Viewing comments posted by Bonehead

This plant has nice fall color

This tree constantly changes color from spring to fall. For much of the spring and summer it will appear pink from a distance, but when one gets closer there is all sorts of variation to both the top and bottom of the leaves - burgundy, green, yellow. It is nice planted where it gets a breeze so the underside of the leaves peeks out. While this is a very showy tree, it is not my favorite as I don't have much pink in my landscaping and it just looks a bit 'wrong' to me. Slower growing that other sycamore maples.

Native plant in Washington. Although it is often considered a 'weed tree' it makes a nice summer screen and is also great for smoky flavor on the BBQ (add chips or fresh leaves on top of the coals). Can be prone to caterpillar infestations, although I haven't noticed any in the past few years. This is our staple for firewood - quick growing and clean burning. The catkin buds are one of my earliest signs of spring, bringing a pinkish-red haze to the woods before the frogs wake up. The common name red alder refers to a red dye that can be made from the inner bark. It is a short-lived tree (60-80 years).