Alnus rubra Bong. Red Alder or Oregon Alder
Native to western N. America, from Alaska south to California and Idaho. Alaskan Indians hollowed out trunks to make canoes and the timber is used in furniture and paper manufacture. Height to about 12-15m (40-50ft). Male catkins are 10-15cm (4-6in) long when they shed pollen in April. Females develop into fruits 1-2cm (½-¾) long. Leaves have 10-15 pairs of veins which are often covered by orange down on underside. Bark is silver-grey in its home environment, but usually dark grey in cultivation. Z6.