What does an alder tree look like? Photo and description. Alder - the tree of the soul Alder Russian

Their height under favorable conditions can reach 35-40 m, the maximum diameter of the trunk 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, rounded or almost rounded light lenticels. The alder genus is variable in hairiness and glandularity, and the difference can be both between species and within a species. Kidneys sessile or pedunculated, with two scales, resinous or pubescent. Leaves only on growth shoots, alternate, petiolate, simple, entire, occasionally slightly lobed, usually serrated or lobed-toothed along the edge, with early falling stipules. The shape of the leaf is different - from almost round, ovate, obovate to lanceolate. The venation is pinnate.

Male and female flowers are monoecious, developing on the same shoot. Alder usually blooms before the leaves bloom or at the same time, this facilitates pollination, as the alder is pollinated by the wind. When growing outside plantations, alder begins to bear fruit from 8-10 years, in plantations - from 30-40 years. Fruiting is almost annual, but fruitful happens every 3-4 years.

Alder propagates by seeds, all species give numerous stump shoots, and some give root offspring. The ability for vegetative reproduction varies from species to species and between members of the same species. The fruits are one-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 dispersed by wind and water, beginning in autumn and may continue until spring. After the seeds have taken off, the cones remain on the tree for a long time.

Representatives of the alder genus are predominantly moisture-loving plants; they grow along the banks of rivers, streams, lakes, in grassy swamps, at the foot of hills, often confined to rich, well-drained soils. Black alder and gray alder are soil-improving species, as nodules with nitrogen-fixing organisms are located on their roots. The leaves of these alder species are high-ash, contain a large amount of nitrogen, alder leaf litter increases soil fertility, making it more loose. The root system is superficial, but powerful, as it is well developed, especially in the upper layers of the soil. Many species of alder are pioneers; they are the first to populate conflagrations, clearings, mountain outcrops, abandoned pastures, and then are replaced by other tree species.

The habitat of alder covers the cold and temperate climate zones of the Northern Hemisphere, the range of some species reaches Chile in South America along the Andes, 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 forest stands; in the north of the range, some species reach the tundra; in the mountains, they reach the subalpine belt. In the southern part of the range, alder is part of the beech and hornbeam forests.

Alder solid (Alnusfirma) - a tree or shrub up to 3 m in height with flexible branches. Shoots grayish-brown or yellowish-brown, pubescent. The kidneys are sessile. Leaves 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; petioles pubescent, 0.4-1.3 cm long. Staminate catkins solitary or paired, 5-7 cm long, bloom in March-April. Cones also solitary or paired, 2 cm long, on pubescent legs up to 2-5 cm long. It has several decorative forms. Natural range: Japan. In St. Petersburg, it is not winter hardy enough; it should be tested in areas south and west of Moscow.

Alder hanging (Alnuspendula) - a tree up to 8 m in height or a shrub with a weeping crown. Young shoots are pubescent, becoming smooth, brick-brown with age. Buds sessile, leaves oblong-lanceolate, 5-12 cm long, with 18-26 pairs of veins, pointed, pubescent along the veins below. Cones 8-15 mm long, collected 2-5 in hanging racemes 3-6 cm long. Natural range: Japan. Introduced to the USA in 1862.

Alder bush (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 are broadly ovate, evenly tapering upwards, sharp, with a round 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. Staminate catkins 3.5-6 cm long, bloom simultaneously with the deployment of leaves. Cones are oval, 1.2-2.0 cm long, collected in racemes with 1-3 leaves at the base. Blooms from late April to June, in the tundra even in July. Range: 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, along gravelly slopes and stony screes, it reaches the size of a tree of medium height there.

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, the young branches are brown and grayish-green, the shoots are brick-brown with light lenticels. The leaves are oval-ovate, evenly tapering upwards, sharp, with a rounded base. Known in culture in St. Petersburg, in the park of the Forestry Technical University, where it bears fruit, as well as in Moscow, Tallinn and Tartu.

Alder Manchurian (Alnusmanshurica) - a tree reaching a height of 15 m, with a trunk up to 25 cm in diameter, less often a tall sprawling shrub. The bark is smooth, dark gray. Buds sessile, leaves 7-8 cm long, 2.5-8 cm wide, broadly elliptical with a short obtuse cusp, glabrous, lateral veins 7-9 pairs. Staminate catkins bloom at the same time as the leaves. Blooms in May. Natural range: Far East (Primorsky Territory), China (Manchuria), Korea. It grows along the banks of rivers on sandy or rocky soil.

Olkha Maksimovich (AlnusMaximowiczii) - tree up to 10 m in height. The bark on the trunk is gray with rounded lenticels, the shoots are light brown with numerous lenticels. Buds sessile, leaves broadly or rounded ovate, 7-10 cm long and 7-8 cm wide, with a wide heart-shaped base, lateral veins 7-10 pairs; petioles 1-3 cm long. Cones 1.5-2 cm long, on legs. Blooms in May-June. Range: Far East (Primorsky Territory, Sakhalin), Northern Japan. It grows along the banks of streams and rivers. In St. Petersburg, it is quite winter-hardy.

Alder Kamchatka (Alnuskamtschatica) - a tree or shrub, 1-3 m in height, with a thick main trunk, pressed to 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, larger lenticels. Buds sessile, highly resinous, pointed, 0.5 cm long. Leaves are ovate, dark green above and lighter below, short-pointed, rounded at the base, 5-10 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, with 8-9 pairs of veins; petioles 1-2 cm long. Blossoms before the appearance of leaves, at home in May-June, in St. Petersburg - in May. Cones are oval, dark brown, 12 mm long, collected in brushes of 3-5 pieces. The fruits ripen in autumn and fall off in winter and spring. Natural range: 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 it 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 make a dye that colors 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 sessile, leaves ovate, 6-12 cm long, 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 midrib, sticky when young; petiole with groove, 1.5-2 cm long. Flowers bloom at the same time as the leaves or later. Cones about 1.5 cm long, 3-6 in racemes on thin legs, up to 2 cm long. Natural range: North America - from Alaska to Oregon. Pretty stable in St. Petersburg.

Alder heart-shaped (Alnuscordata) - a tree reaching a height of 15 m, young shoots are sticky, later brick-brown, bare. Stabbed buds, leaves almost round or broadly ovate, 5-10 cm long, with a deeply heart-shaped base, shortly pointed or rounded at the apex, dark green and shiny above, lighter below, pubescent along the veins when young, petioles 2-3 cm in length. Anther catkins collected 3-6 in a brush, each 2-3 cm long. Cones erect, ovoid, 1.5-2.5 cm in length. Range: Italy and Corsica. Decorative rounded crown and glossy leaves, similar to pear leaves. Grows near water bodies. Introduced into culture in England in 1840.

Alder heart-leaved (Alnussubcordata) - a tree 15-20 m high or a shrub. Shoots pubescent, reddish-brown, with light lenticels. Kidneys on legs, pubescent, ovoid, obtuse. Leaves are round to oblong-ovate, 5-16 cm long, 4-11 cm wide, pointed at the apex, with a heart-shaped or rounded base, slightly sticky, finely serrated, glabrous above, dark green, pubescent along the veins below and with barbules of hairs in the corners of the veins; lateral veins 10-12 pairs. Staminate catkins collected 3-5 in terminal racemes. Cones axillary, single or paired, oval-elliptical, 2.5 cm long and 1.3 cm wide. Natural range: Caucasus, Iran. In broad-leaved 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, veined, dense, resistant to water, easy to cut.

In St. Petersburg, it is not winter hardy enough. It was 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 initially pubescent, faded orange or red-brown. Kidneys on legs, pointed, pubescent. The leaves are elliptical or obovate, pointed or shortly pointed, 6-10 cm long, 3-6.5 cm wide, shiny deep green above, light green and glabrous below, petioles slightly pubescent. Cones collected in 2-4, about 2 cm long, on short legs. Blooms in autumn. Looks impressive in autumn thanks to dark green foliage and yellow dangling earrings. Range: North America. In St. Petersburg, it is not winter hardy enough. In England, introduced into culture in 1878. close view - alder shiny (Alnusnitida) , also blooming in autumn. A tree reaching a height of up to 30 m. Area: Himalayas.

Japanese alder (Alnusjaponica) - tree up to 25 m in height. It has a decorative ovoid crown and dense dark green foliage that lasts a long time in autumn. Young shoots glabrous or slightly pubescent; light olive or brick brown with lenticels. The buds on the legs are bare 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 when young, dark green shiny above, lighter below, petioles pubescent or glabrous, 2 -3.5 cm long. Cones are oval or oval-oblong, 1.2-2 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide. Staminate catkins bloom in early spring and are collected in brushes of 4-8 pieces. Range: Far East (Primorsky Territory), China and Japan. Gives strong and dense wood. In St. Petersburg, it is not winter hardy enough, suitable for areas south and west of Moscow. Introduced in England in 1880, in the USA - in 1886.

Alder black, or sticky (Alnusglutinosa) - a tree reaching a height of 35 m, in 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, becoming cracked with age. Kidneys obovate, 0.5-0.8 cm long, sticky, pedunculated. Leaves obovate or rounded, young - sticky, glossy, glabrous or hairy, adults - dark green, slightly shiny, with red beards at the vein angles below, 4-9 cm long, 3-7 cm wide, petioles 1-2 cm long . Leaves may not change color in autumn and fall off green. Staminate catkins collected in a brush of 3-6, drooping, 4-7 cm in length. Pistillate catkins are located below the stamens in the axils of the leaves, 3-5, on legs, which are usually longer than them. Blooms in late March - early April. Cones broadly ovate, 12-20 mm long and 10 mm wide, borne 3-5 on a long stalk. The fruits ripen by November, spill out by spring, spread by water and wind. Seed year occurs every 3-4 years. They begin to bear fruit from the age of 10 with free growth, at the age of 40 - in plantations. The germination of freshly harvested seeds is 40-70%, gradually decreases, but lasts 2-3 years. Gives abundant stump growth up to 80-90 years.

The wood is sapwood, almost white in a freshly felled tree, quickly acquires a light red tint in the air. Annual layers are clearly visible on all sections. Alder wood is used in carpentry, furniture and turning industries, in the manufacture of plywood, piles, well log cabins, supports for mines are made from it. The bark contains up to 16% tannins, gives black, red and yellow paints. The leaves have medicinal value. Natural range: Western Siberia, Crimea, Caucasus, Western Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa. Frost-resistant, medium shade-tolerant.

Forms forests on excessively moist fertile soils along streams and rivers over large areas. Under the best conditions of existence, an alder stand reaches here in 20 years almost 15 m in height and 11.5 cm in diameter.

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 are vegetatively propagated are used in single plantings. On fertile soils, black alder forms a deep root system. It grows well on fertile soils with strong flowing moisture, as well as on sandy soils with deep groundwater. It does not grow on poor and dry soils.

Alder bearded (Alnusbarbata) - a tree reaching a height of up to 35 m, with an ovoid crown and a 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. The leaves are ovate or obovate with a pointed apex, 6-13 cm long, 4-9 cm wide, young leaves are fluffy on both sides, then glossy and dark green above, light green pubescent below with red beards of hairs in the corners of the veins, petioles hairy when young, 1.5-2 cm long. They bloom at the same time as the leaves bloom, anther catkins are collected 3-4 in the upper part of the shoot. Cones are oblong, 1.5-2 cm long, 0.6-0.8 cm wide, collected in racemes of 3-5 on long legs. Habitat: Caucasus (cid-Caucasus, Western and Eastern Transcaucasia), Asia Minor. In the lowlands on swampy and alluvial soils, it forms forests, rises to the mountains along rivers up 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 common 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% tannins, gives black, red and yellow paints. Isabella vines are often planted using live alder as a support.

Alder 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. The leaves are ovate or oval-elliptical, 4-10 cm long, 3.5-7 cm wide, with a round or slightly heart-shaped base, young leaves are pubescent, adult leaves are almost bare above, gray-green pubescent below, densely pubescent along the veins , with 9-13 pairs of veins; petioles 1-2 cm long, soft felt. Blossoms before leafing out, 2-3 weeks earlier than black alder. Staminate catkins are located together in 3-5 pieces, sessile or on short legs. Cones of 8-10 pieces, elliptical, black-brown, about 1.5 cm long and 7-8 cm wide. Seed trees begin to bear fruit from 8-10 years old, coppice trees from 5-7 years old. Gives abundant root offspring and shoots from the stump. Fruiting annual, plentiful.

The wood differs from black alder wood in a more reddish hue, in terms of physical and mechanical properties it is inferior to black alder wood. Used in the same way as black alder wood. In the best growing conditions, gray alder at the age of 40 years gives up to 250 m 3 of wood from 1 ha. The bark contains a small amount of tannins, gives the paint. Forms a superficial root system, located mainly in the upper soil layer. Range: European part of Russia, Western Siberia, Caucasus, Western Europe, North America. In the Caucasus, it rises to a height of 2000 m above sea level. It occurs in floodplains along with willows and black alders.

It forms shrub thickets, usually on cutting areas, conflagrations and abandoned arable lands. It is not as demanding on soils as black alder, but rarely grows on poor dry sandy soils; better than black alder, grows on waterlogged soils. More photophilous and frost-resistant than black alder. Winter-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.

wrinkled alder (Alnusrugosa) - tree up to 8 m tall. Sometimes this species is considered not as an independent, but as a variety of gray alder. Kidneys are naked, pubescent, on legs. Leaves elliptic or obovate, 5-10 cm long, glabrous or pubescent below along the veins, rarely completely pubescent. Cones of 4-10 pieces are collected in a brush, the upper ones are sessile, the lower ones are on short legs, ovoid, 1-1.5 cm in length. Natural range: North America. In St. Petersburg, it is quite stable.

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, the leaves are on pubescent, reddish petioles, elliptical and oval-elliptical, obtuse at the top, serrate along the edge, dark green below, glabrous or sparsely pubescent along the veins. It grows on the Kola Peninsula, is found along river valleys, lake shores.

Alder fluffy (Alnushirsuta)- shrub or small tree, reaching 20 m in height and 50-60 cm in diameter, with rounded blunt blunt leaves, 4-7 cm long and 3-5.5 cm wide, rich green above, glossy, glaucous below, glabrous or along veins hairy, lateral veins 7-8 pairs. The bark is smooth, brick-brown. Shoots are gray with felt pubescence, become bare with age. It is distinguished by a significant difference in leaves in size, shape and color, even within the same tree. The wood properties are similar to black alder wood. Natural range: Western and Eastern Siberia, Primorye, Amur Region, Korea, China, Northern Japan. One of the most frost-resistant types of alder. It occurs along the edges and in the undergrowth of coniferous forests. It grows in floodplains of streams and rivers, in grassy swamps and near springs. In the conditions of St. Petersburg it turned out to be stable.

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 ovate, 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 reddish or yellowish. Cones 6-8, ovoid, 1.5-2.5 cm long, on short reddish legs or sessile. Distribution: North America - from Alaska to California. Introduced into culture since 1884.

Alder alder (Alnuscremastogyne) - tree up to 40 m tall. Young pubescent shoots are brick-brown, with time the pubescence disappears. Kidneys on legs. Leaves narrowly obovate or elliptical, pointed at apex, 6-14 cm long, smooth dark green above, light green below, veins 9-12 pairs. Staminate and pistillate catkins are solitary in the axils of young leaves. Cones 1.5-2 cm long, on thin legs. Natural range: Western China. In St. Petersburg, it is not winter hardy enough. Introduced in England in 1907.

Wood

Alder wood is homogeneous in structure, growth 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 visible to the naked eye, form a beautiful, interesting and highly decorative pattern, especially on tangential cuts. Annual rings are not always distinguishable, since late wood, although slightly darker than early wood, can be difficult to notice this difference. Rare false-wide medullary rays are clearly visible on all sections. The boundaries of the annual layers are slightly bent when they are crossed by a falsely wide core 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 wood. The most common defect in alder is the presence of brown or reddish-brown core rot, which significantly reduces the quality of the resulting wood.

Alder is a scattered vascular non-nuclear breed. Its wood is white when freshly cut, 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 during shrinkage, and is not resistant to decay. Easily processed with cutting and polishing tools, the surface is clean, smooth, slightly velvety. In water, alder wood exhibits high resistance, is moderately impregnated, stained and pickled.

The full swelling of alder wood practically does not correlate with the density of absolutely dry wood and the basic density of wood, but there is a tendency to increase swelling with increasing density. In black alder, the dependence of tensile strength on density at a moisture content of 10.32% is strongly pronounced, and in gray alder, tensile strength weakly correlates with density at the time of testing. The tensile strength and impact strength of alder wood weakly correlate with density.

Vascular porosity is punctate. Fibrous tracheids are thin-walled, angular or rounded in cross-section, of different diameters, randomly distributed and connected in turns. Libriform fibers are typical, thick-walled, slightly compressed in the radial direction. In late wood, the libriform fibers are somewhat more compacted than in early wood. In addition to typical libriform fibers, living fibers are occasionally found, the walls of such libriform fibers are slightly thinner, the content of cells is alive - this 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 of 30% and above)

Table 4. Indicators of mechanical properties of alder wood,
related to 1 kg/m

Table 5. Approximate indicators of physical and mechanical
properties of alder bark

The most economically valuable species is black alder, since its range is larger than the ranges of other species of this genus. Gray alder, whose range is also wide, due to its biological qualities, rarely reaches sufficient size and often has a crooked trunk, which leads to an insufficient yield of high-quality wood. It can grow as a straight tree with a voluminous trunk only under optimal conditions.

Alder wood is soft, light, cuts well, has good dimensional stability, and therefore is widely used for the manufacture of a variety of furniture, toys, turnery and small crafts. Alder wood is used to make veneer, plywood, chipboard, often in combination with other woods such as pine, spruce and beech; boxes and pallets are made from alder. Since alder wood is characterized by high resistance to moisture, it is used where interaction with water is unavoidable: in bridge building, housing construction, - it was previously used in the manufacture of piles and water pipes. Alder is often used as a fuel. Receive from an alder and charcoal which is used for drawing.

Alder wood is well impregnated with stains, therefore it is often used to imitate valuable wood species (cherry, mahogany, ebony) and restore furniture, interior decoration parts and other valuable wood items.

In the manufacture of the decks of various stringed musical instruments, the main material is resonant spruce wood, the stocks of which are limited. Therefore, the soundboards of musical instruments are often made of other materials, such as three-layer birch plywood, which drastically reduces the acoustic properties of such instruments. An analysis of the resonant and acoustic properties of wood of domestic species showed that black alder is the most suitable replacement for resonant spruce. 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 wood and significantly superior to those of three-layer birch plywood. It should be noted that the cost of soundboards from black alder wood is almost equal to the cost of producing soundboards from birch plywood and is much lower than the cost of soundboards from resonant spruce. This points to the prospect of using black alder wood in music production.

In official and folk medicine, infusions, decoctions and extracts of the bark, leaves and cones of alder are used as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hemostatic, wound healing, immunomodulatory drugs. Alder bark is used in tanning and dyeing leather. Black, yellow and red dyes are also obtained from the bark.

Alder is a highly ornamental species with glossy, rich green foliage that improves the soil, which is why 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 affects most of the trees by the age of 60, and not to allow overstaying of alder forests.

In view of the structural features and physical and mechanical properties of wood and biological characteristics, alder is a promising species for forest cultivation and the use of wood.

Elena Karpova
Anton Kuznetsov,
cand. biologist. Sciences, Assoc. cafe general ecology,
plant physiology
and Wood Science, St. Petersburg State Forest Technical University

A true harbinger of the coming spring. There is still snow everywhere, but it is already blooming. And only after flowering, young leaves begin to bloom at the alder.

Alder Description

Alder is a flowering plant of the birch family. Alder blooms with monoecious flowers - fluffy catkins. 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 mostly slender and covered with smooth bark. Alder leaves have a rounded shape; they do not change their color throughout the entire deciduous season. Even with the onset of a motley autumn palette, they remain green, falling off with the first frosts. Fallen leaves contain nitrogen in large quantities, therefore, falling, it enriches the earth with a useful mineral. by the end of autumn, during this period, their active departure begins and continues until spring.

Alder is able to take on various life forms depending on the habitat conditions. There are more than fifty species of trees and shrubs. The most widespread of them are two more common species: black alder (sticky) and gray alder (white).

Alder species

The alder tree in the photo is black (sticky) alder. It got its name because of its shiny sticky leaves and the black color of the bark of an adult tree. In Greek 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 more than 20 meters. Black alder -. Near it it is almost impossible to meet trees of other species.

The flowering of black alder begins in April. Fruits - cones with a narrow wing, ripen in late spring of the next year.

Alder sticky light and moisture-loving tree. It grows in very humid places, sometimes creating alder swamps.

Black alder in the photo is included in the Red Books of Moldova, some regions of Russia, Kazakhstan. This type of alder is planted along reservoirs, parks and alleys are greened.

Gray alder outwardly differs from its black "relative". The trunk of this tree is not straight, but slightly curved, with gray bark. The leaves are also grey. Blossoms with brownish earrings. But it is also less demanding on growing conditions, but more photophilous.

She is able to live even on the poorest soils and wetlands. More frost and wind resistant. Rapidly propagated by seeds, cuttings, offspring of roots. 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 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.
• widely used alder cones and bark, 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.

Alder does not look like a graceful tree at all. But in some of its properties, it is not inferior to birch and even oak. The alder is becoming more and more environmentally and nationally important.

Every year, with the advent of spring, many garden plants rush to report the approach of heat. Alder also gives an excellent hint to gardeners and flower growers. It is in the spring that the plant becomes especially attractive. Its rounded leaves and lush crown do not lose their green color until frost.

general information

The description of the alder (olha) suggests a rather dense crown, but due to the uneven arrangement of the branches, it looks slightly sparse. When there is still snow on the streets, this tree is already beginning to bloom.

When flowering on an alder, very attractive earrings appear and they are both male and female. If during formation they have a green color, then at the ripening stage they become brown-red.

Female catkins grow up to 1 cm in length and are located on the branches in clusters of up to 7-9 pieces. Male formations grow up to 6-9 cm. Leaves on the plant appear only after it blooms.

The fruits of the plant are greenish cones. During the entire winter period, they are closed, but with the advent of spring they open, and seeds fall out of them into the ground. Cones ripen only in October - November. Summer residents note that alder leaves perfectly replace fertilizers, as they contain a large amount of nitrogen.

The average lifespan of a plant is 100 years. However, there are also long-lived trees, whose age reaches 150-160 years. Most often this plant is found in places with moist soil. It is for this reason that alder mainly grows near water bodies.

Description of northern red oak, its care in Russia

If suitable conditions for alder are determined on the territory, then thickets of trees - alder forests - form on it. In the regions of the north, this plant is found in the form of a coniferous tree. In the southern regions, it is not very common and is found in mixed forests along with beech and oak. The plant feels great next to the common aspen, linden, oak, spruce and birch and some shrubs.

This tree can perform not only decorative functions, it is also a good honey plant. In the process of development, alder forms leaves and buds, which contain many resinous compounds, from which bee propolis is made.

Black and gray variety

Black alder got its name from the color of its bark. This plant has been known since ancient Greece. According to myths, it was often used at fire festivals as a symbol of the coming of spring. This culture is light-requiring and responds well to high humidity. But standing water in a place where an alder grows can destroy a tree. At the same time, its root system may rot. Stagnation of moisture can adversely affect how alder looks.

The black variety is fast growing. The height of an adult tree sometimes reaches 22 m. Flowers on the black variety can be seen already in early April.

This type of plant needs special care. It is noteworthy that the ebony is protected in such places:

• some regions of Russia;
• Kazakhstan;
• Moldova.

The species in question is sometimes used for the improvement of squares, parks and private plots. It is best to plant such an alder near water bodies, where it will not only serve as an ornament, but also strengthen the shore, as it has a very branched root system.

The gray variety of alder grows up to 17 m. It is often used to strengthen ravines and coastal zones. It propagates by seed or cuttings.

The trunk of a gray tree has a characteristic grayish color. Summer residents note the high resistance of this tree to frost. In addition, gray alder can fully develop even in depleted soils and wetlands.

Planting thuja and caring for it in the open field

Application area

In addition to its attractive appearance, alder also has useful properties. This tree grows quite quickly, often creating wild thickets. At the stage of active development, the wood of the plant has a uniform structure, therefore it can be easily processed. This allows it to be used in the industrial sector.

Alder is a very popular material, which is used by specialists in artistic carving. Sculptures, decorative panels and kitchen utensils are made from it. Of particular value are alder trunks, decorated with influxes.

Parts of this plant are actively used in alternative medicine. The bark, leaves and cones contain tannins. They make tinctures and decoctions. Parts of this plant are distinguished by the following beneficial actions:

• hemostatic;
• antibacterial;
• disinfectant;
• anti-inflammatory;
• astringent.

So, you can put an alder leaf on a festering wound, and it will soon completely heal. Alcohol tincture from alder earrings helps with constipation and hemorrhoids. To cope with eczema or diathesis, you can use decoctions based on its flowers.

There is a riddle: “Which tree does not belong to conifers, but at the same time has cones?” The answer to it is the word “alder”, full of calm dignity. One of the 13 sacred trees of the Druids, the owner of reddish ornamental wood and useful substances, alder has always attracted the attention of spellcasters, carpenters and doctors. The proposed article will help to recognize it among other breeds, learn how to harvest healing cones and use it in the treatment of certain diseases.

Alder is an elegant tree or shrub (the life form depends on the growing conditions of a particular plant), belonging to the Birch family. Of the 45 species of the genus in Russia, two are the most common:

1. Alder is gray, it is also white or spruce - up to 20 m high, with light bark and the ability to form root offspring;
2. Alder is black, it is also sticky - up to 35 m high, with almost black bark, a beautiful spherical crown, does not form root offspring.

An endemic (not found anywhere else) hard alder lives on the Japanese island of Kyushu - a very small plant up to 3 m high compared to its sisters. parrot, from which even figures were cut with scissors. The number of hairs and glands on leaves and stems varies by species.

The flowers of the plant are dioecious: male flowers form long reddish-yellowish earrings at the ends of thin shoots, female flowers are collected in small spikelets surrounded by many fleshy green scales. After pollination, these scales become stiff, darken and turn into the famous alder cones, by which the tree is recognized among the thickets. Since flower buds are set in the previous year, alder begins flowering earlier than other forest species, and the absence of leaves at this time favors wind pollination. By October, nut fruits are formed, which gradually leave mature cones throughout the winter.

Chemical composition and application

Alder bark and cones contain up to 2.5% tannins - tannins with a pronounced astringent effect. Of the other important compounds formed by its cells, mention should be made of:

• triterpene alcohols and ketones, which determine the smell of the plant;
• flavonoids that have a beneficial effect on the circulatory system;
• phytoncides - substances with bactericidal properties;
• glycosides with high biological activity;
• antioxidant quercetin;
• organic acids.

Alder preparations are a folk remedy proven for centuries for inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract. In the 40s of the last century, they were introduced into scientific medicine and began to be used as an adjunct to the use of sulfonamides. Infusions of alder cones and decoctions of its bark are prescribed for:

• dysbacteriosis;
• enterocolitis;
• flatulence and pain in the intestines;
• dysentery of various etiologies;
• exacerbations of chronic intestinal infections.

Outwardly, a decoction of cones is used for thermal burns, inflammatory skin diseases, as well as bacterial and viral lesions of the upper respiratory tract. The use of a decoction of the leaves in the form of baths is indicated for dermatitis of the feet and fatigue of the legs. Traditional medicine offers an infusion of alder seedlings as a remedy that relieves irritation of the scalp and reduces hair greasiness.

Alder wood is famous for its beautiful reddish-yellow hues, it is easily processed and used as a material for small crafts, toys, souvenirs. In air and on contact with the ground, it quickly rots, but when processed in an aquatic environment, it unexpectedly shows increased strength. In the past, it was widely used for the construction of piles, sheathing of well log cabins.

Soft, pure alder charcoal is valued as a material for painting and as a raw material for making hunting powder. The wood of this tree is used in the manufacture of electric guitars, and the sawdust gives the meat and fish a great smoky smell. The saturated black-blue color of the alder gives the skin when mixing its decoction with a solution of iron-ammonium alum.

Alder preparations - a proven remedy for inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract

Distribution and habitats

The main part of the alder range is temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere. Some species are found in the subalpine belt of the South American Andes, in North Vietnam, Korea and China. Until the 18th century, black alder was ubiquitous in Europe and the Middle East, from Lebanon and Cyprus to Sweden and Norway, but alder and mixed forests with the participation of this tree species were subjected to uncontrolled felling.

At present, sticky alder forms separate groves along the channels of small rivers, along the banks of swamps and ponds, and is part of small-leaved and mixed forest ecosystems. In Russia, it occupies moist, poorly drained soils throughout the European part, goes beyond the Urals and into the North Caucasus. In the same habitats, but somewhat less common is gray alder.

This unique tree tolerates soils of any quality, as it enters into a symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria and a variety of fungi that improve its root nutrition. Alder trees are grown in nurseries on soils containing spores and mycelium of mycorrhizal fungi.

Alder forms groves along small rivers, along the banks of swamps and ponds.

Medicinal properties and contraindications

The healing properties and contraindications of alder are associated with the presence in its tissues of a large amount of tannins that have anti-inflammatory effects. The optimal combination of tannins, quercetin and triterpene compounds normalizes the intestinal microflora, as a result of which fermentation stops in patients with enterocolitis, dysbacteriosis or dysentery, diarrhea stops, feces become more formed, and the number of bowel movements decreases.

Other important properties of alder preparations include:

• astringent;
• diaphoretic;
• diuretic;
• hemostatic.

There are few contraindications to the use of the plant: pregnancy, lactation, age under 12 years, individual intolerance.

The healing properties of alder are associated with the presence of tannins in it, which have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Collection, preparation and storage

It is convenient to harvest alder seedlings at the beginning of winter, in dry weather. Annual shoots are cut with secateurs or the cones are simply shaken off on the snow, where they are clearly visible. The length of the cut branches should not exceed 1.5 cm. Harvesters are not recommended to break and cut off the branches, as well as cut off the young tips of the shoots without cones, since flower buds have already formed on them, which will bloom next spring.

The collected seedlings are laid out in one layer and dried in dryers or in the air, periodically stirring. Store raw materials in cloth bags or cardboard boxes for no more than 3 years.

Recipes

To prepare the infusion 2 tbsp. spoons of alder seedlings are rubbed in the fingers, poured with a glass of boiling water and insisted for half an hour. After straining, take 1 tbsp. spoon 3-4 times a day after meals for digestive disorders, bloating, discomfort in the stomach.

With diarrhea, a decoction of alder leaves, its cones or bark is prepared. For this, 2 tbsp. spoons of raw materials are crushed with a crush, poured with 1.5 cups of boiling water and simmered in a water bath for 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave for another 4 hours in heat. Use 10 g three times a day.

An ointment for healing wounds, cuts, small burns is prepared from a mixture of alder seedlings, aspen bark and marsh cinquefoil. A handful of the mixture is poured into 300 ml of boiling water and heated in a water bath for 20 minutes. The cooled broth is filtered, 50 ml of alcohol or high-quality vodka and 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil are added to it, mixed. Store the composition in the refrigerator.

Alder seedlings are harvested at the beginning of winter

The leaves of the alder, with their clear relief, are similar to the leaves of the trees of the Elm family. You can distinguish elm (small-leaved elm) from alder by the following features:

1. By the presence of cones: none of the species of elms have such seedlings.
2. According to the fruits: small nut-fruits ripen in the alder, in the elm - small clusters of rounded or slightly oval lionfish.
3. According to the leaves: alder leaf blades are symmetrical, i.e. on both sides of the central vein form equal shares. In an elm leaf, on one side, the blade exposes the petiole to a greater length than on the other, which makes the leaf asymmetrical.

Alder is often confused with elm.

Alder is an extremely unpretentious tree that has found application in official medicine, in handicraft leather production, landscaping and afforestation of dumps. The majestic crown, beautiful leaves and funny bumps earned her the people's love, expressed in many legends. In many European countries, mass plantings of this amazing tree are being carried out, and it can be hoped that soon it will again occupy its area, which has been greatly reduced by clearings.