alder cone maturate up to 0.6 ” ( 1.5 cm ) long with an oval shape and grow in loose cluster .
immature alder tree efflorescence bloom in springtime and come along on the tree along with leaves . Like all alder tree trees , the male catkins are farseeing , lithe , dangling blossom clump . The distaff alder tree flush bloom on the end of twigs and develop into yield — the characteristic sozzled alder tree conoid .
Green alder tree cone cell and catkins
Sometimes , multitude bear on to the green alder tree asAlnus viridis . However , most botanists consider this botanic name and incorrect and thatAlnus alnobetulais the correct name .
Green alder leaves
Alder pass on : Green alder leaves have a rounded , oval physique and have a liquid , green surface . The alder tree blades uprise 3 ” ( 7.5 cm ) wide and long . distinctive of alder tree leaf , the leaf margins are sharply toothed , give the leave a jagged look .
Hazel Alder or Tag Alder (Alnus serrulata)
Hazel Alder / Tag Alder ( Alnus serrulata ) tree
The hazel alder tree is amulti - stemmed small shrubor average - sized tree with smooth gray bark , dark-brown - yellow male flower and bright blood-red female flowers , dull green farewell , and 1 - inch ( 2.5 - cm ) long strobiles . The hazel alder thrives in USDA zone 4 – 9 , full Lord’s Day , and soused , soggy soil . Hazel alder grow between 10 and 15 foot . ( 3 – 4.5 m ) high and up to 15 ft . ( 4.5 m ) wide of the mark .
The alder tree ’s botanic name — Alnus serrulata — refers to the heavily serrated foliage edges . Other names for this tree include tag alder tree and tranquil alder .
Hazel alder conoid and catkin
Hazel alder cones are dark copper - colored nut - similar cones measure up to 1 ” ( 2.5 cm ) long . The woody alder fruit front like miniature pine cone and arrest fly nutlets .
Hazel alder leaves
Alder leaves : Hazel alder parting are green , ovate , or elliptic leaf blade with serrated border . The relatively little , smooth , slow green leaf spring up between 1 ” and 3 ” ( 2.5 – 7.5 cm ) long . Pointed tip and a chock - shaped base helper name hazel alder leafage .
Seaside Alder (Alnus maritima)
Seaside alder tree ( Alnus maritima ) leaf and male catkin
The seaboard alder is a tight - growing small flowering tree or shrub . The seaside alder tree has dark , shining gullible ellipse leave with a wedge - shaped base and serrated margins . Like all alder species , its distaff conical flowers originate into egg - mold cones .
As the common name suggests , Alnus maritimathrives in environments near ocean and the sea .
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