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Alnus japonica - (Thunb.)Steud.

Common Name

Japanese Alder

Family

Betulaceae

Synonyms

Known Hazards

None known

Habitats

Wet lowlands all over Japan[58].

Range

E. Asia - China, Japan.

Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Care

Summary

Physical Characteristics

A decidious Tree growing to 22 m (72ft 2in) at a fast rate.
It is hardy to zone 4. It is in flower from Feb to March. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Wind.It can fix Nitrogen.

The plant prefers medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils.The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils..It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.It requires dry moist or wet soil.The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:KENPEI

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:KENPEI

Habitats
Woodland Garden Canopy; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses
None known

Medicinal Uses
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. Cancer. Various species of alder, including this species, seem to contain antitumour compounds[218].

Other Uses
Charcoal; Dye; Wood. A dye is obtained from the bark[46, 61]. No more details are given. Wood - close grained. Used for turnery, charcoal[46, 61].

Cultivation details

Prefers a heavy soil and a damp situation, but it succeeds in ordinary garden soil[11]. Grows well in heavy clay soils[11]. Thrives in drier soils than many members of this genus[200]. Tolerates very infertile sites[200]. 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].

Propagation

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.

Expert comment

Author
(Thunb.)Steud.

Botanical References
1158200

Links / References

[K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[11]Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.

A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[46]Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants.

An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[58]Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation)

The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.

[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.

Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[78]Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.

A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.

Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[218]Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China

Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

Readers comment

Elizabeth H.
	Wed Apr 21 17:32:23 2004

Trees to 20 m tall; bark gray-brown, smooth. Branches dark gray or gray-brown, striate, glabrous; branchlets brown, glabrous or yellow pubescent when young, sometimes resinous glandular. Buds stipitate, with 2 glabrous, ribbed scales. Petiole 1-3 cm, sparsely resinous glandular and pubescent; leaf blade obovate or obovate-elliptic on dwarf shoots, obovate-lanceolate on branchlets, 4-14 Ã— 2.5-4 cm, abaxially sparsely pubescent at first, glabrescent, sometimes resinous glandular and bearded in axils of lateral veins, adaxially glabrous, base cuneate, margin remotely minutely serrate, apex mucronate, acute, or acuminate; lateral veins 7-11 on each side of midvein. Female inflorescences 2-5 in a raceme, ellipsoid, ca. 2 Ã— 1-1.5 cm; peduncle robust, ca. 1 cm; bracts 3-5 mm, woody, base cuneate, apex rounded, 5-lobed. Nutlet obovate, 2-3 mm, with papery wings ca. 1/4 as wide as nutlet. Fl. May-Jul, fr. Jul-Aug.

Temperate forests, streambanks, roadsides; 800-1500 m. Anhui, Hebei, Henan, Jiangsu, Jilin, Liaoning, Shandong, Taiwan [Japan (including Ryukyu Islands), Korea, Russia (Far East)]

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Subject : Alnus japonica

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