Tree of the month....The Alder

[sean]

Alder trees are usually small in stature, but in perfect conditions can reach heights of 70 ft (21 meters). There are four stages of production on the Alder tree at any given time, the old cones of the previous year’s fruiting, the new year’s leaves or leaf-buds, and the new year’s male and female catkins. The tree matures at about 30 years of age at which time it is capable of producing a full crop of seeds. After this, it can live on to reach an age of about 150 years. It is also the only broad-leafed tree to produce cones. To the ancients, the Alder was particularly revered, for it appeared to bleed like humans. When an Alder tree is felled, its inner wood is white, but gradually over time it turns to a reddish-pink.

The wood of the Alder has many uses. When young it is brittle and very easily worked, while its mature wood is tinted and veined. Due to the Alder’s resistance to water, it was used in the construction of bridges, particularly the long heavy piles driven into the ground or sometimes under water to support it. This quality for long endurance under water also made it valuable for pumps, troughs and sluices for which purposes it is said to have been used in sixteenth-century Venice, as well as France and Holland.

The roots and knots of the Alder furnished good material for cabinet-makers. These were used for making clogs in old Lancashire mill-towns, however, demand exceeded supply and Birch had to be used instead. It was also used for making carts and spinning wheels, bowls, spoons, wooden heels and herring-barrel staves, etc. On the continent it was largely used for making cigar-boxes for which its reddish Cedar-like wood was well suited. After lying in a bog, the wood of the Alder has the colour but not the hardness of Ebony. In the Highlands of Scotland this 'bog Alder' was used for making handsome chairs from which it became known as 'Scottish Mahogany'. The branches of the Alder make a good charcoal, which was a valuable commodity for making gunpowder. Dyers, tanners and leather dressers used its bark commercially and fishermen use it for making nets.

In Celtic folklore, the Alder is associated with the fairies and it was believed that doorways to the fairy realm were concealed within its trunk. The Alder was sacred to the god 'Bran' who carried a branch of it with him during the 'Battle of the Trees' saga, an old Celtic legend. Bran’s totem animal was the Raven, which also became associated with the Alder. Ritual pipes and whistles were often made from Alder wood, many in the shape of the Raven. A Taliesin riddle once asked the question: “Why is the Alder purple?”, and the answer is because Bran wore purple into battle. In some Norse and Irish legends, the first man was formed from the Alder while the first women came from the Rowan.

[Cracker]

 

I used alder in part of this timer frame. Long eaves keep it dry. Although it's used submerged it don't like alternating wet/dry conditions.

[sean]

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/firewood-forum/5183-alder.html

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

Great info guys, have always admired the old Alder a handsome tree, shall have a root about and find some vet alders from the archive!

[bareroots]

I've come across it as being included in what's known as 'riparian habit' (interface between land and fresh water), I was told by an old forester that they have a long tap root that can be deeper then the tree is tall. looked up online for verification and found this info... some of it duplicated what's been poted already but enough of interest to repeat i think. interesting bit on not splitting when nailed, astringent qualities

 

Alder - Alnus glutinosa

Alder cones

 

Irish name - Fearnóg

Ulster Scots name - Allertree

Birch family - Betulaceae

Characteristics

 

* Alder usually grows to a height of 15m but occasionally reaches 30m, and it lives up to 150 years.

* When young, these trees have strong single trunks and are conical in outline, but become broadheaded with age.

* Young trees grow quickly when in suitable conditions and are capable of putting on as much as 0.5 metre’s growth a year, for the first 30-40 years.

* Roots sometimes grow near the base of the stems and help support the trees in unstable ground. Such new growth is particularly common on coppiced plants.

* Alder trees put more nitrogen in the soil than they use, so they build up soil fertility.

* An established alder has a deep-probing tap root, about 1.5m long, which enables the tree to survive falling water levels during drought.

 

Season

 

* Alder produces yellow catkins early in February and March.

 

Preferred Environment

 

* Alder seed is generally distributed by wind and water. The seedlings survive water logging, but require high levels of light, humidity and oxygen, which restrict natural establishment to river banks and mud. This means that alder is found frequently along streamside’s and in marshland where it can become dominant in areas which are not permanently flooded.

* It thrives best in moist loam with high humus content. It is, however, tolerant of most soils, except chalk, and is able to withstand prolonged root submergence. For this reason alder is often successful on reclaimed land.

 

Wildlife Associations

 

* There are 90 associated insect species identified with alder.

 

Uses

 

* When dry, alder wood is water-resistant, and does not split when nailed. It is used for broom and tool handles.

* Alder is a hard but easily carved yellow timber that is still used occasionally as the traditional material for the soles of clogs or wooden shoes.

* The bark and leaves contain tannin and have astringent properties. Used in folk medicine to treat chill.

* When submerged in water it becomes as hard as stone. For these reason much of Venice is built on piles made from alder trunks.

[Knapp]

Old woodmen said Alder attracts and retains the moisture around it. The is because its roots are chiefly composed of a huge mass of small fibres, whose capillary attraction prevents the escape of redundant water. They also say a plantation of alders has the property of creating swamps and bogs from land that was previously tolerably sound and dry.

[common lime]

In the recent past Italian alder (Alnus cordata) has been planted as a common street and car park tree.

 

The Environmental Agency advise against planting alders near to river banks due to the affects of Phytophthora alni has on them.

[Bundle 2]

Good thread. I understand it was the tree of choice for a "battering ram" to breach a castles defence.

Not too sure why the "thumbs down" above..is it a "native" objection you have?

I have considered it as hedging....still am.

ALDER, ITALIAN (Alnus cordata) . Hedging Plants, Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.

Edited March 26, 2010 by Bundle 2

[common lime]

I am not one for the native V non-native argument.

 

It has the same characteristics of all alders, it does not invest in defences against pathogens. Also when you prune your road side tree you have new growth on weakly attached points. Given that it grows very quickly in an urban environment there is very high probability that it will require pruning.

 

So, why would anyone plant this vigours unattractive (plastic catkins, dark leather leaves, boring flowers and bark) in the urban environment?

 

It is using a valuable space where a proper street tree like London plane or lime should be planted.

[Bundle 2]

"So, why would anyone plant this vigours unattractive (plastic catkins, dark leather leaves, boring flowers and bark) in the urban environment?

It is using a valuable space where a proper street tree like London plane or lime should be planted."- I think you are in the wrong thread then mate!

 

 

It is infact a valuable plant as it thrives in difficult sites which frankly, many urban sites are post development.It is considered a medium sized tree which can have some influence on decisions as to the inclusion of plants atall and with a habit that is "formal" without being dense, and so allows good light penetration, has some advantage over others. But hey, you are of course entitled to your opinion.

Alnus cordata - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Tim.