Red alders (Alnus rubra) are fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing deciduous hardwood trees native to the Pacific Northwest, known for their distinctive reddish inner bark, unique curled leaf edges, and role in enriching soils for other trees, often colonizing disturbed areas like clearcuts. They're vital to forest ecosystems, providing food and habitat, with wood used for smoking salmon, furniture, and plywood, despite being shorter-lived than conifers.