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Few people know that antibiotics, modern antipyretic, analgesic and antirheumatic drugs of synthetic origin (for example, aspirin, sodium salicylate) are derivatives of active ingredients aspen. We will talk about the properties of this tree, its use in folk and traditional medicine in this article.Description of the common aspen tree
Common aspen(or trembling poplar) is a tree with a columnar trunk, the maximum height of which is 35 m, while the diameter of the trunk reaches 1 m. This plant is distinguished by rounded leaves with fairly large teeth along the edge. Because of the long roots that are flattened in the middle, aspen leaves begin to tremble even with a slight blow of wind.
Aspen (like other types of poplars) is a dioecious tree, as a result of which entire sections of tree stands can consist of male or female individuals. So, male flowers They are distinguished by pink or red earrings, while women's ones have green earrings.
This is a fairly fast-growing species, which grows up to 20 m in 40 years. However, aspen is not durable, and often lives for about 90 years (rarely the age of aspen is 130 - 150 years).
Exist different types aspen trees, which differ in the color and structure of the bark, the time of leaf blooming and other characteristics. But in folk medicine it is the common aspen that is used, the properties and application of which will be discussed in detail below.
Where does aspen grow?
Aspen is rightfully considered one of the most important forest-forming species in Russia. It grows in the European part of Russia, in Siberia and the Far East.Collection and storage
Bloom
Aspen blooms quite early, namely from March to April (before the leaves appear).The leaves of the tree are collected in early May or June. The leaves are dried in the shade or in a dryer at a temperature of about 50 - 60 degrees.
Aspen buds are collected before they bloom, and it is important to immediately dry them in a stove or oven.
When is aspen bark collected?
Aspen bark is collected from the moment sap flow begins, that is, from April 20 to June 1. Moreover, it is collected from young trees, the thickness of which is 7–8 cm. The bark is collected using a sharp knife, which is used to make an incision around the trunk. Then, after a segment equal to 30 cm, a subsequent incision is made, after another 30 cm - a subsequent one (and so on). After this, you need to make a vertical cut on each tube and remove the bark. But it is undesirable to plan it from aspen trunks (otherwise the wood will get into the bark, which will reduce medicinal qualities the last one). The bark can be removed not only from the trunk of an aspen, but also from its thin branches.
The collected bark is dried under a canopy, as well as using an oven or oven, after being cut into pieces 3–4 cm long (the temperature in the oven should not be higher than 60 degrees). If raw materials are dried indoors, it should be well ventilated.
Important! You cannot dry aspen bark in the sun so that it does not lose its healing properties.
Dried raw materials can be stored for no more than three years.
Aspen in folk medicine
Aspen bark, buds, leaves and shoots are quite common medicinal products of natural origin, which have proven themselves in the treatment of various diseases, including helminthiasis and opisthorchiasis.Aspen preparations are prescribed for diseases of the bladder (aspen is especially useful for older people, since it does not have side effects and is well tolerated by the body), for gastrointestinal diseases, cystitis, urinary incontinence, as well as prostatitis, rheumatism, gout and hemorrhoids. Externally, aspen preparations are used for burns, difficult-to-heal wounds and ulcers.
Aspen buds and leaves are used in the manufacture of antitussive medicines that thin sputum, thereby accelerating its removal from the bronchi and relieving cough.
Special attention is deserved by the fact that for many centuries people have been using aspen buds to make propolis, which is widely used in the treatment of various diseases. Propolis is also used in cosmetology: for example, creams with propolis have a soothing, moisturizing and rejuvenating effect.
Treatment using aspen
Leaves
Freshly crushed aspen leaves are used as poultices and compresses for rheumatism, gout, hemorrhoids. For this, 2 - 3 tbsp. the raw materials are steamed and wrapped in gauze, after which they are applied to the affected areas of the body. Such poultices will also ease the course of arthritis and arthrosis by reducing or completely eliminating joint pain.Aspen leaves accelerate the healing of wounds, weeping eczema and ulcers.
Bark
This part of aspen has found application in the treatment of the following pathologies:
- scurvy;
- feverish conditions;
- gastrointestinal diseases;
- prostatic hypertrophy;
- bladder diseases;
- neuralgia;
- sciatica.
Aspen buds
Externally ground aspen buds, which are mixed with butter or vegetable oil, are used in the form of an ointment to heal wounds and bruises, as well as to relieve inflammation in various skin diseases.Infusion
This form of aspen preparations is taken for prostate hypertrophy, and also as an antipyretic for fever. In addition, infusions and decoctions of aspen are indicated as an internal or external remedy for the diseases listed above (see “What do aspen preparations treat?”).Extract
Aspen extract has the following spectrum of action:- increases immunity;
- normalizes the process of hematopoiesis in immunodeficiencies, allergies, anemia of various origins;
- normalizes sleep;
- strengthens the nervous system.
Contraindications to the use of aspen
Aspen preparations are tolerated quite easily, but before using them, you must always consult with your doctor regarding the dosage and duration of treatment.Important! When taking aspen preparations, you should remember that decoctions and infusions from the kidneys have a pronounced astringent effect, so it is undesirable to take them for chronic intestinal diseases accompanied by persistent constipation. In addition, aspen is taken with caution for dysbacteriosis.
Application of aspen bark
Aspen bark is used in the treatment of the following pathologies:
- urethritis;
- kidney diseases;
- cystitis;
- pathologies of the bladder;
- arthritis;
- arthrosis;
- salts in joints;
- colitis;
- gout;
- rheumatism;
- oncological diseases;
- diabetes;
- gastritis;
- pancreatitis;
- fever;
- malaria;
- diarrhea;
- dyspepsia.
Due to the fact that aspen bark contains acetylsalicylic acid and bitterness, this part of the tree is included in medications indicated for fever.
A sufficiently high content of vitamins, tannins and other biologically active substances in aspen bark ensures soft action on the body.
Aspen bark is included in skin products because it helps improve the condition of the skin and mucous membranes. It is used in cosmetology both in the form of lotions, lotions, ointments and creams, and in the form of baths. Aspen extract from the bark of the plant nourishes the skin, giving it elasticity, velvety, and softness.
Preparations made from aspen bark increase the body's resistance to pathogenic microflora, therefore they are used for gynecological diseases in the form of douching.
How to brew aspen bark?
Aspen bark can be brewed or infused, in which case you can use a pharmacy version of the drug, or you can harvest the bark yourself. The pharmaceutical version is brewed similarly to tea for 5 minutes.How to use?
Medicines containing aspen bark are taken, mainly on an empty stomach. The dosage and regimen depend on the disease itself and its severity. To determine the dosage, it is better to consult a doctor who will select the most best option reception.Decoction
A decoction of the bark is prescribed for gastritis, dyspepsia and diarrhea. The decoction can also improve appetite and normalize the functioning of the digestive tract. A decoction is recommended in the treatment of fever and malaria. 1 tbsp. dry raw materials must be poured with a glass of water and put on fire. The product is boiled for 10 minutes, and then infused for another 20 minutes, after which the broth is filtered and drunk in 3 to 4 doses.
Infusion
Infusion of the bark is an excellent tonic and oncoprotective agent used for the following pathologies:- lichen;
- scurvy;
- pancreatitis;
- tuberculosis of the skin;
- gout;
- prostate cancer;
- dysentery.
Tincture
This form of aspen preparations is indicated for the treatment of arthritis, arthrosis, joint pain, rheumatism, and prostatitis.Half a glass of dried aspen bark should be infused in half a liter of vodka for a week (the product should be infused in a dark place). Drink a tablespoon of the product three times a day.
Aspen bark extract
Aspen bark extract, which has a pronounced antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic effect, is taken for the same list of diseases as the tincture, 20–25 drops three times a day.Contraindications
There are no contraindications to the use of aspen bark preparations (only individual intolerance).Treatment with aspen bark
Aspen bark for diabetes
Treatment of diabetes mellitus comes down, first of all, to restoring and stabilizing blood sugar levels by lowering it. Aspen bark effectively copes with the task of lowering sugar, which is why it is widely used in the treatment of diabetes. To normalize sugar, you need to drink 100 ml of freshly prepared aspen bark decoction every day on an empty stomach. The decoction is prepared as follows: 1 tbsp. Dried and thoroughly crushed bark is poured with 200 ml of water. The resulting mixture is boiled for 10 minutes, and then the finished broth is filtered and taken in one dose, before breakfast. The decoction cannot be sweetened.
An infusion of bark prepared according to the recipe below is also effective (the advantage of the infusion is that it has a pleasant taste, so it is easier to drink than a bitter infusion).
So, to prepare the infusion, you need to grind fresh aspen bark using a meat grinder. The resulting mass is filled with water in a ratio of 1:3 (one part bark to three parts water). The product must be infused for at least 10 hours. The strained infusion is taken on an empty stomach, 150–200 ml, daily.
The course of treatment with both decoction and infusion is three weeks. Next, a 10-day break is taken, after which, if necessary, the course continues.
No less useful for diabetes mellitus and aspen kvass, for the preparation of which you will need:
1.
A three-liter jar filled halfway with aspen bark.
2.
One glass of sugar.
3.
A teaspoon of sour cream.
All ingredients are mixed and kept warm for two weeks. Drink this medicinal kvass, which lowers sugar levels, 2–3 glasses a day.
Important! After drinking a glass of kvass, you immediately need to add a glass of water and a teaspoon of sugar to a three-liter jar. One serving of bark is designed for a two- to three-month course of treatment.
Aspen bark for prostatitis
Prostatitis is an extremely insidious disease, which, if not detected and treated in a timely manner, can lead to impotence or prostate adenoma (tumor). The fact is that a swollen prostate, pinching the urinary canal, complicates the process of urination (up to its complete cessation). In advanced cases, only a fairly complex operation can eliminate this pathology, and, consequently, save the patient’s life. In addition, prolonged inflammation of the prostate can develop into a malignant form.Therefore, if you notice the following symptoms of prostatitis, you should immediately seek help from a doctor.
Symptoms of prostatitis:
- fast fatiguability ;
- excessive irritability;
- prostration;
- discomfort in the perineal area;
- cloudy urine;
100 g of dried bark are ground in a coffee grinder. The resulting powder is poured into a half-liter jar and 250 ml of vodka is poured in, which should completely cover the powder. The jar is tightly closed and infused for two weeks, after which the tincture is filtered. Take 20 drops three times a day for two months, diluting with water if necessary.
Collection for prostatitis
Ingredients:
- aspen bark – 100 g;
- cinquefoil root – 200 g;
- galangal root – 100 g.
This tincture will help cope not only with prostatitis, but also with joint pain and prostate adenoma.
Aspen bark for adenoma
Today, surgery remains the leading method of treating prostate adenoma. If we talk about drug therapy, it does not justify its effectiveness, not to mention the serious side effects caused by taking certain synthetic drugs. Therefore, it is not surprising that doctors turned their attention to medicinal plants. Thus, it has been proven that the development of hyperplastic processes in the prostate can be stopped using plant sitosterols and some other biologically active substances contained in medicinal plants. One such plant is aspen, which contains sterols and lignans. These substances, which have antioxidant properties, prevent the formation and development of cancer cells, and, consequently, cancer diseases.
Of course, herbal medicines are not always able to completely cure prostate adenoma, but they can significantly improve the condition of patients with the first and second stages of the disease. In addition, do not forget that receiving funds plant origin– the process is long, so it is important to be patient and regularly take an infusion of aspen bark, which stops the growth of the tumor, relieves swelling, and improves the general condition of the patient.
3 tbsp. dry bark is poured with a glass of boiling water, after which the product is placed on low heat and boiled for about 15 - 20 minutes. Removed from the heat, the broth is cooled, filtered and drunk one third of a glass three times a day, before eating.
You can also take aspen bark in powder form, at a dosage of one third of a teaspoon per day. The powder is washed down with water.
Multi-component fees also deserve special attention, as they are more effective if correct selection components.
According to clinical studies, aspen bark extract is twice as effective in treating giardiasis and opisthorchiasis as strong antibacterial agents.
Aspen bark for opisthorchiasis
A disease such as opisthorchiasis requires immediate treatment - otherwise the development of the following complications cannot be avoided:
The advantages of preparations made from aspen bark over synthetic anthelmintic drugs are undeniable:
- low toxicity;
- lack of allergenic properties;
- helping to reduce allergy symptoms;
- mitigation of the deworming process;
- Possibility of use by people of different ages (including children).
Pour 50 g of aspen bark into half a liter cold water, put on fire and bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Then the broth is carefully wrapped and infused for three hours. The drug is taken on an empty stomach, two sips, no more than five times a day. In parallel (to achieve maximum effect), you can take a decoction of Solyanka Kholmovoy.
Aspen bark for giardiasis
Today, giardiasis is a fairly common disease caused by exposure to small intestine lamblia with dirty vegetables, fruits, berries. - low degree of toxicity;
- possibility of repeating the therapeutic course;
- Possibility of use by children.
Tincture of aspen bark
50 g of bark is infused for two weeks in 500 ml of vodka, and the tincture should be shaken periodically. The squeezed tincture is taken one tablespoon, diluted in a small amount of water, three to four times a day.
The average course of treatment is three weeks. A repeat course can be carried out in a month.
Important! Before and during taking aspen preparations, it is recommended to exclude from the diet for a week all products of animal origin (that is, milk, meat, eggs), spicy, spicy and fatty foods.
Recipes with aspen
Decoction for toothacheFresh aspen bark is filled with water, brought to a boil, and then boiled for 10 minutes. Rinse your mouth with a tolerant hot broth (you can simply hold the broth in your mouth until it cools down). Rinsing is carried out two to three times a day. At first, the tooth will react painfully to this procedure, but gradually the pain will subside.
Decoction for joint swelling
20 g of aspen buds are poured into 200 ml of water, then the mixture is boiled and infused for half an hour, after which it is filtered and taken 2 tbsp. half an hour to an hour before meals, 3 times a day.
Infusion for rheumatism
3 tbsp. Aspen buds are poured with 500 ml of boiled but cold water, infused overnight, filtered and drunk in a third of a glass half an hour before eating, three times a day.
Infusion for cystitis
1 tbsp. Aspen bark is poured with two glasses of boiling water and kept in a water bath for half an hour. The strained infusion is diluted with boiled water to its original volume. Take 2 tablespoons of the product. (you can increase the dosage to half a glass) four times a day, with meals. If desired, the infusion can be sweetened a little, which will help overcome the bitter taste.
Decoction for gout
1 tsp Aspen bark is boiled for 15 minutes in one glass of water (it is better to boil the bark in a water bath). Next, the broth is cooled, filtered, squeezed and brought to its original volume with boiled water. Take 2 tsp of the product. three times a day. This decoction also helps relieve joint pain, for which it is enough to apply lotions to the affected joints.
Decoction for mastopathy
500 g of aspen bark are poured into 2 liters of water. Bring the resulting mixture to a boil and cook over low heat for another two hours. The broth is infused until cooled and filtered. Then 500 ml of vodka is added to it. The resulting mixture is divided into 20 servings and drunk for 20 days in a row, on an empty stomach.
Decoction for jade
1 tbsp. a mixture of branches, leaves and aspen bark is poured with a glass of water and boiled for 10 minutes. Use half a glass 4 times a day. After 3–4 weeks, a ten-day break is taken. If necessary, you can undergo the course of treatment again.
Compresses for hemorrhoids
Steamed aspen leaves are applied to hemorrhoidal cones for two hours, after which a break is taken for an hour, and then the leaves are again applied to the cones for two hours. It is recommended to conduct about three to four such sessions per week, with a break between them of at least a day.
It is easy to distinguish alder from aspen. It is enough to see these trees several times. But if you don't have a picture in your head, this article will help you identify these trees even in winter.
By the leaves
Trees have very different leaves. Aspen leaves are larger. The edges are smooth, the shape is classic. Alder has jagged edges. The shape is elongated, closer to an oval.
By fruit
Alder is easily distinguished by its cone-shaped fruits. In spring and summer they are green, and by winter they dry out, turn brown and stiffen. You won't find anything like this on aspen.
By bark
The bark of these plants is also very different. In aspen it is smooth, greenish-gray in color, sometimes with a slight bluish tint.
Alder bark varies. In gray it has a pronounced gray color with a light woody texture. The bark of black alder is dark brown, almost black. In mature trees it cracks and peels off.
For wood
In my opinion, the most characteristic differences are the properties of the wood. When you cut aspen, it has an exceptional white color when cut. And alder wood, black or gray, is red.
Freshly sawn wood of a light color. But literally before our eyes it begins to turn red, turning into an orange or pinkish tint. This phenomenon can be observed especially clearly in winter, when the reaction occurs faster.
Using this knowledge, you can easily distinguish alder from aspen. And it doesn’t matter if there are leaves on the tree or if it lies in your yard as firewood.
Aspen, also known as common aspen, Euro-Siberian, or trembling poplar (lat. Populus tremula) is a species of common deciduous trees of the Dicotyledonous class, order Malpighiaceae, Willow family, Poplar genus. Limited common names: Judas tree, Osyka, Whispering tree.
International scientific name: Populus tremula Linnaeus, 1753
Synonyms:
Populus australis Ten.
Populus bonatii H.Lev.
Populus duclouxiana Dode
Populus microcarpa Hook.f. & Thomson ex Hook.f.
Populus pseudotremula N.I. Rubtzov
Populus repanda Baumg.
Populus rotundifolia Griff.
Populus villosa Lang
Tremula vulgaris Opiz
English titles: Aspen, Common Aspen, European Aspen.
German titles: Espe, Aspe, Zitterpappel.
Security status: According to the IUCN Red List (version 3.1), aspen is considered to be of Least Concern (LC).
Etymology of the name, or why the aspen tree trembles
A characteristic feature of aspen is its very mobile, fluttering leaves. Because of this, in Latin it was called “quivering poplar.” It's all about very long petioles, very flattened at the top. Because of them, the leaves are unstable and at the slightest movement of air they begin to oscillate and tremble. With a stronger wind blowing, the petiole turns along with the leaf blade. By the way, from the inside out, the aspen leaf is not green, but greenish-brown, so it seems that the tree is changing color.
The name “aspen” can be traced in both Proto-Slavic and Indo-European languages. According to Hoops, it was borrowed from the Iranian language, according to Pedersen and Liden, from Armenian. Many European and Asian peoples call the tree by similar names. M. Vasmer in the etymological dictionary of the Russian language gives the following examples: “Ukr. aspen, osika, other Russian. aspen, Bulgarian osika (Mladenov 388), Czech. dial osa, osina, slvts. osika, Polish osa, osina, v.-luzh. wosa, wosuna, p.-luzh. wоsa, wоsa “silver poplar” along with the Bulgarian. Yasika "aspen", Serbohorvian Jasika, Slovenian.”
Common aspen is a promising forest species for afforestation of ravine slopes and other unstable steep slopes. It protects eroded lands from further development of erosion processes and allows them to be returned to economic use. Trembling poplar regenerates well after cutting due to its ability to form root suckers. Therefore, plantings created on the slopes of ravines can be exploited without the risk of weakening the anti-erosion resistance of the territory for a long time. It is one of the reforesting tree species, under the protection of which valuable tree species grow.
Medicinal properties of aspen and its use in folk medicine
The benefits of aspen products have long been known to people in many countries around the world. A large number of Preparations from this tree are used as medicine. The bark, young twigs, leaves, buds, ash and coal of trembling poplar are used. In Tibetan medicine, the bark is more often used for pneumonia, smallpox and malaria. It is useful as an anti-inflammatory and astringent, diaphoretic, anticoagulant and analgesic. In Siberia, since time immemorial, people have been treating with all parts of this plant.
Compound
- The bark, leaves and buds contain essential oil, bitter glycosides, salicin and populin, tannins (up to 18%) and resinous substances, as well as organic acids. By the way, the bitter taste of the buds and bark is due to the fact that they contain the glycosides salicin and populin.
- The leaves additionally contain carotenoids, vitamin C, flavonoids, and anthocyanins.
- The kidneys contain aromatic acids, triglycerides of phenolcarboxylic acids.
- The bark and young shoots contain aromatic acids, phenol glycosides, higher fatty acids (capric, lauric, arachidic, behenic, etc.), unsaturated fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, linolenic), carotenoids, vitamin E, phosphatides.
pharmachologic effect
- antiseptic;
- bactericidal;
- anticoagulant;
- reparative;
- diaphoretic;
- antipyretic;
- diuretic;
- astringent;
- pain reliever;
- restorative;
- anti-inflammatory.
What does aspen treat?
- Bacterial infections
Diseases caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and bacteria of the enteric typhus group heal the leaves, and to a greater extent the buds of aspen. They contain essential oil, which explains their medicinal properties. The oil has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Externally, tincture and decoction of aspen bark is used for sore throat, stomatitis, and gingivitis. A decoction and tea made from the leaves, buds and young twigs of trembling poplar also helps. Alcohol tincture of aspen buds is used as an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and diaphoretic.
- Thrombosis
If there is a risk of a blood clot, treatment is carried out with aspen bark and buds. Preparations made from them are popularly called natural aspirin due to the presence of salicin glycoside in them. It stimulates blood thinning and prevents the formation of clots.
- Helminthiasis
- Respiratory diseases
Most often in medicinal purposes use a decoction and tincture of aspen bark with vodka. Their use is widespread for colds and bronchopulmonary diseases. A decoction of aspen buds helps with colds, bronchitis and pulmonary tuberculosis. An alcohol tincture of the plant's buds is used as an antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and diaphoretic. The plant has long been considered a strong antitussive product; it reduces the excitability of the cough center. But antitussive drugs should not be taken independently, without a doctor’s recommendation. There are diseases in which it is important not to eliminate the cough, but to cause sputum discharge with its help. It would be advisable to use this plant for obsessive, irritating cough (pulmonary tuberculosis, pleurisy, whooping cough, bronchial asthma).
- Furunculosis
Ash from burnt aspen branches is used for treatment.
- Toothache and other types of pain
The potency of aspen preparations is comparable to aspirin. They have strong antipyretic and analgesic effects. For pain relief, decoctions of the bark and kidneys are used.
- Diabetes mellitus type 2
Aspen bark is usually used for diabetes mellitus. It normalizes metabolism, the functioning of the pancreas and the endocrine system as a whole, and reduces blood sugar levels. The bark is indicated for type 2 diabetes mellitus, with insufficient insulin production.
- Kidney and bladder diseases
Preparations from the bark act as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. Its decoctions are prescribed to improve urination in cases of nephritis, cystitis, and urethritis. As urine volume increases, more toxins left by bacteria are eliminated.
- Diseases of the joints and muscles
Remedies from aspen bark relieve inflammation, swelling, pain in joints and muscles, improve blood flow, and prevent salt deposition. They are recommended for arthrosis, rheumatic, gouty pain, radiculitis. It is also useful for such diagnoses to take medicinal baths with the addition of a decoction of aspen bark.
- Problems with the digestive system
Aspen bark treats gastrointestinal infections, including dysentery, digestive disorders, and inflammation of hemorrhoids. It is taken for diseases of the liver, spleen, bile ducts, stomach and intestines, to normalize appetite and secretion.
- Jaundice
An increased amount of bilirubin in the blood also helps eliminate a decoction of aspen bark.
- Prostatitis and prostatic hypertrophy
IN Western Europe There is a demand for preparations from aspen bark for diseases of the bladder, prostate hypertrophy, adenoma, and prostatitis. Treatment of prostatitis with aspen bark is carried out according to a certain scheme indicated in the instructions for the drugs.
Who is contraindicated for aspen treatment?
Aspen-based products should not be taken if:
- tendency to constipation;
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- allergies to substances contained in the plant.
In addition, do not forget that self-medication is dangerous! A doctor must make a diagnosis and prescribe medications!
Aspen as pet food
Aspen branches and leaves provide excellent food for pets. For example, goats and sheep even prefer this food to hay. In Russia, peasants harvested them and made brooms for feeding animals. Sheep suffering from poor digestion or fever recovered by eating aspen leaves. Cows fed this type of food in winter produce milk of the same quality as in summer when fed grass.
Wood flour can be obtained from aspen wood, which is suitable for feeding livestock, like meadow hay and clover. The bark is also nutritious, but old bark cannot be used for in kind. Therefore, at the Leningrad Forestry Academy named after. CM. Kirov created a technology with which you can process old aspen bark and obtain a vitamin concentrate (aspen fat) from it.
How to get rid of aspen on the site?
Aspen produces active growth, occupying lands that are important for the owners. And if you cut it down, the root shoots will grow even faster and more abundantly. You can try to uproot stumps and roots, cut off shoots and wait for the underground part of the plants to die, buy a stain in the store and kill the trees with it. Most successful way: Drill a deep hole in the stump with a drill and pour acid into it. This way the aspen will die quickly and for sure.
Pests and diseases of aspen, ways to combat them
Aspen leaves are damaged by the following pests:
- willow grass (lat. Leucoma salicis);
- aspen serrated corydalis (lat. Pheosia tremula);
- rusty-brown tassel (lat. Pygaera anastomosis);
- aspen leafminer moth (lat. Lithocolletis tremulae);
- aspen hairy sawfly (lat. Cladius viminalis);
- large aspen sawfly, or large willow sawfly (lat. Clavellaria (Pseudoclavellaria, Tenthredo) amerinae);
- aspen leaf beetle (lat. Chrysomela tremula);
- aspen yellow sawfly (lat. Cimbex luteus);
- aspen pipe maker (lat. Byctiscus populi);
- aspen bouquet mite (lat. Eriophies dispar);
- larvae of aspen leaf beetle (lat. Chrysomela tremula);
- aspen borer (lat. Poecilonota variolosa);
- small (lat. Saperda populnea) and big (lat. Saperda carcharias) aspen creaks.
The most common pest of aspen seeds is the poplar catkin moth, or frog moth (lat. Batrachedra praenqusta).
Control of insects that damage leaves and seeds is carried out at the caterpillar or larval stage. Trees are treated with chloroform, karbofos, methylnitrophos, benzophosphate. Microbiological preparations used include entobacterin, gomelin, insectin, and dendrobacelin.
Aspen gall midge Harmandiola cavernosa on an aspen leaf. Photo credit: Gilles San Martin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Pests of aspen trunks can also damage the roots and branches of trees. The most common pests that damage wood include:
- large poplar glass (lat. Sesia apiformis);
- large aspen barbel, or large aspen creaker (lat. Saperda carcharias);
- small aspen barbel, or poplar creaker (lat. Saperda populnea);
- green narrow-bodied borer (lat. Agrilus viridis);
- gray aspen barbel, or aspen clit (lat. Xylotrechus rusticus);
- aspen wood borer (lat. Acossus terebra).
In addition to the listed species, aspen can be damaged by many types of glass beetles, borers and some types of bark beetles, for example, the gypsy bark beetle. Mechanical methods are used as control measures: uprooting infected stumps, timely cutting of plants. Biological and chemical methods are also used: creating crops using the shadow method, treating with insecticides.
Stem pests often cause butt and root rot, as they “open the gate” to wood-destroying fungi.
Fungus from the genus Melampsora on an aspen leaf. Photo credit: Rasbak, CC BY-SA 3.0
- It is worth walking through an aspen grove and you will hear the alarming rustling of its leaves, as before a storm. They don’t really like the tree for its “talkativeness”, giving it unflattering nicknames: “whispering tree”, “sworn tree”, “trembling tree”. According to legend, it was on an aspen tree that Judas, who betrayed Jesus Christ, hanged himself, and the Cross of the Lord was made from it. Allegedly, since then she has been trembling, remembering the inglorious death of the traitor. But in fact, aspen does not grow in Palestine.
- In paganism, aspen was considered a savior from evil spirits. For example, according to legend, vampires can only be killed by piercing them with an aspen stake.
- Aspen gets rid of excess healthy branches without breaking them. This process is called autumn branch fall. In autumn, the ground next to the tree is covered with thin young branches the length of a pencil or more.
- Aspen is used to create forest shelterbelts in the steppe zone of Russia. The tree forms dense thickets and prevents the penetration of steppe vegetation into cultivated lands.
- Aspen is a nurse tree in relation to spruce. Under his protection and with his help, young spruce trees grow faster.
- Aspen was included in the Red Book of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug in 2008.
- An old aspen tree, 150 years old, grows in the Poltava region of Ukraine.
Aspen is a tree that is also called trembling poplar: everyone knows how aspen leaves tremble in the wind. Everyone also knows that its wood is used in construction and in the manufacture of various items. However, aspen is also a real forest first aid kit. because it contains a lot of substances beneficial to the body.
Common aspen belongs to the same genus as poplars (it is called the Poplar genus), and together with them it is part of the Willow family. The tree grows up to 35 meters in height, while the diameter of the trunk is small - on average up to 1 meter.
This plant lives no more than 100 years, but grows very quickly, which is why it reaches a height of 1 tier. The root system is well developed, deep and produces a lot of offspring, thanks to which the aspen reproduces.
The bark initially has light green or grayish tints, but begins to darken with age. The leaves of the tree have a serrated outline, up to 5-7 cm in length, rounded at the base. Interestingly, the plant produces flowers before the leaves bloom.. At the same time, aspen is a dioecious tree: there are male and female plants. They give earrings (men's are thicker, women's are thinner). The fruits are formed in the form of small boxes, and the seeds are protected by a downy layer, thanks to which they are preserved even when frozen.
Aspen is a tree also called trembling poplar
Aspen distribution areas
Aspen is distributed throughout Eurasia and Russia as well. Thanks to its winter hardiness and high degree of adaptation, it tolerates both Siberian frosts and the hot summer of the Volga region. It is found up to the beginning of the tundra, everywhere in the forest zone and forest-steppe.
Most often it settles on the edges and along river valleys, less often in desert areas and mountains. Aspen forms mixed forests , and also forms its own groups - the so-called aspen pegs. Typically, offspring give birth to children at a distance of about 30 meters from the parent.
THIS IS INTERESTING
Aspen is one of the few trees that recovers even after forest fires: the reason is that its root system lies deep underground, so the tree resumes growth literally immediately after the end of the disaster.
Gallery: aspen (25 photos)
Features of aspen (video)
Parts of the plant used in medicine
The main part of the tree, which is used in the treatment of many diseases, is the bark. It contains vitamins, microelements and other useful substances, thanks to which with its help they treat:
- diseases of the digestive system;
- neuralgia;
- feverish conditions;
- radiculitis;
- scurvy;
- hernia and many others and diseases.
Along with bark, the following are also used:
- aspen leaves (for hemorrhoids, gout, rheumatism);
- kidneys (for external use in the treatment of wounds, pustules, bruises, and arthritis);
- root (for the treatment of rheumatism and arthritis - also externally).
Interestingly, aspen juice is also used, which is extracted from raw logs. To do this, it is heated over a fire or in a stove, and the liquid is removed from the foaming surface, which is used to lubricate warts and areas of skin lesions.
Aspen produces flowers before the leaves bloom
Medicinal and beneficial properties of aspen
Thanks to his rich chemical compositionthe tree has a beneficial effect on various organ systems - it is used as:
- anti-inflammatory;
- bactericidal;
- antipyretic;
- diaphoretic;
- astringent;
- choleretic agent.
Most often, it is tree bark that is used; when harvesting it, several rules should be taken into account, described in the next section.
The main part of aspen, which is used in the treatment of many diseases, is the bark
Collection, preparation and storage of medicinal raw materials
Aspen bark is most often used in folk medicine. During its collection and subsequent storage, several rules are taken into account:
- The bark is collected only in the second half of spring.
- It is mainly collected from young trees with thin trunks (9-10 cm in diameter). To do this, an incision is made with a knife around the trunk with a minimum distance of 25-30 cm.
- A thin layer of bark is removed from the cut, but the entire tree cannot be exposed - it may die.
- When the raw materials are collected, they are dried in a special oven at a temperature of no more than 50°C. If this is not possible, you can do this under a canopy in the open air. The size of each fragment should be small - squares 4*4 cm.
- When the bark is completely dry, you should not feel even the slightest moisture to the touch. Raw materials are stored for a maximum of 3 years in a cardboard or wooden box. It is also acceptable to use bags made of natural fabrics. Storage temperature is room temperature, but the room should not be too humid.
Important! The bark should be removed very carefully, avoiding wood, which would reduce the healing effect. Therefore, it is unacceptable to plan the bark - it can only be cut off in a thin layer.
What are the benefits of aspen bark (video)
Traditional medicine recipes with aspen
Aspen is used both internally and externally, depending on the specific recipe. In this case, all components are taken in dried form and thoroughly ground beforehand.
For diabetes, diarrhea and pancreatitis
Use a tablespoon of bark, which needs to be poured with a glass of boiling water and simmered at low boil for half an hour, and then left for another hour. The decoction is taken throughout the day (before each meal). The course of treatment is a month.
For coughs and colds
In this case, take 1 large spoon of bark, pour a glass of boiling water and cook at low boil for half an hour. Infuse until completely cooled and drink a glass per day (3 equal servings before each meal). The course is until complete recovery.
To destroy worms
A tablespoon of bark is infused in a liter thermos overnight. Take a glass a day (3 equal parts before each meal) until complete recovery. You can add sugar or honey to smooth out the bitter taste.
For prostatitis, gout, rheumatism
In this case, an alcohol tincture is made from the bark (the ratio of vodka and bark is 2:1). The mixture is infused for half a month in a dark place, then filtered and taken a teaspoon three times a day (before each meal). You can dilute a spoon in half a glass of water. The course is until complete recovery.
For toothache
In this case, use a decoction of 2 tablespoons of bark (per glass of boiling water), which is boiled at low boil for a quarter of an hour, and then left to cool completely. Rinse your mouth if pain occurs, and keep the infusion in your mouth for as long as possible and then spit it out.
Baths for neuralgia and radiculitis
In this case, a glass of punishment is boiled in half a liter of boiling water (boiling for 5 minutes), then infused for an hour and poured into a hot bath, in which you need to lie for half an hour, and then wrap yourself in something warm. The course of treatment is until complete recovery.
Ointment for eczema, pustules and wounds
Finally, the product is also used externally: half a glass of aspen bark is burned, a teaspoon of ash is taken, mixed with two tablespoons of lard or butter (you can use Vaseline). Apply to affected areas until complete recovery.
Aspen is used both internally and externally, depending on the specific recipe.
Application of aspen in other areas
Along with the medical field, aspen is also used in other areas:
- First of all, this tree has successfully “registered” in an urban environment - it is often used in parklands due to its ability to grow quickly and produce good, lush crowns.
- The wood is used for the production of plywood, paper, furniture, matches, and in wooden architecture.
- Wood is also used in the construction of houses, usually to create roofs.
- Due to the high concentration of tannins in the bark, aspen is used in leather tanning processes.
The tree also plays an important role in nature - bees love to collect pollen from its inconspicuous flowers, and they also collect glue from its buds. This glue subsequently turns into propolis.
Aspen
In terms of chipping strength, aspen is similar to linden and is superior in this to coniferous species, as well as poplar.
Aspen: what it looks like and how it differs from poplar
And in terms of resistance to splitting from impact, it stands next to birch and ash, even ahead of beech, oak, maple, walnut, linden, coniferous trees. This indicates the viscosity of aspen. Aspen is cut elastically, even tightly, with effort, but the surface is good in all directions, sanded and polished well. Considering the indicated properties of aspen, it is especially advantageous to use it for crafts with blind carvings, for making complex, solid-carved ornaments or such decorations. Let us also mention the famous property of the silvery glow of aspen, which we observe on the roofs of the cathedrals of wooden architecture of the North of our country covered with ploughshares (curly carved planks).
General view of the tree
Aspen fruits on the branches
Aspen leaves
ASPEN FORESTS
Accent placement: AXES`NEW FORESTS`
ASPEN FORESTS, aspen forests, deciduous small leaves. plantings with a predominance of aspen trees. Widely distributed in the North. hemisphere throughout the Western Hemisphere. Europe and North America. In the USSR O. l. are not formed everywhere, but only on the richest soils under favorable climate conditions. Largest areas O. l. concentrated in the south. parts of the forest zone of Europe. parts, in the forest-steppe, in the south of the West. Siberia, where they replace the stands of indigenous forests and are classified as derivatives. In steppe conditions, along saucer-shaped depressions, aspen forms small areas pure natures. stands of trees called aspen stakes.
In the USSR among soft leaves. forests O. l. make up 16% of forest stands and occupy 2nd place (after birch plantings). Area O. l. approx. 18.5 million hectares with a timber reserve of 2.6 billion m3. In typological In relation to them, the most characteristic are the complex, oxalis and blueberry groups of forest types, characteristic of spruce, pine or oak forests. Tree stand O. l. forest zones contain an admixture of tree species characteristic of indigenous forests (spruce, fir, pine, oak, linden, etc.), and sometimes also birch and gray alder. Aspen forests, diverse in composition and complex in structure, grow on fresh soddy-medium podzolic loamy soils on cover loam. Many O. l. have 3 tiers: main. the canopy of the 1st tier consists of aspen and partly of birch, the 2nd tier - of spruce, oak, gray alder, the 3rd tier - of undergrowth. The living ground cover in these forests is mainly consists of maynika, zelenchuk, sow, sorrel, fern, meadowsweet, nettle.
Floodplain aspen forest (Sumy region)
In rare cases (usually in burnt areas) O.
Aspen, or trembling poplar: medicinal properties and use in folk medicine
l. are renewed by seed, but more often, especially in clearings, vegetatively, by root shoots and stump shoots at a young age. Such vegetative stands are characterized by different clones. Thanks to its ability to reproduce by root suckers, aspen quickly takes over the vacated area in clearings. Already in the 2nd year after felling, a large number of root shoots appear. Due to the very large number of trunks per unit area and the light-loving nature of aspen, the tree stand of O. l. have been intensely experienced since early age. At the age of 10, the supply of stem wood per 1 hectare is 40-50 m3, by the age of 30 it increases 3-4 times (150-200 m3), and by the age of 70 it reaches 500-550 m3. In plantings growing in particularly favorable conditions, cf. reserve at 70 years of age is 650 m3/ha. Quantity ripeness occurs at 25-30 years, technical ripeness at 35. Maximum avg. growth is noted by the age of 40; it is 2.9-3.9 m3/ha in plantings of class I bonitet. O. l. provide wood, which is widely used in various industries. industries farming (see Aspen), including in the production of liquid fuel substitutes. O. l. are often faut (due to the susceptibility of aspen to heart rot) with a low commercial structure of the stands. There are forms and ecotypes of aspen that are weakly affected by the aspen tinder fungus.
Ripening aspen tree in autumn (Moscow region)
In aspen plantations, clear-cutting is carried out (starting from 1941) with different widths of cutting areas depending on the forest group and protection category. At the same time, the direct adjacency of cutting areas ensures natural regeneration of aspen forests in cleared areas. If present in O. l. Viable spruce undergrowth and the 2nd tier of coniferous species are felled taking into account the obligatory conservation of conifers. In the aspen plantations where intensive felling was carried out (in 2 stages - at the age of up to 15 years and at 20-25 years), the age of felling of aspen forests in most economic regions of Europe. In parts of the USSR in high-grade forests, it is recommended to reduce the age to 31 years. This means it gives. increase in the estimated logging area and where there is spruce undergrowth and the 2nd tier, allows you to harvest two timber harvests per unit area (one aspen, the other spruce). Young aspen trees are natural. feeding grounds for elk, deer and other mammals (rodents).
(Mikhailov L. E., Osinniki, M., 1972; Gurov A. F., Mikhailov L. E., Cultivation of highly commercial aspen and birch stands, in the book: Felling and forest restoration, M., 1980; Mikhailov L. V., Storozhenko V.G., Diagnostics of resistance of aspen trees to rot diseases, “Forestry”, 1980. No. 10.)
- Forest encyclopedia: In 2 volumes, volume 2/Ch. ed. Vorobyov G.I.; Editorial team: Anuchin N.A., Atrokhin V.G., Vinogradov V.N. and others - M.: Sov. encyclopedia, 1986.-631 p., ill.
Cost of equipment for a confectionery shop www.svcraft.ru.
Aspen
Aspen(populus tremula) - Aspen is in second place in terms of area among deciduous species (1/10 of this area), grows almost everywhere. Aspen is a kernel-free species. Wood white, with a greenish tint; the annual layers are faintly visible, the medullary rays are not visible. Aspen wood has a uniform structure, is easily peeled, impregnated and does not produce a highly smoky flame (raw material for the match industry).
Aspen is used in agriculture (wells, cellars, roofing shingles, etc.)
Magic of aspen
etc.), as well as for the production of fiberboards, cellulose, cardboard, plywood, in the wood chemicals and other industries. Application is limited due to heart rot, which is often found in growing trees. Aspen wood is not favored as an ornamental material in the specialized literature on woodworking: it ranks one of the last places in terms of the percentage of parts yielding excellent and good quality during processing - planing, milling, turning, drilling. And woodcarvers love aspen, like linden, for its ease of processing, light tone, fine fiber texture, and because it is accessible and even more common than linden. In the handicraft industry, aspen is also “respected” for the fact that it is not afraid of moisture and for its low density. Only Siberian fir and poplar have a density less than that of aspen, and linden has the same density. Therefore, aspen is used to make lightweight toys and dishes. Previously, troughs, tubs, and gangs were made from it. In addition, it does not crack or prick from impact. In addition, aspen peels well - it is used to make shingles and matches.
Aspen also has one more completely unexpected property - a strong increase in strength during aging. With its lightness! The practice of our ancestors confirms what has been said, although it does not fully reveal all the reasons and secrets. It turns out that the walls of the huts, built from aspen many years ago, still amaze with their strength, whiteness and cleanliness. The ax bounces off such wood and, at best, penetrates only shallowly. It is not for nothing that aspen is now used in villages for making shelves and benches in bathhouses, and for lining their walls - it is hygienic, light and clean, not afraid of moisture, does not warp or crack. It also turns out that experienced villagers make handles and handles for agricultural implements, when the combination of lightness and strength, just from aspen, is worth its weight in gold. Only for this purpose it is necessary to cut down a young aspen in the spring, when the wood is filled with sap, and give it the opportunity to dry well in the shade - to wither. Then it will become both light and strong, like bone. Obviously, the aspen does not just dry out, some kind of polymerization occurs under the influence of the components of its juice. Oral legends say that they did the same thing with the preparation of aspen logs for construction, only on each of them two or three grooves were made along the log on the bark so that the wood would not rot during drying, and the necessary juice would be preserved in moderation. For the same reasons, when drying an unsanded aspen trunk, some branches were sometimes left on its top, which drew excess moisture from the wood. To obtain ideal aspen wood, its trunks were harvested together with the birth of a son in the family, and it dried until the son separated from the family and a house was built for him. The best ax handle for the carpenter and joiner, as well as for the home craftsman, is also made from well-seasoned aspen. It is not only light, but also does not crush your hand or cause calluses, which usually happens when working with a birch ax handle that gets polished and slips out of your hands (however, it is better to buy an ax handle for an ax for chopping wood from birch: its breaking strength does not depend I slept depending on the time of year).
Another property of aspen deserves attention, which is a defect in woodworking. This is the presence of hollows and rot in the middle of large trunks.
Any wood that is not protected with varnishes or paints becomes gray and gradually collapses and rots. Unpainted aspen also turns gray, but unlike other types of wood, it is more resistant to weathering and, acquiring its silvery, metallic gray color within a few years (according to some reports, within 8-10 years), retains it for many decades . By appearance aspen can only be confused with its related poplar (aspen has a second name - trembling poplar). It, like the white poplar, has a smooth greenish-gray bark, brownish at the base, cracked (in old trees). But the aspen leaf, unlike the poplar leaf, is ovoid.
General view of the tree
Aspen fruits on the branches
Longitudinal and cross cuts
Botanical illustration from the book by O. V. Thome “Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz”, 1885
Aspen growing north of the Arctic Circle in Norway
Aspen leaves
IN Lately Much attention is paid to the propagation of aspen by summer cuttings as one of the promising methods vegetative propagation.
Earlier studies of aspen propagation by summer cuttings allowed us to draw the following conclusions.
1. Successful propagation is possible only when cuttings are taken from young queen cells, preferably from one-year-old offspring; this conclusion is also contained in works devoted to other tree species.
2. The best results of rooting summer cuttings compared to rooting in an open field were obtained in a greenhouse and under a synthetic covering. For example, in Germany, rooting of 68% was achieved under synthetic covering, and 34% without covering. Therefore, an important precondition for rooting summer cuttings is the required optimal temperature. In the USA, this temperature is 24.4-29.4°, at which rooting occurs within 14 days. In Finland, the optimal temperature is 20-25° with a relative humidity of more than 90%.
3. In special studies, sand or a mixture of peat and sand in a ratio of 1:2 was recognized as the best substrate for rooting. According to another experience, this is a mixture of sphagnum peat and coarse sand (diameter of sand grains 3-5 mm).
4. Regarding the time and method of preparing cuttings, you must be guided by the following instructions. The cuttings must be mature, with two buds (the upper oblique cut is 1 cm above the upper bud, the lower cut is 0.5 cm below the lower bud). The leaf blade is reduced as needed (by about half). The cuttings are planted in a substrate 0.5-1.0 cm deep. According to the results of experiments in Poland, the cuttings should be 5-8 cm long with at least one leaf and two buds; harvesting time is the first half of July, when the shoots have matured and lost pubescence. When cuttings are treated with pyrogallol, rooting does not depend on the time of their preparation.
Summer cuttings are taken from root shoots when they have reached a height of approximately 10 cm (8-15). The immature top of the root cuttings is cut off, and summer cuttings are harvested in their basal part. The size of the cuttings does not affect the rooting result.
5. Rooting is largely determined by the aspen clone. For example, in Germany it was found that, depending on the clone, the percentage of rooting varies from 40 to 100 under film and from 10 to 80 without it (in greenhouse conditions).
6. The use of various growth stimulants and chemicals gives positive results. For example, in Finland, in the subgenus Leuce, the best rooting results (94%) were achieved when indolylbutyric acid was used as a stimulant.
7. It is necessary to create queen cells (for a specific property or trait of aspen) in order to obtain summer cuttings for their mass propagation.
Sometimes, when propagating aspen by summer cuttings, you can use methods developed for other species of the poplar genus (in the subgenus Leuce).
Common aspen: what the tree looks like, leaves and fruits
This, for example, is the method of vegetative propagation of hybrids of white poplar with aspen, developed at UkrNIILHA. It consists of the following steps:
Harvesting roots from elite trees for forcing out shoots and preparing them for planting in greenhouse conditions;
Planting root cuttings and forcing shoots;
Obtaining varietal planting material by green cuttings from root shoots;
Planting a mother plantation from rooted green cuttings of root shoots for subsequent vegetative propagation.
In 1981-1982 At the Latvian Scientific Research Institute of Chemical Plants we studied the propagation of aspen by summer cuttings in laboratory conditions. For this purpose, a growing cabinet measuring 75x160x240 cm with automatically controlled lighting, temperature and water supply was used. The substrate was neutralized sphagnum peat, perlite or sand over a drainage layer of expanded clay. Summer cuttings were harvested: 1) in spring - from root shoots grown in boxes in a greenhouse; 2) in summer (late June or early July) - from annual root shoots on a seed plantation. In these experiments, when a temperature of 24-28°C was provided with artificial lighting or 18-20° without it, relative humidity air 95% and artificial fine fog, rooting was 77-88%.
The preliminary best substrate for rooting turned out to be neutralized sphagnum peat (rooting 88%), mainly because the cuttings developed a strong compact root system, which facilitated survival after transplantation into the nursery. Good rooting results also corresponded to the sandy substrate (77%), but the roots here were long, elongated, and difficult to preserve during transplantation.
It is too early to judge the suitability of perlite; research in this direction continues. The best results are obtained from shoots grown in a greenhouse from root cuttings.
Experiments in Latvia have confirmed that for successful rooting of summer cuttings, equipment is needed that automatically regulates temperature, moisture and the supply of artificial fine fog.
Rooted cuttings, after being transplanted into beds in a greenhouse with a synthetic covering, successfully took root (86%) and in the first year reached an average of 120 cm in height and 7 mm in thickness at the root collar (maximum 210 cm and 14 mm, respectively).
According to data on aspen flowering in the forests of the USSR, depending on climatic conditions(from Arkhangelsk region to the foothills of the North Caucasus), the average time of aspen flowering varies from north to south from April 25 to March 17, the latest from May 29 to March 23, and the earliest from April 2 to March 10. This should be taken into account when exchanging aspen pollen and seeds from different climatic zones.
In Latvia, aspen in most cases blooms in the second ten days of April. The seeds ripen at the end of May or the beginning of June, but most often in the third ten days of May. Their departure occurs at very short term- within 2-8 days depending on weather conditions. Therefore, for collecting seeds, it is very important to accurately determine their ripening period. Experience confirms that you should start collecting fruit catkins at the moment when the first fruit capsules begin to open in them, that is, the ends of the white hairs - the flies - appear.
In order not to harm the tree, it is recommended to collect the earrings directly, without branches. To obtain a high-quality harvest on time, the necessary measures must be taken to destroy pests, especially caterpillars of the moth-frog butterfly (Batracherda praengusia), and prevent their mass spread. Warm and dry weather is especially conducive to the spread of pests.
To obtain high-quality offspring, seeds are collected from pre-selected plus trees. It is also important that there are plus males - pollinators - near the plus females. On plus trees, catkins are collected by climbing them using special tree-climbing devices that do not damage the tree.
The method of collecting seeds in the Oboyansky forestry cannot be considered rational, according to which females are cut down 10-12 days before the expected ripening of the seeds, pollinated abundantly to destroy pests, pollinated again 2-3 days later and after the appearance of the first fluff, earrings are collected.
In Czechoslovakia, it is recommended to collect seeds after flight at the site of fall. However, in Latvia this is only possible in a plentiful seed year, when during the period of seed ripening and emergence there are optimal weather conditions (sunny and no wind). The seeds, according to the observations of P. Reim, fly 400-500 m from the mother tree, and light rain, wetting the fluff, makes them impossible to collect. Ideal weather conditions in Latvia were noted only in 1964. If the collected fruit catkins are not processed immediately after collection, they are placed in a cellar on ice and stored in this form until processing.
An important and labor-intensive process is obtaining seeds from collected catkins, as well as cleaning them from volatiles and carpels. Usually, to do this, the earrings are rubbed through a sieve with 2-3 mm holes. This is a long process, and some of the seeds remain in the pureed flakes. Below is a description of one of the many methods successfully used in Poland. An elephant of 20 cm earrings is placed in the cellar; When the bolls begin to fade and white fluff appears on their tops, it is time to prepare the seeds. The last ones are removed from the boxes by first rubbing them between the palms for 2-3 minutes, then through a sieve; get approximately 30-40% of the possible number of seeds.
Within 2 hours, the seeds dry out and are wiped again. After repeated rubbing, 15-20% of the seeds still remain in the ball of fluff. If necessary, after repeated drying, wipe a third time.
The problem of cleaning seeds from fluff has been solved in the forest selection laboratory of the Latvian Scientific Research Institute of Forestry. To facilitate and speed up cleaning, as well as increase seed yield, a device of our own design was used. Cleaning immediately after collection is carried out as follows: the earrings are spread on a table in room conditions in a layer of about 5 cm; after a few days, when some of the boxes have already opened, a layer of fluff with seeds forms above them. A special device can be used to collect seeds and clean them from fluff.
When the fan is turned on, a forced air flow is created, which sucks the piled seeds and fluff through the sieve cylinder and tip. The presence of a sieve cylinder allows you to separate seeds and fluff from the heap, which flow through a flexible hose into the storage chamber. Upon entering this chamber, the seeds are separated from the fluff and sent through a separating mesh into an additional container, and the fluff, under the influence of the air flow, is collected in the rear part of the storage chamber. To clean the outer surface of the sieve cylinder from heap particles, the tip is rotatable.
If necessary, the reception can be repeated several times until all the seeds are collected. In 3-7 days, all the seeds gradually ripen (previously ripened ones are collected at the first doses). Thus, seed loss is minimal and seed yield is maximum. The device facilitates and speeds up the process of cleaning seeds and allows you to increase their yield (2-8% of the mass of freshly collected catkins), since significantly less seeds remain in the separated fluff. When manually cleaning seeds, their yield is only 0.5-2%.
Instead of the above-mentioned device, a vacuum cleaner can be successfully used in combination with sieves of the appropriate size; in this case, it is only more inconvenient to work and the seed yield is somewhat less.
The quality of aspen seeds was carefully studied by P.
How to distinguish aspen from poplar
Reim in Estonia. According to him, well-ripened seeds are yellow-brown with a purple tint, on average 0.9-1.2 mm long, 0.3-0.6 wide and 0.2-0.4 mm thick. Seeds that ripen after collecting earrings, that is, artificially, are slightly lighter in color and their weight is less than those that ripen naturally on a tree (for example, the weight of seeds collected a week before natural ripeness is half as much). The fewer seeds in the box (the worse the pollination conditions), the greater the mass of individual seeds. The weight of seeds from trees up to 15 years old is less than from older trees.
In Latvia, the color of aspen seeds ranges from greenish-yellow to various shades of brown; the weight of 1000 seeds, depending on the mother tree and other circumstances, ranges from 0.08 to 0.15 g, with an average of 0.12 g.
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Aspen
Aspen(populus tremula) - Aspen is in second place in terms of area among deciduous species (1/10 of this area), grows almost everywhere. Aspen is a kernel-free species. The wood is white, with a greenish tint; the annual layers are faintly visible, the medullary rays are not visible. Aspen wood has a uniform structure, is easily peeled, impregnated and does not produce a highly smoky flame (raw material for the match industry).
Aspen is used in agriculture (wells, cellars, roofing shingles, etc.), as well as for the production of fiberboards, cellulose, cardboard, plywood, forest chemicals and other industries. Application is limited due to heart rot, which is often found in growing trees. Aspen wood is not favored as an ornamental material in the specialized literature on woodworking: it ranks one of the last places in terms of the percentage of output of parts of excellent and good quality during processing - planing, milling, turning, drilling. And woodcarvers love aspen, like linden, for its ease of processing, light tone, fine fiber texture, and because it is accessible and even more common than linden. In the handicraft industry, aspen is also “respected” for the fact that it is not afraid of moisture and for its low density. Only Siberian fir and poplar have a density less than that of aspen, and linden has the same density. Therefore, aspen is used to make lightweight toys and dishes. Previously, troughs, tubs, and gangs were made from it. In addition, it does not crack or prick from impact. In addition, aspen peels well - it is used to make shingles and matches.
Aspen also has one more completely unexpected property - a strong increase in strength during aging. With its lightness! The practice of our ancestors confirms what has been said, although it does not fully reveal all the reasons and secrets. It turns out that the walls of the huts, built from aspen many years ago, still amaze with their strength, whiteness and cleanliness. The ax bounces off such wood and, at best, penetrates only shallowly. It is not for nothing that aspen is now used in villages for making shelves and benches in bathhouses, and for lining their walls - it is hygienic, light and clean, not afraid of moisture, does not warp or crack. It also turns out that experienced villagers make handles and handles for agricultural implements, when the combination of lightness and strength, just from aspen, is worth its weight in gold. Only for this purpose it is necessary to cut down a young aspen in the spring, when the wood is filled with sap, and give it the opportunity to dry well in the shade - to wither. Then it will become both light and strong, like bone. Obviously, the aspen does not just dry out, some kind of polymerization occurs under the influence of the components of its juice. Oral legends say that they did the same thing with the preparation of aspen logs for construction, only on each of them two or three grooves were made along the log on the bark so that the wood would not rot during drying, and the necessary juice would be preserved in moderation. For the same reasons, when drying an unsanded aspen trunk, some branches were sometimes left on its top, which drew excess moisture from the wood. To obtain ideal aspen wood, its trunks were harvested together with the birth of a son in the family, and it dried until the son separated from the family and a house was built for him. The best ax handle for the carpenter and joiner, as well as for the home craftsman, is also made from well-seasoned aspen. It is not only light, but also does not crush your hand or cause calluses, which usually happens when working with a birch ax handle that gets polished and slips out of your hands (however, it is better to buy an ax handle for an ax for chopping wood from birch: its breaking strength does not depend I slept depending on the time of year).
Another property of aspen deserves attention, which is a defect in woodworking. This is the presence of hollows and rot in the middle of large trunks.
In terms of chipping strength, aspen is similar to linden and is superior in this to coniferous species, as well as poplar. And in terms of resistance to splitting from impact, it stands next to birch and ash, even ahead of beech, oak, maple, walnut, linden, and coniferous trees. This indicates the viscosity of aspen. Aspen is cut elastically, even tightly, with effort, but the surface is good in all directions, sanded and polished well. Considering the indicated properties of aspen, it is especially advantageous to use it for crafts with blind carvings, for making complex, solid-carved ornaments or such decorations. Let us also mention the famous property of the silvery glow of aspen, which we observe on the roofs of the cathedrals of wooden architecture of the North of our country covered with ploughshares (curly carved planks).
Any wood that is not protected with varnishes or paints becomes gray and gradually collapses and rots. Unpainted aspen also turns gray, but unlike other types of wood, it is more resistant to weathering and, acquiring its silvery, metallic gray color within a few years (according to some reports, within 8-10 years), retains it for many decades . In appearance, aspen can only be confused with its related poplar (aspen has a second name - trembling poplar).
What does an aspen tree look like (photo)?
It, like the white poplar, has a smooth greenish-gray bark, brownish at the base, cracked (in old trees). But the aspen leaf, unlike the poplar leaf, is ovoid.
General view of the tree
Aspen fruits on the branches
Longitudinal and cross cuts
Botanical illustration from the book by O. V. Thome “Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz”, 1885
Aspen growing north of the Arctic Circle in Norway