Alnus sinuata – Sitka alder
Common Name
Sitka alder
Alternate Common Names
- green alder
Family
Betulaceae
Scientific Name
Alnus sinuata
Alternate Scientific Name
- Alnus crispa ssp. sinuata;
- Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata;
- Alnus sitchensis
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
- Medium (M)
- Wet (W)
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR)
- Rich (R)
Hitchcock, C. Leo, and Arthur Cronquist. Flora of the Pacific Northwest: An Illustrated Manual © 1973. Reprinted with permission of the University of Washington Press.
Photo Gallery
General / Habitat
- Coarse shrub or small tree
- Moist sites such as avalanche tracks and streambanks
- Medium to subalpine elevations
Key Identifying Characteristics
- Growing as shrub or small tree between 1-5 m tall, yellowish-brown bark
- Alternate, broadly oval leaves with a rounded base and pointed tip, slightly sticky beneath, margins sinuate (wavy-lobed) and doubly saw-toothed, turning brown in fall
- Male catkins (spike-like inflorescence lacking petals and typically wind-pollinated), opening at same time as leaves
- Small winged seeds, borne from small female cones
Lookalikes
- Red alder (Alnus rubra) when young
- not doubly-toothed
- leaf margin curls under
- Beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta)
- bud scales covered in white hairs
- leaves not sticky beneath
- fruits are large edible nuts as opposed to cones
External References
Sources
Douglas, G.W. et al (Editors). 1998-2002. Illustrated Flora of British Columbia, Volumes 1 to 8. B.C. Min. Environ., Lands and Parks, and B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Pojar, J. and A. MacKinnon. 2014. Plants of Coastal British Columbia Including Washington, Oregon & Alaska. B.C. Ministry of Forestry and Lone Pine Publishing. Vancouver, B.C.