Alternate name: Brookside Alder, Tag Alder
Family: Betulaceae, Birch view all from this family
Description Large, spreading shrub with several trunks, sometimes a small tree, commonly found at edge of water.
Height: 20' (6 m).
Diameter: 4" (10 cm).
Leaves: in 3 rows; gummy and aromatic when immature; 2-4 1/2" (5-11 cm) long, 1 1/4-2 3/4" (3-7 cm) wide. Obovate to elliptical, broadest usually beyond middle; finely saw-toothed with regular sharp teeth, sometimes also slightly wavy; with 9-12 nearly straight parallel veins on each side. Dull green above, light green and often hairy on veins beneath; turning red-brown in autumn.
Bark: dark gray or brown; smooth.
Twigs: covered with rust-colored hairs when young; with 3-angled pith.
Flowers: tiny; in early spring. Male in drooping catkins. Female in cones 1/4" (6 mm) long.
Cones: 3/8-5/8" (10-15 mm) long; in clusters of 4-10; elliptical, dark brown, hard, short-stalked; maturing in late summer or autumn and remaining attached; with tiny egg-shaped flat brown nutlets.
Habitat Wet soil bordering streams and lakes, and in swamps.
Range Sw. Nova Scotia and s. New Brunswick south to n. Florida; west to e. Texas and north to se. Kansas; to 3000' (914 m).
Discussion The only alder native in southeastern United States, where it is common and widespread, forming thickets.
