Red Currant vs Red Alder

Red Currant is a deciduous shrub native to western Europe. It features five-lobed, maple-like leaves, and bright red berries that can be used in jams, sauces, and fresh eating.

Although this shrub is self-fertile, it will be more productive if another pollinator is present. For year over year high yields, ensure you fertilize (bone meal), prune, and mulch your Red Currant shrub.

Red Alder is a fast-growing deciduous tree native to western North America. Through its nitrogen-fixing roots and nitrogen-rich leaf litter, Red Alder improves soil fertility and supports the growth of surrounding plants. This makes it especially valuable on disturbed sites following logging, construction, or fire. A classic pioneer species, it often colonizes bare ground and enhances conditions for longer-lived conifers to follow.

Red Alder stabilizes soils on streambanks and disturbed slopes, reducing erosion and aiding restoration. It also supports wildlife: birds and small mammals eat the seeds and buds, deer and elk browse the foliage, and bees are drawn to the pollen-rich catkins in spring.

Red Alder also has commercial importance, with its strong yet workable wood widely used for furniture, cabinetry, veneer, and pulp. The tree takes its name from the rusty-red color the bark turns when cut or bruised.

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