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Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia

Alnus incana (L.) Moench ssp. tenuifolia (Nutt.) Breitung

Thinleaf Alder, Thin-leafed Alder, Mountain Alder, Creek Alder

Betulaceae (Birch Family)

Synonym(s): Alnus incana var. occidentalis, Alnus incana var. virescens, Alnus tenuifolia, Alnus ×purpusii

USDA Symbol: ALINT

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N)

The western form of Gray Alder is a tall shrub or tree, typically 20-40 ft. tall. Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia may occasionally reach 80 feet in height with multiple, crooked, leggy trunks.

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Venation: Pinnate
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Monoecious
Fruit Type: Samara
Size Notes: Height: 6-12(-25)meters. The larger, western subspecies of Alnus incana, A. i. ssp. tenuifolia, grows as a large shrub or tree and typically tops out around 12 meters, but can reach 25 meters in height.
Leaf: Dark Green.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Purple
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr

Distribution

USA: AK , AZ , CA , CO , ID , MT , NM , NV , OR , UT , WA , WY
Canada: AB , BC , SK , YT
Native Habitat: Woodland

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: None

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Additional resources

USDA: Find Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-09-30
Research By: TWC Staff

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