Alder
Alnus glutinosa
Grey Alder - Alnus incana

Description and Habitat
Alder is of the same family as the Birch although they are very different in appearance. The Alder grows the length and breadth of Britain, and is usually found living near lakes, rivers or streams, where their deep roots can keep river banks in place. It can grow up to 100ft in height and its seeds easily germinate into saplings, which can soon colonise a particular place, especially if the soil is rich, however, when it is devoid of space and light, or if it is exposed to harsh weather, it will restrict its growth to better accommodate its needs.

Alders tend to share their habitat with Willow in swamps and marshlands, the name given to such places is an ‘alder carr’, often left to nature such places are a haven for wildlife, birds, insects and small animals.

The Alders Latin name of glutinosa refers to its new leaves which are ‘sticky’ and when crushed yield a gluey substance. The name Alder probably comes from the Anglo Saxon word alor or aler or the old German elo or elawer, meaning reddish brown, the Alder exudes a red dye when the tree is cut, (see Folklore). The Alder is the only deciduous tree (a deciduous tree is one which looses its leaves in autumn) which has small cone shaped fruits from which the seeds readily fall and are despatched either by wind or by the river. The male catkin is red, which makes it easy to recognise throughout the winter.

Uses
The wood of the Alder was much prized for making charcoal and gunpowder because its properties of quick ignition. The wood of the Alder is of little use to use for the main fire because it is quick to burn and gives off little heat but is excellent to use when cut into morning wood (kindling). It is a good wood to be used for woodturning or carving as the timber does not split easily, and was used to make handles for brooms or tools. Its local names are many, Dog tree in Lancashire, Wallow-wullow in Shropshire, Whistlewood in Northumberland, Irish mahogany and Scots mahogany because of its red colouring. Alder was used to make clogs, as the timber is light in weight yet strong and when shaped to the foot and shod with iron nails, clogs made a long lasting footwear for workers in the factories of northern Britain.

The bark of the Alder has a high proportion of tannin, which was used in the leather industry, along with its use for producing a variety of colours, red, yellow, brown and black.

Alder wood doesn’t rot in water, but actually becomes hardened when soaked, it was used to make stilts upon which to build houses, especially in the lochs of Scotland. Alder was the preferred timber for making lock gates, and most of Venice is built upon Alder stilts and piles. However, once Alder is out of water and left outside it soon begins to rot, making it of little use for farming fencing.

Unfortunately Britain’s population of Alder trees is under serious threat from the root disease Phytophthora, a water borne fungus that attacks the roots, bark and foliage, eventually killing thousands of trees each year, it is easy to see why those Alders that grow near rivers are at most risk.

Medicinal
The Alder is little used medicinally today, although its constituents of tannins make it of use for reducing inflammation. Culpeper said “The leaves and bark of the Alder-tree are cooling, drying, and binding. The fresh leaves, laid upon swellings, dissolve them, and stay the inflammation. The leaves put under the bare feet galled with travelling, are a great refreshing to them. The said leaves, gathered while the morning dew is on them, and brought into a chamber troubled with fleas, will gather them thereunto, which being suddenly cast out, will rid the chamber of those troublesome bedfellows”

Folklore
In Ireland it’s considered unlucky to pass an Alder tree on a journey, the Gaelic for alder is ‘fearn’ which is used in many place names in Ireland and in Scotland, according to which Alders would have been quite local to such places, making most journeys a little scary. Perhaps the Alder being a ‘water tree’, makes it akin to the spirit world, a place to hurry past rather than wandering through. It is said that to place the leaves of an Alder in the shoes will cool the feet and prevent swelling, which is bourn out by Culpepper’s advice.

When cut the Alder exhudes a red dye, the timber turns a bright shade of orangy red, this gave rise to the lore that it bleeds when cut, thus imbuing the tree with human characteristics.

It is considered by some to be the ‘Blacksmith’ tree, probably because of its use when made into charcoal, which our ancestors made good use of for forging weapons.

Around Herefordshire and Worcestershire and parts of Shropshire burning Alder in your home is supposed to bring bad fortune.