Aspen names
There is a judgment that supposedly the predecessor of “aspen” is the word “blue”. This is explained by the fact that after the aspen is cut down, a blue stain appears in that place. The wood is white, so the blue color is hard to miss. This happens due to a chemical reaction. Many woodworkers take advantage of this interesting quality of wood.
From the Latin common aspen - populous tremula, which literally translates as “trembling man”.
Description of the tree
Common aspen, or Trembling Poplar, reaches a height of 35 m. Usually the trunk is straight, columnar. Up to one meter in diameter . The bark is thin, smooth to the touch, gray-olive in color. With age, lentils form on it, shaped like a black diamond (see photo). The tree is frost-resistant and grows well in moist, acidic soils and in shaded areas.
It differs from other genera and species, for example, poplar, in the shape of its leaves and flowers that appear in early spring. The leaves are rounded-rhombic, with a serrated frame, wider than long. The cuttings are thin and flattened, so the leaves easily touch each other. When the wind blows, the aspen trembles. The front side of the leaves is shiny, bright green, the back side is matte, but slightly lighter. The leaves of the lower order are larger, up to 15 cm in length, have a pointed top, heart-shaped, serrated-toothed edges, and pubescent on the underside. The leaves of young shoots are more similar to the leaves of poplars.
In spring, inflorescences appear on the trees . They are similar in shape to earrings and are bisexual. Women's are light green, men's are bright purple. In autumn, seed pods are formed. After ripening, the capsules open and the seeds, which have a tuft, are carried by the wind.
What is she like, aspen
So, what does an aspen tree look like?
In autumn, this tree is very difficult to miss. In a real Russian forest, aspen shines, because its green trunks can be seen from afar. In forest oak groves the tree grows tall, but in clearings it prefers to grow with branches and a lush crown. Aspen leaves resemble chipped coins.
The beautiful tree grows day by day at a fast pace and grows up to 40 meters high. Aspen lives in general for 100 years.
The tree has incredibly powerful roots that are buried deep in the ground. This property is very good, because thanks to it, aspen will withstand the flame test without any problems. Even if its trunk burns and dies, new shoots will soon appear on it due to the surviving roots.
Application
The bark can be harvested for the winter and used for food. Helps relieve fatigue.
In hungry years, aspen bast, well dried and crushed into powder, was added to the flour.
The branches of the first tier are still put into sauerkraut. This prevents fermentation processes and helps preserve the preparations until spring.
Natural medicine
Pine leaves contain many organic acids, easily digestible carbohydrates, carotene, vitamin C, anthocyanins, and flavonoids. An infusion brewed from the leaves has a mild expectorant property and helps increase the intensity of sweat secretion . Using aspen, you can quickly recover from a cold. The leaves are used to combat hemorrhoids. Tinctures from the bark help remove phlegm, stimulate the immune system, treat diseases of the joints and genitourinary system, reduce blood sugar levels, pain due to pancreatitis, improve digestion, and stimulate appetite. Young shoots are used to stop bleeding; burns, eczema, and other skin diseases are treated with alcohol ointments. Baths made from aspen infusion are soothing.
Soil improvement
In autumn, aspen sheds a lot of leaves . They decompose in the ground faster than the leaves of other trees. The roots grow, covering an area of 160 m2. When a plant dies, tunnels remain in the ground into which other tall trees go deeper. Aspen trees are often planted on clayey, degraded soils. After some time, favorable conditions for the growth of other more capricious plants are formed.
Landscape design opportunities
Application:
- Creation of wind protection lines.
- Strengthening the banks of ravines, rivers, lakes.
- Formation of an aspen natural fence at the border of the steppe and forest to protect against the penetration of representatives of the steppe fauna.
- Greening streets in a short time.
- Arrangement of fire-prevention plantings.
High decorative properties. In spring and summer the tree is covered with a thick green cap, in autumn it is bright red. There are varieties with weeping tiers and pyramidal shapes. Used to create a backyard landscape.
Application in construction
Wood aged 40–45 years has the greatest value. In an adult tree it is white, the texture of the pattern is weakly expressed. The structure is soft, but homogeneous, dries out moderately, and practically does not crack. According to the European standard scale (EN 350-2:1994) it belongs to the class of unstable rocks, therefore it is not used in the construction of residential premises. Lumber is used to create roofing shingles. When constructing wooden churches, ploughshares are used - aspen planks necessary to cover church domes.
Due to its low density, wood tolerates moisture well. The material is suitable for the construction of wells, cellars, baths.
Due to its low density, low resin content, and the absence of a large number of knots, it is used for the manufacture of interior decoration elements for Russian baths and Finnish saunas. The match industry uses aspen wood as a basis for its products. At arts and crafts fairs you can also often find beautiful products made from this plant.
Aspen on a personal plot
You can plant aspen with seeds, but growth and development will take a long time. It is better to find a wild grove in the neighborhood and dig up already grown seedlings there. They need to be placed at a distance of two meters from each other. If you plant trees closer, they will grow and become like dense bushes.
Aspen has a highly branched root system. Therefore, the tree cannot be planted closer than 12 m from buildings. Otherwise, the roots will damage the foundation, drainage system, and communications.
The seedlings are unpretentious and grow on any soil, but before planting, mineral fertilizers are added to the dug holes. Make a drainage layer by pouring a ten-centimeter layer of crushed stone into the hole. Plants are planted in early spring, immediately after the snow melts from the ground.
Aspen is a dense but moisture-loving tree. If a seedling grows in dry soil, it will die. Therefore, as the soil dries, it is necessary to moisten it abundantly.
Tree care is simple and boils down to watering the plant in the first four years of growth. Fertilizing is required only during planting. A solution of cow manure prepared in the proportion of 1 kg per 20 liters of water is poured into the hole. The widely spread root system of an adult tree will itself find everything it needs for growth and development.
Aspen trees that are more than fifty years old need to be cut down and processed: over time, the trunk becomes rotten and can break in a strong gust of wind. Overgrowth quickly grows around the stumps, and it is easy to form a hedge from it.
Varieties
There are trees with gray bark, not green. The base of their trunk is noticeably darker than the top. There are early and late varieties, differing from each other in the time of leaf appearance.
There are aspens up to 140 m in height. They have a triploid set of chromosomes. There is a rounded barrel. It is used to make furniture. For planting on personal plots, decorative forms with a weeping, pyramidal crown are used. They get along well with coniferous trees.
Aspen is suitable for landscape design only if there is a large area. The tree grows quickly, is easy to care for, and forms a green volume well. It is possible to make shrubs and form hedges from decorative species.
Where does aspen grow?
You can find aspen in countries with a temperate or cold climate: China, Korea, Ukraine, Europe and, naturally, almost throughout Russia.
People are accustomed to the fact that aspen does not grow on its own and is always adjacent to other trees. However, the tree can very often create clean aspen forests. This aspen family is the best place for those who like to pick mushrooms.
The tree prefers to grow on cut down or burnt surfaces, in beams. In addition, they are often planted to green groves and squares.
The tree rots and dies in waterlogged or wet soil.
Distribution[edit | edit code ]
It is found on the border of forest and tundra, growing in forest and forest-steppe zones. It can be found along the banks of reservoirs, in forests, along forest edges, occasionally on dry sands and clearings, in ravines, swamps and in the mountains; rises to the upper border of the forest.
It grows well on various soils, forms pure aspen forests and is part of mixed forests along with coniferous (pine, larch, spruce) and deciduous (birch, alder, oak). In the steppes, colonies are formed from them - aspen stakes, growing from separate seedlings and reproducing through shoots of the root system; new stems in the colony can appear at a distance of up to 30-40 m from the parent tree. Some colonies become very large over time, spreading at a rate of about a meter per year, eventually covering several hectares. They are able to survive forest fires because the root system is located deep underground.
Distributed in Europe, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, on the Korean Peninsula, throughout Russia.
Aspen blossom
When and how does aspen bloom? Surely you have asked yourself this question if you are reading our article now. Here you will find the answer to your question.
Aspen blooms in early April. Interesting red catkins begin to form on the tree. The aspen continues to bloom until leaves appear on it. Often this happens by the end of May.
Aspen in landscape design
It is important to understand where the aspen tree grows in order to use it in landscape design. It prefers well-lit areas and crowds out other plant varieties.
Representatives of this species grow quickly, forming up to 3 meters of young growth in the first years. They are not afraid of heat and frost, and quickly recover after winter. However, they have one problem - the center of the trunk often rots.
The healing properties of aspen
In addition to the fact that aspen is a very beautiful tree, it is also an assistant in the treatment of various diseases. And it's great!
Ointments, medicines and potions are made from aspen bark, because it contains a huge amount of useful substances.
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Aspen is a source of zinc, nickel, copper and iron. These substances strengthen human immunity very well.
Uzvar made from aspen bark helps with various skin lesions. It also helps destroy harmful bacteria in the body during stomach inflammation and diarrhea. Also, during stress, it helps restore the nervous system. And a potion made from aspen bark helps in the treatment of joints and prostatitis.
Worker conspiracies
Money magic
To improve your financial situation, get an additional source of income and get out of debt, it is recommended to come to a young tree in the morning from the direction of the rising sun and say in a quiet voice: “I ask with a barely audible rumble, an almost inaudible whisper. Aspen, good one, help out, help, whisper as needed, mutter quietly, scare away the bad - both man and unclean. Save me, give me money.”
To cast another money plot, you need to walk from your home to a tree without shoes in the autumn month, as soon as the first rays of the sun appear. Hugging the trunk and shaking it slightly, you need to say: “Sister-aspen, your wealth cannot be counted, so give me (name) a tenth of what you keep. The money will come on its own and find me. I will live happily, I will no longer grieve, I will not be sad for gold. I will happily spend it. Share the money, beloved sister. Don’t be sorry, please, I’m already barefoot!” The ritual ends with triple tapping of the forehead on the bark.
Spells for health and protection
It is not recommended to stay in the grove for more than 20 minutes, otherwise the aspen will take all the energy and leave you exhausted.
To read a health plot, you need to prepare a certain number of tree branches.
To ward off diseases, you need to take 7 aspen branches and say: “I remove all diseases from (name) - the head, tummy, legs and arms, ears and eyes. I relieve illness, inside and outside, body and spirit. Calm down, headaches, otherwise I’ll blow them away and spit them out and drive them away to the kingdom of Navier! Calm down the pain that has struck your stomach - like a blow, you will find yourself under a stone! Well, calm down, the diseases of your legs and arms, otherwise they will be swept away into the raw earth, no one will get them. Go away the ailment that has affected your eyes, otherwise the crows will peck you out. Calm down the illness of the spirit and body, otherwise I will tear it into pieces, pour boiling resin into it, pour it into a barrel and throw it into the ocean. It will float along the waves to distant lands and will not return. Get lost, sick, you won’t be able to find your way back and you’ll never touch (name) again. As it was said, so it will be!” Each stick is blown on, coated with saliva, and then tied with woolen thread. The bundle is thrown into flowing water.
If the patient is seriously ill, then in order to scare away death, you need to come to the aspen tree on a night when you can’t see the moon, grab it and say: “I got up, prayed, came to you from the door of the house - from the threshold to the gate, then into the street, and then into The field is open, blown by the winds. I found you, a beauty with curls, stood next to you and snuggled up. Become a protection for (name), an insurmountable fence, even if death does not pass and goes away. Hide with branches, stop with roots, drive away with leaves. Don’t let death pass, let it go to someone else, but not touch (name). Make sure she doesn't find it and passes by. Let it be so!". 2 thin short branches the size of a finger break off. The next morning, the bark is removed from the branches and they are tied crosswise with a scarlet thread made of wool. The amulet must always be near the patient.
Where is aspen used?
This tree grows very quickly, so it is used to green the area.
Aspen wood is an invaluable material for cabinet makers.
Our grandmothers often got rid of scale in samovars with aspen broth.
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The most common use of this wood is to make matches. More than a ton of this material is spent on them every day.
Aspen wood in construction
Aspen is also processed into boards. For construction purposes, mature trees that have reached the age of 40-45 years are suitable. The wood is light and has virtually no pattern. It has several features:
- high resistance to high air humidity and precipitation;
- soft but uniform structure;
- long service life - it does not crack over time;
- low cost.
Aspen wood is an unstable species and is therefore not suitable for residential construction. However, it is popular in the manufacture of wells, baths and other buildings, as well as in the production of matches.
Video: aspen for building a bathhouse
Contraindications
There are no serious restrictions on the use of aspen. The only thing is that aspen decoction is not advisable for people who have any digestive system disorders.
In addition, sometimes it happens that a person has an individual intolerance to this decoction. Therefore, before being treated with traditional medicine, it is better to consult a specialist.
So, we hope we have answered all your questions about aspen. Learn, explore and enjoy nature!
Use in construction
Aspen is a tree from which good material for construction is obtained. For this purpose, trees older than 35 years are used. Objects made from this material look very attractive, as the wood is white in color, soft and pleasant to the touch.
It is not used for the construction of residential premises, but is often used for finishing baths and saunas.
Landscape designers often use this tree as a material to implement ideas for landscaping. Aspen is planted in parks and city areas, as it is perfect for landscaping areas. In spring and summer, the tree is covered with thick greenery, which in the fall takes on a bright red hue with splashes of orange and yellow. The plant does not require special care and improves the quality of the soil in which it grows.
Use of aspen in furniture production
We found out the qualities of aspen wood above; based on them, the use of aspen in furniture production is clear: it is recommended for high indoor humidity. Combined with the fact that there will be no burns from touching hot wood, aspen furniture fits well into the decor of a bathhouse or sauna.
The price of aspen furniture is low, but it gives off a pleasant smell of calm. In addition, such a piece of furniture is difficult to get dirty. However, some people find furniture made from this type of wood unpresentable. If a diseased tree was used, then there is a possibility of the furniture rotting from the inside. We recommend aspen furniture to those who have chosen a country style for their home.
We hope that information about aspen wood, its use and properties was useful.
