How to distinguish alder from other trees

- (lat. Alnus) - a genus of trees and shrubs of the Birch family, uniting about 30 species common in the Northern Hemisphere, a fast-growing tree that reaches full development in 50-60 years, but can live for 150 years. The height of its trunk can be 15-20 m, diameter - 15-25 cm.

There are two main types of alder common in the middle zone: gray and black, so named for the color of the bark.

Most alder species bloom before their leaves emerge, and the appearance of their dangling male catkins is one of the earliest signs of spring. Some species bloom in late summer or early autumn. Short, erect female catkins turn into woody cones as the fruits ripen (by next spring). Alder can be easily recognized both in summer and winter by these cones, which remain on the tree all year round and do not shed long after the seeds fall out. No other European species of deciduous trees has such a characteristic distinguishing feature. The shoots are bare or drooping, of different colors, with whitish lentils. Leaves only on growth shoots, alternate, simple, entire, serrated or lobed-toothed, of various shapes.

Alder forests (alder forests, alder forests) are soft-leaved forests, the stands of which are dominated by one of the tree species of alder. Depending on the edifier, there are black alder forests (black alder forests), gray alder forests (gray alder forests), etc., which in classification terms correspond to individual forest formations. The main tracts of alder forests are concentrated in North America (mainly red alder plantations, in the countries of East Asia, as well as in the mountains of Central Europe. Alder forests are also widespread in Belarus, Ukraine (Polesie), the Baltic countries. In Russia - in the Kaliningrad and Bryansk regions , in the north of the Russian Plain, less in the Urals, Siberia, the Far East and the Caucasus Mountains.The total area of alder forests in the European part of Russia is about 1.6 million hectares, with a timber reserve of over 170 million m3, including black alder forests - 1.0 million hectares and 110 million m3, respectively. The rest is mainly gray alder. Other alder formations in Russia are of no economic importance.

Alder wood

Alder is a diffusely vascular, coreless sapwood species. Its wood is white when freshly cut, but in air it turns from orange-yellow to yellow-red or reddish-brown. The sap only stains the surface layers of wood. Alder wood is painted into a stable light chocolate color with a pinkish tint only after it has been dried and aged. The annual layers are faintly visible in all sections; the vessels are not visible. Rare false-wide heart-shaped rays are visible on all sections. Often there are heart-shaped repetitions, which in longitudinal sections look like brownish or brown or curved narrow stripes, closed contours, dashes, spots that look like a core.

Freshly cut alder wood has a moisture content of about 110%. Maximum humidity during water absorption is 185%.

Alder (black and gray) is a low-density species. The average density of alder wood at standard humidity (12%) is 525 kg/m3, absolutely dry - 595 kg/m3, base density - 430 kg/m3.

Alder wood is not particularly durable, but has a fairly uniform structure, making it easier to process, and a beautiful reddish color. Smoother and thicker trunks, therefore, are used for crafts, for carpentry and turning, but the bulk of alder wood goes into firewood, which is usually valued 10-30% cheaper than birch wood. Alder shavings and sawdust are used for smoking meat and fish. Alder firewood is used to burn out soot in chimneys (especially after pine).

Alder wood is soft, light, cuts well, warps little when dried, has good dimensional stability, and pickles and polishes well. Therefore, it was previously widely used for making furniture. Including expensive, due to the fact that alder can be “finished” to look like mahogany. Alder is suitable for carving. It is also used to produce veneer, both peeled (for plywood) and planed (for finishing furniture and other products).

Alder wood lasts under water for a long time and is therefore used for small underwater structures. Alder is easy to paint, pickle and polish. The ridges lend themselves well to peeling. In the modern furniture industry, gray and black alder are treated with ammonia (ammonia vapor) and then pressed. After such processing, alder wood is much superior to walnut wood in terms of technical and decorative properties. Dyeing gives it an expressive textured pattern. This is achieved due to the fact that the annual layers have different densities, and dyes are absorbed by individual areas with different strengths. For deep dyeing, iron sulfate, natural chromium and other mordants are used.

Alder is readily used for easel and chamber sculpture, wall carved panels and decorative tableware. High-quality coals are burned from it for drawing. The wood of alder burls, which have an expressive textured pattern, is highly valued.

Black alder wood is resistant to moisture, so it was always used where contact with water is inevitable: in bridge construction (piles), in house construction (gutters), and cooperage.

Dyes for cloth, silk and leather were obtained from the bark of black alder, which were used to dye black, red and yellow, depending on pre-treatment. Using a decoction of alder bark, fishermen painted their nets a camouflage color, after which they became much stronger, and carpenters used alder wood to look like walnut.

Alder charcoal was valued for making hunting gunpowder. Charcoal obtained from alder is considered the best for forges.

This tree belongs to the alder genus, birch family, and has several names. Black, sticky, European alder (Alnus glutinosa). Alder originated from Europe. The plant is light-loving, but also tolerates shade well. It likes fertile, well-moistened soil. Prefers abundant watering. It grows up to 35 meters in height and can last about a hundred years. Planted by seeds.

The deciduous tree is quite tall and sometimes has many stems. The bark of an adult tree is almost black; in a young plant it is still light brown, but quite dark.

The leaves of black alder are alternate, dark green in color, oval or round in shape with a notch in the upper part, sticky and shiny.

Alder has monoecious flowers that form catkins. They bloom in early spring, sometimes even faster than the leaves. Throughout the entire period of tree growth and development, the process of laying earrings occurs. With staminates this happens in 5-6 months, somewhere from July, and with pistils - 1-2 months from September. The pedicels, expanded thyroidally, bear three male flowers. The outer part (perianth) is simple, with 4 cuts or 4 leaves. The female ones are located in the axils of the scales, which contain a lot of pulp, and are located in pairs.

At the time of ripening, the scales harden and form a so-called cone, very similar to the fruit of coniferous trees. Black alder reproduces by seeds or above-ground shoots (stump shoots).

Alder fruits are small cones that have a narrow wing, but can also 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. During the winter the cones close, but with the beginning of spring they open and the seeds fall out. The wind carries them, and melt water also contributes to the spread of seeds.

This plant can be found almost throughout Europe, except for the northern part. Asia Minor, North Africa and North America are also suitable for alder in terms of climate. 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 clayey and poor soils, rocky and sandy soils.

It goes well with trees such as ash, birch, oak, linden and spruce. But it can also create its own thickets (alder). Where alder grows, the soil is enriched with nitrogen.

By bark

The bark of these plants is also very different. In aspen it is smooth, greenish-gray in color, sometimes with a slight bluish tint.

Alder bark varies. In gray it has a pronounced gray color with a light woody texture. The bark of black alder is dark brown, almost black. In mature trees it cracks and peels off.

Chemical components

Alder wood, like most of the hardwood group, consists of organic substances and mineral compounds. Alder wood also contains unique tannins, referred to as polyphenols. After cutting down a tree, these polyphenols upon contact with air are oxidized and converted into phlobaphenes.

It is the phlobaphenes that determine the changing color of the tree from white to reddish. Phlobafens also give wood high resistance and strength in water. Alder wood is also rich in tannins; these compounds, when reacting with certain chemical reactions with heavy metal salts in water, form unique compounds that increase the strength of the wood.

Due to these elements and properties formed after cutting the trunk, alder wood is little subject to rotting under conditions of use in an aquatic environment and is resistant to the activity of many pathogenic microorganisms for plants.

For wood

In my opinion, the most characteristic differences are the properties of the wood. When you cut aspen, it has an exceptional white color when cut. And alder wood, black or gray, is red.

Freshly sawn wood of a light color. But literally before our eyes it begins to turn red, turning into an orange or pinkish tint. This phenomenon can be observed especially clearly in winter, when the reaction occurs faster.

Using this knowledge, you can easily distinguish alder from aspen. And it doesn’t matter if there are leaves on the tree or if it lies in your yard as firewood.

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Source: www.drovavoz.ru

What is the shape of a poplar leaf?

The leaves of all poplars are simple, petiolate, usually oval with a pointed tip, sometimes lanceolate or with a notched edge. Most often smooth, but there are also pubescent ones. Poplars are mainly dioecious trees.

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Wood species. Alder

Alder trees and shrubs are deciduous plants belonging to the birch family. In nature, there are about 30 species of this fast-growing plant. One of the reasons for cultivating alder is to quickly create a landscape and create shade. Alder prefers moist conditions and grows primarily in swamps and wetlands, along streams and rivers.

Trees and shrubs are monocultural, so each plant contains both male and female flowers. Flowers are presented in the form of male - longer and female. Once pollinated and matured, the female flowers become woody and somewhat similar in appearance to the cones found on pine needles. Inside there is a dry fruit, bitter taste, with a high protein content.

The edges of the alder leaf are serrated with a distinct vein running down the center of the leaf and a series of softer lateral veins. The leaves do not change color before leaf fall and fall green.

The three most famous types of these trees are:

red alder, growing mainly in northwestern latitudes, reaches a height of up to 15 meters and lives up to 100 years;
black alder, better known as European, reaching a height of 20 meters, living only 20 years;
gray alder is much smaller than its species, only 5 meters in height, but valued for its ability to grow in infertile soil and the beauty of its spring blooms.

Typically a slender tree with smooth bark. In appearance, alder is distinguished from other trees by its early flowering, leaves that do not change color in the fall (slightly curled, they fall green) and cones hanging on the branches in winter.

Mostly gray and black alder are found in Russia. Black alder is also called sticky alder. In Russia, Moldova and Kazakhstan, black alder is listed in the Red Book.

Tinctures and decoctions for colitis

A decoction of fruit fruits is used as an astringent for acute and chronic enteritis, colitis, dyspepsia, dysentery, rheumatoid polyarthritis, and colds. Infusion, decoction and tincture of fruits are a hemostatic agent for pulmonary uterine and especially gastric and intestinal bleeding.

Infusion

prepared at the rate of: 4 g of cones per 1 glass of boiling water. Take 1/4 cup 3-4 times a day. In the case of using alder bark, the infusion was prepared at the rate of: 15 g of raw material was poured with a glass of boiling water, infused and taken 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day. This is a very effective remedy for enteritis and enterocolitis.

To prepare the decoction

take 15 g of cones, pour a glass of boiling water, boil for 15 minutes, filter, cool and drink 1 tablespoon 2-3 times a day.

The fruits are part of the stomach tea. Alder is also used in the form of a dry fruit extract. For these diseases, a dry extract from the fruits is indicated; take 0.5-0.6 g 3-6 times a day. The course of treatment is 3-5 days.

In gynecological practice, an infusion of fruit or bark is used for uterine bleeding of various origins, uterine fibroids, and inflammation. If you have a sore throat, you can gargle with it, and if you have bleeding gums, you can use it as a mouth rinse.

This plant was widely used in Rus'. But preference was often given to leaves. Nursing mothers were advised to apply steamed fresh leaves to their breasts several times a day in order to produce abundant milk and for mastopathy. In winter, in the absence of fresh ones, dry raw materials were used for these purposes. Fresh leaves crushed with water had a beneficial effect on suppuration and severe abscesses. For various bleeding, bloody diarrhea, and hemoptysis, an infusion of a handful of alder leaves filled with 240 ml of water was taken orally. The infusion, sweetened with sugar or honey, was drunk in a small tea cup.

For gout, arthritis, and joint pain, “dry baths” help well. Freshly collected, fresh alder leaves are heated in an oven or in the sun and spread on the bed in a thick layer. The patient is placed on the leaves with his back, the whole body is covered with them, and a warm blanket is covered on top. The session lasts about an hour. It’s even better if you put the leaves in a deep tub, and when they warm up and “light up,” plant them in them up to the patient’s neck or throat. This is exactly how herbal healers treated people in the old days. By the way, birch leaves are used in the same way, the effect is also wonderful.

We also used tincture of the bark

(25 g per 100 ml of alcohol or a glass of vodka). We took it 30-40 drops 2-3 times a day. Diarrhea was also treated with these drugs.

Physical and mechanical properties of alder wood

The advantage of alder wood is the uniform color of the core and sapwood; the older the tree, the darker the wood. When dried, it practically does not crack and is little susceptible to warping. After cutting, the cut of the tree becomes reddish due to the oxidation of substances in the wood; after drying, the color becomes slightly lighter, while the sapwood and the heartwood differ slightly in shade.

Average characteristics of wood:

average density in air-dry state: 495 kg/m3;
Yankee hardness: 2.890 N;
modulus of rupture: 75.9 MPa;
elastic modulus: 8.99 MPa;
compressive strength: 42.2 MPa;
shrinkage: radial - 5.0%, tangential - 9.0%, volumetric - 14.0%.

Soft, homogeneous wood, medium-heavy, similar in properties to linden wood.

Perfectly polished, impregnated and painted. Black and gray alder wood differ significantly in moisture absorption and density. Black, denser and absorbs less moisture.

Color change

When contemplating the forest, the aspen deserves special attention from the observer. Autumn leaves of the same species can have different shades. It depends on the chemical processes occurring in them.

In summer, chlorophyll predominates in large quantities in the leaf. Therefore, all trees have a green crown. With the arrival of autumn, chlorophyll is replaced by carotenoids or anthocyanins.

Replacement occurs when the leaf is depleted of nutrients. The sun's rays stimulate chlorophyll synthesis less and less. When the supply of nutrients in the leaf decreases, other pigments appear that were previously there, but did not appear openly. Green chlorophyll previously suppressed them. When it disappears, hidden colors and shades come out and play in the full beauty of their diversity.

Therefore, the color of aspen leaves in the fall shines with its bright colors. Researchers conducted experiments to determine the process by which pigmentation appears.

A photo of an aspen tree in autumn reveals very bright, saturated colors to viewers. A lot depends on the lighting. After all, the autumn appearance of aspen does not always shine with such decoration. For obvious reasons, brightness is achieved when sunlight hits the crown.

In early autumn they have brighter shades, but the further you go, the duller the color becomes. The leaves turn brown and fall off. There are less and less pigments in them. The brown leaves that can be seen on the ground as winter approaches are particles of the once bright crown completely empty of coloring substances.

An aspen tree can come in a variety of colors in the fall. If the leaf is dominated by carotenoids and there is no synthesis of anthocyanins, it acquires an orange or yellow color. The presence of this pigment in the leaf is also observed in summer.

This can be established experimentally. A green aspen leaf is crushed and placed in a test tube. Alcohol extracts chlorophyll from the mass. This is where the pigments are located. To separate them, add 2 drops of water and 4 ml of gasoline to 2 ml of the resulting mixture.

Carotene, along with the green color, is now in the top layer. It is not visible because chlorophyll clogs it. Carotene and xanthophyll are similar in their properties and belong to the same group of pigments. To detect the presence of green color in the now green gasoline layer, you need to add alkali (KOH, NaOH) to the test tube. It converts chlorophyll into a gasoline-insoluble substance.

Aspen in the fall, the description of which can be so often found in fiction, undergoes slightly different chemical reactions, but their essence is the same. After shaking the test tube, chlorophyll from gasoline, which is insoluble in alkali, settles in the alcohol layer.

Yellow carotene now colors gasoline (becomes visible), and the alcohol layer has turned green. This proves the presence of chlorophyll, carotene and xanthophyll in the leaf even in summer.

Areas of application of alder wood

The high strength properties of alder wood, which manifest themselves under water, are used in the construction of wells, the manufacture of barrels and water containers. Even and red alder is used to make musical instrument bodies.

Alder is widely used in the manufacture of furniture and finishing carpentry. Its wood is used to make veneer, plywood, various lumber, fiberboard and chipboard, and is used in the manufacture of laminate.

Alder charcoal was previously used to make hunting gunpowder. Firewood made from alder wood is valued for its unique odor released during combustion. Used in preparing special dishes and for smoking.

Due to its good staining properties, alder is used to imitate more expensive types of wood.

Lining made from alder is successfully used for finishing baths. The material does not change its shape under the influence of high temperatures and moisture, does not heat up and does not emit unpleasant odors. When heated, alder lining acquires a reddish tint and remains that way until it cools down.

Alder is often used to make frames and doors for children's rooms, as its wood has antiseptic and antibactericidal properties.

Products made from alder are lighter than similar products made from other types of wood.

Alder bark, leaves and cones are successfully used in medicine and the chemical industry.

The structure and softness of wood make it possible to use it for cutting panels, sculptures, and carved dishes.

Source: hobbywood.ru

Legends associated with aspen[edit | edit code]

Different peoples had legends and beliefs associated with the amazing property of aspen leaves to move at the slightest breath of wind.

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In fact, a rather wide aspen leaf naturally has a very thin and flexible stalk, unable to hold it straight - which is why aspen foliage is extremely sensitive to even the lightest breeze. There is an assumption that this is due to the fact that aspen, due to its rapid growth, does not have time to build up a sufficiently large thickness and strength of the main trunk, while the total leaf area reaches quite large sizes. Therefore, in a strong wind, a plant with leaves tightly pressed to the stems would constantly lose them (aspen leaves are held on long, rather loose petioles); and a rigid trunk would break (the aspen trunk is extremely flexible).

Aspen is credited with the ability to ward off evil spirits:

The witch is afraid of aspen. If you stick aspen branches into the fence of a fence, then a witch cannot enter such a fence and will not spoil the cows.

Alder

Alder - (lat. Alnus) - a genus of trees and shrubs of the Birch family, uniting about 30 species common in the Northern Hemisphere, a fast-growing tree that reaches full development in 50-60 years, but can live for 150 years. The height of its trunk can be 15-20 m, diameter - 15-25 cm.

There are two main types of alder common in the middle zone: gray and black, so named for the color of the bark.

Alder wood

What's better?

It is almost impossible to answer the question of which tree is better - aspen or birch. Each person must make a choice in accordance with the assigned tasks

For example, some consumers are interested in obtaining strong wood, while others are interested in how flexible it is.

Aspen wood has the following advantages:

high hygroscopicity;
reliability;
long period of operation;
moisture resistance;
inability to release resin.

There are also disadvantages:

possible presence of rotting core;
the need for high-quality drying.

Birch raw materials have a number of advantages:

high density;
good impact strength;
difficulty of splitting;
well painted and tinted;
acceptable cost.

The disadvantages of birch wood material are low decorative qualities, the ability to bend and deform under the influence of moisture, as well as low fire resistance. Which tree is better, each consumer must decide for himself, but only after he has clarified what personal requirements the wood must meet.

Where does alder grow and what does it look like?

Botanists classify this tree with catkins as a member of the birch family. Most often it can be found in areas with high humidity: near rivers, swamps, lakes. If we talk about Russia, this tree species is most common in the Urals, Western Siberia, in the steppe and forest-steppe zones. Spruce, birch, aspen, and oak trees can grow next to them. Graceful earrings appear on the tree in the spring, during 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 find three varieties:

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

Runes on wooden amulets

Wooden amulets are used in combination with magical signs.
Ancient runes are carved on them. Each character has its own breed. For the runes Algiz, the divine protector, and Thurisaz, a symbol of a difficult situation in life, oak wood is used. The combination of the properties of wood and symbols makes the amulet a powerful protector. Perth, a sign of mystery and mystery, and Algiz are suitable for an aspen amulet. The inscriptions of the runes Hagalaz (a sign of destruction) and Eyvaz on the wood of the Yew witch tree will accelerate changes in life. You can use other types of trees for runes. It all depends on the desires and aspirations of the owner of the amulet with the outlines of magical signs.

Application in construction

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

Black alder is considered the most sensitive to temperature changes, so they try not to use it in the decoration of saunas and baths. What needs to be taken into account when working with alder is that this wood is quite soft and still requires treatment against 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 use in wet conditions, which 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 stain beautiful shades and even achieve an imitation of more valuable wood species. Alder boards have healing properties, so they are well suited for interior decoration of houses, saunas and baths. The advantages of building materials made from alder wood are:

resistance to deformation at high temperatures;
lack of release of resinous and other harmful compounds;
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 reduces the risk of burns to a minimum.

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

Doors, laminate, furniture

This solid wood makes excellent interior doors. Thanks to various treatments, they can be used in any interior, while the price remains quite affordable. Alder doors are completely safe, and also have antibacterial and anti-allergenic properties; they can even be used in children's rooms. They serve for quite a long time.

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

Not only solid wood is used to make furniture; alder is also used in plywood, chipboard and furniture panels. In operation, these types of materials provide the best wear resistance, they do not chip, and are not subject to deformation. Alder furniture is lightweight, but at the same time quite durable.

It is important to know that when working with wood, it is better not to use nails; when driven in, they can split the material. In this case, screws will be an excellent replacement.

Worker conspiracies

How to distinguish edible honey fungus from false ones: description of mushrooms

As mentioned earlier, a correctly enchanted aspen stake can become an excellent amulet against bad words, the evil eye and illnesses. To get such a talisman, use these instructions:

Make or purchase a ready-made aspen stake.

Take it in your hands and read these words above it:

After this, hide the enchanted aspen stake in a secluded place. Please note that this place must be in the house.
Check the count periodically. As soon as you see that it has begun to deteriorate, burn it and make a new amulet.

Money magic

To improve your financial situation, get an additional source of income and get out of debt, it is recommended to come to a young tree in the morning from the direction of the rising sun and say in a quiet voice: “I ask with a barely audible rumble, an almost inaudible whisper. Aspen, good one, help out, help, whisper as needed, mutter quietly, scare away the bad - both man and unclean. Save me, give me money.”

We invite you to read Prayer request for work

To cast another money plot, you need to walk from your home to a tree without shoes in the autumn month, as soon as the first rays of the sun appear. Hugging the trunk and shaking it slightly, you need to say: “Sister-aspen, your wealth cannot be counted, so give me (name) a tenth of what you keep. The money will come on its own and find me.

Alder in folk medicine

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

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

An infusion of alder fruits is used to treat disorders of the gastrointestinal tract; the bark is used for enterocolitis and digestive disorders. Decoctions based on the plant cleanse the skin, heal wounds, eliminate nosebleeds, reduce allergies, and help with rheumatism.

Source: cvetnik.me

Medicinal cones

The medicinal use of alder dates back centuries. It is mentioned with enviable regularity in Medieval herbalists. V. Strabo and Hildegade of Bingent (12th century) spoke favorably about her. Herbalists of the 16th-17th centuries gave recommendations for the external use of a decoction of leaves for gout and fungal diseases of the feet.

In official medicine in Russia, infructescences (alder cones) are used. Cones are harvested in autumn and winter, when they are completely lignified, from felled trees at logging sites or from standing trees. Fallen fruits are not suitable for medical purposes.

The cones are dried under a canopy, in sheds, on a stove, laid out in a layer of 5-10 cm and stirred frequently. The shelf life of raw materials is 4 years.

The raw material should consist of dry fruits of brown or dark brown color, single or in clusters of several pieces on a thin stalk 1 cm long, with open scales, with or without seeds. Odorless, taste slightly astringent. The harvested raw materials differ in the following characteristics: the fruits collected in the summer months are green or greenish-brown, the scales are stuck together, the cones of the spring harvest are easily ground into a black-brown powder.

Allowed in raw materials is no more than: moisture - 12%, total ash - 3.5%, ash insoluble in 10% hydrochloric acid - 1%, twigs and individual stalks - 1%, infructescences with the length of the branch (from the point of attachment stalks of the lower infructescence) over 20 mm - 3%, crushed particles passing through a sieve with holes 1 mm in diameter - 3%, organic impurities - 0.5%, mineral - 1%.

In folk medicine, in addition to cones, the bark of 2-3 year old twigs collected during sap flow and leaves are very widely used, which are collected in June and dried in a well-ventilated attic without access to direct sunlight.

In European countries, medicinal raw materials are leaves and bark.

Common aspen

Common aspen (or simply aspen) is one of the most common deciduous trees in Russia. Some features of the structure and development of a tree. How does aspen bloom? Why is she not a “weed tree”?

Hello dear reader!

I think aspen does not need any special introduction. The tree, which has spread from Europe to the Far East, from the forest-tundra in the north to the forest-steppe in the south, is familiar, if not to everyone, then certainly to the majority.

But, talking about aspen, I don’t want to dwell on various “mystical features”. Although, where can you go, since the conversation is about this “dead” tree. It is curious that one of the explanations for the “dislike” for aspen is that “Judas hanged himself” on it (where did he find it in Judea?!). And also that an aspen stake was supposed to be driven into the sorcerer’s grave... However, logically, in these cases, “dislike” for aspen should mean “love” for sorcerers and Judas...

But if there is a desire to discuss these and similar questions, let’s move them to the comments. For now - about the common aspen without any mysticism!