Spring protection of garden plants from pests and diseases. Aspen: what it looks like and how it differs from poplar

Aspen ordinary - deciduous plant, belonging to the genus Poplars of the Willow family, is widespread in the temperate and cold climate zones of the Eurasian continent. This is a large, tall tree, the height of which can reach 35 m with a trunk diameter of 1 meter. It grows quite quickly and lives long enough: up to 80-90 years. At the same time, aspen is susceptible to development various diseases, which is why high-quality specimens of large sizes and solid age are extremely rare.

According to the structure of its woody part, aspen belongs to non-core rocks of the scattered vascular type. The wood of this tree has a whitish color with a slightly greenish tinge. At the same time, the texture of aspen does not differ in particular expressiveness and showiness.

Annual rings and heart-shaped rays are practically invisible on it. Compared to other representatives of deciduous trees used on an industrial scale, it can be called rustic, therefore, it is practically not used to create decorative products.

At the same time, this material has good resistance to abrasion, lends itself well to turning and cutting. It is quite homogeneous, and due to this, in the manufacture of blanks, it can be cut in any direction, without the occurrence of dents and chips.

In the photo-picture - an aspen tree and some of its features

Where does aspen grow and its differences from poplar

Common aspen is one of the important forest-forming species of Russia and is found almost throughout the country, including the European part, as well as regions Far East and Siberia. In addition, this tree can be found in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Korea, China and many European countries.

She feels great on soils of any type in forest-steppe and forest areas, mainly along the banks of rivers and ravines, as well as on the edges and areas with elevated relief.

As a rule, this tree grows in a group, forming aspen forests, or is part of mixed forests, combined with alder, larch, pine and birch. Due to the deep location of the roots, the aspen is not very sensitive to small forest fires.

Otherwise, this plant is usually called a trembling poplar, but there are a number of certain differences between these trees.

So, what is the difference between aspen and poplar:

Budding of poplar in spring occurs much faster, with the release of a characteristic odor and the appearance of stickiness. Aspen buds "come to life" more slowly.
Aspen flowering is taking place in early spring until the leaves are fully expanded. Poplar blossoms in summer, spreading fluff around it, while aspen inflorescences are long brunchi earrings.
The leaves of these trees vary in shape.
Aspen branches are more fragile than poplar.

On the left are aspen leaves, and on the right are poplars.

Density, strength and moisture

One of the important indicators that direct influence on the quality and final form of the processed wood raw material is the density of the wood. This term refers to the ratio of the mass of wood of a certain moisture content to its volume.

At the same time, the wetter the woody part of the tree is, the greater density she possesses. In addition, when evaluating wood, an indicator of the conditional density of wood is also used, which is the ratio of the mass of the test sample in a completely dried state to its volume at the limit of hygroscopicity.

The indicators of density and conditional density of aspen are as follows:

Density coefficient at different humidity levels:

Humidity level, %	Density coefficient, kg/m3
10	490
20	510
30	540
40	580
50	620
60	660
70	710
80	750
90	790
100	830
In fresh cut condition	760 (82)

Thus, it can be seen that aspen wood has an average density of 490 kg/m3. The natural moisture content of this material when freshly cut is on average 82% with a maximum moisture content of 185% water absorption.

The determination of the compressive strength of wood is determined using prototypes of a prismatic shape, subjected to gradual loads until complete destruction.

For common aspen, these indicators will look like this (according to the research of S.I. Vanin):

The compressive strength in the direction along the fibers (at a moisture content of 15%) is 374 kg/cm2.
When stretched in the direction along the fibers - 1450 kg / cm2.
When chipping in the radial plane - 44 kg / cm2.
During the operation of static bending (at a humidity of 15%) - 673 kg / cm2.
When performing impact bending in the tangential direction - 0.37 kgm/cm3.

According to the "Handbook of mechanical properties of wood", the average strength of wood will be as follows:

The strength limit for static bending is 76.5 MPa.
Tension along the fibers - 121 MPa.
Compression along the fibers - 43.1 MPa.
Splitting along the radial plane - 6.15 MPa.
On the tangential plane - 8.42 MPa.
Impact strength - 84.6 kJ / m2.
The modulus of elasticity of aspen wood in static bending is 11.2 GPa.

Aspen wood has good ductility to various types processing, including cutting, bending, painting and polishing. In addition, she peels well.

Specific and volumetric weight of wood

Among the important indicators on the basis of which the quality of the used wood is assessed are its specific and volumetric weight. To calculate the specific or relative weight of wood material, its weight is divided by the same amount of water.

In aspen wood, it is, at a moisture content of 12%, 510 kg / m3. In this case, in contrast to , the values this indicator in aspen are not constant, but can vary quite widely.

This is due to the structure of the fibers of the material, which are characterized by high porosity. In other words, aspen commercial wood always contains a certain amount of moisture, which it easily gives up when dried and picks up with the same ease when placed in a more humid environment.

except specific gravity it is also customary to distinguish between the volumetric weight of wood or the weight per unit volume, the measurement of which occurs at a moisture content of the raw material of 15%.

Data on the volumetric weight of aspen with a change in its moisture content are given in the following table:

Chemical composition, hardness and strength properties

The bulk of aspen wood consists of various organic matter, which includes four main elements: oxygen, hydrogen, carbohydrate and nitrogen. In addition, it contains some minerals, which form an ash residue during their combustion.

In the course of research, 17 chemical elements were found in the composition of the woody part of this plant, such as aluminum, silicon, magnesium, calcium, chromium, titanium, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, molybdenum, zirconium, zinc, strontium, manganese, lead and barium.

At the same time, it was noted that the chemical composition of aspen wood changed depending on its age: in older aspens, the content of titanium increased and the amount of copper, aluminum, silicon, iron, nickel, strontium and zirconium decreased. The quantitative ratio of other elements remained unchanged.

Of the organic compounds in the composition of aspen wood are: ash - 0.26%; pentosans - 27.47%; lignin - 21.81%; cellulose - 41.77%. The impact hardness index of aspen wood is 640 gmm/mm2. That is, it can be attributed to the number of soft rocks.

Aspen combustion temperature, thermal conductivity

Like a number of other coniferous and deciduous tree species, as a raw material for isothermal processes accompanied by heat release. Due to this special meaning has such an indicator as the calorific value of this tree.

In accordance with this criterion, which is defined as the amount of heat released by one weight unit of wood material during combustion, aspen can be classified as a low-heat species. That is, the amount of heat generated by it will be very small.

The burning temperature of aspen is 612 degrees. The combustion of firewood from this tree occurs quite quickly, without the formation of coal residue. Because of this, they are not very well suited for heating purposes, since it is impossible to maintain a constant operating temperature in the firebox with their use.

However, such firewood is well suited for burning soot and cleaning the chimney after using softwood raw materials that emit a large amount of soot and pollution.

The characteristics of aspen wood as a source of thermal energy are given in the following table:

It is also worth noting that, compared with trees of other species, aspen has a high ability to absorb moisture. Its limit of hygroscopicity is 21.8 - 22.9%.

Despite its obvious shortcomings, aspen wood has a number of positive qualities, deserving a rating of "five points" on a five-point rating scale. Namely:

Decorative. Due to its pleasant silvery hue, it has been used by craftsmen to cover the roofs of temples since ancient times.
Ease of use. Soft and pliable aspen is used to make many products, including dishes.
The absence of resin. Because of this, it is often used to make baths.
Environmental friendliness and safety for humans.

Norms according to GOST

Since aspen wood is a building material with various uses, it is subject to a number of requirements and standards that it must comply with.

standards for quality and appearance semi-finished products, profile parts and other elements for construction are contained in GOST 8242-88. When using wood raw materials from aspen for the purpose of pyrolysis and charcoalization, GOST 24260-80 is applied.

At the end of the article, you can watch a video about the collection and non-standard use of aspen bark:

PFAF rating medicinal properties: 2
Action: hemostatic, astringent, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antirheumatic, choleretic, antiparasitic, diaphoretic and expectorant, mild analgesic.
Traditional medicine uses bark, young shoots, buds and leaves as medicinal raw materials.
IN leaves contains carbohydrates, organic acids, carotenoids, vitamin C, carotene, flavonoids, phenol glycosides, anthocyanins and tannins. They have a weak diaphoretic, expectorant and stimulating effect.
Leaves Aspens are used to treat hemorrhoids.
Bark contains carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose, etc.), aromatic acids, phenol glycosides, tannins, higher fatty acids (capric, lauric, arachidic, behenic, etc.), bitter glycosides populin and salicin. In addition, a whole range of trace elements was found in aspen bark (in mg/kg of dry matter): 23-28 copper, 0.03 molybdenum, 0.06 cobalt, 138-148 zinc, 83-90 iron, 0.1-0. 3 iodine, 0.7-1.0 nickel. It has a weak diaphoretic, expectorant and stimulating effect.
Broth young bark used for kidney disease, cystitis and other diseases Bladder, urinary retention and salt deposits in the joints, gout, urinary incontinence, colitis, pancreatitis, diabetes, catarrhal cough, nephritis, gastritis and poor digestion, dyspepsia, diarrhea, coughing, and also as an appetite stimulant. An aqueous extract of aspen bark is used to treat opisthorchiasis.
The combination of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties in bark of aspen makes it promising in the complex treatment of tuberculosis, smallpox, malaria, syphilis, dysentery, pneumonia, cough of various origins, rheumatism and inflammation of the bladder mucosa.
IN kidneys found carbohydrates (raffinose, fructose, etc.), aromatic acids, tannins, essential oil and triglycerides of phenolcarboxylic acids.
Tincture kidney on 70% alcohol or vodka and an aqueous extract of the kidneys has pronounced antimicrobial properties and is used as a diaphoretic or anti-inflammatory for colds. An infusion or decoction of the kidneys is a popular remedy for fever, chronic colds, pneumonia and pulmonary tuberculosis.
IN wood aspen contains cellulose nectasan, a resin.
Young shoots, buds, bark, leaves used as a hemostatic and astringent. A decoction of buds, young leaves, shoots is used as an antipyretic, anti-inflammatory agent for febrile conditions, gastritis. Steamed buds and leaves are applied for pain in the joints.
Alcohol tincture, ointment (aspen bark or ash with fresh pork fat), fresh juice is used externally to treat burns, eczema, boils.
According to some reports contained in parts of the plant salicin in the human body acts like natural aspirin.
Medicinal raw materials of aspen are used in herbal medicine state of mind people (as part of drugs that relieve fears, anxiety, anxiety).
Dendrotherapy. Aspen helps well with inflammation and in cases where you want to quickly get rid of mental confusion. It is necessary to avoid prolonged contact with aspen: headaches, drowsiness, difficulty breathing, nausea and even loss of consciousness may appear. Aspen is active from 14 to 18 hours and in cool weather. Aspen energy can be compared to a strong cold shower.

Aspen

In terms of shear strength, aspen is similar to linden and surpasses conifers in this, as well as poplar.

Aspen: what it looks like and how it differs from poplar

And in terms of resistance to splitting from impact, it stands next to birch and ash, even ahead of beech, oak, maple, walnut, linden, coniferous trees. This indicates the viscosity of aspen. Aspen is cut elastically, even tight, with effort, but the surface is good in all directions, it is perfectly ground and polished. Taking into account the indicated properties of aspen, it is especially advantageous to use it for crafts with blind carvings, for making complex, one-piece ornaments or such decorations. Let us also mention the famous property of the silvery glow of aspen, which we observe on the roofs of the cathedrals of wooden architecture of the North of our country covered with plowshares (curly carved planks).

General view of the tree

Aspen fruits on the branches

aspen leaves

ASPEN FORESTS

Arrangement of stresses: AXIS`NEW FORESTS`

ASPEN FORESTS, aspen forests, deciduous small leaves. plantations with a predominance of aspen in the composition of forest stands. Widespread in the North. hemisphere throughout the West. Europe and North. America. In the USSR, O. l. are not formed everywhere, but only on the richest soils in a favorable climate. Largest areas O. l. concentrated in the south. parts of the forest zone of Europe. parts, in the forest-steppe, in the south of the West. Siberia, where they replace the forest stand of primary forests and belong to derivatives. In steppe conditions, along saucer-shaped depressions, aspen forms small areas of pure nature. forest stands, called aspen pegs.

In the USSR, among softwoods. forests O. l. make up 16% of forest stands and occupy the 2nd place (after birch plantations). Area O. l. approx. 18.5 million hectares with a timber reserve of 2.6 billion m3. In the typological in relation to them, the most characteristic are complex, oxalis and blueberry groups of forest types, characteristic of spruce, pine or oak forests. Tree stand O. l. forest zone have in their composition an admixture of tree species inherent in primary forests (spruce, fir, pine, oak, linden, etc.), and sometimes also birch, gray alder. On fresh soddy-medium podzolic loamy soils on the mantle loam, aspen forests grow, diverse in composition and complex in structure. Many O. l. have 3 tiers: main. the canopy of the 1st tier consists of aspen and partly of birch, the 2nd tier - of spruce, oak, gray alder, the 3rd tier - of undergrowth. Living ground cover in these forests in the main. consists of a mink, zelenchuk, goutweed, sour, fern, meadowsweet, nettle.

Floodplain aspen forest (Sumy region)

In rare cases (usually on burnt areas) O.

Aspen, or trembling poplar: medicinal properties and use in traditional medicine

l. they are renewed by seed, more often, especially in clearings, - vegetatively, by root suckers and stumps at a young age. Such vegetative stands are characterized by different clones. Due to the ability to reproduce by root offspring, aspen quickly captures the vacant area in clearings. Already in the 2nd year after felling, a large number of root suckers appear. Due to the very large number of trunks per unit area and the love of light of aspen, the stand of O. l. experienced intensely from early age. At the age of 10, the stock of stem wood per 1 ha is 40-50 m3, by the age of 30 it increases 3-4 times (150-200 m3), and by the age of 70 it reaches 500-550 m3. In plantations growing in particularly favorable conditions, cf. stock at the age of 70 650 m3/ha. Quantity. ripeness occurs at 25-30 years, technical - at 35. Maximum cf. growth is noted by the age of 40; it is 2.9-3.9 m3/ha in plantings of class I. O. l. give wood, to-paradise is widely used in decomp. industries x-va (see Aspen), including in the production of substitutes for liquid fuels. O. l. are often faut (because of aspen's susceptibility to heart rot infection) with low stand structure. There are forms and ecotypes of aspen that are weakly affected by aspen tinder fungus.

Ripening aspen forest in autumn (Moscow region)

In aspen plantations, clear-cutting is carried out (starting from the age of 41) with different widths of cutting areas, depending on the forest group and protection category. At the same time, the direct adjacency of cutting areas provides nature. renewal of aspen forests in clearings. If available in O. l. viable spruce undergrowth and the 2nd tier of coniferous species, cutting is carried out taking into account the obligations. conservation of conifers. In aspen plantations, where intensive logging was carried out (in 2 stages - at the age of up to 15 years and at 20-25 years), the age of felling of aspen forests in most economic regions of Europe. parts of the USSR in high-quality forests are recommended to be reduced to 31 years. It gives meaning. increase in the allowable cutting area and where there is spruce undergrowth and the 2nd tier, allows you to harvest two harvests of wood per unit area (one aspen, the other spruce). Aspen young are natural. feeding grounds for elk, deer and other mammals (rodents).

(Mikhailov L. E-, Osinniki, M., 1972; Gurov A. F., Mikhailov L. E., Growing high-quality stands of aspen and birch, in the book: Felling and forest restoration, M., 1980; Mikhailov L. V., Storozhenko V. G., Diagnosis of resistance of aspen forests to rot diseases, "Forestry", 1980. No. 10.)

Forest encyclopedia: In 2 volumes, v.2 / Ch.ed. Vorobyov G.I.; Editorial staff: Anuchin N.A., Atrokhin V.G., Vinogradov V.N. and others - M .: Sov. encyclopedia, 1986.-631 p., ill.

The cost of equipment for the confectionery shop www.svcraft.ru.

Aspen

Aspen(populus tremula) - Aspen has the second largest area among hardwoods (1/10 of this area), grows almost everywhere. Aspen is a nuclear-free breed. The wood is white, with a greenish tint; annual layers are poorly visible, medullary rays are not visible. Aspen wood has a homogeneous structure, is easily peeled, impregnated and does not give a very smoky flame (raw material for the match industry).

Aspen is used in agriculture (wells, cellars, roofing shingles, etc.).

Aspen Magic

etc.), as well as for the production of fibreboard, cellulose, cardboard, plywood, in the wood chemistry and other industries. Application is limited due to heart rot, which is often found in growing trees. Do not favor aspen tree how ornamental material in the special literature on woodworking: it occupies one of the last places in terms of the percentage of excellent and good quality when processing - planing, milling, turning, drilling. And woodcarvers love aspen, like linden, for its ease of processing, for its light tone, fine fiber texture, and for the fact that it is affordable and even more common than linden. In the handicraft industry, aspen is also “respected” for the fact that it is not afraid of moisture, for its low density. Only Siberian fir and poplar have a density less than that of aspen, while linden has the same density. Therefore, aspen is used to make light toys and dishes. Previously, troughs, tubs, and gangs were made from it. In addition, it does not crack and does not prick from impact. In addition, aspen peels well - shingles are made from it, matches are made.

Aspen has another completely unexpected property - a strong increase in strength during exposure. With her lightness! The practice of our ancestors confirms what has been said, although it does not fully reveal all the reasons and secrets. It turns out that the walls of the huts built of aspen many years ago still amaze with their strength, whiteness and purity. The ax bounces off such wood, at best it sticks only shallowly. It is not for nothing that aspen is now used in villages for making shelves and benches in baths, for facing their walls - it is hygienic, bright and clean, is not afraid of moisture, does not warp or crack. It also turns out that experienced villagers make handles and handles for agricultural implements, when the combination of lightness and strength, just from aspen, is worth its weight in gold. Only for this purpose it is necessary to cut down a young aspen in the spring, when the wood is filled with juice, and allow it to dry well in the shade - to dry out. Then it will become both light and strong, like a bone. Obviously, the aspen does not just dry out, some kind of polymerization occurs under the action of the components of its juice. Oral legends say that they did the same with the harvesting of aspen logs for construction, only on each of them two or three grooves were made along the log on the bark so that the wood did not rot during drying, and the necessary juice was preserved in moderation. For the same reasons, when drying an unskinned aspen trunk, some branches were sometimes left on its top, which pulled excess moisture out of the wood. To obtain the ideal aspen wood, its trunks were harvested along with the birth of a son in the family, and it dried up until the son was separated from the family and a house was built for him. The best ax for a carpenter and joiner, as well as for a home craftsman, is also made from well-aged aspen. It is not only light, but it also does not bruise the hand, does not fill corns, which usually happens when working with a birch ax handle, which is polished and slips out of the hands (although it is better to buy an ax handle for an ax for chopping firewood from birch: its fracture strength does not depend slept from the time of year).

Another property of aspen, which is a vice in woodworking, deserves attention. This is the presence of a hollow and rot in the middle of large trunks.

Any wood that is not protected by varnishes or paints turns gray and gradually collapses and rots. Unpainted aspen also turns gray, but unlike other types of wood, it is more resistant to atmospheric influences and, having acquired its silvery gray color with a metallic tint over several years (according to some sources, for 8-10 years), it retains it for many decades. . In appearance, aspen can only be confused with its related poplar (aspen has a second name - trembling poplar). She, like the white poplar, has a smooth greenish-gray bark, brownish at the base, cracked (in old trees). But the aspen leaf, unlike poplar, is ovoid.

General view of the tree

Aspen fruits on the branches

Longitudinal and cross cuts

Botanical illustration from O. V. Tome's book "Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz", 1885

Aspen growing north of the Arctic Circle in Norway

aspen leaves

Recently, much attention has been paid to aspen propagation by summer cuttings as one of the promising methods of vegetative propagation.

Earlier studies of aspen propagation by summer cuttings led to the following conclusions.

1. Successful propagation is possible only when the cuttings are harvested from young queen cells, best of all from one-year-old offspring; this conclusion is also contained in works devoted to other tree species.

2. The best results of rooting of summer cuttings in comparison with rooting in an open field were obtained in a greenhouse and under synthetic cover. For example, in Germany, under synthetic coating, rooting was achieved in the amount of 68%, without coating - 34%. Therefore, an important prerequisite for the rooting of summer cuttings is the right optimum temperature. In the USA, this temperature is 24.4-29.4 °, at which rooting takes place within 14 days. In Finland, the optimum temperature is 20-25°C with a relative humidity of over 90%.

3. In special studies, sand or a mixture of peat and sand in a ratio of 1: 2 was recognized as the best substrate for rooting. According to another experience, it is a mixture of sphagnum peat and coarse sand (sand grain diameter 3-5 mm).

4. Regarding the time and method of harvesting cuttings, you must be guided by the following guidelines. The cuttings must be mature, with two buds (the upper oblique cut is 1 cm above the upper bud, the lower one is 0.5 cm below the lower bud). The canvas of the leaves is reduced as needed (about half). The cuttings are planted in a substrate with a depth of 0.5-1.0 cm. According to the results of experiments in Poland, the cuttings should be 5-8 cm long with at least one leaf and two buds, harvesting time is the first half of July, when the shoots are ripe and have lost pubescence. When cuttings are treated with pyrogallol, rooting does not depend on the time of their preparation.

Summer cuttings from root offspring are taken at a time when they have reached a height of about 10 cm (8-15). The immature top of the root cuttings is cut off, and the summer cuttings are harvested in their basal part. The size of the cuttings does not affect the result of rooting.

5. Rooting is largely due to the aspen clone. For example, in Germany, it was found that, depending on the clone, the percentage of rooting varies from 40 to 100 under the film and from 10 to 80 without it (in greenhouse conditions).

6. The use of various growth stimulants and chemicals gives positive results. For example, in Finland, in the subgenus Leuce, the best rooting results (94%) were achieved using indolylbutyric acid as a stimulant.

7. It is necessary to create queen cells (for a certain property or sign of aspen) in order to obtain summer cuttings for their mass reproduction.

Sometimes, when aspen is propagated by summer cuttings, methods developed for other species of the poplar genus (in the subgenus Leuce) can be used.

Common aspen: what a tree, leaves and fruits look like

Such, for example, is the method of vegetative propagation of hybrids of white poplar with aspen, developed in UkrNIILKhA. It consists of the following steps:

Harvesting the roots of elite trees for forcing outgrowth and preparing them for planting in greenhouse conditions;

Planting root cuttings and overgrown forcing;

Obtaining varietal planting material by green cuttings from root shoots;

Bookmarks of a uterine plantation from rooted green cuttings of root shoots for subsequent vegetative propagation.

In 1981-1982 in LatNIILKhP investigated the reproduction of aspen by summer cuttings in laboratory conditions. For this purpose, we used a growing cabinet with dimensions of 75X160X240 cm with automatically controlled lighting, temperature and water supply. The substrate was neutralized sphagnum peat, perlite or sand over the expanded clay drainage layer. Summer cuttings were harvested: 1) in spring - from root shoots grown in boxes in a greenhouse; 2) in summer (end of June or beginning of July) - from one-year-old root suckers on a seed plantation. In these experiments, when a temperature of 24-28°C was provided at artificial lighting or 18-20° without it, relative humidity air 95% and artificial fine fog, rooting was 77-88%.

Previously, neutralized sphagnum peat proved to be the best rooting substrate (88% rooting), mainly because the cuttings developed a strong compact root system that promotes survival after transplanting to the nursery. Good rooting results also corresponded to the sandy substrate (77%), but the roots formed here are long, elongated, and it is difficult to preserve them during transplantation.

It is too early to judge the suitability of perlite, research in this direction continues. The best results are obtained from shoots grown in a greenhouse from root cuttings.

Experiences in Latvia have confirmed that successful rooting of summer cuttings requires equipment that automatically regulates temperature, moisture and the supply of artificial fine mist.

Rooted cuttings after transplanting them to beds in a greenhouse with a synthetic coating successfully took root (86%) and reached an average of 120 cm in height and 7 mm in thickness at the root collar in the first year (maximum, respectively, 210 cm and 14 mm).

According to data on aspen flowering in the forests of the USSR, depending on climatic conditions (from the Arkhangelsk region to the foothill regions North Caucasus) the average timing of aspen flowering varies from north to south from April 25 to March 17, the latest - from May 29 to March 23, and the earliest - from April 2 to March 10. This should be taken into account when exchanging pollen and aspen seeds from different climatic zones.

In Latvia, aspen blossoms in most cases in the second decade of April. Seeds ripen at the end of May or early June, but most often in the third decade of May. Their departure takes place in a very short time - within 2-8 days, depending on weather conditions. Therefore, for the collection of seeds, it is very important to accurately determine the period of their ripening. Experience confirms that it is necessary to start collecting fruit earrings at the moment when the first fruit boxes begin to open in them, that is, the ends of white hairs - flyers appear.

In order not to harm the tree, it is recommended to collect earrings directly, without branches. To obtain a high-quality harvest, the necessary measures must be taken to destroy pests, especially the caterpillars of the frog moth butterfly (Batracherda praengusia), and to prevent their mass distribution. The spread of pests is especially facilitated by warm and dry weather.

To obtain high-quality offspring, seeds are collected from pre-selected plus trees. It is also important that there are plus male pollinators close to the plus females. On plus trees, catkins are collected by climbing them with the help of special climbing devices that do not damage the tree.

It is impossible to recognize as a rational method of collecting seeds in the Oboyansky forestry enterprise, according to which females are cut down 10-12 days before the expected ripening of seeds, pollinated abundantly to destroy pests, pollinated again after 2-3 days and after the appearance of the first down, earrings are collected.

In Czechoslovakia, it is recommended to collect seeds after departure at the place of fall. However, in Latvia this is possible only in a plentiful seed year, when during the period of maturation and emergence of seeds there are optimal weather(sunny and no wind). Seeds, according to the observations of P. Reim, fly away 400-500 m from the mother tree, and a little rain, wetting the fluff, makes their collection impossible. Ideal weather conditions in Latvia were noted only in 1964. If the collected fruit earrings are not processed immediately after collection, they are placed in a cellar on ice and stored in this form until processing.

An important and time-consuming process is obtaining seeds from collected catkins, as well as cleaning them from voles and carpels. Usually for this, the earrings are rubbed through a sieve with holes of 2-3 mm. This is a long process, and some of the seeds remain in the mashed bats. Below is a description of one of the many methods successfully used in Poland. An elephant of 20 cm earrings is placed in the cellar; when the boxes begin to fade and white fluff appears on their tops, it's time to harvest the seeds. The latter are removed from the boxes, first rubbing for 2-3 minutes between the palms, then through a sieve; get about 30-40% of the possible number of seeds.

Within 2 hours, the seeds dry out, and they are rubbed again. After repeated rubbing, 15-20% of the seeds still remain in the fluff ball. If necessary, after repeated drying, wipe a third time.

In the laboratory of forest breeding LatNIILKhP, the problem of cleaning seeds from fluff has been solved. To facilitate and speed up cleaning, as well as increase the yield of seeds, a device of our own design was used. Cleaning immediately after collection is carried out as follows: the earrings are spread on the table in room conditions a layer of about 5 cm; after a few days, when some of the boxes have already opened, a layer of fluff with seeds forms above them. A special device can be used to collect seeds and clean them from fluff.

When the fan is turned on, a forced air flow is created, which sucks seeds and fluff folded in a heap through the sieve cylinder and tip. The presence of a sieve cylinder makes it possible to separate seeds and fluff from a heap, which enter the storage chamber through a flexible hose. Upon entering this chamber, the seeds are separated from the fluff and sent through a separating mesh into an additional container, and the fluff is collected in the rear part of the storage chamber under the action of the air flow. To clean the outer surface of the sieve cylinder from heap particles, the tip is made rotatable.

Reception, if necessary, can be repeated several times until all the seeds are collected. For 3-7 days, all seeds gradually ripen (previously ripened ones are collected at the first receptions). Thus, seed losses are minimal and seed yield is maximized. The device facilitates and speeds up the process of cleaning seeds and allows you to increase their yield (2-8% of the mass of freshly harvested earrings), since much less seeds remain in the separated fluff. With manual cleaning of seeds, their yield is only 0.5-2%.

Instead of said device, it is possible to successfully use a vacuum cleaner in combination with sieves of an appropriate size; in this case, it is only more inconvenient to work and the yield of seeds is somewhat less.

The quality of aspen seeds was carefully studied by P.

How to distinguish aspen from poplar

Reim in Estonia. According to him, well-ripened seeds are yellow-brown in color with a purple tint, 0.9-1.2 mm long on average, 0.3-0.6 wide and 0.2-0.4 mm thick. Seeds that have ripened after collecting earrings, that is, artificially, are slightly lighter, and their mass is less than that of those that have ripened naturally on a tree (for example, the mass of seeds collected a week before natural maturity is less than half). The fewer seeds in the box (the worse the pollination conditions), the greater the mass of individual seeds. The mass of seeds from trees up to 15 years old is less than from older trees.

In Latvia, aspen seed color ranges from greenish-yellow to various shades of brown; the weight of 1000 seeds, depending on the parent tree and other circumstances, ranges from 0.08 to 0.15 g, on average 0.12 g.

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Aspen

Aspen is used in agriculture (wells, cellars, roofing shingles, etc.), as well as for the production of fibreboard, cellulose, cardboard, plywood, in wood chemistry and other industries. Application is limited due to heart rot, which is often found in growing trees. Aspen wood is not favored as an ornamental material in the special literature on woodworking: it occupies one of the last places in terms of the percentage of output of parts of excellent and good quality during processing - planing, milling, turning, drilling. And woodcarvers love aspen, like linden, for its ease of processing, for its light tone, fine fiber texture, and for the fact that it is affordable and even more common than linden. In the handicraft industry, aspen is also “respected” for the fact that it is not afraid of moisture, for its low density. Only Siberian fir and poplar have a density less than that of aspen, while linden has the same density. Therefore, aspen is used to make light toys and dishes. Previously, troughs, tubs, and gangs were made from it. In addition, it does not crack and does not prick from impact. In addition, aspen peels well - shingles are made from it, matches are made.

Another property of aspen, which is a vice in woodworking, deserves attention. This is the presence of a hollow and rot in the middle of large trunks.

In terms of shear strength, aspen is similar to linden and surpasses conifers in this, as well as poplar. And in terms of resistance to splitting from impact, it stands next to birch and ash, even ahead of beech, oak, maple, walnut, linden, coniferous trees. This indicates the viscosity of aspen. Aspen is cut elastically, even tight, with effort, but the surface is good in all directions, it is perfectly ground and polished. Taking into account the indicated properties of aspen, it is especially advantageous to use it for crafts with blind carvings, for making complex, one-piece ornaments or such decorations. Let us also mention the famous property of the silvery glow of aspen, which we observe on the roofs of the cathedrals of wooden architecture of the North of our country covered with plowshares (curly carved planks).

What does an aspen tree look like (photo)?

She, like the white poplar, has a smooth greenish-gray bark, brownish at the base, cracked (in old trees). But the aspen leaf, unlike poplar, is ovoid.

General view of the tree

Aspen fruits on the branches

Longitudinal and cross cuts

Botanical illustration from O. V. Tome's book "Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz", 1885

Aspen growing north of the Arctic Circle in Norway

Aspen is the most common type of tree. Despite her fast development and growing it is quite painful. Under favorable conditions, it reaches an age of no more than 100 years. Grows in cold temperate climates in moist soil. Found in many European and Asian countries.

The specific name of the tree comes from the word "tremble" - "tremere". Due to the peculiarity of the structure of aspen leaves, they characteristically tremble even with a slight wind. The plant develops well in mixed forests.

Tree Features

Aspen is a slender deciduous tree from the genus Poplar of the Ivov family. In height, as well as, it can reach up to 35 meters, and the diameter of the trunk is 1 m. The plant is dioecious, has a rare crown and bark of a light greenish-gray hue. Young shoots have a cylindrical rounded shape, old branches are distinguished by clearly visible leaf scars.

Leaf buds are bare, reach 5-10 mm, color - 12-15 mm. The oval leaves are gray-green in color with wedge-shaped endings. The long petioles are flattened on both sides and slightly curved. The leaf plate ends with jagged edges, a young plant can secrete nectar on them.

The tree propagates by the root system, seeds and stump shoots. The tree blooms in early spring. Lush inflorescences resemble earrings in shape. Males are 10 cm long and brown-brown or bright purple in color, females are light green. The pods are filled with small seeds with silky white hairs.
With their help, they are transported over considerable distances. aspen plays important role in the formation of landscapes.

The base of the tree is several powerful surface roots, 30-40 m long. Numerous root offspring are formed on them. With a strong flow nutrients dormant buds wake up. The length of the offspring can be from several meters to more than 10 m. Horizontal roots can grow together with the rhizomes of other trees, forming a single system with them. You can see what it looks like in this article.

In the first year of life of young trees, their root system is characterized by increased intensity and duration of growth. The growth can be about 6 cm per day.

The plant has an increased resistance to low temperatures, is not afraid of frost. It can grow in shady places in soil with high acidity and moisture. Aspen is picky and easily sprouts from a regular branch. Widely used in woodworking, chemical, paper industries. In winter, the bark of young trees becomes the main source of food for many animals.

The plant belongs to a number of medicinal, widely used in traditional medicine:

kidney-based drugs are taken orally for cystitis and joint diseases;
for gastritis, pancreatitis, diabetes and fever, decoctions from the bark are used;
an infusion based on tree ash helps with adnexitis;
ash is added to various healing ointments;
infusion of kidneys on alcohol helps to relieve pain from hemorrhoids and dysentery;
leaves are used to create hot poultices for rheumatism, lichen and warts are treated with juice.

The tree is well known in folklore, with its help they drove away evil spirits from a person and his home.. People believe that it has magical properties and is able to absorb negative energy.

The main varieties of aspen

There are 7 varieties and one tree hybrid in the Poplar genus. These include:

ordinary or Eurasian;

Common aspen

trembling or American;

"trembling"

large-toothed aspen;

“Coarse-toothed”

Chinese;

"Chinese"

Japanese;

"Japanese"

black poplar or black poplar;

"Osokor"

white poplar

white poplar

There are many related tree species. These include poplars laurel, hairy, fragrant, Maksimovich, Korean, Ussuri, Amur, balsamic, David's aspen and many others. Each of them differs in the structural features of the root system, the shape and shades of the crown, trunk, leaves and peduncles.

What varieties of Ipomoea flowers are the most common and grown most often, you can find out from this

Length and stages of life

On average, the life expectancy of an aspen is from 60 to 80 years. Under favorable growth conditions, it can live up to 100, and in rare cases - 150 years.

With age, the wood of a tree loses its useful qualities. It is often affected by fungi, is prone to heart rot and becomes the target of attacks by various pests. For this reason, at the age of 40-45 they are cut down.

The formation of a mature aspen tree occurs quite quickly. The first year of life is due to the rapid growth of seedlings. They are able to reach a height of up to 1 meter. The root system is actively developing, the offspring grow even up to 2 m. Their leaves are significantly different from an adult tree. They are softer, larger and slightly pubescent.

The rapid growth of aspen is observed for 50-60 years, then it slows down significantly. Ten-year-old plants reach a height of up to 8 meters. First of all, the foliage of the tree develops, after which the shoots grow in length and thickness. The active growth of aspen is influenced by two main factors - the amount of precipitation and air temperature.

In autumn, the tree attracts attention with a bright palette of colors. Its leaves can be either yellow or fiery red or pink. It is worth noting the specific smell that appears only in aspen forests. It resembles bitter vanilla and lasts even after the leaves have fallen.

tree care

Complete tree care consists in choosing the right place for planting and watering it. The plant is planted in the ground in the form of seedlings or seeds. Transplantation of seedlings is carried out in the spring to give them time to take root in a new place. Aspen is not picky, quickly takes root. It is planted away from residential structures, because due to the early appearance of rot in the trunk, the tree can easily collapse. Fluff during flowering causes an allergic reaction in some people.

aspen seeds

The distance between each landing pit should be at least 2 meters. Otherwise, instead of trees, seedlings will grow into a single shrub. The recesses themselves should be shallow.

It is important to have an additional drainage layer of 8-10 cm from crushed stone or pebbles. With it, the soil will retain moisture and create favorable conditions for the growth of aspen.

For the full development of seedlings, it is worth providing:

the right choice of soil. Suitable fresh, fertile and well-drained loamy or sandy loam soil;

regular watering of the plant. Artificial breeding of aspen requires periodic soil moisture. During dry periods, watering should be plentiful. The tree does not tolerate dry land;

top dressing. It is introduced at the stage of transplanting seedlings or planting them in the ground. Further fertilization is not required due to the powerful and well-developed root system. More often, mullein is used in a ratio of 1 kg per 20 liters of water and superphosphate - 20 g per the same amount of liquid;
pruning thick branches from February to April. Young branches can be cut all year round;

felling mature trees over 50 years old. Young shoots quickly appear around their stumps.

The soil at the planting site needs additional loosening and weeding. Proper care will accelerate the growth of a young aspen and its healthy development in the future.

Video

In more detail, the technique for trimming and removing aspen is shown in the video below.

Aspen preparation for winter

Mature tree tolerates well low temperatures, frost. It sheds its leaves in winter. Annual shoots freeze easily and require additional protection. IN growing a plant at home, it is placed in a greenhouse or covered with a film. If it cannot be transferred to the house, then the soil is covered with a thick layer of spruce branches.

It is important to ensure a high level of humidity in the areas of aspen growth. The soil is watered daily, without touching the plant itself with water.

Disease and pest control

Aspen is susceptible a large number fungal diseases. It is capable of infecting other plants growing nearby. Armiliaria mellea (Quell) is capable of causing tree trunk and root rot. The fungus enters the trunk through wounds on its surface or passages of aspen barbel larvae. The root becomes infected through other affected rhizomes. As a result, old and too young trees wither.

Various fungi affect not only the roots, but also the trunk of the aspen, its branches, leaves, fruits and seeds. They lead to the wilting of the tree and the premature fall of its fruits. Diseased seedlings curl, blacken and die. To prevent the spread of rot, the affected plants are dug up, their individual sections are cut off. Shoots of young plants can be protected with a thick layer of sphagnum peat.

The result of a tree infection by a fungus

Aspen is also subjected to a large number of attacks from various pests. These include willow volnyanka, aspen mining moth, red-winged leaf beetle, bouquet mite, toothed corydalis and many others. They mainly affect the leaves of the plant. A common pest of seeds is the poplar catkin moth. Most insects are destroyed at the stage of formation of larvae and caterpillars by treating the tree with insecticides.

Aspen roots attract the bear and the water rat. Destruction is carried out with the help of special poisons. The grass around the trees should be mowed in advance.

IN winter time the bark of the plant attracts hares and moose. It becomes their main food source. You just need to scare the animals away from the plantations.

Despite the short lifespan of aspen, it has a fairly powerful root system and is developing rapidly. The appearance of new offspring contributes to the growth of trees over a large area. The plant is not whimsical and can be easily grown by beginner gardeners. Easily affected by pests and fungal diseases, close attention is needed to the condition of the aspen. You will also be interested in our article “” and of course the material about.

Aspen is not a simple tree. It is also popularly called mystical and cursed. And why they talk about him like that, you will definitely find out now. This is a large, belonging to the willow family, the height of which can sometimes reach 35 meters. White wood has a characteristic greenish tint. And what is most interesting, the age of this tree is almost impossible to determine. After all, they usually recognize him by the rings on the cut, but in the aspen they are not visible at all. But it is known that on average lives from 90 to 150 years. You can meet aspen most often in forests or on the banks of water bodies, rarely in dry sands, clearings and swamps. It is very therefore in recent years it has been used for landscaping territories. Aspen is a tree that lends itself well to polishing, so it is widely used in the manufacture of objects. Well log cabins are also made from it, since such wood is not at all afraid of water. In the old days, village craftsmen made hives-hollows, kitchen utensils and birdhouses from it.

Why is it believed that the aspen is a cursed tree?

They talk about this for a reason, because any belief cannot arise out of nowhere. There are several Christian legends in which the aspen behaved treacherously. For example, when the Mother of God with the baby was fleeing in the forest, all the green inhabitants calmed down and only the "cursed" tree betrayed her and showed the way.

And yet, when Judas wanted to hang himself, not a single tree allowed him to do this: the birch lowered its branches, the pear scared away with prickly thorns, and the oak - with power. But the aspen did not contradict him and happily rustled its leaves. That is why people cursed her. It is also believed that the aspen forest is an excellent remedy for witchcraft. It absorbs and de-energizes all energy. No wonder vampires are stuck in the heart

Energy

Aspen - the tree, the photos of which you see in the article, is able to absorb negative energy. They usually go to her when they want to get rid of problems and get rid of troubles. They say that if you touch her with a sore spot, then she will take the whole disease upon herself and the person will feel better. But at the same time, too long communication with the aspen can cause headache, nausea, depression and drowsiness. Therefore, contact with her should not exceed 15 minutes. In the old days, aspen wood was used to build rapids. It was believed that they absorbed all the negative energy of the guests entering the house, thereby protecting the owners of the home. Aspen trees cut down and planted at the four ends of the village protected the inhabitants from various diseases, such as cholera epidemics.

Application in medicine

Aspen is a tree valued for its bark, leaves, buds and young shoots. Preparations made on the basis of this raw material have antimicrobial, antitussive and anti-inflammatory effects. They are widely used in the treatment of smallpox, tuberculosis, diarrhea, cystitis, syphilis and many other diseases. They are used externally to heal wounds, burns and ulcers.

Well, now it has become known to you what an aspen tree is, where it grows and what unusual properties it has.