Red Alder
Red Alder
Alnus rubra
Plantae
COMMON

Stats

Lifespan
60-100 yrs
Size
Large
Diet
Photosynthetic
Biome
Temperate rainforest
Range
North America
Movement
Sessile
Breeding
Seeds
Defense
Toxins
Status
Common

About

This deciduous tree grows along the wet coastal forests of western North America. Its roots host bacteria that pull nitrogen from the air to fertilize the surrounding soil.

Life cycle

  1. 1.
    seed
    A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
  2. 2.
    sprout
    A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
  3. 3.
    sapling
    A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
  4. 4.
    mature
    Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Family
Betulaceae
Genus
Alnus
Species
Alnus rubra