Betulaceae
Birch Family
3 genera
15 species
6 subspecies and varieties
15 species
6 subspecies and varieties
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Alnus glutinosa – Black alder, European alder
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in King County, where escaping from a wetland restoration planting. Great Lakes region east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Wetlands at low elevation.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: March-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in King County, where escaping from a wetland restoration planting. Great Lakes region east to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Wetlands at low elevation.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: March-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Alnus incana – mountain alder
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, northern Great Plains, and eastern North America,
Habitat: Moist places, streamsides, and avalanche chutes from low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, northern Great Plains, and eastern North America,
Habitat: Moist places, streamsides, and avalanche chutes from low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
• ssp. tenuifolia – mountain alder
Alnus rhombifolia – white alder
Distribution: Chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California and Nevada, east to Idaho.
Habitat: Near streams at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: January-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California and Nevada, east to Idaho.
Habitat: Near streams at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: January-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Alnus rubra – red alder
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, disjunct to the east in northern Idaho.
Habitat: Moist areas at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, disjunct to the east in northern Idaho.
Habitat: Moist areas at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Alnus viridis – green alder, mountain alder
Distribution: Widely distributed throughout the mountainous areas on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across the northern half of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Moist areas, low to high elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Widely distributed throughout the mountainous areas on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across the northern half of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Moist areas, low to high elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
• ssp. fruticosa – Siberian alder
• ssp. sinuata – mountain alder, Sitka alder
Betula glandulosa – resin birch, swamp birch
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountain States and to northeastern North America.
Habitat: Stream banks, margins of marshes, lakes and bogs, and on alpine slopes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountain States and to northeastern North America.
Habitat: Stream banks, margins of marshes, lakes and bogs, and on alpine slopes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Betula occidentalis – red birch, river birch, water birch
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east in Canada to Ontario, east in the U.S. to the Rocky Mountains and northern Great Plains.
Habitat: Moist areas, streambanks at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: February-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east in Canada to Ontario, east in the U.S. to the Rocky Mountains and northern Great Plains.
Habitat: Moist areas, streambanks at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: February-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Betula papyrifera – canoe birch, paper birch, western paper birch, white birch
Distribution: Alaska to Oregon, east of the Cascades except in northwest Washington, east to the Atlantic coast
Habitat: Moist, open to dense woods, low to moderate elevations
Origin: Native
Flowers: March - May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Alaska to Oregon, east of the Cascades except in northwest Washington, east to the Atlantic coast
Habitat: Moist, open to dense woods, low to moderate elevations
Origin: Native
Flowers: March - May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Betula pendula – European weeping birch
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia to Oregon; also in northeastern North America.
Habitat: Disturbed areas associated with urban and suburban development where the trees escape from cultivation.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: April-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia to Oregon; also in northeastern North America.
Habitat: Disturbed areas associated with urban and suburban development where the trees escape from cultivation.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: April-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Betula pumila – bog birch, swamp birch
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Yukon Territory to Oregon, east to northern Idaho and western Montana, east to the Atlantic.
Habitat: Wet places, often in swamps and bogs.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Yukon Territory to Oregon, east to northern Idaho and western Montana, east to the Atlantic.
Habitat: Wet places, often in swamps and bogs.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Betula ×utahensis – hybrid birch
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Washington, east to the northern Rocky Mountains and northern Great Plains.
Habitat: Moist, open to dense woodlands or swamps from lowlands to montane.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Washington, east to the northern Rocky Mountains and northern Great Plains.
Habitat: Moist, open to dense woodlands or swamps from lowlands to montane.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Corylus avellana – common filbert, European hazelnut
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Oregon, also known from western Idaho.
Habitat: Abandoned plantings, roadsides, waste sites, forest edge.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: January-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to Oregon, also known from western Idaho.
Habitat: Abandoned plantings, roadsides, waste sites, forest edge.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: January-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Corylus cornuta – beaked hazelnut
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, northern Great Plains, Great Lakes region, and eastern North America.
Habitat: Forest edge and openings, thickets, and rocky slopes at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: January-March
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, northern Great Plains, Great Lakes region, and eastern North America.
Habitat: Forest edge and openings, thickets, and rocky slopes at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: January-March
Growth Duration: Perennial
• ssp. californica – California hazelnut
• ssp. cornuta – beaked hazelnut
