CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY TREE STUDY KIT
ALDER
Background for teacher/parent:
There are two kinds of alder in Marin, the white alder
and the red alder (sometimes called Oregon alder). Both grow along
streams, often along with redwoods. The red alder grows near the coast, while the white alder
does not grow along the immediate coast. This is a white alder, but children can simply
call this tree alder.
The female catkins look like little cones but alders are not related to pines. Often
you can see new green cones on a tree along with older brown ones. Alders also
produce males catkins.
Native Americans made a red-brown dye from alder bark.
