An alder is a shrub or tree from the Birch family.
The black alder tree (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, have a notch on the top. Young leaves are very shiny and sticky. Developed below are light green in color and dark green above. In the drooping spike-shaped inflorescence there are flowers (catkins).
The fruits of the plant are nuts with a rather narrow leathery wing. Bracts of scales during ripening of nuts become woody, thereby forming a kind of cone, reaching a length of 2 centimeters.
Gray alder (white) is a tree up to 15 m high, less often a shrub. Light gray bark, leaves are ovoid-elliptical or ovoid, pointed to the apex. Young are 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 mainly up to 1.5 cm in length, and the nutlets have a clear wing.
Spread
Alder gray and black grows in western Asia, almost everywhere in northern Africa and in Europe. It is brought to different parts of the planet, while in North America in some places it even poses a threat to different local species. The black alder, the photo of which is presented in this article, grows in the forest, forest-steppe and steppe regions of European Russia, in addition - in Western Siberia, as well as in the Caucasus. Prefers moist lands.
Gray alder is widespread in the European region of our country. It also grows in Asia Minor, Europe, Western Siberia, and Transcaucasia. Forms plantations along the banks of small streams and rivers.
Chemical composition
In the leaves of the plant - up to 20% of proteins, up to 6% of fats, carotene, vitamin C, resin acids, flavonoids. Collopodia contain a large number of tannins, including tannin (2.33%) and gallic acid (3.75%). The bark contains vitamin PP, as well as essential oil.
Black alder: properties and applications
For 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, the medical community was very interested in black alder fruit. They began to be used since 1942 as an astringent for various diseases of the stomach, acute and chronic colitis, as well as enteritis.
Black alder is actively used for medicinal purposes. From her cones make decoctions, from bark, fruit crops and leaves - water infusions and alcohol tinctures. They are used in folk and official medicine as an astringent, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, antibacterial, anti-cancer, hemostatic, immunomodulating agent.
Alder cones (as an astringent) are used with a coil. To do this, take 2 parts of cones and part of the rhizome of the coil, brew and use as tea.
Infusion of alder cones
Black alder, a 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 in a glass of boiling water, leave to infuse in a closed jar for three hours, covering with a terry towel. Then filter. Ready infusion should be taken 4 times a day for half a glass, before meals.
Root infusion
Black alder is also used to make infusion from its roots. To do this, pour 10 g of finely chopped raw materials into a glass of hot water, and then put them in an enameled, closed container for 30 minutes. Filter the infusion hot, then dilute with clean water to its original volume. Take it you need two tablespoons before meals.
Leaf infusion
Take 15 g of alder leaves, pour them with a glass of clean warm water, and then boil in a water bath for 20 minutes. Next, the resulting broth must be cooled and filtered. Next - squeeze and add water to the original volume.
Black alder: collection methods
Seedlings are usually harvested in winter and autumn as follows: cut off the ends of thin tree branches with secateurs from which they hang. After this, the branched parts are removed, the fruit is dried in well-ventilated, warm rooms.
