Balsam Willow vs Brook Alder

Salix pyrifolia compared with Alnus maritima

Key Differences

• Balsam Willow is Least Concern while Brook Alder is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Balsam Willow	Brook Alder
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)	Fagales (Beeches & Oaks)
Family	Salicaceae	Betulaceae
Genus	Salix	Alnus
Species	Salix pyrifolia	Alnus maritima

Evolutionary Relationship

Balsam Willow and Brook Alder share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

Conservation Status

Balsam Willow

LC — Least Concern

Brook Alder

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Balsam Willow	Brook Alder
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Balsam Willow

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Canada, Norway, and United States.

Brook Alder

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, France, Netherlands, and United Kingdom. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Balsam Willow

The Balsam Willow (Salix pyrifolia) is a species in the genus Salix. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Brook Alder

The Brook Alder (Alnus maritima) is a species in the genus Alnus. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.