Our native western alder that grows throughout the mountains from near the Pacific ocean all the way into Idaho and Montana. Often growing along creeks or in other moist areas, alder is a powerful nitrogen fixing tree that will colonize burnt or logged areas helping to regenerate the soil. Very fast growing the wood makes an excellent easy to split firewood and the lumber is used widely in furniture making. The logs are great for growing oyster, shitake and other mushrooms on. Can also be pruned to make a trellis tree to grow kiwi and other vigorous vines on. Very showy in late winter with its masses of dangling golden catkins.