Montane, subalpine. Streamsides. Spring.
Ryman Creek Trail, June 16, 2005.

Alder is an attractive, low-growing tree common along streams.  Its leaves are toothed and often folded inward along the central leaf vein.  Alder has small persistent cones which are actually remains of the staminate flower clusters.  These remain on the branches after the leaves have fallen.

"Alnus" is the ancient Latin name for the tree, and "incana" is Latin for "gray or hairy".

Montane, subalpine. Streamsides. Spring.
Ryman Creek Trail, June 16, 2005.

Alder almost always has many slender trunks.

Montane, subalpine. Streamsides. Spring.
Ryman Creek Trail, June 16, 2005.

Montane, subalpine. Streamsides. Spring.
Cimarron Trail, Uncompahgre Wilderness, August 22, 2004.

The green ripening seed pods (catkins) from 2004 will not ripen, open, and spill their seeds until 2005 when they will look like the brown catkin from 2003.