Alder –American/Black
Botanical Name: Prinos verticillatus
Family: Aquifoliaceae
Other Names: Feverbush, winterberry
Description: Bark: brown-grey Berries
Native to: North America, Canada
Parts Used: Bark, berries
Actions: Antiseptic, cathartic
Alder-Common/Black
Botanical Name: Alnus glutinosa
Family: Betulaceae
Other Names: Aller, European alder, Irish mahogany, tag alder, whistlewood
Habitat: Banks of rivers, streams, ponds etc.
Description: Tree which grows over 90 ft
Black or dark grey bark that is very wrinkled.
The leaves open in April and are rounded and inverted heart shape with the broadest part furthest away from the stem. With a toothed edge and blunt tip. They are light green when they 1st open but gradually get darker before falling in November. The leaf bud is enclosed in a brown/yellow pair of bud scales which peel back as the leaf opens The leaves are sticky when young as a gum is produced to ward off moisture. Alternate
The male flowers are arranged in catkins and are visible in winter as brown oval buds. In march they form into lambs tails. The female ones are a cluster of small flowers, which develop, into woody cones with small winged nutlets. The cones are green at 1st but become hard and woody. It matures aged 30 and can live up to 150 years. Many tiny roots
Native to: Britain, Europe, Asia, Africa
Part Used: Bark, leaves
Actions: Astringent
Constituents: Bark- tannins, lignans including dimethoxyisolariciresinol, phenolic glycosides including lyonoside, emodin, triterpenes
Leaves – Flavonoids glycosides including hyperoside, resin
Traditional Uses: Weary feet
Skin: Poultices: bruises, swellings
Circulatory, muscle joint: Poultices: rheumatism
Digestive: Stomach, liver, gall bladder
Respiratory: Sore throats, mouth ulcers
Nervous System: Foundations in life, communication, nervousness
Other Uses: Dyes, boats, lock gates, clogs
In Ireland used for milk pails and it was believed to protect the milk
Its sticky leaves are good at capturing insects
It can be used for three dyes - red from its bark, green from its flowers and brown from its twigs - symbolising fire, water and earth
Other Notes:
A Druid sacred tree. Associated with Bran the blessed
Can make whistles by binding several shoot together, one end stopped with pieces of wood. This entices air elementals to your area. You must trim the end of each shoot to produce the notes you desire. The old superstition of whistling up the wind comes from this.
Known in folklore as "King of the Waters"
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.
Enriches the soil by forming nitrogen salts in its root system
When felled the inner wood is white then turns reddish/pink. The ancients believed this was because the tree was bleeding.
Ogham/Gaelic name fearn, Anglo-Saxon - alr, Norse olr
In Irish legend the first man came from alder and the first woman from rowan
Alnus probably comes from Alor amne which may mean “I am nourished by the steam”
The name is possible derived from the old English “elawer” meaning chief
Used in the peak district in well dressings, where the berries are known as black knobs.
In Somerset it is believed if you enter into a alder wood after dark you will never return as the tree will keep you
It is resistant to damp
Caution: Bad for horses