White Alder (Noun)
Meaning 1
Shrub of eastern and southern coastal United States having beautiful racemes of spice-scented white flowers.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
Tree of western United States.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- The white alder is a common deciduous tree found in riparian zones of the western United States, where it can form dense thickets.
- Along streams and rivers of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the white alder often grows alongside other riparian trees such as the cottonwood and willow.
- The wood of the white alder is highly valued for making tool handles, smoking meats, and producing activated carbon.
- White alder is also an important wildlife habitat tree, providing food and shelter for various species of birds, fish, and mammals.
- The bark of the white alder tree contains salicin, a compound that can be used as a pain reliever, which is one of the reasons Native American tribes of the western United States valued this tree for its medicinal properties.