Black Alder - Revision history

Murali.lalitha at 12:33, 1 December 2010

2010-12-01T12:33:07Z

Raffi at 19:23, 17 August 2009

2009-08-17T19:23:30Z

Raffi at 07:02, 4 April 2007

2007-04-04T07:02:10Z

New page

:For the '''Black Alder''' (''Ilex verticillata''), see [[American Winterberry]].

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Black Alder
| image = Alnus glutinosa.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Fagales]]
| familia = [[Betulaceae]]
| genus = [[Alder|Alnus]]
| species = '''''A. glutinosa'''''
| binomial = ''Alnus glutinosa''
| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
}}
[[Image:Alnus glutinosa female inflorescence.JPG|240px|right|thumb|Female inflorescence]]
'''Black Alder''', '''European Alder''' or '''Common Alder''' (''Alnus glutinosa'') is an [[alder]] [[tree]] native to most of [[Europe]], including all of [[Britain]], [[Fennoscandia]] and locally in southwest [[Asia]].

The Black Alder 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 [[leaf|leaves]] 6–12 cm long, becoming wedge-shaped at the base and with a slightly toothed margin. When young they are 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 [[resin]]ous 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 slender cylindrical male [[catkin]]s 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===
[[Image:Coppice_stool.jpg|left|thumb|Recently coppiced stumps, showing the orange-red wood]]
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 is therefore used for [[pile]]s. 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 [[Smoking (food)|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 is used for [[tanning]] and [[dye]]ing.

===Cultural aspects===
Frequently, such as in [[Brythonic mythology|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 (tree)|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 [[itch]]ing.

{{Commons|Alnus_glutinosa}}

[[Category:Betulaceae]]
[[Category:Flora of Europe]]
[[Category:Wood]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:33, 1 December 2010
Line 1:		Line 1:
		+	{{SPlantbox
		+	\|familia=Betulaceae
		+	\|genus=Alnus
		+	\|species=glutinosa
		+	\|common_name=Black alder, Common alder
		+	\|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|habit=tree
		+	\|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|Max ht box=60
		+	\|Max ht metric=ft
		+	\|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|Max wd box=35
		+	\|Max wd metric=ft
		+	\|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|lifespan=perennial
		+	\|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|exposure=sun
		+	\|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|features=deciduous, flowers
		+	\|flower_season=early spring, mid spring, late spring
		+	\|flower_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|flowers=blue, purple
		+	\|Temp Metric=°F
		+	\|min_zone=4
		+	\|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
		+	\|max_zone=8
		+	\|image=Upload.png
		+	\|image_width=240
		+	}}
	:For the '''Black Alder''' (''Ilex verticillata''), see [[American Winterberry]].		:For the '''Black Alder''' (''Ilex verticillata''), see [[American Winterberry]].
	__NOTOC__{{Plantbox		__NOTOC__{{Plantbox

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 :For the '''Black Alder''' (''Ilex verticillata''), see [[American Winterberry]].
+__NOTOC__{{Plantbox
-{{Taxobox
+| name = ''Alnus glutinosa''
-| color = lightgreen
+| common_names = Black Alder, European Alder, Common Alder
-| name = Black Alder
+| growth_habit = ?   <!--- tree, shrub, herbaceous, vine, etc -->
 | image = Alnus glutinosa.jpg
-| image_width = 240px
+| image_width = 240px    <!--- leave as 240px if horizontal orientation photo, or change to 180px if vertical -->
-| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
+| image_caption =     <!--- eg. Cultivated freesias -->
-| divisio = [[flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
+| regnum = Plantae
-| classis = [[dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
+| divisio = Magnoliophyta
-| ordo = [[Fagales]]
+| classis = Magnoliopsida
-| familia = [[Betulaceae]]
+| ordo = Fagales
-| genus = [[Alder|Alnus]]
+| familia = Betulaceae
-| species = '''''A. glutinosa'''''
+| genus = Alnus
-| binomial = ''Alnus glutinosa''
+| species = glutinosa
-| binomial_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
+}}
 }}
-The Black Alder 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&ndash;10 cm short-stalked rounded [[leaf|leaves]] 6&ndash;12 cm long, becoming wedge-shaped at the base and with a slightly toothed margin. When young they are 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 [[resin]]ous gum.
+==Cultivation==
 There are four [[subspecies]]:
 *''Alnus glutinosa'' subsp. ''glutinosa''. Europe.
@@ Line 27: / Line 49: @@
 *''Alnus glutinosa'' subsp. ''betuloides''. Eastern Anatolia.
-The slender cylindrical male [[catkin]]s are pendulous, reddish in colour and 5&ndash;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.
+==Gallery==
-===Uses===
+==References==
-[[Image:Coppice_stool.jpg|left|thumb|Recently coppiced stumps, showing the orange-red wood]]
+*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
-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 is therefore used for [[pile]]s. 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 [[Smoking (food)|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 is used for [[tanning]] and [[dye]]ing.
+<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
-===Cultural aspects===
+==External links==
-Frequently, such as in [[Brythonic mythology|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 (tree)|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 [[itch]]ing.
+*{{wplink}}
-{{Commons|Alnus_glutinosa}}
+{{stub}}
-[[Category:Betulaceae]]
+<!--  in order to add all the proper categories, go to http://www.plants.am/wiki/Plant_Categories and copy/paste the contents of the page here, and then follow the easy instructions!    -->