Red Alder
November 8, 2022
By Adam Huggins
Red Alder
Alnus rubra
- Hul’qumi’num Name: kwulala’ulhp
- Description: Deciduous tree growing 15-25m tall. Gray bark with patches of white lichen. As it matures the base becomes scaly. Flowers in the form of catkins produce small brown cones.
- Habitat: A pioneer species – prefers moist to wet soils, but is quite adaptable.
- Pair with: Salmonberry, thimbleberry, hardhack, highbush-cranberry, and black hawthorn.
- Fun Fact: Helpful in restoring disturbed sites, the roots of red alder form a symbiotic relationship with a nitrogen-fixing bacteria that aids in fertilizing the soil.
