# Alder
## Introductions

**Note you can also listen to me sharing some of what I've learned about this wonderful tree companion [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/17r1zFGiWab8UAVspzr1bX9njtPaRFtSH/view?usp=drive_link).**


In September 2017 an extreme wildfire ravaged in Paahtómahsikimi, known as Waterton National Park today, burning tens of thousands of hectars of land and mercilessly killing most flora existing then. Being a frequent visitor to the park, I was shocked to see millions of tree trunks reaching towards the sky now all dead blackened matches in the wake of the fire. Only a few years after, however, this devastation was turned around when pioneer plants moved in and did their magical work of bringing beauty and balance back to the much disturbed soils.

One of these pioneers was Alder, a healer of the damaged land as well as a builder of strong community. With a growth of as much as 3 feet per year, the newly established Alder seedlings soon formed lush groves that enrich the soil with nitrogen, offer protective shade and thus make it possible for other plants and animals to flourish in their presence. Alder twigs, for instance, feed deer, elk, moose and beaver, who also use the branches for constructing their dams.

Alder shades streams, rivers and ponds and thus helps protect fish and other wetland species. Alder leaves are green late into the season and decompose rapidly to form rich humus, which in turn creates a fertile environment for various soil species.

The medicine that Alder displayed in the Paahtómahsikimi mountain environment, it can also offer humans who seek to balance the flow of fluids in the body, quench inflammation, maintain moisture and heal mucous membranes. The bark is most commonly used, but the leaf buds, mature leaves, male catkins, and the female green catkins are also medicinal.

Alder manages water in the body as it does in nature. Its use was once incredibly manifold: ranging from food to medicine, leather tanning to the dying of shells, fabric and wooden shoes to the building of water lines and strong underwater construction foundations, et cetera.

An old German saying has it that you can visit this tree in the morning to kindly request it alleviate your pain with a little help from its bark:

> “Frau Erle ist ein magischer Baum, am Abend tu ihr nicht traun. Such sie zur Morgenstunde, tu dein Schmerz ihr Kunde, willst du ihn beenden, ihre Rinde wird ihn wenden.“ (Grahofer, 2022, p. 77)


## Scientific name and origin
Alnuss spp. Family: Betulaceae

## What to call you?
Alnus is an ancient name for the tree, most likely referring to *alusa* the “red-brown colour“. *Glutinosa* stems both from the Greek word *glorios* and the Latin word *gluten* which referred to the sticky buds.

### German:
Roterle, Kleberle, Mooserle, Wassererle, Eisenbaum (due to its extreme durability under water), Alder, Eller, Else, Orle, Otten, Otterbaum

## What can I learn about your lands, people and stories?
Eunike Grahofer, herbal expert, educator, researcher and author shares a story of a pisciculturist in Austria, who was not only known beyond the boundaries of his own business but the whole country. From near and far people came to buy his proud fish, whose health the fish farmer supported by way of using plants.

As instructed by his father growing up, he used to take young, fresh twigs of Alder trees, debarked them to make decoctions which he would then pour into the water where the fish spawned. If fish isn’t fertilised or water conditions are suboptimal, fungi can attack the fish eggs. Treating the water with Alder bark decoction helps prevent such infections. To further strengthen the fish once hatched, the pisciculturist would make more decoctions and add them to the water. This would help make his fish healthier, stronger and more resistant to disease.

Seemingly a simple remedy for fish, Alders general tonifying properties are also available to us humans.

It is also noteworthy that the experimentation with Alder dyes can be much fun and won’t require the use of a mordant. It’ll result in a variety of vibrant colours; ranging from red to black when using the twigs, or golden to olive green or brown tones when using the cones and a deep red when using the buds. The bark is used as a foundation for black when used with the addition of coppers.

Grieve describes the dying processes in some detail on her website:
> The bark used alone, will dye woollens a reddish colour (Aldine Red). The Laplanders chew it, and dye leathern garments with their saliva. An ounce dried and powdered, boiled in three-quarters of a pint of water with an equal amount of logwood, with solution of copper, tin, and bismuth, 6 grains of each, and 2 drops of iron vitriol, will dye a deep boue de Paris.
>
> Both bark and young shoots dye yellow, and with a little copper as a yellowish-grey, useful in the half-tints and shadows of flesh in tapestry. The shoots cut in March will dye cinnamon, and if dried and powdered a tawny shade. The fresh wood yields a pinkish-fawn dye, and the catkins a green.
>
> The leaves have been used in tanning leather. They are clammy, and if spread in a room are said to catch fleas on their glutinous surface.
>
> ---Constituents---The bark and young shoots contain from 16 to 20 per cent of tannic acid, but so much colouring matter that they are not very useful for tanning. This tannin differs from that of galls and oak-bark, and does not yield glucose when acted upon by sulphuric acid, which, it is stated, resolves it into almine red and sugar.

### Magisches zur Erle

Despite some fears around the use Alder in homes because of the association of the red parts in bark, buds and wood with the blood of lost souls, Alder’s mystical healing powers were fully integrated in folk medicine. Leaves and bark, for instance were used not only need to lower fevers, but also applied externally for boils and wounds. Internally, Alder proved effective for rheumatic ailments, tooth ache and sore throats. People cut branches to staunch bleeding and administered crushed cones to cows in the instance of calving complications. Twigs of Alder were also believed to ward off evil hexing.

Alder is not the typical tree that comes up for people. In fact, if you want to learn more about them, you will need to go look for clean water. Alder thrives in community and their powers get amplified through family connection.

Alder is one of the most powerful teachers to show us how to come into right relationship. The keyword here is resonance and deep reflection. When we are inspired by the exchange with others, we can grow beyond ourselves. Alder has the capacity to initiate transformative shifts within and beyond us through its stimulation of dynamic flows of physical fluids, emotions, creative ideas, esprit and genius. Meeting Alder might be your means to evaluate your life and habits to let go of things in the way of your exploration of more spiritual planes.

## How to identify you?
There are 30 species worldwide distributed throughout the temperate regions in the northern hemisphere as well as Central and South America. Of the eight recognised species in northern America six are native to Canada

Alder has oval or roundish leaves with serrated teeth of two sizes, with prominent veins of 5-12 per side, a thickened margin and sharp points at both the tip and base. The green leaves are retained late in the season.

The buds are rather large and irregular shaped, often with sticky resin on them. The flowers are borne in catkins, of which the tree has both-pollen and seed catkins. The pollen catkins narrowly cylindrical are arranged in a few small clusters at the short tip. They are formed late in summer and stiffen in the fall. In the spring, they lengthen and become pendulous as the pollen ripens.

The fruits called winged nutlets travel from their woody persistent cone-like catkins when taken by wind.


The trunk is smooth, conspicuously patterned with enlarging lenticels, becomes rougher with age. Young trees have smooth silvery bark and older tree bark is often patched with white lichen, moss, and dark spots. The inner bark and wood turn deep orange when cut. The inner bark is red tinged and the wood is light, soft, moderately strong and reddish-brown.

## Habitat
Alder loves its feet wet and thus most species occur on wet sites, such as lake and river shores. Alder often forms lush thickets in the wake of glaciers, slides, fires, and clearcuts. Varying in size; we can find small shrubs to medium-sized trees all across the northern American continent, where they grow both in flat lands as well as higher mountains (up to 1200 m).

## How do you taste and feel?
• Buds and catkins: spicy, aromatic with somewhat earthy notes
• bark: bitter

## What organs do you work on?
Lymphatic and circulatory systems, brain, kidney and liver, gi tract

## What parts do you offer for use?
Alder buds, leaves, immature male and female catkins and bark are all used for medicine. Mature leaves are simply pulled off the stem when they are still vibrant green. Immature male catkins and female cones are easy to pinch off of branches.

If you cannot find recently fallen trees or branches, look for low hanging branches and collect very few buds and catkins from each branch in early spring when the sap starts rising. Note the tradition to make your healing requests to older trees only in the early-morning hours.


You can harvest mature leaves by simply pulling them of the stem when they are still vibrant green from early spring to summer.

To harvest bark, cut a few young twigs. Note you do not need to separate the inner and outer bark from the smaller branches because the park is so thin. Tradition has it that it’s best to harvest bark during full moon.

Like Linden, Willow and Poplar trees all their belongs to the softwood trees, but in contrast to the first three, they exhibit an extreme durability under water. This fact made all the indispensable in the past as a building material for flour mills and water lines, as well as building structures in water, such as Stone Age buildings in the Bodensee, grachten in Amsterdan or the palazzi in Venice.

## What were/are your culinary uses and medical application in the past/today?
Alder makes for a delicious spice in the kitchen. Its buds and catkins can either be added to meat dishes on its own or as a flavouring to stir fries. The young leaves can be used in small amounts to be added to vegetables or dried into an herbal salt, for fillings or as a flour substitute. The young fruit becomes a delicious spice when infused and oil, vinegar, wine or liquor.

Alder catkins are high in protein and can be used as a survival food. Different Indigenous people eat the inner bark of Alder in the springtime.

• Gemmomazerate
• Food: spice
• Tea and decoction
• oil infusion
• Oxymel, tincture, liquor and wine
• Poultice

### Gemmomazerat
Combine one part fresh and finely cut Alder buds with three parts of alcohol (40%), glycerin, and water. Store in dark and cool space for three weeks. Shake vigourously once or twice-daily. Then strain the buds. Add 10 parts of alcohol, glycerin and water. Finally, pour the liquid into spray bottles. Use as mouth spray at least three times a day. Note to keep the spray in the mouth without swallowing for a while, so that the medicine can be ingested through the mucous membrane rather than the digestive tract.


### Krokant
• 2 eating spoons of young still closed catkins
• Peel of half an orange and half a lemon
• 2 teaspoons of roasted coffee beans
• four eating spoons of brown sugar
Chop catkins, Orange and Lemon finely. Blend the coffee beans very finely. Then caramelise everything slowly on middle heat. Make small mounts on parchment paper to settle. Now the croquant can be eaten as such or used further as a spice for mousse, clan, pudding, ice cream, salads, meats and stir fries.

### Tea
#### Option 1
for boils and mouth infections: Boil 200ml of water. Pour over crushed leaves, buds, and catkins. Steep 15 minutes. Then soak cloth and drape around superficial wounds, eczema, or gargle to treat gum and throat infections.

#### Option 2
as general tonic and blood/lymph cleanser: Combine equal parts of Alder ‘s with other tonifying herbs, such as Dandelion, Nettle, wormwood, Ginger. Brew a strong tea with 200 mL of boiling water poured over 1 to 2 teaspoons of herb mix and then steeped for 5 to 10 minutes. Drink 2 cups daily.

#### Allergy-free Option
as lymph tonic or gargle for mouth infections: Boil 500ml of water. Pour over 1-2 eating spoons of Alder bark and steep for 15 minutes. Drink 2 cups daily, but not too close to nighttime because Alder can act as a diuretic.


### Tincture
Alder is bitter and supports liver function, such as the breakdown of wastes and the formation of bile to assist with fat digestion. You can either make a simple tincture using Alder alone, which is delicious enough, or combine all the bark with other bitter and aromatic plants such as chamomile, gentian, ginger, et cetera.

## Going deeper
### Herbal actions:
disinfectant and anti-inflammatory

## Therapeutic actions:
astringent, lymphatonic, bitter, antimicrobial

Alder is indicated for a range of ailments including lymph stagnation, sore muscles, toothache, receding gums and mouth or throat infections, old wounds that haven’t healed well, impaired fat digestion and GI tract cramping or infection.

## What other herbalists say about you:
Terry Willard cites different practices to use the bark by select indigenous tribes including the Ktnaxa and the Blackfoot who made tea to regulate menstrual flow or treat tuberculosis, constipation, jaundice and diarrhea. Willard highlights how the bark must be aged for a few days to avoid vomiting and griping. He further mentions the application of the bark for rashes [freshly scraped bar is used] and poison ivy [for which a fresh infusion is made].

T.J. Lyle (1932, p.57) details that he uses for a specific species of Alder, Alnus serrulata, also known as Small or Smooth Alder.
> The bark is a mildly stimulating and gently astringing tonic alterative, influencing mainly the cutaneous and renal secretions, glands and lymphatics; and is therefore valuable in scrofula, glandular swellings, skin diseases and mercurial cachexia. It is also valuable in chronic diarrhoea, sore mouth, sore throat, especially when arising from some impurity in the blood. In the treatment of dyspepsia it influences the flow of gastric juice and invigorates the appetite. Its action is excellent on the mucous membrane in catarrh of the stomach or bowels. Acting as it does on the circulation it is valuable in rheumatism, and in the treatment of syphilis and in chronic and acute inflammation of the stomach and bowels and in cases of hemorrhages. It is a gentle stimulant of the kidneys and absorbents.

Lyle (1932, p. 226) further suggests the following concoction as an alternative, which includes Alder as one dominant ingredient. The following is an alterative formulated by Dr. M. C. Keith.
• Alnus Serrulata lbs. ii Iris.
• Versicolor lb. i
• Larix Americana
• Xanthoxylum Bark
• Capsicum aa. lb. ss
• Soft Water gals. iv

Boil twenty minutes.; strain and add three quarts of New Orleans Molasses; boil into a syrup and skim. When cold add one quart of alcohol to one gallon of the preparation. Dose, a dessertspoonful before eating.

## Spirit Actions:
It is said that Alder lifts feelings of heaviness and sadness by rekindling a lust for life, providing ease and ample energy. By bringing movement back into stagnating areas, it allows to let go of rigid patterns and emotions. Freed from unnecessary burdens, one can open up to new planes of connection with the universe and it spiritual gifts.


My own relationship with Alder has grown in scope and intensity since I initiated contact with a specific grove in December 2023. What started as physical interactions with me visiting the family of trees at the pond of my friend's family property in Old West Saanich several times throughout my two-week stay, has now become a more expansive form communication, where Alder continues to visit me in my dreams and meditations through imagery of water and steady sensations of movements.

Through Alder I learned so much more about myself. In the process of us visiting, I have become more emboldened over time and I can now more easily move out fear states. Alder showed to me the immense powers of it buds and catkins. The creation of a Gemmomazerat proved particularly useful for me. I find myself rejuvenated and emotionally content. From the very first moment when I debarked a first branch, I came to truly love Alder’s beautiful fragrance.

## Composition and pharmacology
Alder contains bitter compounds, especially in the bark. It also contains flavonoids. Noteworthy are also Taraxerol (Alnulin) and Beta-Sitosterin.

In Gemmotherapy practice, Alder has proven efficient in the treatment of migraines because it alleviates cramps and encourages the circulation of blood to the brain. It is also indicated for rheumatic conditions and allergies.

## Safety
People allergic to pollen in the birch pollen family can use the bark.

## Interactions and contra-indications
unknown

## References
DiPasquale, R. (n.d.). Gemmotherapy: A Powerful Modality for Treating Allergies. Retrieved 13 January 2024, from https://ndnr.com/autoimmuneallergy-medicine/gemmotherapy-powerful-modality-for-treating-allergies/

Farrar, J. L. (2017). Trees In Canada. Fitzhenry & Whiteside.

Grahofer, D., & Grahofer, E. (2022). Rindenküche: Köstlichkeiten aus Baum- und Strauchrinden (1st edition). Freya.

Grahofer, E. (2022). Rindenmedizin: Die Apotheke der Knochenrichter, Holzknechte und Hebammen (1st edition). Freya.

Grieve, M. (n.d.). A Modern Herbal | Alder, Common. Botanical. Retrieved 20 January 2024, from https://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/alder019.html

Krohn, E. (2019, November 4). Alder. Alder. https://wildfoodsandmedicines.com/alder/

Lyle, T. J. (1897). Physio-Medical Therapeutics, Materia Medica and Pharmacy.

Ministerium für Landwirtschaft, Umweltschutz und Raumordnung. (2003). Die Schwarz-Erle (Alnus glutinosa [L.] GAERTN.)—Landesbetrieb ... https://www.yumpu.com/de/document/read/2018570/die-schwarz-erle-alnus-glutinosa-l-gaertn-landesbetrieb-

Richter, R. (Director). (2022, February 7). Der Erlenbaum in der Baumheilkunde—Durch Berührung Verbindung schaffen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdFSjG0OoHc

Röttgen, M. R. & M. (n.d.). Kraut-Interview: Die unentdeckte Welt der Rindenmedizin mit Eunike Grahofer. Retrieved 14 January 2024, from https://kraut-im-ohr.podigee.io/126-kraut-interview-mit-eunike-grahofer

Rozencwajg, J. (2013). Dynamic Gemmotherapy. Emryss Distribution Bv.

Thoma, D. E., & Moser, M. (2020). Die sanfte Medizin der Bäume: Gesund leben mit altem und neuem Wissen: Moser, Maximilian, Thoma, Erwin: Amazon.de: Books. Servus.

Willard, D. T., & McCormick, J. (2003). Edible And Medicinal Plants of the Rocky Mountains and Neighbouring Territories (First Edition). Wild Rose College of Natural Healing.