What an alder tree looks like and where it grows - a description of the main features. What alder looks like: general characteristics, types, photos Where and how alder grows

Alder is one of the most common in temperate zones. It is used in construction and folk medicine. But this can often be confused with birch, which also has catkins. Therefore, it is important to understand what kind of alder tree it is and why it is given such preference.

Botanical description

Alder is a dicotyledonous plant, a close relative of birch. This genus includes both and trees, so scientists have a large number of species and subspecies. The type species is black alder (Alnus glutinosa).

Vilha, as the plant is also called, is deciduous, which can adapt to different habitats. Alder leaves are colored in many shades of green, cuttings and jagged at the edges, and their shape depends on the life form.
An interesting feature is the cells of the epidermis, a slight pubescence that is on the branches, leaves and buds. This feature helps in life, but does not perform the function of protection against.

The plant is often described as "catkin tree". This is due to the fact that a spike-shaped inflorescence grows at the ends of the shoots. It is in them that pollen is formed. The ovules are in small spikelets. The tree has a fruit - a small nut.

Habitat

The tree is common in areas that fall into the temperate zone. Habitat also depends on the life form. Therefore, it can be found even in the mountains of South America.

Most often, alder grows on marshy forests. Its habitat also extends to the tundra, which are located in the subarctic climatic zone.

Popular types

Each of us may have different ideas of what an alder tree looks like. After all, its appearance depends on the place of growth. There are up to 40 species in the genus. The main difference between the trees is in growth and leaves, so let's take a closer look with a photo of the most popular representatives of the Alder genus.

Italian

In the wild, it grows in southern Italy and Albania. The tree is unpretentious to, but the habitat is usually located near the water. "Italian" reaches 15-20 meters in height (less often 25-28 m), the trunk is no more than 1 m in diameter.

This species is often confused with the hearty alder. But they differ, firstly, in the name (Alnus cordata - Italian (heart-shaped), Alnus subcordata - heart-shaped); secondly, habitat.
The leaves on Italian alder are dense, smooth and can last until December, are oval in shape and up to 12 cm long, very similar to leaves and.

This one reaches 3 m in height. The habitat is an island in the Japanese archipelago - Kyushu. Wind-resistant, leaves are toothed, oblong up to 12 cm in length. The branches are thin and flexible, sometimes with a gray coating.

Earrings are often paired up to 7 cm. It blooms from March. does well in humid climates. The wood is tougher than other species.

Black is the type species of the genus. It is also known as European due to its habitat. Young leaves are sticky, so the name "sticky" is also found. The tree can have two trunks, reaches a height of 35 m.

The crown is not dense, but at the same time voluminous (12 m in diameter). The trunk is up to 1 m in diameter and has black bark. Flowering usually occurs in April. A light-loving tree, it tolerates moisture well due to the absence of organs responsible for moisture consumption.

If black alder grows in lowland swamps, then alder swamps can form.

In the wild, this type of tree grows in China. But now it can be found in many parks in England. This tree is distinguished by its height (up to 40 m) and lowered branches. The leaves are long and narrow, the catkins are solitary and located in the axils of the leaves.

Each of the species can be affected by fungi, and the lichen is no exception. Marsupials infect female catkins and can cause them to grow. Some species of fungi of the genus Tarfin form "witch's brooms" - a cluster inside the crowns, usually similar to a nest.

Alder gray is found throughout Europe, North America and Asia Minor. In the wild, it grows rapidly, bears fruit once a year, but abundantly, the seeds are dispersed by wind or water. Often grows in tandem with black alder near water.

It is also distributed in Siberia along with the fluffy alder. medium in height (20 m) with a relatively thin trunk (up to 50 cm in diameter). The tree grows in sunny areas, is frost-resistant and withstands strong winds due to the flexibility of the branches.

The leaves are serrated, rough, oval and up to 10 cm long. Gray alder tolerates stagnant water in the ground. It does not occur on sandy and sandy loams due to low acidity and humidity.

The Japanese plant species lives on the entire east coast of Asia. Distinguished by its olive-colored branches. The height is standard (up to 25 m). The crown is dense, rounded. The leaves are sparsely toothed, smooth and not more than 12 cm long.

Female inflorescences - up to 8 pieces at the end of the brushes. Due to the fact that the leaves are kept until the first frost, it is popular in.

One of, but can reach the height of a tree. The description of this species does not differ from the typical one. However, the habitat includes only the states of North America. The crown is not dense, the trunk is thin and flexible, sometimes up to 10 m high.

Heart-leaved can be found in Iran and Azerbaijan. This species does not tolerate winter. In the structure of the heart, there are no organs that limit the flow of moisture. That is why the plant is found in wetlands.

The leaves are dense and slightly rounded. Only those forests where hearty alder grows can be located in the river valley.

This species is found in both temperate and subarctic climates. fast growing with a dense crown. Easily adapts to any living conditions. It is distinguished by its frost resistance, because it grows even in the Arctic.

Green alder is often called a transitional stage between birch and alder. After all, this species also takes the life form of a tree (in the Far East). Staminate catkins are often paired.

The leaves are toothed, slightly rough, dark green in color. In the tundra, green alder can bloom even in July and August.

Scope of the plant

A variety of types of wilha, common throughout the Northern Hemisphere, allows you to use it in many areas. After all, the tree is grown quite quickly and even in the wild aggressively occupies large areas.

Alder contains tannins in its composition. Due to the flexibility of the trunk, the wood is soft and easy to process.

In folk medicine

The bark and leaves of the tree are endowed with astringents. Therefore, a moistened black alder leaf can be applied to the wound so that it heals faster. Also, the wound can be disinfected with vodka infusion from cones or earrings.

Infusions from the earrings of the plant also help with constipation. Using infusions from flowers plucked at the very beginning of flowering, you can get rid of diathesis in children. A decoction of the bark helps to cope with pain in the stomach.

To do this, you need to brew 15 g of bark with one glass of boiling water. Then let cool and strain. Take for several days 3-4 times a day. It will be enough 1 tablespoon at a time.
But remember that alder treatment may not always help or only eliminate the symptoms. Therefore, seek qualified medical help.

Illustration:

Freshly cut white alder wood quickly turns yellow, often to orange hues. Due to the action of oil or drying oil, alder acquires a rather intense, uniform color, which distinguishes it from other types of wood. In the alder board, core repetitions in the form of longitudinal narrow brown dashes often come across, occasionally there are dark wide inclusions.

Alder wood is characterized by softness, a homogeneous fine structure, but it is fragile and inelastic. This material is susceptible to rot when used outdoors and when in contact with the ground, while it is quite stable when used underwater. Alder wood dries quickly and is not prone to warping and cracking.

Alder is a quality material for the production of interior parts of furniture and interior decoration. Due to the ability to accept stain well, alder is used to imitate valuable wood species, for example, cherry, walnut, ebony.

Alder lumber is not as popular as, for example, edged and unedged larch or pine boards. At the same time, this wood has a large number of fans who have found worthy use for it. In furniture production, alder wood is used to make veneer, which is an excellent solution for imitating valuable species. During a stay in water, the strength of wood reaches its highest levels. This explains the fact that almost half of the houses of the legendary Venice are based on alder piles.

Alder board is a popular material for both construction and furniture making. Manufacturers of furniture, plywood, and paper highly value light-colored alder board, the price of which is quite low. Alder MDF is perfect for the production of kitchen furniture, bedroom sets and other types of furniture.

Solid alder doors are a reliable and solid option that has many advantages over artificial materials. As a result of the presence of a significant amount of tannins contained in wood, alder has medicinal properties.

Areas of application of alder

• Alder does not have great strength, but has a uniform structure, light and soft wood, which makes it easier to work with. Based on these characteristics, alder has found its application in various industries. Due to the presence of useful properties, it is used for medical purposes.
• When drying alder wood, cracks do not form on the surface. Due to this quality, it is used in the manufacture of musical instruments.
• Due to its pliability, viscosity and softness, it is used as a material for artistic carving: sculptures are cut out, decorative panels and carved dishes are made. Artists use coals from alder wood in their work.
• Due to the beautiful shade after treatment with ammonia and drying oil, alder wood is used in the construction of decorative furniture and in carpentry.
• Being under the influence of water for a long time, alder wood acquires considerable 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 beautifully and has a high heat dissipation. No wonder they are called "royal".
• In cooking, for smoking meat and fish, firewood and sawdust of this tree are used. In this case, alder firewood is superior in properties to all others.
• In folk medicine, alder cones and bark are widely used, containing tannins in large quantities. Decoctions from the bark and cones are taken in folk medicine as an astringent. Purulent wounds heal faster if young black alder leaves are applied. 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 because of their content of proteins, carotene, vitamin C. From the cones, a dry extract is produced - tchmelin, which is used for dysentery.

scientific classification		Physical properties
Domain:	eukaryotes	Average density:	510-550 kg/m³
Kingdom:	Plants	Density limits:	450-640 kg/m³
Department:	Flowering	Longitudinal shrinkage:	0,4 %
Class:	Dicotyledonous	Radial shrinkage:	4,3 %
Order:	Bukotsvetnye	Tangential shrinkage:	9,3 %
Family:	birch	Radial swelling:	0,15-0,17 %
Genus:	Tangential swelling:	0,24-0,30 %
International scientific name		Flexural strength:	85-97 N/mm²
Alnus Mill. , 1754		Compressive strength:	47-55 N/mm²
type view		Tensile strength:	94 N/mm²
		Thermal conductivity:	0.15-0.17 W/(m×K)
Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.— Black alder		Fuel Properties
		4.1 kWh/kg

Alder species

According to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the genus includes 45 species:

• Alnus acuminata Kunth
• Alnus cordata (Loisel. ) Duby — Italian alder, or Alder heart-shaped
• Alnus cremastogyne Burkill— Alder alder
• Alnus ×elliptica Req.
• Alnus ×fallacina callier
• Alnus fauriei H.Lev. & Vaniot
• Alnus ferdinandi-coburgii C.K.Schneid.
• Alnus ×figertii callier
• Alnus firma Siebold & Zucc.— Hard alder
• Alnus formosana (Burkill Makino
• Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.- Black alder, or sticky alder, or European alder
• Alnus glutipes (Jarm. ex Czerep. ) Vorosch.
• Alnus hakkodensis Hayashi
• Alnus ×hanedae Suyinata
• Alnus henryi C.K.Schneid.
• Alnus hirsuta (Spach) Rupr.- Alder fluffy, or Alder woolly
• Alnus xhosoii Mizush.
• Alnus incana (L.) Moench- Alder gray, or Alder white, or Eloha
• Alnus japonica (Thunb. ) Steud.– Japanese alder
• Alnus jorullensis Kunth
• Alnus lanata Duthie ex Bean
• Alnus-mairei H.Lev.
• Alnus mandshurica (Callier) Hand.-Mazz.— Manchurian alder
• Alnus maritima(Marshall) Muhl. ex Nutt.— Seaside alder
• Alnus matsumurae callier
• Alnus maximowiczii callier— Olha Maksimovich
• Alnus ×mayrii callier
• Alnus nepalensis D.Don
• Alnus nitida (Spach ) Endl.
• Alnus oblongifolia Torr.
• Alnus orientalis Decne.— Eastern alder
• Alnus paniculata Nakai
• Alnus ×speculiaris Hiyama
• Alnus pendula matsum.— dangling alder
• Alnus ×pubescens Tausch
• Alnus rhombifolia Nutt.
• Alnus rubra bong.— Alder red
• Alnus serrulata (Aiton ) Willd.
• Alnus serrulatoides callier
• Alnus sieboldiana matsum.
• Alnus subcordata C.A. Mey.- Alder heart-leaved
• Alnus ×suginoi Sugim.
• Alnus trabeculosa Hand.-Mazz.
• Alnus vermicularis Nakai
• Alnus viridis (Chaix) DC.— green alder

Useful tables

The average value of different density indicators at natural, natural humidity of 125%

The values ​​​​of the coefficient of moisture conductivity (D "10 10 m 2 / s) for ALDER

Alder (from the Latin "Alnus" - coastal) is assigned to the Birch family. Alder is native to North America.

Alder belongs to highly decorative species, thanks to its shiny, green foliage, therefore it is widely used in landscaping.

Check out our article and you will learn how to grow an alder tree.

Plant appearance

It is a shrub (up to 15 meters) or a deciduous tree growing up to 80 meters in height.

The leaves are oval-ovate, tapering upwards. A fruiting specimen can be found in St. Petersburg, in the park of the Forestry Technical University, in Moscow and in Tallinn.

Alder bush

Squat, sometimes creeping shrub, grows in the north and in the tundra. The branches are shortened, twisted. In the south, this species can grow to a height of up to six meters.

The leaves are dark gray, form a decorative crown, which allows the tree to be used in landscape design and landscaping of park areas.

Alder Manchurian

Reaches a height of 15 meters, the diameter of the trunk of an adult tree is 25 centimeters. Sometimes this species is a spreading shrub. The bark is dark gray, smooth. The leaves are elliptical in shape with sharp tips.

Olkha Maksimovich

An adult tree reaches a height of 10 meters. The bark is grey. Leaves are ovate. Blooms in May-June. It grows in the Far East (Primorsky Krai, Sakhalin), in Northern Japan. Can be seen in St. Petersburg in the botanical garden.

Alder Kamchatka

Tree or shrub, three meters high. The main stem is thick. Straight branches form a dense crown. The bark is grey. The leaves are ovoid, dark green in color and lighter on the reverse.

Blooms in May-June. The bark and leaves are used to dye leather. In St. Petersburg, you can see a flowering and fruiting specimen in the Botanical Garden.

Alder carved

Height 12 meters, crown narrow. The leaves are large green, very decorative.

Alder heart-shaped

Height up to 15 meters. The leaves are rounded or ovate, the shoots are brick-red.

Cultivation and care

Tree in plant system

The tree is unpretentious to the composition and structure of the soil and can be planted even on sandstone.

In horticulture and forestry, alder is famous for its:

seeds

Collection

Alder cones are harvested in late autumn and stored outdoors until fully opened.

Seed separation is carried out using a sieve.

Storage

Seeds are stored in a refrigerator or cellar, at a temperature not exceeding 5 degrees.

Seeding

Seeds can be sown both in autumn and spring. But they have a short shelf life, only 4 months, after which the germination of seeds begins to fall.

The soil

If alder is planted at home, then an earthen mixture is prepared from the following components:

Seeds are sown in seedling boxes and moistened.

The tree grows quite quickly and during the season, seedlings, under favorable conditions, make an increase of several meters.

If the seeds are sown abundantly, then after a couple of years of planting they form impenetrable jungle.

Watering

Rare artificial watering will still not be able to provide the tree with the necessary moisture and will inhibit the development of the root system.

Although until the development of a meter height, the seedling should be watered as often as ordinary seedlings.

loosening

The trunk circle can be loosened, but then the tree will have to be mulched in winter.

To avoid this, you can plant lawn grass, green manure or flowers in the near-trunk circle and trim excess vegetation from time to time - this will ensure the protection of the roots and the formation of beneficial microorganisms in the soil.

Complete exposure of the trunk circle does not always have a positive effect on the health of the tree. For mulching use peat or wood chips.

Pests and diseases

Application of alder wood

Alder is considered a valuable tree species.

In black alder, the wood is well cut, but it is very brittle.

Growing trees have white wood, but when the tree is cut down, it begins to change: turn yellow or red.

What is an alder, why do some consider it a tree, while others consider it a shrub? The truth is both. It all depends on the conditions in which it grows. It can change its shape, taking the form of a deciduous bush with cones, or it can transform and become a branchy tree.

Let's talk about this magical tree with small knobs, which at one time was considered sacred, was a symbol of fertility.

Myths and legends

There are many myths and legends about this tree. It is mentioned in Greek mythology. The first musical instrument of Orpheus was an alder pipe. The connection between the flute and alder can be traced in the name of this musician, which, according to some historians, is shortened from Orphruoeis - "growing on the river bank", thus indicating the alder.

The shores of the caves of the sorceresses Sercea and Calypso, who held Odysseus, were overgrown with alder. In myths there is no specification of what kind this or that alder was, but in nature there are many varieties. The fact that the tree has ancient roots is evidenced by the existence of a certain tribe of Arverns - "alder people" who lived in the territory where the Celts lived.

Alder growing areas

The alder tree grows in North America, where since ancient times it has been called "alnus", which translates as "coastal". It belongs to the Birch family, as having earrings and bumps. The places where alder grows are different. It can be areas with high humidity: rivers, streams, swamps, lakes. It feels good in the forest-steppe and in the composition of mixed forests, where there are aspens, birches, spruces and oaks. There are various types of alder in the regions of Western Siberia and the Urals. The range of gray alder covers most of Europe, the species is found in Asia Minor and some oases of North Africa. In the Carpathians and the Alps, it can be found at significant heights above sea level.

Alder species

In total, botanists have confirmed the existence of about 40 species of alder. The most common include:

• black alder, which is considered one of the best medicinal species;
• gray alder with ovate leaves and superficial roots;
• white, with light gray bark and leaves with double-serrated edges;
• red straight-barreled;
• shrub alder, rapidly growing.

In addition to the above species in Siberia and the Far East, you can find: Siberian, fluffy, Japanese, Italian, which are interspecific hybrids, and the established names are more related to the places where these types of alder grow.

Alder tree: description

If we consider the features of the appearance, it all depends on the places of its growth, the species to which it belongs, as well as the soils on which it grows. A tree that grows on fertile soil can reach a height of up to 25 meters by the age of fifty. Black alder grows up to 35 meters. And what does alder look like on soils with poor fertility? It grows as a bush, living up to 60-70 years.

Alder has a lush crown. But it is not homogeneous, somewhat sparse due to the uneven arrangement of branches. Alder is one of the first to signal that spring has come. This is manifested in the abundant flowering of the tree. At this time, it stands decorated with beautiful earrings, which are divided into male and female. Women's earrings are no more than 1 cm in size, while men's ones reach sizes of 5 - 9 cm. The article presents species photos of alder trees and leaves that appear after flowering.

Fruit

Alder cones of different sizes are fruits. Depending on its type, they are membranous and leathery, while others are wingless. All winter the cones hang closed on the alder, opening only in March and sowing the soil with their seeds.

Cones can be harvested in late autumn and winter if alder grows in the garden. When harvesting cones, they are cut with garden shears. The buds are dried at room temperature. Dried fruits become brown or brown in color. They give off a light scent. They have an astringent taste.

Alder blooms in April and before blooming leaves, having an oval or round shape, it is pollinated by the wind. She prepared for spring flowering the previous summer. It is at this time that men's earrings are laid, which grow and form until late autumn. By winter, they have a supply of pollen ready. The fruits of this alder ripen by the spring of next year. They are cones with a narrow wing. This is clearly seen in the photo of the tree and alder leaves.

The bark is dark in color, with a significant number of cracks on old branches.

Black alder is found in North America, Europe, Ukraine and the Baltic countries. Likes wetlands. Sometimes black alder has the appearance of thickets, especially in those places where there is a stream or a small river. There is even a sign among the people: "Where there is a good alder, there is a heap of hay." This type of alder is included in the Red Books of Kazakhstan, Moldova and some regions of Russia. Black alder is quite often used by landscapers for planting valley parks.

Black alder has a significant number of decorative species that differ in the shape of the leaf blade and the shape of the crown. What does the alder of these decorative species look like? For example, oakleaf has lobed leaves similar to oak leaves; in rowan-leaved foliage of a pinnate-lobed species; royal has small, more deeply cut leaves. And all this is alder.

Scope of a black alder

Characteristic in the description of this species of alder is the value of its wood. In ancient times, it was known that it is durable and does not rot, so it was used for lining wells, making barrels and underwater structures. When drying wood, cracks do not form on it. This makes it possible to make musical instruments from it, in particular, flutes and pipes.

In ancient times, shoes were made from alder wood and bark. Due to the pliability and softness of wood, it is used for the manufacture of sculptures and panels. Alder wood after felling changes its color from white to red. When it is treated with ammonia and drying oil, it acquires a beautiful ebb. Samples of decorative furniture are constructed from such wood. Amulets, talismans and amulets are made from alder, sincerely believing that they will help protect both the hearth and the person.

In folk medicine, alder bark and cones are used, which contain a large amount of tannins. Purulent wounds are treated with young leaves, and for diathesis, a decoction of black alder flowers is prepared. Alcohol infusions of alder earrings are used for constipation.

Trees of this species can be found on the dry uplands of the European part of Russia. This is a low type of plant, often having the appearance of a large shrub with superficial roots. Gray alder can often be seen on the edge of spruce forests and in fields that once served as arable land. Why is this type of alder called gray? Most likely, this is due to the color of the bark and the shade of alder leaves, which occurs due to a small edge that gives silver. Further in the article are photos of an alder tree and leaves, which are egg-shaped. The slightly pointed tip of the alder leaf makes it look like a birch leaf. Gray alder blooms, like black alder, long before the leaves appear.

As mentioned above, gray alder has superficial roots. Microorganisms settle in them, which, absorbing gaseous nitrogen from the air, turn it into nitrogenous compounds. Due to this, gray alder is a natural creator of nitrogenous fertilizers. There is another interesting property of the tree: in autumn, alder leaves look green, as in spring. The tree sheds leaves that are not dyed crimson and gold, preparing for winter. They stay green when they fall to the ground and rot very quickly, improving the topsoil.

Decorative forms of gray alder are varied. For example, blue alder, common in North America, has the form of a shrub or a low (6 meters) tree with dove-colored leaves, sometimes with a lower edge. Golden has a reddish shoot color, and the leaves are pubescent and slightly yellowish.

There is a variety of decorative gray alder called ugly. It has flat, creeping branches.

Scope of gray alder

The wood is used to make decorative ornaments and furniture. Red, brown and green paint is obtained from the bark of the tree. Gray alder does not rot in water. Like black, it was used in the foundations of some medieval cathedrals. Many cathedrals and castles in Venice still stand on alder stilts, as do watermills in Scotland. The gunsmiths of the Middle Ages knew a lot about alder wood. They valued wood as the best for coal, which was used to melt metal for swords.

Beekeepers know that alder pollen is an excellent food for bees. In folk and official medicine, alder is widely used due to tannins, vegetable and essential oils.

Infusions of lignified alder cones are used for all kinds of inflammatory diseases of internal organs, as well as in the form of dressings for non-healing trophic ulcers, eczema and burns. A broom of branches and leaves is an excellent bactericidal agent that tones the skin in a bath.

It grows in Italy and Albania. This is Alnus cordata - Italian (heart-shaped). The article presents a photo of an alder tree and leaves of this species, which is often confused with Alnus subcordata - heart-leaved. Italian alder has an ovoid crown. Its leaves are dense, smooth, oval in shape. They remain on the tree until December. They are shaped like cherry leaves. The bark of the tree is dark brown.

Growing alder in home gardens

Many summer residents like to plant ornamental trees and shrubs on their personal plots, turning part of the plot into a piece of a fairy-tale forest. Alder is no exception, especially since its bark, fruits, leaves, pollen are good folk remedies that are good to have always "at hand". You can plant ready-made perennial alder trees, small seedlings purchased from nurseries, seedlings from overgrowth dug in places of growth, or wait for seedlings planted on the site of seeds of one or another type of alder.

Alder refers to large-sized. They have a powerful root system, a height of more than 15 meters, a well-formed crown. If a sufficiently mature tree is planted on the site, the process is laborious. Here we need equipment that will bring a tree and plant it in a prepared place. Planting can be carried out at any time, but the best option would be to plant alder in autumn and even in winter, when the tree reacts least to temperature changes and is at rest.

In central Russia, landing time is from November to March. Care for a tree planted in this way consists in intensive watering and loosening in the first year after planting.

In the nursery, you can buy shrub alder, which reaches a height of 3 meters, or is formed in the form of a small tree, which is rarely higher than 10 meters. Shrub alder grows quickly, is not picky about the soil, demanding on moisture. Alder will transform even the most nondescript piece of a personal plot, turning it into a cozy green corner over time.

Alder is a widespread deciduous tree or shrub from the Birch family. The largest population of this tree is concentrated in the temperate climate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Some species are found in South America and Asia. Alder grows well in mixed deciduous forests on moist, well-fertilized soils. Often prefers the neighborhood with oak and beech.

The scientific name of the plant "Alnus" is translated - "by the shore". It is not surprising that most plants are found on the banks of fresh water bodies and rivers. The people also call the tree “Valkhal”, “Forester”, “Olekh”, “Yelshina”. Alder is famous for its wood and medicinal properties. It looks great on the site, is used in traditional medicine and the woodworking industry.

plant description

Alder is a perennial deciduous shrub or tree with a developed but superficial rhizome. Because of this, large varieties are often blown by the wind. Over time, small swellings form on the roots, filled with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Processing nitrogen from the atmosphere, alder very effectively saturates and enriches the soil with it. The shoots have a rounded section and are covered with a smooth grayish-brown bark. In places where new branches appear, horizontal wrinkles form. Triangular or heart-shaped lenticels are noticeable on the bark of young shoots.

Alder leaves are oval or obovate, with a wide, rounded end and serrated or wavy edges. The leaf surface is smooth, wrinkled between the veins. The foliage grows alternately on short petioles. Stipules fall early.

At the end of spring, same-sex flowers bloom on the alder. Stamens are concentrated at the ends of young shoots in long flexible inflorescences (catkins). They are red-brown or yellow-brown in color. Catkins with pistillate flowers are shorter and denser spikes at the bottom of the shoot. Flowering begins with the blooming of the leaves.

Pollination occurs with the help of wind. After it, fruits ripen - miniature cones with woody scales. Ripening is completed by mid-autumn. Inside each nut there is a single nut with wings (rarely without them). The valves of a mature cone open and the seeds spill out. The release process may be delayed until spring. The wind carries the seeds over fairly long distances, and spring streams complete the migration process for many kilometers from the mother plant.

Alder species

Today, 29 species of plants are assigned to the alder genus. However, scientists cannot yet come to a consensus, since the plant itself is prone to modification and hybridization, therefore, some species are classified as hybrid varieties of others.

The plant lives in the temperate climate of Western Asia, North Africa and throughout Europe. It is a tree up to 35 m in height, often with several trunks up to 90 cm in diameter. The branches perpendicular to the trunk form a dense pyramidal crown with a diameter of about 12 m. The maximum growth rate is reached at the age of 5-10 years. The life cycle is 80-100 years. Single specimens live up to 3 centuries. The developed rhizome is located in the upper layers of the soil and is covered with nodules. The leaves are almost round in shape with pinnate venation. Their length is 6-9 cm, and the width is 6-7 cm. In early spring, 4-7 cm long earrings bloom at the ends of the branches. They have a yellowish-brown color. Pistillate catkins are almost black, they grow on an elongated flexible stem and are 1.2-2 cm long and up to 1 cm wide. The fruits do not exceed 3 mm in length. In autumn, their flattened notched surface becomes wrinkled, reddish-brown.

Very decorative and beautiful tree up to 20 m in height. Its trunk and branches are covered with almost smooth light gray bark, and young sprouts are dark red. At first, the green growth is densely pubescent, and then becomes bare. The ovate dark green leaves have a pointed edge and serrated sides. On the reverse side, the leaf plate is covered with reddish villi. Staminate inflorescences cast red-brown. Egg-shaped cones grow up to 15-25 mm in length.

An unpretentious spreading shrub or tree up to 20 m in height has a narrow ovoid crown. The cylindrical curved trunk reaches a width of 50 cm. Longitudinal outgrowths and depressions are clearly visible on it. The variety at an early age grows very quickly. The rhizome is located at a depth of up to 20 cm. The bark is dark gray, not sticky. The oval or lanceolate leaves have a smooth leathery surface above, and are densely covered with a silvery pile on the back. Their length is 4-10 cm, and their width is 3-7 cm. Flowering occurs in early spring, before the leaves bloom.

Alder wood

Alder is actively used in the woodworking and furniture industry. And although the wood of the plant is not distinguished by its high density and strength, it is popular for its lightness, resistance to decay and water. At a low cost, wood is quite light. It behaves well when dried (does not warp or crack). The advantage is the uniform color of the heartwood and sapwood.

Alder is used to make parts for wells, ships, interior decoration. It is with her that woodcarvers love to work. Thread spools and other small items are also made from this tree.

Alder firewood burns without excess soot and exudes a pleasant smell. This is the best material for a bath or cooking.

Reproduction methods

Alder is propagated by seeds, cuttings and root shoots. The most common is the seed method and especially self-sowing. By autumn, ripe cones begin to open and release seeds. During November-March, they fall into the ground and undergo natural stratification. After that, during the period of snow melting, the seeds are saturated with moisture and hatch. When planting, the seeds are embedded in the melted soil to a depth of 2.5-3 cm. In the first year, only a small sprout is formed and a rhizome develops. Gradually, the seedlings become stronger and quickly turn into a lush bush or a small tree. Every year it will add 50-100 cm in height.

Often young sprouts appear from the trunk. In just a year, their height can reach 1-1.5 m. In the spring, the offspring can be dug up and transplanted to a new place. It is recommended to keep a clod of old earth on the roots and not let it dry out.

In spring and summer, cuttings 12-16 cm long are cut from young shoots. They are rooted immediately in open ground. The best survival rate is shown by plants treated with a root formation stimulator. Cuttings need to be watered regularly. By autumn, the plants will take root and become strong enough to overwinter without shelter.

Landing and care rules

Alder is very unpretentious to the location and composition of the soil. It grows well in partial shade and in the open sun, on gummed loams and poor sandy soils. Thanks to its ability to enrich the earth with nitrogen, the alder itself will create a nutrient layer for itself and other representatives of the flora. The exception is black alder, which can grow normally only on nutritious and moist soil. It is suitable for ennobling and strengthening the coastal zone or beams, where groundwater comes close to the surface.

For planting, it is recommended to use soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Lime, humus and fertilizer ("Kemira") are preliminarily introduced into the ground. Planting is best done during the growing season. A layer of drainage material (sand, gravel) is laid out at the bottom of the landing pit. Then straighten the roots and fill the free space with fertilized soil. The root neck should be flush with the surface. The earth is plentifully watered and tamped, and the surface is mulched with a layer of chopped straw, peat or wood chips.

Further care for the alder is practically not needed. In the year of planting, the plants must be watered more often, while avoiding stagnation of water in the upper layers of the soil. For better aeration of the roots, the earth is regularly loosened and weeds are removed. It is not necessary to wield the tool too deeply so as not to damage the roots.

Also in the first year, plants should be fed with compost or organic fertilizers. From next year, the need for this procedure will disappear.

On the eve of wintering, no special events need to be carried out, since alder is highly winter-hardy. She is not afraid of even harsh and snowless winters.

Medicinal properties

Alder can be called a useful and even healing plant, which has great benefits for human health. Cones, leaves, bark and roots contain tannins, flavonoids, minerals and vitamins. Alcoholic and aqueous infusions, as well as decoctions, are made from medicinal raw materials of black or gray alder. The drugs help with colds, bronchitis, irritations and ulcers on the skin, inflammation of the mucous membranes, bleeding. Alder has anti-inflammatory, astringent, hemostatic, expectorant effects.

A decoction of cones is drunk for colitis, dysentery, diarrhea, bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, nose and mouth. They rinse their mouths with stomatitis and periodontitis. Root tinctures are recommended for women to normalize reproductive function and the menstrual cycle, to combat inflammation of the genital organs.

Usually, alder preparations have no contraindications, with the exception of an allergic reaction. However, everything needs a measure, it is not recommended to abuse and exceed the recommended dosages, since certain components tend to accumulate in the body.

landscape use

The oval, openwork crown of an alder with moving branches and fluttering leaves looks very lively. Plants do not suffer from urban air pollution, so they can be planted along the road. As a hedge, low trees or lush shrubs up to 3 m high are usually used. They are planted in a tape way rather densely and regularly shaped.

Large single-stemmed trees are used in single plantings or in groups over a large area. They are planted along paths and alleys. Also, alder can be used in compositions of shrubs and trees, combining plants with different colors and structures of foliage.