The names of this tree include tag alder, grey alder and hoary alder. The speckled alder gets its name from its bark, which is dark brown with white spots on it. This tree is smaller than many other decidous trees of the Mississagi River Valley. It is the wood most often used by beavers to build their dams, and is a very important nourisher in the forest, as it provides high-energy seeds to feed wood warblers and other birds, grows flowers which attract bees, and shelters several types of birds and mammals. Alders can get up to 30 feet, and grow best in damp areas.