red alder

noun

1. a tree, Alnus oregona (or A. rubra ), of western North America, having smooth, mottled light gray bark and oval serrate leaves.
2. the hard, red wood of this tree, used for making furniture.

Other Words From

• red-alder adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of red alder¹

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

At one point, they scooped silt from the lakebed of the Glines Canyon Reservoir and placed it into planting boxes, where they attempted to grow red alder.

From Science Magazine

The most common tree species are red alder, big leaf maple and beaked hazelnut.

From Seattle Times

The twigs of bigleaf maple and red alder, cast to the ground by winter’s wind, show their thrusting buds, just ready to make this year’s leaves.

From Seattle Times

Warm-hued leaves offset the various shades of year-round green, in the form of bigleaf maples, vine maples, red alders and black cottonwood.

From Seattle Times

There are a handful of options, including red alder, which is native to North America's West Coast.

From Scientific American