Alder is a valuable and medicinal plant. Alder - the tree of the soul Alder plant
The real harbinger of the onset of spring, which at first glance seems to be the most common tree, is alder. Photos of a tree convey all the beauty of such a beauty. Its slender trunk is covered with smooth bark, rounded leaves do not change their color during the season and remain green until the onset of frost.
Alder tree: description
A photo of a representative of the forest shows the richness of her crown, although the latter seems to be sparse due to the uneven, loose arrangement of branches. The flowering process begins in early spring, when there is still snow everywhere; the role of the pollinator is played by the wind.
What does an alder look like? The tree blooms with catkins, divided into female and male, which in the process of maturation (September-October) acquire a reddish-brown color. Females are about 1 cm long, arranged in groups of up to 8 pieces, and woody like cones during the ripening period.
Alder as part of a natural complex
100 years is an average age, and 150 years is the maximum age of such a natural specimen as an alder tree. Where does such an inconspicuous but very useful tree grow? Alder prefers moist soils (these are the banks of streams, rivers and various bodies of water) and often forms thickets, the so-called alder forests: in pure form or mixed. In the north, it is believed that alder is a coniferous tree; in the southern regions, it forms mixed forests with oak and beech. The plant perfectly coexists with birch, spruce, oak, linden and aspen.
Alder is a valuable honey plant. Resinous substances are secreted from its buds and leaves, which serve the bees for the production of propolis.
The dry leaves of the plant are great for feeding livestock.
Black alder - deciduous tree
The most common among the known varieties is black alder, which got its name for the black bark of an adult tree. In Greek mythology, black alder, also characterized by sticky shiny leaves, is associated with the festival of fire and the arrival of spring. Alder (a photo of a tree is given in the article) is very fond of light and moisture; growing in humid places, it can create alder bogs. At the same time, it absolutely does not tolerate standing water.
The growth of black alder, which is considered a loner due to its rejection of trees of other species, is quite fast. The plant can grow up to 20 meters. Flowering begins in April, and the fruits (cones with a narrow wing) ripen only at the end of the next spring.
Black (sticky) alder, more capricious compared to other varieties, is included in the Red Book of Moldova, Kazakhstan and some regions of Russia. This tree is planted in parks and squares, thanks to the widely branched root system, it is planted along water bodies, thus strengthening the banks.
Beauty with brown earrings
Alder - a tree, the description of which makes it possible to highlight its main characteristics, is an equally popular species of the birch family. In height, gray alder can reach up to 16 meters. Therefore, it is planted to secure the ravines and the coastal part. Propagated by root scions, cuttings and seeds.
What does an alder look like? The tree has a gray, slightly curved trunk, gray leaves, and brown catkins. These are the main characteristics by which alder can be distinguished from other plants. Frost resistance and the ability to grow in poor soils and wetlands are the advantages that the alder tree is characterized by.
Description, photo of the green beauty, an integral part of the natural complex, will allow you to get to know her better.
Alder in decorative arts
Growth is quite active, especially at a young age; during this period, wild thickets are most often formed by it. Due to such characteristics as the uniformity of the wood structure, its softness, toughness and pliability, alder is a tree that has found wide application in industry. Its wood has been used for a long time as an optimal material for artistic carving, is the basis for creating carved tableware, decorative panels and sculptures. Dry distillation from alder produces charcoal, which artists use in their work, creating future masterpieces, and wood vinegar. Sagging on the trunks has a decorative value.
Manufacturing application
Alder is easy to process, well planed, sawn, glued. Perfectly tolerates polishing, varnishing, staining; when screwing in screws, it does not split, when hammering in nails it can flake off. When dried, wood, which is also used in the production of gunpowder, does not change its properties: it dries quickly, does not warp or crack. Due to these qualities, alder is used in the manufacture of musical instruments and parts for them.
Alder wood is resistant to water, does not rot, therefore it serves as a material in the manufacture of bridges, rafts, underwater structures and supports. Of metals, it is critical of iron and, in places where iron nails are hammered, will cause a reaction of their rusting and, as a result, the appearance of gray circles at the points of contact. He does not like contact with cement mortar, which causes an alkaline reaction inside the tissues of the tree and its decay.
Alder is a tree that is widely used in the manufacture of plywood and particle board. Shavings from it are added as a binder antiseptic in the production of boards from shavings of beech, spruce, pine.
Alder as a building material
Alder wood is used in the construction of wooden houses, carved entrance gates, well lathing, production and restoration of furniture and decorative interior details. Smooth trunks are used as posts for hedges.
It is an excellent material for making packing boxes, pallets, spools, various molds for casting. Alder, intended for outdoor construction, requires mandatory treatment with an antiseptic. Otherwise, the tree will start to rot, especially if it comes into close contact with open ground.
In industrial production, paper is made from alder wood, the waste is used as fuel. Alder wood is considered to be a quality heating oil. With their help, excess soot was previously burned out of pipes. Such firewood burns well and is characterized by high heat transfer and no waste. It is not for nothing that they have the name "royal", because in ancient times they were used to heat the royal chambers.
The bark of black alder is a first-class material for obtaining dyes for wool and leather, it gives red, black and yellow colors. The brown dye is obtained from the buds.
The use of alder in traditional medicine
The beneficial properties of alder are widely used in medicine: traditional and folk, using mostly cones, leaves and bark of a tree, which contains tannins. Decoctions and infusions from cones and bark are taken as an astringent, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, antibacterial and hemostatic agent. A purulent wound will heal quickly if a leaf of a black alder tree is applied to it.
For constipation and hemorrhoids, vodka infusion of earrings is used; for diathesis and eczema, they are treated with a decoction of flowers collected at the beginning of the flowering period. A decoction of alder cones perfectly helps to normalize the natural intestinal microflora after taking antibiotics and is used in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Also, such a remedy helps well with inflammatory processes of the nasopharynx and throat, colds, tonsillitis and pharyngitis.
In folk medicine, for nosebleeds in the nose, it is recommended to lay fresh alder leaves in the form of tampons. A decoction of them is good for gout, arthritis, joint pain. To prepare dry baths, fresh, freshly harvested alder leaves are heated in the sun or in an oven and spread in a thick layer on the bed where the patient is placed. They put them around the whole body and wrap them up with a warm blanket. The duration of such a session is about an hour. The best effect will be if the leaves are placed in a deep tub, and when they get warm, you need to put the patient there up to the neck. Treatment with birch leaves is carried out in the same way.
Alder brooms, which are good for cleansing, disinfecting, toning the skin and giving strength and vigor, are very popular in bath procedures.
Alder in veterinary medicine
In a number of countries, fresh alder leaves are used to control fleas in pets. They are scattered on the floor. A concentrated decoction of the leaves has recently been used in the fight against bedbugs - for treating walls and washing beds. The bumps were given to pets for bloody diarrhea.
Due to the content of vitamin C, carotene and proteins, black alder leaves are widely used in traditional medicine. A dry extract is produced from the cones - hop, which is used in cases of dysentery; from wood - tablets of activated carbon.
In cooking, sawdust and firewood are used to smoke meat and fish.
Collecting cones begins in late autumn and continues until March. To do this, the ends of the branches on which the cones grow are carefully cut off with a secateurs, after which the latter are cut off. Fallen stems are unusable. The collected raw materials, laid out in an even layer, are dried under a canopy or in attics in a ventilated room. In warm weather, the buds are dried in the open air, stirring occasionally. The shelf life of the fruit is 3 years.
A real harbinger of the coming spring. Snow is still everywhere, and it is already in bloom. And only after flowering, young leaves begin to bloom in alder.
Alder description
Alder is a flowering plant of the birch family. Alder blooms with monoecious flowers - fluffy earrings. Most species begin flowering in early spring, pollinated by the wind. But there are some interspecies differences. For example, seaside alder blooms in late autumn.
The trunk of this tree is generally slender and covered with smooth bark. Alder leaves have a rounded shape, do not change their color throughout the deciduous season. Even with the onset of a motley autumn palette, they remain green, falling with the first frosts. Fallen foliage contains nitrogen in large quantities, therefore, falling, it enriches the earth with a useful mineral. by the end of autumn, during this period, their active flight begins and continues until spring.
The alder is capable of assuming various life forms depending on the habitat conditions. There are more than fifty species of trees and shrubs. The most widely distributed of these are two more common types: black alder (sticky) and gray alder (white).
Alder species
The alder tree in the photo is black (sticky) alder. It got its name from its shiny sticky leaves and the black color of the bark of an adult tree. In walnut mythology, black alder is associated with the arrival of spring and the festival of fire.
Trees of this species grow rapidly and reach a height of over 20 meters. Black alder -. It is almost impossible to find trees of other species near it.
Blossoming of black alder begins in April. Fruits - cones with a narrow wing, ripen in late spring next year.
Alder is a sticky light and moisture-loving tree. It grows in very humid places, sometimes creating alder bogs.
The black alder in the photo is included in the Red Data Books of Moldova, some regions of Russia, Kazakhstan. This type of alder is planted along water bodies, parks and alleys are greened.
Gray alder is outwardly different from its black "relative". The trunk of this tree is not straight, but slightly curved, with gray bark. The leaves are also gray. It blooms with brownish earrings. But it is also less demanding on growing conditions, but more light-loving.
She is able to live even in the poorest soils and wetlands. More frost and wind resistant. It multiplies quickly by seeds, cuttings, root scions. It grows very actively, especially at a young age, forming wild thickets. This property is used for forest reclamation purposes to secure the coastal part and slopes of ravines.
Alder application
- Alder does not have great strength, but it has a uniform structure, light and soft wood, which makes it easier to work with it. Based on such characteristics, alder has found its application in various industries. Due to its beneficial properties, it is used for medical purposes.
- When drying alder wood, no cracks form on the surface. Due to this quality, it is used in the production of musical instruments.
- Due to its pliability, viscosity and softness, it is used as a material for artistic carving: sculptures are carved, decorative panels and carved dishes are made. Artists use alder wood coals in their work.
- Due to its beautiful shade after treatment with ammonia and drying oil, alder wood is used in the design of decorative furniture and in joinery.
- Being exposed to water for a long time, alder wood gains significant strength, it is used to build wells, underwater structures and in the manufacture of barrels.
- Dyes for cloth and leather are obtained from the bark of black alder.
- Alder firewood burns well and has a high heat transfer. No wonder they are called "royal".
- In cooking, firewood and sawdust of this tree are used to smoke meat and fish. In this matter, alder firewood is superior in properties to all others.
- alder cones and bark, which contain large quantities of tannins, are widely used. Decoctions from the bark and cones are used in folk medicine as an astringent. Purulent wounds heal faster if you apply young leaves of black alder. With diathesis and eczema, they drink a decoction of flowers collected at the beginning of flowering. For hemorrhoids and constipation, vodka infusion of alder earrings is used.
- Traditional medicine widely uses black alder leaves due to the content of proteins, carotene, vitamin C. From the cones, a dry extract is produced - thmelin, which is used for the treatment of dysentery.
Alder is not a graceful tree at all. But in some of its properties, it is not inferior to birch and even oak. Alder is acquiring more and more environmental and national economic importance.
Despite the fact that there is still snow on the street, alder is blooming - a photo of a tree and leaves of which speaks of imminent warming and the onset of spring.
The flowers are rather inconspicuous, and the leaves bloom only after flowering.
Nevertheless, the tree is always pleasing to the eye with its beauty and rich colors.
Feature and Description
Alder belongs to the birch family, reaches 20 m in height. Has alternate, jagged leaves.
The plant blooms in early spring before the leaves bloom, is pollinated by the wind... The flowers of the tree resemble earrings, and the fruits are single-seeded nuts with two wings.
It's important to know: the tree has a widely branched root system, so it can be used to anchor ravines and rivers.
The tree has a slender trunk covered with smooth bark. Alder leaves remain green even in late autumn and fall off only with the onset of frost.
Growing environment
Alder grows in swamps, in places with high humidity, near rivers and water bodies. Most often found in the Urals, Western Siberia, forest and forest-steppe zone of the European part of Russia.
Alder's neighbors can be oak, linden, aspen, birch, as well as spruce trees.
Kinds
There are about 40 types of wood around the world. In our state, only a few of them are widespread, the most popular of which are gray and black alder.
Gray alder
This species is distinguished by an uneven trunk and gray bark. It can be up to 20 meters high. The flowering period can be determined by the presence of brownish catkins. The foliage is grayish, slightly pointed at the top.
The tree is resistant to frost and strong winds. Due to its unpretentiousness, it feels great on poor soil. Adequate sunlight is the most important factor.
Black alder
The plant has a dark bark with formed cracks, the leaves are inversely egg-shaped.
This species grows up to 35 m, it loves moisture and running water, it will not grow in a swamp. Black alder is famous for its pink wood with a smooth overflow, due to which it is massively used for industrial purposes.
Interesting to know: black alder gets its name from shiny sticky leaves and black bark.
In addition to these species, green, Siberian, fluffy and bush alders can be found in the east of Russia.
Growing
The plant is unpretentious, so planting is possible anywhere, including on sandstones. The tree has the ability to fertilize the soil with environmentally friendly nitrogen.
It is planted in the usual way during the growing season. The buds of the plant should be harvested in the fall and kept outdoors until they open.
Seeds are separated using a sieve, after which they can be planted immediately or set aside for now. You can store seeds for no more than 4 months at t ° 1-5 ° C.
When planting, in order for the tree to take up well, it is recommended to prepare a certain substance.
For gray alder:
- sand;
- turf;
- peat;
- lime - 200 g;
- kemira wagon - 150 g.
For black alder:
- sand;
- peat;
- humus;
- kemira - 150 g.
Everything needs to be mixed in special proportions, which you can find out at specialized points.
Care
Alder should be watered only during dry periods, after which the soil should be loosened. From time to time it is necessary to loosen the soil so that the earth is not overly clogged.
Good to know: young seedlings need additional moisture, regardless of the weather.
The plant needs mulching. For this, it is better to use peat or wood chips, laid in a layer of 5 cm.
Pests and diseases
A great danger to alder is posed by corrosive arboreal pests, their larvae eat young shoots and tree bark.
Female catkins of a plant can be affected by a fungus of the genus Tafrina, after which leaf-like growth is observed in the scales.
Mushroom of the genus Tafrina
Take a note: the affected branches, as a rule, cannot be saved, and they are simply cut off.
There are still fungi growing on the very leaves, due to which they become covered with spots, and the surface becomes wrinkled. Fungi and other destructive organisms are destroyed through the use of poisons.
Reproduction
The culture multiplies pretty quickly. In a year, hemp shoots can grow several meters.
Growing up over time, they form an impenetrable jungle. Despite this, the plant predominantly reproduces by seed.
The tree is pollinated in the spring with the swelling and elongation of the catkins, releasing a lot of yellow pollen.
Keep in mind: alder propagates by cuttings, seeds and offspring, depending on the type of plant.
Fertilization occurs when the pollen reaches the red female flowers on nearby trees. After a while, cones with plant seeds are formed in them.
Application
Alder is widely used in various industries, namely:
- production of musical instruments, since the material does not form cracks when dried;
- when in contact with water, wood becomes more durable, therefore it is used to build wells or barrels;
- production of decorative furniture due to its beautiful color and texture;
- when smoking meat and fish, it is preferable to use the wood of the plant;
- the black look is used for the manufacture of dyes for cloth and leather.
It is important: alder is widely used in medicine. Cones and bark of a tree are recommended to be attached to a sore spot. Decoctions and alcoholic infusions are also prepared on their basis. Baths with plant leaves will help relieve leg fatigue and have a relaxing effect.
Alder has many characteristics and useful properties, and therefore wood is increasingly used in the manufacture of various items, as well as for the treatment of various kinds of ailments. It is widely used in industry, due to its ease and flexibility in processing, without forming serious defects.
For the holy alder tree, see the following video:
Their height, under favorable conditions, can reach 35-40 m, the maximum trunk diameter can reach 50-60 cm. The crown is well developed, dense, highly decorative, ovoid, narrow pyramidal, cylindrical or other shape. The bark is smooth, sometimes fissured, from light to dark brown.
Shoots are cylindrical, of different colors, glabrous or pubescent, with an irregularly triangular greenish-gray core, round or nearly round light lenticels. The alder genus is variable in pubescence and galliness, and the difference can be both between species and within a species. Buds are sessile or on legs, with two scales, resinous or pubescent. Leaves only on growth shoots, alternate, petiolate, simple, whole, occasionally slightly lobed, usually toothed or lobed-toothed along the edge, with early decaying stipules. The shape of the leaf is different - from almost round, ovoid, obovate to lanceolate. The venation is pinnate.
Male and female flowers are monoecious, developing on the same shoot. Alder usually blooms before the leaves open or simultaneously with it, this facilitates pollination, as the alder is pollinated by the wind. When growing outside plantings, alder begins to bear fruit from 8-10 years, in plantings - from 30-40 years. Fruiting is almost annual, but fruitful occurs once every 3-4 years.
Alder propagates by seeds, all species give numerous pneumatic shoots, and some - and root suckers. The ability to reproduce vegetatively varies from species to species and between members of the same species. Fruits are single-seeded, flattened, small nuts with two lignified stigmas, bordered by a narrow leathery or membranous wing, located in small woody cones, into which female inflorescences turn. Seeds are spread by wind and water, spreading begins in the fall and can continue until spring. After the seeds emerge, the cones remain on the tree for a long time.
Representatives of the alder genus are mainly moisture-loving plants; they grow along the banks of rivers, streams, lakes, in grassy bogs, at the foot of hills, and are often confined to rich, well-drained soils. Black alder and gray alder belong to soil-improving species, since nodules with nitrogen-fixing organisms are located on their roots. The leaves of these types of alder are high-ash, contain a large amount of nitrogen, litter from alder leaves increases the fertility of the soil, makes it looser. The root system is shallow, but powerful, as it is well developed, especially in the upper layers of the soil. Many species of alder are pioneering, they are the first to inhabit fires, clearings, mountain outcrops, abandoned pastures, and then are replaced by other tree species.
The area of growth of alder covers the zones of cold and temperate climates of the Northern Hemisphere, the range of some species reaches in South America along the Andes to Chile, and in Asia to the mountains of Bengal and the mountains of North Vietnam. In the northern part of the range, alder is an admixture of coniferous stands, in the north of the range, some species reach the tundra, in the mountains - to the subalpine belt. In the southern part of the range, alder is part of the beech and hornbeam forests.
Alder hard (Alnusfirma) - a tree or shrub up to 3 m in height with flexible branches. Shoots are grayish-brown or yellowish-brown, pubescent. The kidneys are sessile. Leaves are ovate-oblong or ovate-lanceolate, with 12-18 pairs of veins, 5-12 cm long, 2.5-5 cm wide, pointed at the apex, with a rounded or unequal base, pubescent along the veins below; pubescent petioles, 0.4-1.3 cm long. Catkins single or paired, 5-7 cm long, bloom in March-April. Cones are also single or paired, 2 cm in length, on pubescent legs up to 2-5 cm in length. Has several decorative forms. Natural range: Japan. In St. Petersburg, it is not hardy enough, should be tested in areas south and west of Moscow.
Hanging alder (Alnuspendula) - a tree up to 8 m in height or a shrub with a weeping crown. Young shoots are pubescent, with age they become smooth, brick-brown. Buds are sessile, leaves are elongate-lanceolate, 5-12 cm in length, with 18-26 pairs of veins, pointed, pubescent below along the veins. Cones are 8-15 mm in length, collected in 2-5 clusters in hanging clusters 3-6 cm long. Natural habitat: Japan. Introduced to the USA in 1862.
Shrub alder (Alnusfruticosa) in the northern parts of the range, especially in the tundra, a squat and even creeping shrub with shortened and twisted branches; in the southern parts of the range in Siberia and the Far East - a tree reaching a height of 6 m. A beautiful decorative large-leaved shrub that can be used in landscaping as a shrub that retains green leaves for a long time in autumn. The bark is dark gray, young shoots are reddish-brown with yellowish lenticels. Leaves broadly ovate, evenly tapering upward, sharp, with a rounded or unequal base, 5-10 cm long, 3-7 cm wide, with 8-10 pairs of veins, dark green above, glossy or matte, glabrous, paler below , in the lower part along the veins with reddish hairs. Catkins 3.5-6 cm in length, bloom simultaneously with the deployment of leaves. Cones are oval, 1.2-2.0 cm in length, collected in a cluster with 1-3 leaves at the base. Blooms from late April to June, in the tundra even in July. Distribution: northern regions of the European part of Russia. It grows in the north on riverine sands, along forest edges, in deciduous forests. In the southern regions of the range - in mountain valleys, on pebbles, on gravelly slopes and stony taluses, it reaches there the size of a tree of medium height.
A close view is green alder (Alnusviridis), common in the mountains of Western Europe. This tree is up to 20 m high. The bark is smooth, ash-gray, young branches are brown and grayish-green, brick-brown shoots with light lenticels. The leaves are oval-ovate, evenly tapering upward, sharp, with a rounded base. Known in culture in St. Petersburg, in the park of the Forestry University, where it bears fruit, as well as in Moscow, Tallinn and Tartu.
Manchurian alder (Alnusmanshurica) - a tree reaching a height of 15 m, with a trunk up to 25 cm in diameter, less often a tall, spreading shrub. The bark is smooth, dark gray. Sessile buds, leaves 7-8 cm long, 2.5-8 cm wide, broadly elliptic with a short obtuse acumen, glabrous, lateral veins 7-9 pairs. Catkins bloom at the same time as the leaves. Blooms in May. Natural area: Far East (Primorsky Territory), China (Manchuria), Korea. Grows along river banks on sandy or rocky soil.
Alder Maksimovich (AlnusMaximowiczii) - a tree up to 10 m in height. The bark on the trunk is gray with rounded lenticels, light brown shoots with numerous lenticels. Sessile buds, leaves broadly or orbicularly ovate, 7-10 cm long and 7-8 cm wide, with a wide heart-shaped base, 7-10 pairs of lateral veins; petioles 1-3 cm long. Cones 1.5-2 cm long, on legs. Blooms in May-June. Habitat: Far East (Primorsky Territory, Sakhalin), Northern Japan. Grows along the banks of streams and rivers. In St. Petersburg, it is quite winter-hardy.
Kamchatka alder (Alnuskamtschatica) - a tree or shrub, 1-3 m in height, with a thick main trunk pressed against the soil, with ascending, straight branches forming a dense crown. In culture, it usually grows in a wide bush, without forming the main trunk. The bark is dark gray with lighter, large lenticels. The buds are sessile, highly resinous, pointed, 0.5 cm in length. Leaves are ovoid, dark green above and lighter below, with a short pointed tip, with a rounded base, 5-10 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, with 8-9 pairs of veins; petioles 1-2 cm long. Blooms before leaves appear, at home in May-June, in St. Petersburg - in May. Cones are oval, dark brown, 12 mm in length, collected in clusters of 3-5 pieces. The fruits ripen in autumn and fall off in winter and spring. Natural area: North-Eastern Siberia, Far East (Kamchatka, Okhotsk coast, Northern Sakhalin). It grows on mountain slopes and stony placers, in the undergrowth of birch forests, in river valleys, in the mountains forms an alder belt, at the upper border of the forest it becomes a squat shrub with small foliage. The bark and leaves are used to produce paint that dyes the skin. In St. Petersburg, it grows well in the park of the Botanical Garden, blooms and bears fruit. Due to its decorative crown and unpretentiousness, it can be widely used in landscaping the northern regions of the forest zone.
Alder cut (Alnussinuata) - a tree up to 12 m high, with a narrow crown and almost horizontal branches, or a shrub. Decorative due to large green foliage. It grows quite satisfactorily on cold and swampy soils. Shoots in youth with pubescence, buds are sessile, leaves are ovoid, 6-12 cm in length, pointed, with a rounded or broadly wedge-shaped base, sharp-toothed, light green above and paler below, with 5-10 pairs of veins, glabrous or pubescent along midveins, sticky in youth; petiole with a groove, 1.5-2 cm in length. Flowers bloom at the same time as leaves or later. Cones about 1.5 cm in length, 3-6 in brushes on thin legs, up to 2 cm long. Natural habitat: North America - from Alaska to Oregon. Quite stable in St. Petersburg.
Alder heart-shaped (Alnuscordata) - a tree reaching a height of 15 m, young shoots are sticky, later brick-brown, glabrous. Buds on legs, leaves almost round or broadly ovate, 5-10 cm in length, with a deep cordate base, shortly pointed or rounded at the apex, dark green and shiny above, lighter below, pubescent along the veins in youth, petioles 2-3 cm in length. Anther catkins are collected in 3-6 clusters, each 2-3 cm long. Cones are erect, ovoid, 1.5-2.5 cm in length. Habitat: Italy and Corsica. Decorative with a rounded crown and glossy leaves, similar to pear leaves. Grows near water bodies. Introduced into culture in England in 1840.
Heart-leaved alder (Alnussubcordata) - tree 15-20 m high or shrub. Shoots pubescent, reddish-brown, with light lenticels. Kidneys on legs, pubescent, ovate, obtuse. Leaves from rounded to oblong-ovate, 5-16 cm in length, 4-11 cm in width, pointed at the apex, with a cordate or rounded base, slightly sticky, finely serrated, glabrous above, dark green, pubescent below along the veins and with barbules of hairs in the corners of the veins; lateral veins 10-12 pairs. Catkins are collected 3-5 in terminal racemes. Axillary cones, single or paired, oval-elliptical, 2.5 cm long and 1.3 cm wide. Natural area: Caucasus, Iran. In deciduous forests of the lower zone, in the mountains along the banks of streams up to an altitude of 1000 m above sea level. The wood is reddish-brown, with veins, dense, resistant in water, well cut.
In St. Petersburg, it is not hardy enough. Introduced into culture in England in 1838, in the USA in 1860.
Seaside alder (Alnusmaritime) - a tree or shrub up to 10 m high. Shoots are pubescent at first, faded orange or red-brown. Buds on legs, pointed, pubescent. Leaves are elliptical or obovate, pointed or short-pointed, 6-10 cm long, 3-6.5 cm wide, shiny rich green above, light green and glabrous below, petioles slightly pubescent. Cones are collected in 2-4, about 2 cm long, on short legs. Blooms in autumn. Looks spectacular in autumn thanks to dark green foliage and yellow dangling earrings. Habitat: North America. In St. Petersburg, it is not hardy enough. Introduced in England in 1878. Close view - brilliant alder (Alnusnitida) blooming also in autumn. A tree reaching a height of 30 m. Habitat: Himalayas.
Japanese alder (Alnusjaponica) - a tree up to 25 m in height. It has a decorative ovoid crown and dense dark green foliage that persists for a long time in autumn. Young shoots are glabrous or slightly pubescent; light olive or brick-brown with lenticels. Buds on legs are naked, red-brown, resinous. Leaves narrowly elliptical or oblong-lanceolate, 6-12 cm long, 2-5 cm wide, gradually pointed towards the apex, with a wedge-shaped base, slightly pubescent in youth, dark green shiny above, lighter below, pubescent or glabrous petioles, 2 - 3.5cm long. Cones are oval or oval-oblong, 1.2-2 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide. Catkins bloom in early spring and are collected in clusters of 4-8 pieces. Habitat: Far East (Primorsky Territory), China and Japan. Produces strong and dense wood. In St. Petersburg, it is not hardy enough, it is suitable for areas south and west of Moscow. Introduced in England in 1880, in the USA in 1886.
Black alder, or sticky (Alnusglutinosa) - a tree, reaching a height of 35 m, in its youth with an ovoid, and then with a cylindrical crown. It grows quickly, lives up to 100 and even 300 years. Young branches are smooth, often sticky, brick-brown with whitish lenticels. The bark of the trunk is dark brown, cracks with age. Kidneys obovate, 0.5-0.8 cm in length, sticky, on legs. Leaves obovate or rounded, young - sticky, glossy, glabrous or hairy, adults - dark green, slightly shiny, underneath with red beards in the vein corners, 4-9 cm long, 3-7 cm wide, petioles 1-2 cm long ... Leaves in the fall may not change color and fall off green. Catkins are collected in a raceme of 3-6, drooping, 4-7 cm in length. Pistillate catkins are located below the staminate ones in the axils of the leaves by 3-5, on the legs, which are usually longer than them. Blooms in late March - early April. Cones broadly ovate, 12-20 mm long and 10 mm wide, 3-5 sit on a long stem. Fruits ripen by November, spill out by spring, spread by water and wind. The seed year happens every 3-4 years. They begin to bear fruit from 10 years old with free growth, at 40 years old - in plantations. The germination rate of freshly harvested seeds is 40-70%, gradually decreases, but lasts for 2-3 years. Gives abundant pneumatic growth up to 80-90 years.
The wood is sapwood, almost white in a newly felled tree, it quickly acquires a light red hue in the air. Annual layers are clearly visible in all sections. Alder wood is used in joinery, furniture and turning industries, in the manufacture of plywood, piles, well logs, and supports for mines are made from it. The bark contains up to 16% tannins, gives black, red and yellow colors. The leaves are medicinal. Natural area: Western Siberia, Crimea, Caucasus, Western Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa. Hardy, moderately hardy.
Forms forests on excessively moistened fertile soils along streams and rivers over large areas. In the best conditions of existence, the alder stand here reaches almost 15 m in height and 11.5 cm in diameter at the age of 20.
In landscaping, black alder is widely used within its range on soils with a high level of groundwater, especially near ponds, lakes, rivers and streams. Garden forms that propagate vegetatively are used in single plantings. On fertile soils, black alder forms a deeply sinking root system. It grows well on fertile soils with strong flowing moisture, as well as on sandy soils with deep groundwater. Does not grow on poor and dry soils.
Bearded alder (Alnusbarbata) -tree, reaching a height of 35 m, with an ovoid crown and trunk up to 60 cm in diameter, covered with dark gray-brown bark. Shoots are fluffy, brown with light lenticels, buds on short legs, obovate, dark brown. Leaves are ovate or obovate with a pointed apex, 6-13 cm in length, 4-9 cm in width, young leaves are fluffy on both sides, after the top are glossy and dark green, below are light green pubescent with red hairs in the corners of the veins, petioles hairy in youth, 1.5-2 cm in length. They bloom simultaneously with the blooming of leaves, anther catkins are collected 3-4 in the upper part of the shoot. Cones are oblong, 1.5-2 cm in length, 0.6-0.8 cm in width, collected in clusters of 3-5 on long legs. Habitat: Caucasus (Ciscaucasia, Western and Eastern Transcaucasia), Asia Minor. In lowlands on marshy and alluvial soils, it forms forests, rises into the mountains along rivers to an altitude of 2000 m above sea level, in the lower part of the mountains it often grows as part of beech, chestnut and hornbeam forests. This is the most widespread type of alder in the Caucasus. Its wood is similar in physical and mechanical properties to black alder wood and is widely used in the economy. The bark contains up to 16.5% tannides, gives black, red and yellow colors. Isabella grape vines are often planted using live alder as a support.
Alder is gray, or white (Alnusincana) - a tree up to 23 m in height, with a narrow-ovoid crown and a trunk up to 50 cm in diameter. Lives up to 50-60 years. The bark is smooth, light gray. Leaves are ovate or oval-elliptical, 4-10 cm long, 3.5-7 cm wide, with a rounded or weakly cordate base, young leaves are pubescent, adult leaves are almost glabrous above, gray-green pubescent below, densely pubescent along the veins , with 9-13 pairs of veins; petioles 1-2 cm long, soft felt. It blooms before the leaves open, 2-3 weeks earlier than black alder. Stamen catkins are arranged together in 3-5 pieces, sessile or on short legs. Cones 8-10 each, elliptical, black-brown, about 1.5 cm long and 7-8 cm wide. Seed trees begin to bear fruit from 8-10 years, coppice trees from 5-7 years. Gives abundant root suckers and shoots from the stump. Fruiting is annual, abundant.
Wood differs from black alder wood in a more red shade, in terms of physical and mechanical properties it is inferior to black alder wood. It is used in the same way as black alder wood. In the best growing conditions, gray alder gives at the age of 40 up to 250 m 3 of wood from 1 hectare. The bark contains a small amount of tannides, gives paint. Forms a superficial root system located mainly in the upper soil layer. Habitat: the European part of Russia, Western Siberia, the Caucasus, Western Europe, North America. In the Caucasus, it rises to an altitude of 2000 m above sea level. Occurs in river floodplains together with willows and black alder.
Forms shrub thickets usually on felling areas, fires and abandoned arable lands. It is not as demanding on soils as black alder, but rarely grows on poor dry sandy soils; grows better than black alder in swampy soils. More light-requiring and frost-hardy than black alder. Hardy, relatively shade-tolerant. It is short-lived, as it is quickly replaced by other species, especially spruce. Improves the soil by forming soft humus from high-ash and nitrogen-containing foliage, enriches the soil with nitrogen.
Alder wrinkled (Alnusrugosa) - tree up to 8 m tall. Sometimes this species is considered not as independent, but as a variety of gray alder. The buds are glabrous, pubescent, with legs. Leaves are elliptical or obovate, 5-10 cm in length, glabrous below or pubescent along the veins, rarely completely pubescent. Cones of 4-10 pieces are collected in a brush, the upper ones are sessile, the lower ones have short legs, ovoid, 1-1.5 cm in length. Natural range: North America. In St. Petersburg, it is quite stable.
Kola alder (Alnuskolaensis)- a small tree up to 8 m high with twisted knotty shoots. This species is sometimes regarded as a variety of gray alder. The bark on the trunk and old branches is yellowish, shiny, leaves on pubescent, reddish petioles, elliptical and oval-elliptical, obtuse at the apex, serrate along the edge, dark green below, glabrous or sparsely pubescent along the veins. It grows on the Kola Peninsula, occurs along river valleys and lake shores.
Alder fluffy (Alnushirsuta)- a shrub or small tree, reaching 20 m in height and 50-60 cm in diameter, with rounded obtuse blunt-pointed leaves, 4-7 cm long and 3-5.5 cm wide, rich green above, glossy, glaucous below, glabrous or hairy veins, lateral veins 7-8 pairs. The bark is smooth, brick-brown in color. Shoots are gray with tomentose pubescence, becoming naked with age. Differs in a significant difference in leaves in size, shape and color, even within the same tree. Its properties are similar to that of black alder. Natural area: Western and Eastern Siberia, Primorye, Amur region, Korea, China, Northern Japan. One of the most hardy types of alder. Occurs along the edges and in the undergrowth of coniferous forests. It grows in the floodplains of streams and rivers, in grassy bogs and near springs. It turned out to be stable in the conditions of St. Petersburg.
Alder red (Alnusrubra) - a beautiful, decorative tree with large leaves, reaching 20 m in height. The bark is light gray, almost without cracks. Shoots are brick-red, young shoots are pubescent. Kidneys on legs, red. Leaves are ovoid, 7-12 cm long, pointed, glossy above, grayish-green, glabrous below or with short rusty pubescence, with 12-15 pairs of veins, petioles and veins are reddish or yellowish. Cones 6-8, ovoid, 1.5-2.5 cm long, on short reddish legs or sessile. Habitat: North America - from Alaska to California. Introduced into culture since 1884.
Acid alder (Alnuscremastogyne) - tree up to 40 m tall. Young, pubescent shoots are brick-brown; over time, the pubescence disappears. Kidneys on legs. The leaves are narrowly obovate or elliptical, pointed at the apex, 6-14 cm in length, smooth dark green above, light green below, 9-12 pairs of veins. Stamen and pistillate catkins solitary in axils of young leaves. Cones 1.5-2 cm long, with slender legs. Natural range: Western China. In St. Petersburg, it is not hardy enough. Introduced in England in 1907.
Wood
Alder wood is homogeneous in structure, annual rings and narrow core rays are hardly distinguishable on an untreated surface, but after processing and coating with transparent varnishes and stains, they become more distinguishable with the naked eye, form a beautiful, interesting and highly decorative pattern, especially on tangential sections. The annual layers are not always distinguishable, since the late wood, although a little darker than the early one, can be difficult to notice this difference. In all sections, rare false-wide medullary rays are clearly distinguishable. The boundaries of the annual layers are slightly bent when they are crossed by a pseudo-wide medullary ray. The pores on the cells of the medullary rays are very small. Sometimes alder has a false core - a darker, dark brown or brick-brown color, the inner zone of the wood. The most common defect in alder is the presence of brown or reddish-brown heart rot, which significantly reduces the quality of the wood obtained.
Alder is a scattered-vascular non-nucleated breed. Its wood in a freshly cut state is white, but in the air it quickly acquires a color from orange-red to brick-brown. Alder wood is of low density, soft, light, dries out a little, almost does not crack upon drying, not resistant to decay. Easily processed with cutting and polishing tools, the surface is clean, smooth, slightly velvety. In water, alder wood is highly resistant, moderately impregnated, stained and etched.
The complete swelling of alder wood practically does not correlate with the density of absolutely dry wood and the basis density of wood, but there is a tendency for swelling to increase with increasing density. In black alder, the dependence of the tensile strength on density at a moisture content of 10.32% is strongly pronounced, and in gray alder, the tensile strength weakly correlates with the density at the time of testing. The tensile strength and toughness of alder wood are weakly correlated with density.
The vascular pore is punctate. Fibrous tracheids are thin-walled, angular or rounded in cross-section, of different diameters, distributed haphazardly and connected alternately. Libriform fibers are typical, thick-walled, slightly compressed in the radial direction. In late wood, the fibers of libriform are somewhat more compacted than in early wood. In addition to the typical fibers of libriform, living fibers are occasionally found, the walls of such libriform fibers are slightly thinner, the content of living cells is a supply of nutrients.
Usage
Table 2. Physical and mechanical properties of alder wood
Table 3. Average indicators of the main physical and mechanical
properties of alder wood (numerator - at a moisture content of 12%,
denominator - at humidity 30% and above)
Table 4. Indicators of mechanical properties of alder wood,
referred to 1 kg / m
Table 5. Indicative indicators of physical and mechanical
alder bark properties
The most economically valuable species is black alder, since its range is larger than that of other species of this genus. Gray alder, the range of which is also wide, due to its biological qualities, rarely reaches sufficient size and often has a curved trunk, which causes insufficient output of high-quality wood. It can grow a straight tree with a voluminous trunk only under optimal conditions.
Alder wood is soft, light, well cut, has good dimensional stability, therefore it is widely used for the manufacture of various furniture, toys, turning products and small handicrafts. Alder wood is used to make veneer, plywood, chipboards, often in combination with other species such as pine, spruce and beech; boxes and pallets are made of alder. Since alder wood is characterized by high resistance to moisture, it is used where interaction with water is inevitable: in bridge building, house building, it was previously used in the manufacture of piles and water pipes. Alder is often used as a fuel. Obtained from alder and charcoal, which is used for painting.
Alder wood is well impregnated with stains, therefore it is often used to imitate valuable types of wood (cherry, mahogany, ebony) and restore furniture, interior decoration parts and other valuable wood items.
In the manufacture of decks of various stringed musical instruments, the main material is resonant spruce wood, the reserves of which are limited. Therefore, often the soundboards of musical instruments are made of other materials, for example, three-layer birch plywood, which drastically reduces the acoustic properties of such instruments. Analysis of the resonance and acoustic properties of domestic wood species showed that the most suitable substitute for resonant spruce is black alder. Black alder has significantly fewer knots than resonant spruce, which increases wood yield. Black alder wood is characterized by physical, mechanical and acoustic properties close to those of resonant spruce and significantly superior to the properties of three-layer birch plywood. It should be noted that the cost of black alder decks is almost equal to the cost of manufacturing birch plywood decks and significantly lower than the cost of resonant spruce decks. This indicates the prospects for the use of black alder wood in musical production.
In official and folk medicine, infusions, decoctions and extracts of alder bark, leaves and cones are used as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hemostatic, wound-healing, immunomodulatory drugs. Alder bark is used in tanning and dyeing leather. Also, black, yellow and red paints are obtained from the bark.
Alder is a highly decorative species with shiny, rich green foliage that improves the soil, therefore various types of alder are widely used in landscaping.
It is necessary to take into account such a defect of alder as heart rot, which by the age of 60 affects most of the trees, and not to allow alder forests to stagnate.
Due to the structural features and physical and mechanical properties of wood and biological characteristics, alder is a promising species for forest growing and wood use.
Elena KARPOVA
Anton KUZNETSOV,
Cand. biologist. Sciences, Assoc. department general ecology,
plant physiology
and wood science SPbGLTU
This tree belongs to the genus alder, the birch family, has several names. Black alder, sticky, European (Alnus glutinosa). Alder originated from Europe. The plant is light-loving, but it also tolerates the shade well. The soil loves fertile, well-moisturized. Prefers abundant watering. It grows to a height of 35 meters and can last for about a hundred years. It is planted with seeds.
The deciduous tree is quite tall, it can be multi-stemmed. The bark of an adult tree is almost black; in a young plant, it is still light brown, but quite dark.
The leaves of black alder are alternate, dark green in color, oval or rounded with a notch in the upper part, sticky, shiny.
Alder has monoecious flowers that form catkins. They bloom in early spring, sometimes even faster than leaves. During the entire period of growth and development of the tree, the process of laying earrings takes place. With stamens, this happens in 5-6 months, somewhere from July, and with pistils - 1-2 months from September. On the pedicels, expanded thyroid, there are three male flowers. The outer part (perianth) is simple, 4 notched or 4 leaves. The female ones are located in the sinuses of the scales, which contain a lot of pulp, and are located in pairs.
At the time of ripening, the scales harden and form a so-called cone, very similar to the fruit of conifers. Black alder reproduces with the help of seeds or aerial shoots (stump growth).
Alder fruits are small cones that have a narrow wing, but they can be without it. At first, the color of the fruit is green, then it becomes brown with a red tint. The ripening period occurs at the beginning of autumn. For the winter, the cones are closed, and at the beginning of spring they open and seeds fall out. The wind carries them away, and melt water also contributes to the spread of seeds.
This plant can be found almost throughout Europe, except for the northern part. Asia Minor, North Africa and North America are also climates suitable for alder. In Russia, alder grows in its European part.
The tree loves moist, drained soils and therefore alder can often be seen on the banks of rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. Wetlands are also suitable for this plant, as well as clay and poor soils, rocky and sandy.
Perfectly adjacent to such trees as ash, birch, oak, linden and spruce. But he can create his own thickets (alder). Where alder grows, the soil is enriched with nitrogen.
Pests and diseases
Application of black alder
Tree bark and cones have long been used in the medical field. Infusion on the bark is a good astringent and acts as an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. A decoction from the bark of the plant is excellent for constipation, it can be a hemostatic agent and heals wounds well. The drug from the seed is used for problems of the stomach and intestines, this broth has astringent and disinfecting properties. Tincture of leaves and bark expels bile from the body, relieves spasms and inflammation.
Can be used as a natural dye for wool and leather. It makes it possible to obtain yellow, as well as red and black. The cinnamon color comes from the buds. Alder is rightfully considered a melliferous plant. Bees, from the resinous substances of alder leaves and buds, produce propolis. The dry leaves of the tree can be fed to livestock.
Black alder wood itself is soft and light, but also fragile. It is used in carpentry and furniture, used in the construction of hydraulic structures. It is a good material for boxes that can hold food or household items. Coils and other products are also made from alder.
You can also get wood vinegar and charcoal from this plant in order to paint, for this you need to perform dry distillation. Alder also takes part in the production of gunpowder. Smooth trunks are used for hedges. Alder is indispensable for stove heating. Thanks to her, before, they got rid of excess soot that accumulated in the pipes of the furnace. If you smoke fish on sawdust and alder shavings, you get a very tasty dish. Sagging on alder trunks is an excellent decorative element of decoration.
Collection and procurement of raw materials
The so-called bumps can be harvested from November to March next year. In this case, it is necessary, with the help of a secateurs, to carefully cut off the end of the branch on which the cones are located, and cut them off. Those fruit that themselves fell from the branches are already unusable.
The buds must be well dried. To do this, they must be spread in an even layer in a room with good ventilation (attic, for example), or placed under a canopy. When it's warm outside, drying can be done in the fresh air, but do not forget to stir everything. After high-quality drying, the cones are stored for up to three years.