Alnus rubra Bong.

Trees , to 28 m; trunks often several, crowns narrow or pyramidal. Bark gray, smooth, darkening and breaking into shallow rectangular plates in age; lenticels inconspicuous. Winter buds stipitate, ellipsoid, 6--10 mm, apex rounded, long; stalks 2--8 mm; scales 2--3, outer 2 equal and valvate, usually heavily resin-coated. Leaf blade ovate to elliptic, 6--16 × 3--11 cm, leathery, base broadly cuneate to rounded, margins strongly revolute, deeply doubly serrate or crenate, with distinctly larger secondary teeth, apex acute to obtuse; surfaces abaxially glabrous to sparsely pubescent. Inflorescences formed season before flowering and exposed during winter; staminate catkins in 1 or more clusters of 2--6, 3.5--14 cm; sistillate catkins in 1 or more clusters of 3--8. Flowering before new growth in spring. Infructescences ovoid to nearly globose, 1--3.5 × 0.6--1.5 cm; peduncles 1--10 mm. Samaras ovate or elliptic, wings much narrower than body, irregularly elliptic to obovate, leathery. 2 n = 28.

It is a temperate plant. It is native to North America. It can tolerate reasonable frost. It often grows on flood plains and along streams. It can grow in wet soils. It cannot tolerate shade. It suits hardiness zones 4-9. Arboretum Tasmania.

The wood is used for smoking fish because it imparts a flavour. It is also used in restaurant grilling. The slimy cambium tissue between the wood and the bark is eaten. It can also be dried and stored. The buds and young catkins are edible but not tasty. They are high in protein.

Plants can be grown by seeds.