Deciduous tree with cones. Alder is a valuable and healing plant

Alder (European, sticky) reaches 35 m in height. The bark of the trunk is dark brown with cracks.

Its young branches are brownish-reddish, smooth, often sticky. The leaves are obovate or round, with a notch at the top. Young leaves are very shiny and sticky. Developed from below are light green, from above - dark green. The drooping spike-shaped inflorescence contains flowers (catkins).

The fruits of the plant are nuts with a rather narrow leathery wing. The bracts become woody when the nuts ripen, thereby forming a semblance of a bump reaching a length of 2 centimeters.

Alder gray (white) is a tree up to 15 m high, less often a shrub. Light gray bark, leaves ovate-elliptical or ovate, pointed towards the apex. Young - non-sticky and non-shiny; further - dark green above with sparse hairs and below - bluish-gray. The inflorescences are the same as those of the sticky alder, the cones are generally up to 1.5 cm in length, a nutlet with a clear wing.

Spreading

And black grows in western Asia, almost everywhere in northern Africa and Europe. It is introduced to different parts of the planet, while in North America in some places it even poses a threat to various local species. Black alder, the photo of which is presented in this article, grows in forest, forest-steppe and steppe regions European Russia, Besides, in Western Siberia and also in the Caucasus. Prefers damp lands.

Gray alder is widespread in the European region of our country. It also grows in Asia Minor, Europe, Western Siberia, Transcaucasia. Forms plantings along the banks of small streams and rivers.

Chemical composition

The leaves of the plant contain up to 20% proteins, up to 6% fats, carotene, vitamin C, resin acids, flavonoids. Compound fruits contain a large amount of tannins, including tannin (2.33%) and gallic acid (3.75%). The bark also contains essential oil.

Black alder: properties and application

V medicinal purposes alder bark, leaves and cones are used. These parts of the plant were very widely used in the past in traditional medicine for rheumatism, various colds, gout, etc. During the Second World War, doctors became very interested in black alder fruit. They have been used since 1942 as an astringent for various diseases stomach, acute and chronic colitis, as well as enteritis.

Black alder is actively used for medicinal purposes. Decoctions are made from its cones, water infusions and alcoholic tinctures... They are used in folk and official medicine as an astringent, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, antibacterial, anticancer, hemostatic, immunomodulatory agent.

Alder cones (as an astringent) are used with a coil. To do this, take 2 parts of the cones and part of it is brewed and consumed as tea.

Alder cones infusion

The black alder, the photo of which is presented in this article, is known for its healing properties... To prepare an infusion from it, you need to pour 4 g of cones with a glass of boiling water, leave to infuse in a closed jar for three hours, covering terry towel... Then - filter. The ready-made infusion should be taken 4 times a day, half a glass, before meals.

Root infusion

Black alder is also used to make an infusion from its roots. To do this, pour 10 g of finely chopped raw materials with a glass hot water, then put to boil in an enamel sealed container for 30 minutes. Filter the infusion hot, then dilute clean water to the original volume. You need to take it two tablespoons before meals.

Infusion of leaves

Take 15 g of alder leaves, pour them into a glass of clean warm water, then boil for 20 minutes in a water bath. Next, the resulting broth must be cooled and filtered. Next - squeeze out and add water to the original volume.

Black alder: methods of collection

Compound fruits are usually harvested in winter and autumn as follows: the ends of the thin branches of the tree from which they hang are cut off with a pruner. After that, the branchy parts are removed, and the seedlings are dried in well-ventilated, warm rooms.

Requirements for the quality of finished raw materials

The raw material consists of ripe alder cones. They are overgrown and stiff earrings that resemble cones. For the most part, they have opened scales, ovoid or oval-oblong in shape with the presence of fruitlets (or without them). Compound fruits should be without stems or with their remnants (no more than a centimeter in length). In addition, they can be collected on a thin stem together in several pieces. They consist of a rough, hard core, as well as numerous, hard scales. The scales should be six-lobed, and the fruits should be flattened, single-seeded. The color of the seed is dark brown or brown. The aroma is weak, the taste is slightly astringent.

1. Description
2. Growing
3. Application

Everyone knows what alder looks like. Nondescript in appearance, but it is a real harbinger of the coming of spring. When all the trees are still with bare black trunks, catching up with melancholy and sadness, alder is already blooming with might and main. It begins with flowering life cycle of this tree, then young leaves begin to appear. Alder is deciduous tree, birch family. Depending on the location, it can be in the form of a tree or a bush.

Description

Shoots of a young plant are cylindrical with a greenish core.

The buds grow on legs, have two scales. Alder leaves grow in the next order, the leaf shape is solid, lobed, sometimes serrated along the edges. The shape of the leaf can vary - from round or slightly oblong to elongated.

Flowering occurs with monoecious flowers that have the shape of fluffy earrings - the birch family has such distinctive feature... In this case, the stamens are formed on top of the shoot in the form of long earrings, and the pistils are formed in the lower part and have the shape of small spikelets.

A distinctive feature of alder is that it blooms even before or simultaneously with the beginning of the blooming of the leaves. Thanks to this, the pollen is better carried by the wind.

Inflorescences are formed during the year preceding flowering, while in different time: female, staminate - begin to form in the middle of summer (lasting about 5-6 months), male, pistillate - from autumn (form 1-2 months).

During the formation of inflorescences, male flowers are formed in the amount of 3 pieces, less often - one in the form of an earring. Female flowers are formed in pairs, at the bottom of the shoot.

The fruit is a hard, woody cone characteristic of alder. Among the many trees in the forest, alder can be recognized precisely by these cones.

The trunk is usually slender, covered with smooth bark on the outside.... The density of the wood is low.

You can distinguish alder from other trees by the following parameters:

• begins early flowering;
• has earrings;
• there are small bumps on the shoots.

Alder grows in the area temperate climate, prefers rich and moist soil, but can grow in both dry and clay soil.

Views

Depending on the terrain and living conditions, it can have as many different forms... You can find over a hundred different species - trees and shrubs. On the territory of Russia, 2 such types are most often found - these are sticky black and gray, namely:

• Black look. The name is due to the leaves, which have a sticky element, and due to the fact that the trunk is black. In Greek myths, this species was described as a harbinger of spring. Description: This species is capable of rapid growth, often the height reaches 20 meters. It grows in the forest, most often alone, plants of other species do not grow nearby. The plant begins flowering in mid-spring. The fruits are small black cones. Black alder photophilous and loves moist soil, so it can often be found in humid places... Often, this species unites, forming alder thickets. It is considered an endangered species in some regions of Russia. They are planted along water bodies, the plant decorates parks and squares.

• Another type of tree - gray alder - can be easily distinguished from other trees. The appearance of the tree (pictured) does not look like its "black" relative - it has a slightly curved trunk with bark that has gray tint, while the leaves of the tree are also gray. When flowering, it releases earrings of a brownish tint. During the flowering period, the tree looks very elegant and unusual. Unlike their other brethren, gray view unpretentious to habitats - lives even on poor soils and in wetlands. Has great resistance to frost and windy weather. Young shoots grow quickly, often forming dense thickets trees and shrubs. This property of trees is often used for industrial purposes - trees are planted along the banks, thereby additionally securing them from falling.

In addition to these, there are also other species that are widespread throughout Russia. Among them, one can distinguish such a species as bush alder or Siberian alder. Such plants are small trees with maximum height up to 6-8 meters. They live mainly in the Siberian part of Russia and the Far East.

Most species of this tree start flowering. in early spring- from April to May. As noted above, flowering begins before the leaves bloom. Flowers - long earrings and small black cones.

Growing

Although alder is often considered a weed tree, this is far from the case. This opinion is due to the wood of the tree. Alder wood is often small, curved and difficult to use for industrial purposes. However, some species of this tree take root well in unpretentious conditions, which is an excellent property for breeding nurseries or starting to grow a forest.

So, for example, gray alder lives in any area and on any soil. In addition, on its roots in tubers accumulates a large number of nitrogen, which gradually settles into the ground and is able to restore the fertility of the soil around it.

Growing alder trees and shrubs is easy enough. The seeds of the plant sprout easily. Alder cones are hard enough to prevent them from scattering during the collection of seeds, this eliminates the ingress of impurities into them.

It should be noted that black alder is much more difficult to grow. The tree loves only moist soil, rich in mineral elements, and almost does not grow on poor depleted soil with insufficient moisture, therefore such a tree is unsuitable for breeding a nursery, it is more often planted along the banks of rivers and reservoirs.

Growing alder - benefits:

• some species are unpretentious to the soil, which allows you to plant trees in any area;
• easy to collect seeds;
• begins early flowering;
• due to the accumulation of nitrogenous formations on the roots, it is able to improve soil fertility.

Application

Trees of the alder family have medicinal and medicinal properties. Cones from trees have anti-inflammatory and disinfectant properties, which are used to prepare various medicines. The elements contained in the leaves and bark of trees have a detrimental effect on different kinds the simplest microorganisms. Therefore, parts of the tree can be used for the manufacture of remedies for skin diseases - eczema, psoriasis, various fungi.

Alder cones have also found their application in the medical field.... Tinctures and decoctions from them are used in the event of colitis, dysentery, as an astringent component for gastric or intestinal bleeding. Due to its astringent properties, alder leaves and cones are used in the treatment of burns, nose and mouth bleeding, stomach ulcers, and various skin inflammations.

The healing properties of alder were already known to our ancestors. A decoction of alder leaves has been used since ancient times as a diaphoretic for colds. It can also be used to make wonderful relaxing foot baths.

Industrial use

The use of alder for industrial purposes is quite wide:

• although alder wood is not highly durable, it is quite soft and pliable, which greatly facilitates working with it for industrial purposes;
• drying alder wood does not lead to the formation of cracks, and therefore this material is often used for the manufacture of musical instruments;
• has a low density and soft wood, due to which the wood material is widely used by artists who carry out wood carving;
• alder products gain strength over time, wells, barrels, underground structures are made from it;
• alder wood products are widespread - from decorative panels and boxes to furniture;
• the construction world of materials also makes extensive use of alder wood - for interior decoration or for the manufacture of furniture.

In conclusion, it is worth noting the relatively low cost of wood, which affected widespread use in industry.

This tree belongs to the genus alder, the birch family, has several names. Alder black, 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, 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 staminates, 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-incised or 4-leafed. 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 bump, very similar to the fruit 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 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 with 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 also climate 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.

It perfectly coexists with 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. Gives the opportunity to receive yellow as well as red and black. The cinnamon color comes from the buds. Alder is rightfully considered honey plant... Bees, from the resinous substances of alder leaves and buds, produce propolis. 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 good material for boxes that can store 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.

Many people ask questions about what an alder looks like, a bush or a tree. Depending on the habitat, the plant can change its shape and grow in the form of a deciduous bush with fruit cones or a large spreading tree. The native land of the species is Europe. This used to be a tree endowed with magical properties,considered sacred, a symbol of fertility and rebirth, and today it is widely used in industry and medicine.

Botany classifies this tree with catkins in the birch family. Most often it can be found in the area with high humidity: near rivers, swamps, lakes. If we talk about Russia, then this tree species is most common in the region of the Urals, Western Siberia, in the steppe and forest-steppe zone... Spruces, birches, aspens, oaks can grow in their neighborhood. Graceful earrings on the tree appear in spring, at the time of flowering, and by autumn the fruits ripen in the form of small cones.

In total, there are about 40 species of alder. We most often have three varieties:

• Gray. The variety was named so because of the gray color of the bark and the same shade of the leaves growing on it. Its trunk is uneven, has many bends. The species grows in height up to 20 m. During the flowering period of alder, brown catkins appear on it. This variety loves light, therefore it grows more often in sunny places. These trees are not afraid of cold and winds, they can take root on rather scarce soils.
• Black alder is different dark color bark, which has many cracks. Leaves are oval or rounded, have a notch. The trunk is branched. This variety reaches a height of 35 m. Flowering occurs with the formation of catkins in early spring. The fruits at the time of ripening are similar to the cones of small conifers. She likes to grow near rivers, you will not find her in wetlands. Black alder has beautiful, pink-tinted wood, so it is often used in production.
• Red alder has been cultivated since 1884. Grows up to 20 m in height. The tree has a light gray bark and dark red shoots. The leaves are large, pointed, with a tucked toothed edge. Cones are ovoid, medium-sized, collected in 6-8 pieces.

Gallery: alder tree (25 photos)

Application in construction

The wood of this tree is used not only independently, but also as a component in the production of chipboards, plywood, veneer. This is justified by its antiseptic qualities due to its astringent properties. Each type of alder has its own characteristics that determine the area of ​​its application.

Black alder is considered the most sensitive to temperature extremes, so they try not to use it in the decoration of saunas and baths. What you need to consider when working with alder - this wood is quite soft and still requires processing from pests and moisture. Its main advantage is its long service life and the fact that the fibers have a beautiful texture. This species is used to make crafts, toys, paper, and is used as fuel.

Products made from gray alder are better suited for operation in humid conditions, this expands the scope of its application. This wood is also ideal for making eco-friendly toys, shoes and some turning tools.

Houses, saunas, baths

The advantages of this type of wood include the ability to get beautiful shades with the help of staining and even achieve imitation of more valuable tree species... Alder board has healing properties, therefore it is well suited for interior decoration of houses, saunas and baths. The advantages of alder wood building materials are:

• resistance to deformation at high temperatures;
• lack of release of resinous and other harmful compounds;
• the ability to absorb moisture well;
• excellent sound and heat insulation properties;
• the fact that condensation does not accumulate on the surface of this wood;
• low thermal conductivity - this minimizes the risk of burns.

When building structures, it is important to take into account one nuance - alder boards should not come into contact with the ground.

Doors, laminate, furniture

Excellent interior doors are obtained from this solid wood. Thanks to different processing, they can be used in any interior, while the price remains quite affordable. Alder doors are completely safe, besides they have antibacterial and anti-allergenic properties, they can be used even in children's rooms. They serve for quite a long time.

Alder laminate flooring not only fits all technical requirements but also has an attractive appearance... It can be considered as a substitute for elite parquet. Such floors do not get too dirty, are easy to clean, do not require a lot of time for maintenance and any special means for this.

For the manufacture of furniture, not only solid wood is used, alder is a part of plywood, chipboard and furniture boards. In operation, these types of materials give the best performance in terms of wear resistance, they do not form chips, are not subject to deformation. Alder furniture is lightweight, but quite durable.

It is important to know that when working with wood, it is better not to use nails, they can split the material when driven in. Screws are an excellent substitute in this case.

Alder leaves, bark, alder seeds, which are recommended to be harvested, have a healing effect late autumn... When harvesting, the cones are cut with garden shears, and then dried indoors at room temperature. If done correctly, the fruits will have a brown or brown color, light aroma and astringent taste. Leaves are harvested in early summer, and bark in early winter.

Thanks to the presence essential oils, organic acids, tannins, alkaloids and other components, preparations based on alder fruits and leaves have a blood-purifying, bactericidal, hemostatic, astringent effect. Decoctions from the seeds and leaves of this plant give diaphoretic and antimicrobial effects, reduce inflammation.

Infusion of alder fruits treat gastrointestinal disorders, the bark is used for enterocolitis and digestive disorders. Herbal decoctions cleanse the skin, heal wounds, eliminate nosebleeds, reduce allergies, and help with rheumatism.

Alder wood is light, soft, homogeneous in structure, well split. Therefore, it often goes to the manufacture of plywood, it is well painted and processed. The highest quality drawing charcoal and coal used for the production of gunpowder are made from gray alder wood.

Wood has an interesting property: those places on which a saw or an ax walked, quickly acquire a beautiful reddish tint in the air. This happens because at the cut site, in damaged living tissues, intracellular pressure changes, tannins-polyphenols are displaced outward, which are easily oxidized in air, forming flobaphenes - amorphous substances of brown and reddish tones. It is they who determine the color of the fresh cut. It is no coincidence that wood perfectly imitates the most valuable breeds- walnut, mahogany and ebony.

She also has one more important quality - very high water resistance. The same flobaphenes in cold water do not dissolve - this creates a good protective barrier, and the contained tannides form poorly soluble compounds with salts of heavy metals (of which there are always a lot in water), which, precipitating, strengthen it. If we take into account that tannins have excellent antimicrobial and antifungal properties, it will become clear why the alder tree is so resistant to rotting both in soil and in water. Therefore, barrels and well logs, shaft support, various parts of underground and underwater structures are made from its wood.

Alder cones and thmelini

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Grape

In gardens and in private plots, you can choose a warmer place for planting grapes, for example, on the sunny side of the house, garden pavilion, veranda. It is recommended to plant grapes along the border of the plot. The vines formed in one line will not take up much space and at the same time will be well lit from all sides. Near buildings, grapes must be placed so that water flowing from the roofs does not fall on it. On level ground, it is necessary to make ridges with good drainage due to drainage furrows. Some gardeners, from the experience of their colleagues in the western regions of the country, dig deep planting holes and fill them with organic fertilizers and fertilized soil. Pits dug in waterproof clay are a kind of closed vessel, which during the period monsoon rains filled with water. In a fertile land root system grapes develop well at first, but as soon as waterlogging begins, it suffocates. Deep holes can play a positive role in soils where there is good natural drainage, permeable subsoil, or reclamation artificial drainage is possible. Planting grapes

It is possible to quickly restore an obsolete grape bush by the method of layering ("katavlak"). For this purpose, healthy vines of a neighboring bush are laid in grooves dug to the place where the dead bush used to grow, and sprinkled with earth. A top is brought to the surface, from which a new bush then grows. Lignified vines are laid on layering in spring, and green vines in July. They are not separated from the mother bush for two to three years. A frozen or very old shrub can be restored by short pruning to healthy aboveground parts or by pruning to the “black head” of an underground stem. In the latter case, the underground bole is freed from the ground and cut down entirely. Not far from the surface, new shoots grow from dormant buds, due to which a new bush is formed. Grape bushes, neglected and severely damaged by frost, are restored due to stronger fatty shoots formed in the lower part of the old wood, and the removal of weakened sleeves. But before removing the sleeve, a replacement is formed. Grape care

A gardener who starts growing grapes needs to study well the structure vine and the biology of this interesting plant. Grapes are lianas (climbing) plants, they need support. But it can creep along the ground and take root, as is observed in wild Amur grapes. The roots and the aerial part of the stem grow rapidly, branching strongly and reaching large sizes. V natural conditions without human intervention, a branched bush of grapes with many vines of various orders grows, which comes into fruiting late and yields irregularly. In culture, the grapes are formed, give the bushes an easy-care shape that provides high yield quality bunches. Planting lemongrass

Chinese schisandra, or schizandra, has several names - lemon tree, red grape, gomisha (Japanese), cochinta, kozyanta (Nanai), Kolchita (Ulchi), usimtya (Udege), uchampu (Oroch). In terms of structure, systemic relationship, center of origin and distribution, Schisandra chinensis has nothing to do with a real citrus plant with lemon, but all its organs (roots, shoots, leaves, flowers, berries) exude a lemon scent, hence the name Schizandra. The lemongrass vine, clinging or twining around the support, along with the Amur grapes and three species of actinidia, is an original plant of the Far Eastern taiga. Its fruits, like real lemon, are too sour for fresh consumption, but they have medicinal properties, a pleasant aroma, and this attracted a lot of attention to him. The taste of Schisandra chinensis is somewhat improved after freezing. Local hunters who consume such fruits claim that they relieve fatigue, give the body vigor and improve vision. The consolidated Chinese pharmacopoeia, compiled back in 1596, says: "The fruit of the Chinese magnolia vine has five flavors and is classified as the first category of medicinal substances. The pulp of schisandra is sour and sweet, the seeds are bitter-astringent, and the overall taste of the fruit is salty. it has all five tastes. " Grow lemongrass