Aspen leaves have medicinal properties. Composition and medicinal properties of aspen. Application of aspen bark

Aspen belongs to the extensive genus of poplars, the willow family. According to the structure of the trunk, this is a coreless, diffusely woody tree species. In Russia, this tree is found everywhere in the European and Asian parts of the country, from deciduous forests of mid-latitudes to tundra zones.

This tree grows up to 150 years, but the cause of its death is often not age, but rot that affects the core of the trunk, so trees between 30 and 50 years old are usually chosen for industrial felling. During this time, the tree reaches a height of 35-40 meters.

Aspen wood is dense, with poorly visible growth rings, and uniform in structure. The moisture content of the wood in the central part is lower than in the peripheral areas of the trunk. The color of the wood is white, grayish-white, sometimes greenish. In the cut, it is impossible to notice the rays emanating from the center. For some decorative work, such wood is valuable precisely because of its uniformity. After staining or painting, the structure of the wood remains uniform and does not reveal any structural elements.

The moisture content of a freshly cut tree is about 82%, while the maximum moisture content of this wood (when soaked) reaches 185%. With high atmospheric humidity, aspen quickly absorbs water, but also quickly loses it when drying, which is a positive quality.

In terms of resistance to biological factors, wood belongs to the lowest, fifth class (according to the ISO EN 350-3:1994 standard).

There are a total of five classes in the above standard. The first class of resistance includes, for example, Indian teak and Australian eucalyptus. Larch and oak are classified as class 2 in terms of wood stability. In Russia, the resistance of wood to the effects of fungi and mold is determined in dimensionless conventional units. According to the Russian classification, resistance to fungi is 1.2 units for mature wood, and 1 for aspen sapwood.

Industrial felling of aspen

The international standard for industrial wood is called DIN 4076. Aspen wood belongs to group AS.

In Russia, industrial cutting of trees is carried out in wild forest plots, which are then restored naturally. In Western Europe, in recent decades, trees for industrial felling have increasingly been grown in nurseries. These are the so-called short-cycle forest nurseries. They grow primarily fast-growing tree species (poplar, aspen). This approach to environmental management makes it possible to preserve natural forests and grow wood of the required parameters.

Features of wood processing

If you look at an aspen trunk in a cross cut, you can see that the wood has a nuclear-free structure. In general, the wood is soft compared to other deciduous trees, its density is 400-500 kilograms per cubic meter(with humidity not exceeding 15%).

Aspen timber, like other lumber, is capable of absorbing large amounts of water, as in atmospheric air, and under water, which is negative characteristic this wood. Aspen wood dries slowly, over several months; when dried, it practically does not crack and does not change its original shape (does not warp). Dried wood splits easily in the longitudinal direction. In the outer part of the trunk, the wood has a high density, so wear rates during operation of aspen products are high.

The humidity in the central part of the tree trunk is much lower than in the peripheral areas. Lumber manufacturers take this feature into account when organizing the drying of timber and round timber.

This wood can be easily processed with mechanical and sharp hand tools, it is easy to saw and cut, it is easy to peel, split and mill. It is easier to process wet, not completely dry wood. When polishing wood, it is not easy to achieve a good smooth surface, although it is uniform and there are no obvious annual rings or knots in the wood. Aspen takes well to impregnation and staining. Dried wood is not difficult to glue; it can be used to make furniture, the parts of which are connected using screws or nails.

Use of aspen in industry

The main consumers of aspen are the construction industry. Various lumber is produced from it: round timber, timber, boards, particle board, fiberboard, peeled veneer. Bathroom equipment is made from timber, for example, benches, ladders, shelves, grates and pallets. Aspen slats are used to produce packaging boxes and containers for storing and transporting goods. More recently, before the appearance computer equipment, drawing drawing boards were made from dense white aspen.

The shavings are a by-product of production and are used as fuel for thermal power plants, as well as insulation in rural and country construction. Wood shavings used for combustion at thermal power plants are considered an environmentally friendly material, and wood is a renewable natural resource. For heating private houses, chopped wood, scraps from production, and fuel pellets are used.

Aspen wood is a raw material for the production of cardboard and paper. In the shoe industry, crushed aspen shavings are used as a material that absorbs moisture well. Peeled aspen veneer is used to make plain and laminated plywood, matches, and toothpicks. It is used to make caskets, baskets, gift boxes and packaging. Sliced veneer is used for the manufacture of various household items. Bent, shaped parts of furniture and decorative boxes are made from thin aspen plywood.

When burned without air access, aspen produces charcoal. good quality. It is used in the chemical industry and for artistic works.

Traditional uses of aspen wood

Traditional crafts of the peoples of Russia have been using wood for centuries to make household items. Spoons, stirrers, ladles and dishes, bowls and containers for storing bulk products are still made from aspen. Even at the beginning of the last century, buckets were made from it for storing borscht, cabbage soup and soups. Housewives noticed that in such dishes the food did not turn sour for a long time and retained its taste. Pickles are stored well in such containers; they do not become moldy for a long time. Apparently, aspen wood contains substances that kill bacteria and mold. You can still find recipes for salting foods that recommend placing an aspen block at the bottom of a barrel of cabbage.

To make aspen easier to cut by hand, it is first filled with boiling water and left for some time. After this procedure, the wood becomes pliable to the cutter and its hardness can be compared to the hardness of frozen butter.

In Russia, bath houses were built from aspen, and sometimes all bath “furniture” was made from it - shelves, ladders, benches, etc. The reason for the love for this tree when building baths is simple - aspen holds heat well and does not become heated from the heat.

When dry, the wood does not warp, does not lose shape, and, thanks to its internal homogeneous structure, does not crack. Roofs of houses made from and elements have proven themselves well over the centuries. Not only residential buildings, but also church domes were covered with carved elements made of aspen wood. An aspen roof dries quickly and well after rain, the wood does not rot, such a roof can last a hundred years or more. In addition, over time, aspen acquires a unique grayish-silver color and looks beautiful.

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A tree undeservedly forgotten by builders and woodworkers. Its wood has a number of amazing qualities: it is whiter than other tree species middle zone; its resistance to abrasion is almost equal to that of oak wood; It is perfectly processed on a lathe and is easy to cut. The homogeneity of the wood allows you to make cuts in almost any direction without chipping or crushing it.

Common aspen, or Trembling poplar(lat. Populus tremula) - species deciduous trees from the Poplar genus of the Willow family. The trunk is columnar, up to 35 m high and up to 1 m in diameter. The bark of young trees is smooth, greenish-gray, closer to the butt part it becomes fissured and dark gray with age. The crown is formed by skeletal branches of several orders. In the lower part of the crown, the branches are overgrown with numerous shortened shoots. The leaves are round, with large, bluntly pointed teeth along the edge. The petioles are long and flattened in the middle, so the leaves sway even in light winds, which was the reason for its botanical name. Various varieties of aspen are known, differing in the time of leaf bloom, the color of the bark and the structure of the crown (pyramidal and weeping forms).

Aspen forests

Aspen forests (aspen forests) are deciduous small-leaved plantations with a predominance of aspen. Widely distributed in the northern hemisphere, throughout Europe and North America. In Russia, aspen forests do not form everywhere, but only on rich soils under conditions favorable climate. The largest areas are occupied in the south of the forest zone of the European part of the country, in the forest-steppe, in the south Western Siberia, where they replace stands of native forests and are classified as derivatives. In steppe conditions they are found in saucer-shaped depressions, in the form of small pure natural stands called aspen groves.

Among the deciduous forests of Russia they occupy second place after birch and make up about 16% of tree stands. Their total area is about 18.5 hectares with a timber reserve of up to 2.6 billion m3. Typologically, they are most characterized by the complex oxalis and blueberry groups of forest types, which are also characteristic of pine, spruce or oak forests.

The stands of aspen forests in the forest zone contain admixtures of species characteristic of indigenous forests (spruce, fir, oak, pine, linden, etc.), and sometimes birch and gray alder. On fresh soddy-medium podzolic loamy soils, on mantle loam, they have a complex composition and structure.

Many aspen forests have three tiers: the main canopy of the first tier consists of aspen and birch, the second tier - spruce, oak, and gray alder; the third is formed mainly from undergrowth. The living ground cover in these forests consists mainly of grasshopper, zelenchuk, gooseberry, wood sorrel, fern, meadowsweet, and nettle.

Aspen wood

Aspen belongs to the disseminated vascular coreless species. The central zone of a growing tree does not differ from the peripheral zone in color, but there are differences in humidity. central part The trunk (mature wood) has a moisture content lower than the peripheral one, so aspen is classified as a mature wood species. The wood is white, sometimes with a greenish tint. The annual layers are poorly visible. The heart-shaped rays are not visible.

The texture of aspen is inexpressive. Due to the fact that the late and early wood of the annual layers are almost the same in properties, when finishing aspen products using tinting and coloring compounds, texture elements do not appear.

The density of aspen wood is average (490 kg/m3). Freshly cut aspen has a moisture content (on average) of 82%. The maximum humidity of aspen during water absorption is 185%.

By resistance to impact biological factors breeds are divided into five classes (according to European standard EN 350-3:1994). The first class of very resistant species includes, for example, teak (India) and eucalyptus (Australia), our oak and larch belong to the resistant species (second class), and aspen (its most common forms) belongs to the last, fifth class of unstable species. In Russia, the resistance of wood species to decay (the influence of biological factors - fungi) is usually expressed in conventional units (in relation to the resistance of linden sapwood). The relative resistance value for aspen is 1.2 (mature wood), sapwood is 1.0 (for comparison, oak is 5.2, larch is 9.1). However, in conditions of high humidity it performs quite well.

Application area of aspen wood

Light and durable dishes have long been made from aspen. To make a carved ladle or spoon, craftsmen steam the blanks in boiling water. After this, it is cut with sharp tools as easily as a turnip. They claim that cabbage soup and pickles do not turn sour in aspen dishes. Apparently, wood contains some substances that kill putrefactive bacteria. And it’s not for nothing that in some places housewives put aspen logs in sauerkraut.

Wood is also good because it lasts for a long time in water, and when dried it does not crack or warp. Therefore, from ancient times, well frames were knitted from aspen logs. You can’t find a bathhouse to build the best wood: strong and durable, retains heat well, and does not burn the body when touched - therefore there will be no need to lay a rug on the shelves. Even in areas rich in timber, they preferred to build baths from aspen, however, such preference was given to it only where aspen trees with straight trunks and healthy wood were found.

Standing aspen is short-lived, as it is quite easily affected by heart rot. Therefore, it is necessary to cut down a tree at the age of 40-45 years.

Previously, the domes and roofs of churches and other buildings were covered with aspen ploughshare (all the domes of churches in Kizhi are covered with aspen chips), which over time became silvery from the sun and rain. Such a roof is not only beautiful, but also strong, it does not rot for a long time.

An interesting incident speaks about how strong this tree can be. Not long ago, a house was found in the Leningrad region, built more than a hundred years ago from aspen. It was preserved perfectly. The ax bounced off the dry, stone-like logs with a ringing sound.

What does aspen bark help with? What diseases is it taken for? This is the first cough remedy for chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, tuberculosis, whooping cough, and pleurisy. Aspen bark is also included in complex therapy for diabetes mellitus and helminthic infestations, digestive and urinary system disorders.

The impact of this herbal remedy compared to the effectiveness of aspirin. The analgesic and antipyretic properties of aspen are so strong. But this is just one of the medicinal “merits” of this plant material. This folk medicine is famous for its bactericidal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, choleretic, wound-healing, and antirheumatic properties. This medicine is credited with being miraculous. medicinal properties. For example, some healers note that this plant treats sexually transmitted diseases and cancer.

Features of a medicinal plant

The medicinal properties and contraindications of aspen bark have long been described in folk medicine. Interest in this valuable medicinal raw material is gradually being revived. Laboratory research is carried out, useful substances are discovered in chemical composition plants, however, it is not yet included in the state pharmacopoeia. In herbal pharmacies it is offered as a dietary supplement.

Distribution area

Aspen. Botanical illustration from the book “Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz” by O. V. Thome, 1885.

Common aspen is a plant that does not require detailed botanical description. This deciduous tree, with fluttering leaves and smooth gray bark, is widespread throughout the world. Average life expectancy is 90 years, height is 35 meters. The wood is susceptible to disease, so it is rare to see an old, massive aspen with a healthy trunk. The tree can be found in deciduous and mixed forests, grows next to alder, oak, birch, and pine. It can also form a habitat of pure aspen forests. IN forest-steppe zone can form small aspen groves (kolkas), often near bodies of water. Does not like too dry regions of the Eurasian continent.

Blank

Collection time and place. It is recommended to harvest raw materials in March, when sap flow begins. It is also important to choose an environmentally friendly area.
Choosing a tree. The bark should be about 5 mm thick; it is removed from young, healthy aspen trees.
Careful collection. The cuts on the trunk must be made carefully so as not to damage the wood itself. They must also be small in area so that the tree can recover. It is recommended to remove bark from trees in the planned felling area. You can also remove bark from young branches of mature trees.
Drying and storage. The bark is cut into small pieces and dried in natural conditions (moisture and direct sunlight should not be allowed). Can be packaged in linen bags. Raw materials are stored for 1 year. Some sources indicate a different period - 3 years.

Aspen buds and leaves are also harvested, which have similar (albeit less pronounced) properties.

pharmachologic effect

Medicinal properties of aspen bark:

anthelmintic;
antirheumatic;
diaphoretic;
antitussive;
anti-inflammatory;
secretory;
antidiarrheal;
antimicrobial;
appetizing;
antipyretic;
antioxidant;
restorative.
painkiller.

The beneficial properties of aspen bark are explained by its unique chemical composition:

glycosides (in particular, salicin, populin);
carbohydrates;
fatty and organic acids;
bitterness;
phenolcarbon compounds;
fatty oil;
esters;
vitamins and microelements;
rich composition of tannins.

List of indications

What does aspen bark treat? For what diagnoses is this remedy most effective?

What else does aspen bark help with? It is believed that this folk remedy has antibacterial properties. In particular, it can stop the growth of staphylococcus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is especially useful to drink infusions from aspen buds for bacterial infections.

What are the contraindications of aspen bark? These include: individual intolerance, allergies, pregnancy and lactation (internal administration). Before use in children, consultation with a doctor is strictly required. It is also not recommended to take the medicine if you have frequent constipation due to its astringent properties. For any chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary system, diabetes mellitus, or obsessive coughing attacks, medical consultation is required before use.

Using and preparing aspen bark at home

What is the use of aspen bark in folk medicine? What can be prepared from this medicinal raw material? How to take aspen bark?

Decoction and infusion

A decoction of aspen bark is used for all of the above symptoms and diagnoses. For external use, concentrated decoctions and infusions are prepared. They relieve inflammation of the throat and oral mucosa, act as antiseptics, antimicrobial and painkillers.

Preparing a decoction of aspen bark

Take 1 tbsp. l. raw materials.
Pour a glass of water.
Boil over low heat for 3 minutes.
Insist for an hour.
Strain.

Preparing the infusion

Take 1 tbsp. l. raw materials.
Pour a glass of boiling water.
Leave for 2 hours.
Strain.

Take in the same dosage as the decoction. In spring, you can use the raw bark to make homemade medicine. When treating diabetes with aspen bark, water decoctions and infusions are most often used. They are included in complex therapy, which is carried out under medical supervision.

Tincture

Vodka tincture made from aspen bark is used internally and externally. It especially helps with coughs (can be taken orally or added to inhalations), gastrointestinal diseases, women's diseases inflammatory nature, mastopathy, gout, rheumatism, migraines, urinary incontinence.

Tincture recipe

Take 1 tbsp. l. crushed bark.
Pour 10 tbsp. l. alcohol 40% (vodka).
Leave for 7–14 days in a warm place.
Strain.

Take 1 tsp. 3 times a day before meals. Can be diluted in a small amount of water.

Ointment

A lot of positive feedback about ointments based on aspen bark. They are used externally to treat wounds, boils, burns, trophic ulcers, and cracks. Ointments for eczema are often prepared from the ash of aspen bark and wood. The product is also rubbed into muscles and joints for neuralgia, rheumatic and gouty pain.

Preparation of ointment

Take 10 g of aspen ash.
Mix with 50 g fat.
Stir.

As a base, you can use pork, goose fat, homemade butter or Vaseline. You can also prepare ointments from aspen bark powder.

Preparation of oil extract

Take 1 part of crushed bark.
Pour in 5 parts olive oil.
Leave for 14 days in a warm place.
Strain.

This oil, like ointment, is used to treat the skin.

Application in cosmetology

The medicinal plant is not so popular in cosmetology, although it has powerful antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and rejuvenating effects. The plant contains a large supply of vitamins, organic acids, and microelements necessary for healthy hair and skin. How can I use this remedy?

Hair . It is useful to rinse with water decoctions and infusions for brittle, dry hair. The product can also be rubbed into the hair roots to strengthen them and nourish the scalp.
Face . Alcohol tincture can only be used locally - to treat boils, inflamed pimples, and pustules. Water decoctions and infusions are used as lotions. These products do not dry out the skin and are effective for acne and problematic youthful skin. For acne, you can also use ointments made from ash or powder. The product softens rough, chapped skin, making it more elastic and firm.

For what symptoms and diagnoses is treatment with aspen bark most effective? The drug is used to relieve coughing attacks, for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine and genitourinary systems in women and men, gout, rheumatism and neuralgia. Externally used to treat burns, purulent wounds, eczema, boils, acne.

She became the heroine of many fairy tales, legends and other types of folklore. You will probably agree that it is not in vain. On the one hand, she has earned such recognition due to her incredible beauty and benefits for humans. On the other hand, this was treated with such respect because of superstition and fear, knowing that the “aspen stake” could overcome even evil spirits. Modern people do not believe so strongly in devils and witches, but aspen has not lost its respect because of this. In this article we will talk in detail about the medicinal properties of aspen, its use in different formulations and, of course, contraindications for use.

Description of the tree

Common aspen belongs to the genus Poplar. This is a type of deciduous tree whose natural habitat is the latitudes of temperate and cold climates of Europe and Asia. It is also found in America, but very rarely.

Did you know? Aspen is even mentioned in the Bible, which is why the plant received the name “tree of Judah.”

The description of aspen is no different from the characteristics many large European trees. It is very tall, has spreading knotty branches, a lush and dense green crown, huge roots that go deep and can survive any wind, flood or forest fire. It is also often found in gardening areas, and the phrase “poplar fluff” evokes in many people a feeling of romance, spring and warmth. In the forest, aspen bark always has some damage, this is due to the fact that hares and other forest animals love it very much. Poplar wood is perfectly preserved in an aquatic environment, so in the past, bathhouses and wells were often made from this plant.

Biological characteristics

From a biological point of view, this is heterosexual plant. Its columnar-shaped trunk reaches 1 meter in diameter, and the height of the tree can reach up to 35 meters. Scientists say that it grows very quickly, so it is beneficial to use it for landscaping. large territories. Aspen can live up to 120 years. The roots tend to grow strongly and actively form shoots, so the tree reproduces quite quickly. The bark is grey-green in color and is usually smooth and hard. The wood itself has a light shade.

The foliage is alternately located on the branches. The leaves themselves are large, reaching 7 centimeters in length. Depending on the variety, they can be round or rhombic in shape. In autumn, the foliage takes on a golden-red hue, so the appearance of poplar at this time is especially beautiful.

Aspen flowers stand out very much due to their shape - they collected in earrings. In the male plant they are reddish, and in the female plant they are greenish. The poplar blooms before the leaves bloom, around mid-April, and bears fruit. The last incredibly small boxes with seeds, and the legendary fluff appears from the seeds.

Chemical composition

The tree is very famous, so chemical science has not deprived it of attention. The study showed that The composition of poplar is not poor in rare substances. Aspen bark contains tannins, glycosides, pectin, sterols, legnans, iron, zinc, potassium, cobalt, molybdenum, salicin, semilin, malic and ascorbic acids and other useful elements.

Carbohydrates have been found in poplar leaves different groups, B-carotene, anthocyanins, glycosides, tannins, ascorbic acid. The tree has an unusual composition of sap: vitamins of different groups, carbohydrates and glucose.

Poplar buds contain various enzymatic substances, essential oils (valuable for cosmetology), resins, waxes and triglycerides.

Main medicinal properties

Due to the rich composition of aspen, it It also has many healing properties. For example, wood is a good antiseptic. Our ancestors claimed that its leaves can be applied to a wound, like a plantain, and the effect will be no worse. It's no secret that with the help of aspen healing abilities you can relieve the inflammatory process, lower body temperature, and stop severe bleeding. Poplar can relieve pain from chronic padagre, relieve swelling and speed up the elimination of harmful substances from the body. They say that aspen - male tree. They believe that she gives stronger sex male strength and energy, prolongs life.

In the old days, and even now in villages, people of the “old school” put aspen twigs or logs into a barrel in order to destroy harmful microbes and enrich the product with additional minerals. Experienced housewives claim that the food tastes even better this way.

Did you know? Poplar gave humanity the world's first aspirin.

Collecting aspen buds and leaves is particularly effective. It has been scientifically proven that they are good to use for diabetes, pneumonia, tuberculosis, acute viral infections, problems with bile secretion, and worms.

Healing properties of the bark

The bark of this tree is a godsend for medicine. It has a lot of benefits, but in some cases it can also cause some harm. Aspen bark in the form of a tincture is used for dental diseases as a rinse, helping to relieve inflammation of the gums and get rid of excruciating pain. If you have problems associated with increased anxiety, nervousness, insomnia, then you can try preparing a decoction. It will also help normalize blood sugar levels. An ointment or balm made from poplar bark will give a unique effect. It is used for skin diseases: herpes, dermatitis, acne, eczema.

Despite the impressive list of things that aspen bark can help with, it can also have a detrimental effect on your health. This specific drug ingredient, as a result of its use with certain incompatible substances, can cause poisoning, allergies and even suffocation. That is why you need to consult a doctor before using any traditional medicine recipes.

Important! To avoid negative consequences When using poplar bark, you must avoid spicy, spicy foods, as well as animal products.

Experts say that you can drink decoctions or tinctures from aspen bark for no more than 3 weeks, otherwise you risk disrupting normal metabolism, causing gastritis or ulcers, since such medicines contain a lot of acids.

Use in folk medicine

In folk medicine, there are thousands of recipes using the revered aspen tree. Let's look at the main ones.

Decoction recipes

The easiest medicine to prepare is a decoction based on aspen bark. This is a very popular remedy, especially since the use of an unspecified ingredient helps to reveal it as much as possible beneficial features:

Infusion of bark

Infusion of bark on water will help against adenoma. Take fresh poplar bark and pour it cold water in a glass container, in a ratio of 1:3. Let stand for 12 hours. Take 150 grams per day early in the morning 30 minutes before meals.

Kvass- everyone’s favorite drink, and aspen is also a healing drink - it helps to heal diabetes. The recipe is as follows: a 3-liter jar, half filled with small poplar bark, filled with 1 glass of sugar, added 1 teaspoon of fresh sour cream (preferably homemade). The container is placed in warm place and let it ferment for 2 weeks. You can drink kvass in large quantities - 3 glasses per day. The recipe is also good because for 3 months, pouring a glass of kvass from a jar, you can add the same amount of water with 1 teaspoon of sugar, after a couple of hours the taste will be the same. Thus, you get a fairly large amount of drink, which is enough for the whole family.

Alcohol tinctures

Alcohol tincture from poplar bark has been treating arthritis and arthrosis for several centuries. Adults also use it to treat colds and also use it as an antiseptic. To make it, pour chopped bark with vodka in a one to one ratio. The finished mixture needs to stand in a cool, dark place for a week or two. You need to drink it strictly according to the prescription: 3 times a day, 20 grams. In this form, aspen bark has incredibly healing properties. True, there are also contraindications for people who have been diagnosed with alcohol intolerance.

Despite the widespread distribution of aspen in temperate latitudes, many people constantly confuse this species with others - especially with poplars. Even knowing the main differences between aspen and poplar, recognizing these plants can be difficult, especially for novice gardeners. Moreover, aspen trees are surprisingly tenacious, and it can be very difficult to exterminate such “unplanned plantings” on your site.

Aspen tree ( Populus tremula) - the closest relative of poplars. The Latin name of aspen translated into Russian means “trembling poplar.” The leaves of the aspen tree are indeed “trembling.”

A small breath of breeze - and all the foliage begins to move. Why does this happen? This, as well as how to recognize an aspen tree, as well as how to distinguish an aspen from a poplar, will be discussed below.

What an aspen tree looks like and what leaves it has (with photo)

Aspen is a tree from the willow family, 15–20 m high. B good conditions aspen reaches larger sizes. The crown of an aspen tree looks like a giant, openwork “egg.” The bark of the trunks is predominantly gray, but there are aspen trees with greenish bark, and in Eastern Siberia and Mongolia - almost white-barked, from afar they can be mistaken for birch trees.

The bark is smooth, only in old trees with longitudinal cracks.

The plant has round leaves, which are painted first bronze, then green, and with the onset of autumn, bright yellow.

Tree blossoms at the end of April or beginning of May - before the leaves bloom. The aspen root system is flat and demanding of soil.

Look what an aspen tree looks like in these photos:

The tree copes well with any frost and is also not afraid of winds. Perfect for park areas.

In the first years of life, it is characterized by vigorous growth: annual shoots can reach 3 meters. The growth rate of the tree is high only in the first years, approximately 60-80 cm, but then it drops and is about 20-40 cm per year. Aspen lives on average 80-100 years; individual specimens are known to be 150-180 years old. Its trunk is already in early age usually has rot inside, mature trees are almost all rotten in the middle. Such trees are easily broken by strong winds.

What kind of leaves does aspen have, and why do they “tremble”?

This is explained by the fact that the leaf blades are attached to the end of a long and thin petiole, which has unusual shape- it is not cylindrical, but flat, strongly flattened on the sides. Thanks to this shape, the petiole bends especially easily to the right and left. This is why the leaf blades are so mobile: they begin to oscillate in one direction and the other even with a very weak breeze.

Aspen leaves vary greatly in shape depending on the age of the plant. As you can see in the photo, the leaves of an adult aspen tree are round:

But look at the very young aspen trees that appear in the forest and do not exceed half a person’s height in height. Their leaves are completely different - elongated-oval with a gradually tapering sharp end. They are more like poplar leaves. Looking at the shoots with such leaves growing from the ground, not everyone will guess that these are young aspen trees.

These photos show what aspen leaves look like:

In winter, the thin branches of the tree do not stand out as anything special. Their buds have no special features, and so do the branches themselves. But you can unmistakably recognize young aspen branches if you lightly chew them. They have a rather strong bitter taste and a peculiar smell.

How to recognize aspen: how does this tree differ from poplar

What makes aspen classified as close relatives of poplars? Let us recall that botanists consider plants to be related if their flowers and fruits are similar in structure. This is precisely what is evident from the description of aspen and poplar. The flowers of all these trees are small, inconspicuous, collected in dense cylindrical earrings, which hang from the branches of the tree during flowering.

Look at the aspen in the spring when it begins to bloom.

On some trees you will see bright red catkins, on others - green. The former consist of many male, staminate, flowers, the latter - of female, pistillate flowers. The same can be seen with poplars.

The fruits of aspen and poplar are very similar in description: in both trees they are small, about the size of a grain of wheat, elongated oval boxes. When ripe, the capsule cracks into two longitudinal halves and releases the seeds inside it.

The seed is so small that it is barely visible to the naked eye. It is surrounded by many fine hairs. When the seeds spill out of the boxes, they fly through the air for a long time, like white fluff. Poplars also produce the same “fluff” in abundance in our cities.

Aspen is a tree in which you can observe interesting phenomenon autumn branch fall. Come to the forest in late autumn, look at the ground under some old aspen. Taking a closer look, you will see that here and there under the tree there are thin branches of different lengths lying around - both short, about the size of a pencil, and longer ones. These twigs are alive, not withered, the leaves have just fallen from them. At the end of each there is a pointed bud. If you break it, you can see the green rudiments of future leaves inside. Next spring this bud could bloom normally.

Why did living aspen branches end up on the ground, and how did they break away from the tree?

To answer this question, you need to look at the end of the branch where it broke off. The fracture surface is smooth, rounded, similar to the head of a nail. There was no damage here. The branch separated from the tree by itself and in a very specific place. Just like a yellowed leaf in autumn. This means that the tree is deliberately getting rid of some branches.

Below you will find out where the aspen tree grows and how it reproduces.

Where does the aspen tree grow: distribution area (with photo)

Distribution area of aspen – temperate zone Eurasia and the mountains of North Africa. A significant part of the range is in our country. In Russia, aspen is distributed almost everywhere. In the north it reaches the border of the forest with the tundra, in the south it reaches the dry steppes. In the forest-steppe it forms island groves, the so-called “aspen groves”. In saline areas it takes on a bush-like form. In the Alps it rises to mountains up to 2,000 m above sea level. Almost everywhere, aspen forms, as a rule, pure forests, with only a small admixture of other species in the upper layer. It is very light-loving, so where other species shade the aspen, it dies. Aspen itself often acts as an admixture in birch forests or in cleared areas of other forests.

These photos show where aspen grows in temperate latitudes:

Aspen forests most often appear on the site of oak and spruce forests destroyed by humans or destroyed by fire. Such aspen trees live relatively short - 80-100 years. They are light, which allows undergrowth of native species (oak, spruce, etc.) to grow successfully under their canopy, even if it is not shade-tolerant. Over time, the native tree species grown under the aspen canopy overtake the aspen in growth, shade it, and it dies, giving way to its stronger competitors. Thus, aspen plays an important biological role - preserving forest area. Where aspens grow, oak and spruce forests are quickly restored.

Aspen propagation

The breeding features of aspen are interesting. Its seeds quickly lose their viability after falling out of the fruit, within a few days. Therefore, seedlings can only appear if the seeds immediately fall on moist soil. It is on the soil, and not on the layer of fallen leaves, since the weak roots of the seedlings will not be able to break through it. For seedlings to emerge, bare soil and sufficient moisture are needed. But this does not happen everywhere in nature and not at any time. Therefore, young aspen trees emerging from seeds are not very common. They can be seen, for example, on abandoned arable lands, exposed slopes near roads, etc. They are almost never found in the forest.

But how does aspen reproduce in the forest?

If you go into any forest where there are mature specimens of this tree species, here and there you can see young aspen trees with the “poplar” leaves that are already familiar to us. Their height is small - barely knee-high for a person. Where did they come from? To answer this question, you should dig up the ground around the stem of some aspen tree. Will be revealed interesting detail: The plant sits on a fairly thick (pencil or larger) root that extends horizontally and runs near the surface of the soil.

This root stretches a long distance in both one and the other direction. If you take the time to dig up the root, you can make sure that it starts from a mature tree. So, young aspens in the forest are nothing more than shoots that grow from the root of an adult tree. These are the so-called root suckers.

Up to a dozen or more root shoots can form on one root. They are located on the root, like beads on a string, but are separated from each other by a considerable distance. Some of them move 30-35 m away from the parent plant. At such a distance in a dense forest, you cannot always see the mother aspen behind other trees. Sometimes you don’t immediately understand where this or that offspring came from, or where the tree that gave it its beginning is located.

Thus, in the forest, aspen reproduces almost exclusively by root suckers, i.e. in a vegetative way. In forest conditions, this is much more reliable than propagation by seeds.

Application of aspen

Aspen forest is the favorite food of elk. Beavers also feed on aspen, the most valuable fur animals. Birds, especially woodpeckers, also need aspen. The fact is that with age this tree often develops heart-shaped rot. That's why foresters cut it down. However, in this same rotten misfortune lies the dignity of aspen as an indispensable component in the forest biocenosis. The affected tree is easily chiseled. Woodpeckers use such trunks to make hollows. Every year they make homes for themselves - this is their character. The old ones are inhabited by other inhabitants of the forest: owls, clints, starlings, mynas, hoopoes, whirligigs, tits, flycatchers, redstarts the bats. Bees also visit the aspen: it gives them a lot of pollen and glue.

Although aspen had a bad reputation, it was constantly used in everyday life in Russia. “Aspen stake” means the worst. But it was precisely this stake that peasants often used on their farms. From time immemorial, well log houses and cellars in villages were made not from pine, oak, or birch, but from aspen, the wood of which is not afraid of dampness. And how many ancient monuments have survived to this day thanks to the same aspen!

Aspen wood is widely used in carpentry, turning, and paper making. “Aspen chock” is especially valued - a material for making match straws. Tar, vinegar and tannins are extracted from aspen wood and bark. Ash is prepared from the bark, which is used to finish canvas, and yellow paint is extracted for the textile industry.

And who doesn’t know Khokhloma products - jugs, cups, ladles, spoons, dishes. All this is made from aspen. Artificial flowers are also made from aspen shavings. Viscose silk, plastic, methyl alcohol, acetone and many other products are obtained from aspen.

Aspen is completely unsuitable for firewood: it produces little heat. Aspen wood is used primarily for matches. Chips are also made from aspen to cover roofs.

Aspen is also used to produce feed yeast, which is added to the diet of farm animals. This contributes to their productivity and accelerated development. As a honey plant, aspen is considered a secondary plant.

Aspen has not found application in scientific medicine. People use it quite widely for medicinal purposes. Buds, leaves, and bark are used for medicine. Aspen also heals from various ailments.

The bitterness, essential oils, organic acids, glycosides, and tannins found in its buds, leaves and bark have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, wound-healing, diuretic, diaphoretic and other properties.

Alcohol extract of aspen buds has a bactericidal effect on some dangerous microbes (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, enteric typhus bacteria). It is better to harvest buds from young trees in the spring - in April-May.

In more southern regions, aspen causes significant damage to forestry. After cutting down a valuable oak forest, it quickly seizes the vacated area and no longer “allows” the oak there.

This often happens, for example, in the Tula abatis and in some forest-steppe oak groves. So aspen in forestry sometimes turns out to be a real weed and has to be fought hard.

The video below shows what this tree looks like and how it is used:

Fighting aspen

In some places we have to fight with aspen: it causes harm, drowning out more valuable tree species. But it is difficult to fight it. The aspen tenaciously clings to the territory it occupies. When an adult tree is cut down, young aspens begin to grow rapidly and grow from the roots. They seem to replace the dead mother plant. All this offspring is quite exciting large area, significantly larger than the one originally occupied by the tree. In a word, by destroying one mature tree, we bring to life many young aspens and increase the area occupied by aspen. Consequently, cutting down large aspens is a completely ineffective way to control this tree species.

Does this mean that there is no way to fight aspen? Of course not! An inventive person figured out how to destroy this tenacious tree. True, the method of dealing with aspen is very labor-intensive. It consists in the following.

From an adult aspen tree, a wide ring of bark is cut along the entire circumference of the trunk, i.e. living outer tissue, right down to the wood. As a result, the paths along which food goes from the leaves to the roots are cut. Without receiving the substances necessary for life, the roots weaken and gradually die off. In this case, all root shoots die. The tree itself also gradually dries out. In short, by removing a ring of bark, you can immediately destroy both the mother tree and its offspring.

Look at the photo of the aspen tree, detailed description which is presented on this page: