Do alders grow quickly?

Mature Common Alder. A popular tree of moist to wet soils, common alder is a moderate to fast-growing (two feet per year) deciduous tree which usually grows to 40 to 50 feet in height with a 20 to 40-foot spread and a 12 to 18-inch trunk but is capable of reaching 80 feet in height in the woods (Fig. 1).

How fast do red alders grow?

On good sites, height growth may exceed 6 ft/year for the first five years, and trees may attain heights of 60 to 80 ft in 20 years. Mean annual production rates in young stands have been estimated at 6.8 dry tons per acre. Growth slows substantially after the juvenile stage, particularly on poor sites.

Can you keep alder trees small?

Young alder trees benefit from formative pruning to retain a good shape. Smaller branches growing off the central leading trunk that fall below the larger branches can be trimmed off. Young shoots sprouting from the trunk, and root suckers, should also be removed as part of this process.

Does alder grow in shade?

Common Alder prefers medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. It prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.

How much is a red alder tree worth?

In the first half of 2018, the market value of red alder in the Washington coast market area has averaged around $720 per mbf (1,000 board feet). Compare that to Doug fir, which has averaged about $745 this year. Clearly the market has changed since the 1990’s when alder was regularly worth less than $250/mbf.

How long do alder trees take to grow?

Expect a Common Alder tree to reach its full size in about 20 years in the right conditions – taking up to 50 years in unideal environments.

How big do alders grow?

about 20 metres high
The tree has a slender conical shape, grows to about 20 metres high, and lives for around 60 years. There are often two or three main trunks growing together and young twigs and buds are sticky to the touch.