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Habitats
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Woodland Garden Secondary; Bog Garden;
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Medicinal Uses
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Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Astringent; Diuretic; Emetic; Ophthalmic; Purgative.
A tea made from the bark is analgesic, astringent, blood purifier, diuretic, emetic and purgative[4, 222, 257]. It is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, the pain of childbirth, coughs, toothache and sore mouths[222]. Externally, it is used as an eye wash and a wash for hives, poison ivy rash, piles, swellings and sprains[222]. A decoction of the cones is astringent[4].
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Other Uses
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Soil stabilization.
Trees have extensive root systems and are sometimes planted on the banks of streams in order to prevent erosion[227]. The wood is soft and brittle, weighing 29lb per cubic foot[227]. It is of little commercial value[229].
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Cultivation details
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Prefers a heavy soil and a damp situation[1, 11]. Grows well in heavy clay soils[11]. Tolerates very infertile sites[200]. Requires a position in full sun, dying out when shaded by taller trees[229]. A fast-growing but short-lived tree[229]. This species is closely related to A. rugosa[11]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil micro-organisms, these form nodules on the roots of the plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200].
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Propagation
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Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe and only just covered[200]. Spring sown seed should also germinate successfully so long as it is not covered[200, K]. The seed should germinate in the spring as the weather warms up. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. If growth is sufficient, it is possible to plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer, otherwise keep them in pots outdoors and plant them out in the spring. If you have sufficient quantity of seed, it can be sown thinly in an outdoor seed bed in the spring[78]. The seedlings can either be planted out into their permanent positions in the autumn/winter, or they can be allowed to grow on in the seed bed for a further season before planting them. Cuttings of mature wood, taken as soon as the leaves fall in autumn, outdoors in sandy soil.
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 You can download this page as a PDF
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Botanical References
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11200
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Links / References
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[K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
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[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
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Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
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[4]Grieve. A Modern Herbal.
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Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
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[11]Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
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A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
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[78]Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
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A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
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[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
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Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
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[222]Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America.
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A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
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[227]Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas
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A readable guide to the area, it contains descriptions of the plants and their habitats with quite a bit of information on plant uses.
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[229]Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History.
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A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.
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[257]Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany
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Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
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Subject : Alnus serrulata
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