Alnus rubra Red alder (Betulaceae) Deciduous tree

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Alnus rubra
Red alder
Deciduous tree
(1 Page of 5)

The Alnus rubra plant species is found in Western N. America - Alaska to California. It is a member of the Betulaceae family. Common gardeners may know the plant as Red alder. Some home gardeners know the variety as A. oregona.

Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

Latin Name:  Alnus rubra
Common Name:  Red alder
Family:  Betulaceae
Author:  Bong.

Known Hazards:  The freshly harvested inner bark is emetic but is alright once it has been dried[172].

Mature Height:  20   Mature Width:

Habitat:  Moist rich soils in woods, usually below 600 metres and within 50 km of the coast[60, 82, 229].

Edible Uses: Catkins - raw or cooked. They are rich in protein but have a bitter flavour and are not very palatable[172]. Inner bark - cooked, It must be dried since it is emetic when fresh[105, 161, 177]. No more details are given but inner bark is often dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickening in soups etc or mixed with cereals when making bread[K]. Sap - raw[118]. Harvested in late winter, the flow is best on a warm, sunny day that follows a cold frosty night. A sweet flavour, it was often used to sweeten other foods[257]. Buds[105, 177]. No further information is given, does this refer to the flower buds or leaf buds?[K]

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Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses

The information above has been supplied solely via the hard work and dedication of the team at 'Plants for a Future'.
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