smooth alder vs speckled alder

Both Smooth Alders (Alnus serrulata) and Speckled Alders (Alnus rugosa) are commonly found near streams, rivers and wetlands. ... The male catkins are a different color (purplish brown in the Speckled Alder and reddish green in the Smooth Alder). The bark of Speckled Alders is darker and “speckled” with white lenticels.

Do alder trees grow fast?

Red alder is a deciduous tree native to the Pacific Northwest of North America. The trees are medium-sized, reaching various heights from 15 to 30 meters tall when mature. These fast-growing trees often grow 1 meter per year until 20 years of age.

How do I identify an alder tree?

The easiest way of recognizing an alder tree is by its distinctive little fruiting body, called a strobile. They appear in fall and look like 1 inch (2.5 cm.) long cones. Strobiles remain on the tree until the following spring, and the small, nutlike seeds they contain supply winter food for birds and small mammals.

Are alder trees invasive?

Black alder is also an excellent choice for internal orchard windbreaks. It can be sheared to very narrow widths of 3-4 feet thick, and produces sufficient density to be effective. Black alder has been reported as invasive on some soil types. It should not be planted widely as a landscape or specimen tree.

What are alder trees good for?

The wood of certain alder species is often used to smoke various food items such as coffee, salmon, and other seafood. Most of the pilings that form the foundation of Venice were made from alder trees. Alder bark contains the anti-inflammatory salicin, which is metabolized into salicylic acid in the body.

Is Alder the same as Poplar?

Alder is generally considered to be one of the "traditional" Stratocaster body woods. ... It is often considered as the other "traditional" Stratocaster body wood. Poplar: one of the softer hardwoods, nicely resonant with a meaty tone.

Are alder and elder the same?

Alders may be an acquired taste in the garden, but the elder is much more common. ... There are some excellent cultivars of elder that improve any garden.

Are birch and alder the same?

Alders and birches are both in the birch family (Betulaceae). You might say they're cousins -- different genera, with alders in the genus Alnus and birches in Betula.

Are alder trees poisonous?

I think a lot of the confusion stems from the fact that the common name "Alder" is used to describe more than one species including one which is actually a sub species of sycamore and potentially implicated in atypical myopathy. Common Alder - Alnus Glutinosa - is not poisonous so far as I understand it.

What is the difference between alder and birch?

Young alder trees have grey-green, smooth bark. Mature alder trees have darker bark that is either fissured or flaky. Birch has thin and smooth bark that is nearly black-colored in young trees. ... They produce individual male and female flowers (called catkins) on the same tree.

How long do alder trees live?

Alder trees grow in a conical shape. Conical in shape, mature trees can reach a height of around 28m and live to approximately 60 years.

What tree does alder wood come from?

Alder trees and shrubs (Alnus spp.) are found in the Betulaceae, from the birch family. Almost all of them are deciduous. These are fast-growing trees and shrubs, so they can be used to help fill in a landscape and provide shade sooner than other species.

Where is the alder tree native to?

Alnus rubra (red alder) is a deciduous broadleaf tree in the Betulaceae (Birch) family native to western North America. In California it is found primarily along the coast from San Luis Obispo County northward. In southern california Alnus rhombifolia is the more commonly found alder.

Is Alder rot resistant?

Rot Resistance: Red alder is rated non-durable to perishable regarding decay resistance, and freshly cut logs should be quickly converted into lumber and dried to prevent staining or decay in the wood. ... The wood is rather soft, however, and care must be taken to avoid denting it in some applications.

Can you eat alder berries?

Its berries are eaten by birds (especially robins and thrushes) and it is known to attract wildlife. ... Birds nest in its branches. The alder buckthorn increases wildlife where it is present. This is a poisonous plant to humans but its bark has been used medicinally as a purgative laxative when prepared properly.

Does Alder burn well?

Alder firewood is considered to be a hardwood type of firewood; however, it is softer than Ash, Oak and Hornbeam wood. Softer types of firewood tend to burn quicker, but they offer a wonderful burning experience; quick and easy to light, high heat output and a bright and lively flame to look at.

Is Poplar lighter than Alder?

Every alder body I've used, however, is significantly lighter than any of the poplar bodies I've used. In my experience, though, poplar and alder sound almost identical, regardless of weight.

Is Basswood heavier than Alder?

Basswood is usually lighter than alder. Alder is usually lighter than northern ash, but swamp ash is usually lighter than alder.

Is basswood and poplar the same?

Re: Basswood vs Poplar? They're both pretty squishy, as hardwoods go. But, Poplar's the harder of the two. Basswood is more like pine, only 100% softer.

What does Alder mean?

(Entry 1 of 2) : any of a genus (Alnus) of toothed-leaved trees or shrubs of the birch family that have catkins which become woody, that typically grow in cool moist ground, and that have wood used especially in turnery also : its wood. Alder.

Are alder catkins edible?

Catkins can taste somewhat bitter depending on your taste buds, but they are edible. ... Edible catkins include those from the Alder (White, Red, Mountain varies), all Birch trees, Cottonwood and all Pine trees. The willow tree also produces catkins but eating these is not recommended.

Are alder trees good for wildlife?

Alder is a good species for reforestation, and provide excellent shelter for wildlife in wet areas.