Everything about Alnus Glutinosa totally explained
Alnus glutinosa (English:
Black Alder,
European Alder or
Common Alder) is an
alder tree native to most of
Europe, including all of
Britain,
Fennoscandia and locally in southwest
Asia.
Alnus glutinosa thrives best in moist soils, and grows under favourable circumstances to a height of 20-30 m, though often less. It is characterized by its 5–10 cm short-stalked rounded
leaves 6–12 cm long, becoming wedge-shaped at the base and with a slightly toothed margin. When young they're somewhat glutinous, whence the specific name, becoming later a glossy dark green. As with some other plants growing near water it keeps its leaves longer than do trees in drier situations, the glossy green foliage lasting after other trees have put on the red or brown of autumn, which renders it valuable for landscape effect. As the Latin name
glutinosa implies, the buds and young leaves are slightly sticky with a
resinous gum.
There are four
subspecies:
- Alnus glutinosa subsp. glutinosa. Europe.
- Alnus glutinosa subsp. barbata. Northern Anatolia (Rize,Trabzon, Artvin)
- Alnus glutinosa subsp. antitaurica. Southern Anatolia, rare.
- Alnus glutinosa subsp. betuloides. Eastern Anatolia.
The
monoecious flowers are wind-pollinated
catkins: the slender cylindrical male
catkins are pendulous, reddish in colour and 5–10 cm long; the female are smaller, 2 cm in length and dark brown to black in colour, hard, somewhat woody, and superficially similar to some
conifer cones. When the small winged seeds have been scattered the ripe, woody, blackish cones remain, often lasting through the winter. The alder is readily propagated by seeds, but throws up root suckers abundantly.
Uses
It is important as coppice-wood on marshy ground. The wood is soft, white when first cut and turning to pale red; the knots are beautifully mottled. Under water the wood is very durable, and it's therefore used for
piles. The supports of the Rialto at
Venice, and many buildings at
Amsterdam, are of Alder wood. It is also the traditional wood burnt to produce
smoked fish and other smoked foods, though in some areas other woods are more often used now. Furniture is sometimes made from the wood, and it supplies excellent charcoal for gunpowder. The bark is astringent; it's used for
tanning and
dyeing.
Cultural aspects
Frequently, such as in
Brythonic and
Norse mythology, the Alder is a symbol of resurrection, possibly because the wood turns from white to reddish-purple when cut, similar to human
blood. The first humans in Norse mythology were made from
Ash and
Alder trees. In Ireland, reverence for the Alder tree was so great that cutting one down was a criminal offence. In other places, such as
Newfoundland, the Alder's medicinal effects were prized; it has been used to treat burns,
rheumatism and
itching.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Alnus Glutinosa'.
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