Alder on Wikipedia and not only

Alder according to Wikipedia is divided by type and type, a description of many different varieties of alder is presented.

What is this alder plant? Alder is a genus of shrubs and trees from the birch family, which unites about 40 species and varieties.

Alder has monoecious flowers, which are collected by catkins, which are formed by autumn on trees and winter there, and bloom in early spring, before the first leaf appears. The flowers are divided into male (three pieces are located on extended pedicels, stamens have large anthers and short filaments) and female (which are located in the sinuses of fleshy scales in pairs, forming cones by the time of fruit ripening). Alder is pollinated by the wind.

The main value of alder according to Wikipedia is in its wood:

- although it does not differ in strength, due to its uniform structure, it lends itself well to processing and has an attractive reddish tint. Wood is used in turning, joinery, and is widely used for making crafts and as firewood;

- it is also used to make the body of guitars, in particular electric guitars;

- since it is stored under water for a long time, it is used for the manufacture of small underwater structures;

- alder shavings are used for smoking fish and meat.

But alder is valuable not only for wood, it is used in medicine. Leaves, bark and cones of alder are used to treat stomach and colds, for gout and rheumatism, colitis and enteritis, etc. There are many tannins in the cones and bark, all kinds of decoctions and infusions from them are prescribed as anti-inflammatory, astringent and hemostatic agents. Fresh leaves of some types of alder are used as compresses to treat, prevent and prevent varicose veins and to stop nosebleeds.