Rose Glow Barberry vs Red Alder - TreeTime.ca

Rose Glow Barberry vs Red Alder

Berberis thunbergii Rose Glow

Alnus rubra

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Rose Glow Barberry
Red Alder

Rose Glow Barberry is a cold hardy, drought tolerant shrub. It has attractive, mottled foliage that ranges from red, pink, green, and white, maturing to deep maroon.

Rose Glow Barberry has sharp thorns, so be careful when you're handling this shrub. These thorns are what make Rose Glow Barberry an excellent hedge plant as they deter rabbit and deer.

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.

Rose Glow Barberry Quick Facts

Red Alder Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 5b
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 15 m (50 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 9 m (30 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright, rounded to conical
Spreading: seeds - medium, stump sprouting - medium
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Bark: smooth, grey
Flowers: pink/purple flower
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: yes


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