Alder deciduous or coniferous. Alder - tree of the soul

Alder (from the Latin “Alnus” - coastal) is classified as a member of the Birch family. North America is considered the birthplace of alder.

Alder is a highly decorative species due to its shiny, green foliage, and is therefore widely used in landscaping.

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

Appearance of the plant

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

The leaves have an oval-ovate shape, tapering upward. A fruiting specimen can be found in St. Petersburg, in the park of the Forestry University, in Moscow and Tallinn.

Alder bush

A squat, sometimes creeping shrub, grows in the north and in the tundra. Branches are shortened and twisted. On South this type can grow up to six meters high.

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

Manchurian alder

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

Alder Maksimovich

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

Alder Kamchatka

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

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

Alder carved

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

Heart-shaped alder

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

Growing and care

Tree in a plant system

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

In horticulture and forestry, alder is famous for its:

Seeds

Collection

Alder cones are collected late autumn and stored in the fresh air until fully opened.

Seed separation is done using a sieve.

Storage

Seeds are stored in the refrigerator or basement at a temperature not exceeding 5 degrees.

Seeding

Seeds can be sown both in autumn and spring. But their shelf life is short, only 4 months, after which the germination rate of the seeds begins to decline.

The soil

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

Seeds are sown in seedling boxes and moistened.

The tree grows quite quickly and during the season the seedlings, under favorable conditions, grow by several meters.

If the seeds are sown abundantly, then after a couple of years the plantings will form impassable jungle.

Watering

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

Although, before developing a meter in height, the seedling should be watered as often as ordinary seedlings.

Loosening

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

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

Complete exposure of the tree trunk does not always have a positive effect on the health of the tree. Peat or wood chips are used for mulching.

Pests and diseases

Use of alder wood

Alder is considered a valuable tree species.

Black alder wood cuts well, but is very fragile.

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

Alder – widespread deciduous tree or shrub from the Birch family. The largest population is concentrated in temperate climatic zone Northern Hemisphere. Selected species also found in South America and Asia. Alder grows in mixed deciduous forests on moist, well-fertilized soils. Prefers proximity to oak and beech. The scientific name of the plant “Alnus” translates to “near the shore”. It is not surprising that most plants are found on the banks of fresh water bodies and rivers. People also call the tree “valhal”, “leshinnik”, “olekh”, “elshina”. Alder is famous for its wood and medicinal properties. It looks great on the site and is used in folk medicine and wood processing industry.

Description of the plant

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

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

At the end of spring, unisexual flowers bloom on the alder tree. Staminates are concentrated at the ends of young shoots in long flexible inflorescences (catkins). They are colored red-brown or yellow-brown. Catkins with pistillate flowers are shorter, denser ears at the bottom of the shoot. Flowering begins along with the blossoming of leaves.

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

Types of alder

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

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

A very decorative and beautiful tree up to 20 m in height. Its trunk and branches are covered with almost smooth light gray bark, and young shoots are dark red. At first the green shoots are densely pubescent, and then become bare. The ovate, dark green leaves have a pointed edge and serrated sides. On the reverse side, the leaf blade is covered with reddish fibers. The staminate inflorescences are red-brown. The ovoid cones grow to 15-25 mm in length.

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

Alder wood

Alder is actively used in the woodworking and furniture industries. And although the wood of the plant is not very dense and durable, it is popular for its lightness, resistance to rotting and the effects of water. At a low cost, the wood is quite light. It behaves well when dried (does not bend or crack). The advantage is the uniform color of the core and sapwood.

Alder is used to make parts for wells, ships, and interior decoration. This is what woodcarvers love to work with. Spools of thread and other small products are also made from this tree.

Alder firewood burns without unnecessary soot and gives off a pleasant smell. This is the best material for baths or cooking.

Reproduction methods

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

Young shoots often appear from the trunk. In just a year, their height can reach 1-1.5 m. In the spring, the offspring can be dug up and transplanted to a new place. It is recommended to save com old land on the roots and do not allow it to dry out.

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

Rules for planting and care

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

For planting, it is recommended to use soil with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Lime, humus and fertilizer (“Kemira”) are first added to the ground. Planting is best done during the growing season. A layer of drainage material (sand, crushed stone) is laid at the bottom of the planting hole. Then they straighten the roots and fill the free space with fertilized soil. The root collar should be flush with the surface. The earth is watered abundantly and compacted, and the surface is mulched with a layer of chopped straw, peat or wood chips.

Further care for alder is practically not needed. In the year of planting, plants need to be watered more often, while avoiding stagnation of water in the upper layers of the soil. For better aeration of the roots, the soil is regularly loosened and weeds are removed. There is no need to use the tool too deeply to avoid damaging the roots.

Also in the first year you should feed the plants with compost or organic fertilizers. Starting next year, this procedure will no longer be necessary.

In anticipation of wintering, no special measures need to be taken, since alder is highly winter-hardy. She is not afraid of even harsh and snowless winters.

Medicinal properties

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

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

Usually preparations made from alder have no contraindications, with the exception of allergic reaction. However, moderation is needed in everything; it is not recommended to abuse or exceed recommended dosages, since certain components tend to accumulate in the body.

Landscape use

The oval, openwork crown of the alder with moving branches and fluttering leaves looks very lively. Plants do not suffer from urban air pollution, so they can be planted along the road. Low trees or lush shrubs up to 3 m high are usually used as hedges. They are planted in a strip method quite densely and regularly shaped.

Large single-trunk trees are used in single plantings or in groups on large territory. They are planted along paths and alleys. Alder can also be used in compositions of shrubs and trees, combining plants with different colors and foliage structures.

Alder wood is light, soft, uniform in structure, and easy to split. That’s why it is often used to make plywood and is well painted and processed. Gray alder wood is used to make the highest quality drawing charcoal and charcoal that is used for the production of gunpowder.

Wood has interesting property: Those places where a saw or ax has been passed quickly acquire a beautiful reddish tint in the air. This happens because at the site of the cut, in damaged living tissues, intracellular pressure changes, tannins-polyphenols are forced out, which easily oxidize in air, forming phlobaphens - amorphous substances of brown and reddish tones. They determine the color of a fresh cut. It is no coincidence that the wood perfectly imitates the most valuable species - walnut, mahogany and ebony.

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

Alder cones and tkhmelini

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Grape

In gardens and personal plots, you can choose a warmer place for planting grapes, for example, on the sunny side of the house, garden pavilion, or veranda. It is recommended to plant grapes along the border of the site. 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 they are not exposed to water flowing from the roofs. On level areas it is necessary to make ridges with good drainage due to drainage furrows. Some gardeners, following the experience of their colleagues from the western regions of the country, dig deep planting holes and fill them with organic fertilizers and fertilized soil. The holes, dug in waterproof clay, are a kind of closed vessel that is filled with water during the monsoon rains. In fertile land root system The grapes develop well at first, but as soon as waterlogging begins, they suffocate. Deep holes can play a positive role on soils where good natural drainage, permeable subsoil is provided, or reclamation artificial drainage is possible. Planting grapes

You can quickly restore an outdated grape bush using the layering method (“katavlak”). For this purpose, healthy vines of a neighboring bush are placed in grooves dug to the place where the dead bush used to grow, and covered with earth. The top is brought to the surface, from which a new bush then grows. Lignified vines are laid on layering in the spring, and green ones - in July. They are not separated from the mother bush for two to three years. A frozen or very old bush can be restored by short pruning to healthy above-ground parts or by pruning to the “black head” of an underground trunk. In the latter case, the underground trunk is freed from the ground and completely cut down. Not far from the surface, new shoots grow from dormant buds, due to which a new bush is formed. Neglected and severely frost-damaged grape bushes 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 starting to grow grapes needs to thoroughly study the structure of the grapevine and the biology of this interesting plant. Grapes are vine (climbing) plants and require support. But it can spread along the ground and take root, as is observed with Amur grapes in a wild state. The roots and aboveground part of the stem grow quickly, branch strongly and reach large sizes. Under natural conditions, without human intervention, a branched bush of grapes grows with many vines of different orders, which begins to bear fruit late and produces crops irregularly. In cultivation, grapes are shaped and the bushes are given a shape that is easy to care for, ensuring a high yield of high-quality bunches. Planting lemongrass

Schisandra chinensis, or schisandra, has several names - lemon tree, red grapes, gomisha (Japanese), cochinta, kozyanta (Nanai), kolchita (Ulch), usimtya (Udege), uchampu (Oroch). In terms of structure, systemic relationship, center of origin and distribution, Schisandra chinensis has nothing in common with the real citrus plant lemon, but all its organs (roots, shoots, leaves, flowers, berries) exude the aroma of lemon, hence the name Schisandra. The schisandra vine that clings or wraps around a support, along with Amur grapes and three types of actinidia, is an original plant of the Far Eastern taiga. Its fruits, like real lemons, are too sour to be consumed fresh, but they have medicinal properties and a pleasant aroma, and this has attracted a lot of attention to it. The taste of Schisandra chinensis berries improves somewhat after frost. Local hunters who consume such fruits claim that they relieve fatigue, invigorate the body and improve vision. The consolidated Chinese pharmacopoeia, compiled back in 1596, states: “the fruit of Chinese lemongrass has five tastes, classified as the first category of medicinal substances. The pulp of lemongrass is sour and sweet, the seeds are bitter and astringent, and in general the taste of the fruit is salty. Thus, All five tastes are present in it." Grow lemongrass

The alder tree is distinguished by its lush crown and healing qualities for human body. The leaves and inflorescences of this species are used in folk medicine. They contain a large number of useful microelements that help cope with various pathological processes.

Description of the breed

What does an alder tree look like? This breed is a tall plant up to 20 m in length. The crown diameter of an adult plant reaches up to 20 m. The average life expectancy is from 50 to 100 years.

How does alder bloom? In early spring, it forms small catkins, the size of which reaches up to 5 cm. The female inflorescences have an oval shape and a dense base. Men's earrings are long elements with a porous structure.

The alder leaf contains a large amount of nitrogen. It enters the mature cover after the leaf blades fall in the autumn. This breed prefers moist soil types. That is why it grows near rivers and large bodies of water.

The bark and inflorescences have a large number of resin passages that attract bees. This product allows them to produce excellent propolis. It is widely used in medicine.

Varieties of alder

In nature, there are several varieties of alder. Each species has some differences in the composition of the bark and the color of the leaves. These include:

Black alder

It reaches up to 15 m in height. The bark of an adult plant has a characteristic dark shade. The tree thrives in moist soil areas. It grows quickly and produces a large amount of shoots under the main root.

The leaves are diamond-shaped and have a carved edge. Outwardly, they have a slight resemblance to hazel. As a rule, the culture does not tolerate proximity to other tree species.

This species is most often used to landscape urban and park areas. Mature trees form a dense green crown, which helps to hide from the bright sun.

Gray alder

This breed prefers swampy areas. That is why it is widespread along river banks and wide lakes. An adult plant reaches up to 17 m in height. It is distinguished by its frost resistance.

The tree is propagated using short cuttings, seeds or young shoots. The leaves and trunk have a pale gray tint. In the first year of life, it is recommended to carry out frequent watering and spraying.

It is best to plant planting material in sunny areas. This will allow the tree to quickly form a powerful root system.

You should not plant young trees next to oak, maple and ash. This culture does not tolerate such proximity. As the plant grows, a slow increase in height and premature loss of leaves are noted.

Where is alder used?

This breed has a smooth trunk and thin bark. The array is amenable to mechanical processing and factory deformation. The wood after drying is quite strong and durable. It does not splinter from self-tapping screws, but is vulnerable to thin metal nails.

Before use, the wood needs to be thoroughly cleaned of knots and dried. If you neglect this requirement, then the likelihood of voids appearing inside the array increases. In the future, this will affect the performance of the wooden product.

The material is used in the production of bridges, rafts and wooden ships. Solid alder is used for finishing work. The material requires additional treatment with antifungal compounds.

Wood is used to make boxes for storing various small items and molds for casting. Branches and firewood are used as fuel material. Wood has high heat transfer.

The wood has a beautiful texture and durability. More often, solid wood is used for the manufacture of furniture paraphernalia. The products are durable and wear-resistant. The surface needs additional varnish protection. This helps emphasize the depth of textured lines and the color of the furniture.

The shavings are used for the production of chipboard and MDF panels. The products are resistant to moisture. The material contains a large amount of resin. It repels harmful insects and prevents rotting processes.

Photo of alder

Every year, many plants rush to announce the arrival of spring. Alder can also give summer residents a good hint. The photo of this tree allows everyone to understand how beautiful it can look at this time of year. Alder is decorated with smooth bark, and its rounded leaves retain their green color until the first frost.

Alder tree: description

This tree has very lush crown, however, it is still somewhat sparse due to the fact that the branches are unevenly distributed. When the snow has not yet melted everywhere, the alder is already signaling the coming of spring, which is manifested in its active flowering. Therefore, it is enough to know when alder blooms to understand that winter is beginning to lose its strength.

Moreover, winds help it get ahead of many other plants when they enter the flowering phase, thanks to which its pollination occurs.

When the alder begins to bloom, it is decorated with beautiful earrings, which are divided into women's and men's. If during formation they look familiar green, then at the ripening stage they become red-brown.

Women's earrings quite small and reach a length of about 1 cm, hang on the branches in groups of up to 8 pieces, a sign of their ripeness is the acquisition of a woody shell. Men's earrings have their own differences in this regard: they grow on branches of 4-5 pieces, they are quite large in size, having a length of 5-9 cm. The appearance of leaves occurs only after the end of alder flowering.

The fruits here are green cones. small sizes. Moreover, the latter also differ from each other: some grow wingless, others are filmy or leathery. Throughout the winter, the cones are closed, but with the onset of March they open, causing the seeds to fall into the soil. They reach the ripening stage only at the end of autumn. Alder leaves are a very useful fertilizer because they contain a lot of nitrogen.

Alder as part of a natural complex

On average these trees grow for about 100 years. Although there are also centenarians who can delight with their appearance for 150 years. Their favorite places to grow are areas with moist soil. Therefore, alder can often be found on the banks of various bodies of water.

When favorable factors are combined, thickets - alder forests - can form. In the northern regions, alder grows in the form coniferous tree. In the south it has extremely small representation, which is why it is part of mixed forests along with oak and beech. This tree also feels great with other forest representatives - birch, spruce, oak, linden and aspen.

Alder can be used not only for decorative purposes, but also interesting as a honey plant. During its development, it forms buds and leaves rich in resinous substances, which are used by bees as raw materials for the production of propolis.

You can also find a use for dry alder leaves, because they can be used as livestock feed.

Black Alder: Deciduous Tree

Although this tree includes many species, among them you can most often find black alder, which is so called because of the corresponding color of its bark. This tree is also mentioned in Greek mythology, where it often appears at fire festivals, symbolizing the onset of spring. Alder is a light-loving plant, it is also very responsive to moisture. If it is planted in damp places, alder swamps may subsequently form there. However, standing water is detrimental to it.

Over the course of a year, black alder quickly gains height. Mature plants can grow up to 20 m. It pleases with its flowers earlier than other trees, since they appear already in April. The situation is somewhat different with fruits, which reach the stage of maturity only at the end of next spring.

Unlike other species, black alder requires special care. This variety is protected in many countries - Moldova, Kazakhstan and certain regions of Russia. Black alder is often used to create landscape designs for parks and squares. It can also be used for planting along reservoirs, with the goal of strengthening the banks. It copes with this task perfectly, since it has a widely branched root system.

Beauty with brown earrings

Gray alder is one of the fairly common species of the birch family. It stands out for its large size, since it can grow up to 16 m. For its planting, they choose the banks of reservoirs and ravines that are in danger of destruction. For getting planting material You can use young shoots, cuttings or seeds.

The trunk of this tree has a characteristic gray color, the leaves also look the same; brown catkins act as a decorative part. Therefore, when you see a tree that has these signs, know that this is an alder. Many value this plant because of its ability to withstand severe frosts and grow well on poor nutrients soils and wetlands.

Scope of application

Alder is valued not only for its attractive appearance, as it has many other useful properties.

In decorative arts

Alder grown from young seedlings grows quite quickly, this often leads to the appearance of wild thickets. At this stage of the life cycle it has a uniform wood structure that is easy to process. Because of this, it is often used in industry.

Alder is one of the popular materials for creating artistic carvings. It is used in the manufacture of carved dishes, decorative panels and sculptures. As a result of processing wood using the dry distillation method, it is possible to obtain coals that are highly valued by artists. Specimens whose trunks are decorated with beads acquire particular decorative significance.

In folk medicine

This tree is also valued as a remedy for many diseases. Alder cones, leaves and bark have beneficial properties, rich in tannins. Effective medicines are decoctions and tinctures based on cones and alder bark, since they have an astringent, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, antibacterial and hemostatic effect.

• if there is a purulent wound, then it is enough to apply a leaf of black alder tree to it, and very soon it will heal;
• vodka infusion of earrings can help people who suffer from hemorrhoids and constipation;
• To combat diathesis and eczema, a decoction of flowers is used, which must be prepared at the very beginning of flowering.

You can restore the natural intestinal microflora after a course of antibiotics using a decoction of alder cones. This remedy also helps cope with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It is often used for such conditions, How:

• inflammation of the nasopharynx and throat;
• cold;
• angina;
• pharyngitis.

In order to stop bleeding from the nose, it is useful to keep tampons made from fresh alder leaves in it. Traditional healers recommend taking a decoction to combat gout, arthritis and joint pain.

An effective remedy is dry baths, which are prepared from freshly picked leaves.

• they should be heated in the sun or in a stove, and then they are laid on the bed and the patient is allowed to lie on them. You can also cover the affected areas of the body with heated alder leaves, and wrap a warm blanket on top. In this case, the effect will be maximum if such a procedure lasts at least an hour;
• This remedy works even better if the leaves are heated in a deep tub, in which the patient must then be placed up to his neck. According to the same scheme, they fight ailments using birch leaves.

When visiting a bathhouse, it is very useful to use alder brooms, which have a cleansing, disinfecting, tonic effect, and can also fill the body with energy.

In production

The ease of processing alder wood has led to its often used in industry. Various operations can be carried out on it, including polishing, varnishing and staining. This tree also retains its integrity when screws are screwed into it. Changes can be observed when nails are driven in, which manifests itself as peeling of the wood.

Drying alder does not affect its properties in any way: it takes a minimum of time, and during this operation no defects such as warping or cracks occur. This feature has made alder one of the most preferred materials for the manufacture of musical instruments and accessories.

Collection and preparation of cones

The favorable moment for harvesting cones comes at the end of autumn. Moreover, you can continue collecting them until March. The process of collecting cones itself has its own characteristics: first you need to carefully trim the ends of the branches with cones with pruning shears, and then fruits are plucked from them. Cones that lie on the ground do not have the necessary properties, so they cannot be used. After harvesting, the cones are laid out in an even layer under a canopy or in the attic, where air access must be provided, where the drying procedure is carried out. If it is warm enough outside, then you can dry the fruits in the open air, remembering to stir them from time to time. With proper drying, the buds retain their beneficial features for three years.

Conclusion

Few of us are familiar with such a tree as alder, and in vain. After all, it is one of the first to signal the onset of spring, starting early flowering even at the moment when all the snow has not yet melted. At this stage of its development, the tree makes beautiful earrings, which give it even more decorative properties. However, alder looks most attractive when it has cones.

Although in this case you will have to be patient, since they are formed only next spring. But alder is of interest not only because of its decorative properties, because it is often used to make effective drugs for the treatment of diseases. Wood is used in industry, because it easily tolerates different kinds processing without any serious defects.