Cherry Prinsepia vs Red Alder - TreeTime.ca

Cherry Prinsepia vs Red Alder

Prinsepia sinensis

Alnus rubra

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Cherry Prinsepia
Red Alder

Cherry Prinsepia is an attractive, cold hardy shrub with thorny stems and a rounded shape.

Primarily used for its shrub and hedge characteristics, Cherry Prinsepia is also grown for its ornamental fruit. Tart in flavor, the red berries are edible and enjoyed by birds and humans alike.

If deer are an issue on your property, try planting Cherry Prinsepia in a tight row to create a dense hedge to deter them.

Note: Unfortunately this difficult to grow species is not currently scheduled to grow at TreeTime.ca. Perhaps try purchasing seed from SeedTime.ca and growing your own? Or sign up for a restock notification above.

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.

Cherry Prinsepia Quick Facts

Red Alder Quick Facts

Zone: 3b
Zone: 5b
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Height: 15 m (50 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 9 m (30 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright, rounded to conical
Spreading: seeds - medium, stump sprouting - medium
Suckering: none


Bark: smooth, grey
Flowers: yellow-white
Fruit: showy, red cherries
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: yes


Native to: BC
Other Names: oregon alder, pacific coast alder, western alder