Common aspen
Populus tremula
Taxon: Willow family (Salicaceae)
Other names: aspen, trembling poplar, shaking tree, whispering tree
English: Aspen Poplar, European aspen, Aspen
Botanical description of aspen
Common aspen- a tree up to 30 m high and up to 50-100 cm thick. The crown is ovoid or broadly cylindrical, the bark is greenish-olive, smooth, dark gray on old trees, with cracks. The leaves are round, on long petioles, jagged, the petioles in the upper part are flattened, and therefore the leaves tremble at the slightest breath of wind. The flower buds are ovoid, large, and bloom in the spring in the form of earrings 4 to 15 cm long. Aspen blooms in April-May before the leaves bloom. The seeds ripen in 35 days and are dispersed by the wind. In moist soil they germinate in 1-2 days. Aspen reproduces not only by seeds, but also by root suckers. The tree's root system is very powerful.Leaves on mature aspen appear 20 days after flowering. In autumn, the leaves acquire a beautiful color from golden yellow to brown-red. Aspen begins to bloom at 10-12 years of age. Blooms and bears fruit annually.
Aspen growing places
It is exceptionally frost-resistant and spreads far to the north, reaching the forest-tundra. It grows very quickly and by the age of 50 it produces up to 400 cubic meters of wood per hectare. Lives up to 150 years. Widely distributed in the forests of the European part of the country, in Western and Eastern Siberia, in Far East, in Crimea, the Caucasus, and Kazakhstan. Grows in Western Europe, Mongolia, China and Korea.
Collection and harvesting of aspen
Aspen- valuable medicinal plant. ethnoscience uses bark, young shoots, buds and leaves as medicinal raw materials.Chemical composition of aspen
Aspen leaves contain up to 2.2 percent glycosides, including salicin, 43.1 mg/% carotene and 471 mg/% ascorbic acid, protein, fat, fiber.The bark contains up to 4.4% glycosides (salicin, salicorotin, tremulacin, bitter glycosides, populin), essential oil, pectin, salicylase enzyme, and up to 10 percent tannins. In addition, a whole range of microelements 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.
Aspen buds contain the glycosides salicin and populin; benzoic and malic acids, tannins, essential oil and other compounds.
Aspen wood contains cellulose, nectasan, and resin.
Pharmacological properties of aspen
Aspen has hemostatic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, antipyretic, expectorant, astringent, diaphoretic, choleretic and anthelmintic effects. An aqueous extract of aspen bark is used to treat opisthorchiasis.The use of aspen in medicine
Aspen bark and leaves have a mild diuretic, expectorant and stimulant effect.
Aspen bark is an analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic. It is used for rheumatism and fever, and relieves menstrual pain.
Young shoots, buds, bark, and leaves of aspen are used as a hemostatic and astringent.
A decoction of buds, young leaves, and aspen shoots is used as an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory agent for febrile conditions and gastritis.
An infusion or decoction of aspen buds is a popular remedy for fever, old colds, pneumonia and pulmonary tuberculosis.
Alcohol tincture, ointment (aspen bark with fat), fresh juice is used externally to treat burns, eczema, boils.
Aspen ash from the trunk and bark of a tree, mixed with fresh pork fat, is used externally as an ointment for eczema: the leaves are burned, fumigated with smoke, and boils are sprinkled with ash.
Steamed buds and aspen leaves are applied for joint pain.
Aspen is included in medications for the treatment of chronic prostate and bladder disorders.
Aspen leaves are used to treat hemorrhoids. They are applied to the hemorrhoidal cones for 2 hours, after which they are removed and after 1 hour replaced with fresh ones, again for 2 hours, and then washed off with cool water. During the week, the procedure is repeated 3-4 times with breaks of at least a day.
There is an original folk way dental treatment: take a freshly cut short aspen log, drill its core, but not all the way through, pour table salt into the resulting hole and plug it with something (the density of the cork is important), put the log on the fire and, without allowing it to burn out completely, pour it out holes salt, already saturated with juice. This salt is either directly placed on the aching tooth, or diluted in a ratio of 1:10 for rinsing the mouth.
Aspen is widely used in the medicine of many nations; it helps well with inflammation and in cases where you want to quickly get rid of mental turmoil. Prolonged contact with aspen may cause headaches, drowsiness, difficulty breathing, nausea and even loss of consciousness. Aspen is active from 14:00 to 18:00 and in cool weather. The energy of aspen can be compared to a strong cold shower.
Aspen is used in Dr. Bach's flower therapy, the elixir is prescribed for "vague fears of unknown origin", "anxiety" and "premonition".
Medicinal preparations of aspen
Decoction of young bark: brew 3 cups of boiling water 1 cup of crushed bark, boil it for 30 minutes, leave under a cloth heating pad for half a day, strain. Drink 3 tbsp. l. 1 hour before meals.It is used for kidney diseases, cystitis and other bladder diseases, urinary retention and salt deposition in joints, gout, urinary incontinence, colitis, pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, cold cough, nephritis. This decoction is recommended to be taken for gastritis and poor digestion, dyspepsia, diarrhea, cough, and also as an appetite stimulant.
Decoction of buds, leaves or bark: 1 tbsp. l. raw materials in a glass of boiling water, boil for an hour, strain and drink 1-2 tbsp. spoons 3 times a day.
Tincture of buds in 70% alcohol or vodka and aqueous infusion of buds have pronounced antimicrobial properties and are used as a diaphoretic or anti-inflammatory for colds.
Use of aspen on the farm
In the old days, aspen branches were necessarily placed in barrels with sauerkraut- so that she doesn't wander around. Aspen bark is used for food. To do this, it is prepared in the form of ribbons 40-50 cm long, dried, crushed into powder, then added to flour for baking bread. Taiga hunters add aspen bark to their food in winter to relieve fatigue and increase endurance during long and difficult treks.A little history
Aspen is the strongest representative among trees that absorb bioenergy. Apparently, it was not for nothing that in the old days an aspen stake was associated with the spirit of the restless dead. According to legend, the aspen absorbed part of the bioenergy of the deceased and he could no longer actively remind himself of the living. For those who died a mysterious death or were killed, as well as for suicides, an aspen cross was placed in the coffin and an aspen stake was placed on the grave. There are many other superstitions associated with aspen. It was declared a cursed tree; firstly, because it trembles, which means it is afraid of something, secondly, it gives almost no shade, although it has a lush crown, thirdly, although it burns brightly, it provides little heat. Although there is a scientific explanation for all this. For example, the trembling of aspen is explained by the special structure of its leaf - it has a very long shard, and the leaf itself is dense and not as flexible as that of other trees.The wood, known in Rus' as “trembling poplar”, has many controversial opinions. You can’t build a house from aspen; the tree is inhospitable, cold, and crooked. You can cut down a small bathhouse. But is it necessary in modern realities? The appearance of the aspen is too unsightly. It is undesirable to be guided by beliefs in antimicrobial and disinfecting properties alone (this is due to a persistent smell of rot).
Aspen tree - comes from the poplar genus (willow family). Its standing value as commercial timber is questionable. The quality is very different even on the same type of soil. Every second tree is rotten from the inside. Therefore, aspen is bought at the price of firewood. The cost of a cube is 700-1000 rubles. A significant number of trees suitable for construction (30-40 years old) have a trunk that is rotten from the inside or is damaged in the process. For example, for a small chapel at Lake Peipus in 2004, carpenters spent a month selecting aspen timber. A minor plus of aspen is that the moderate curvature of the tree trunk due to its strong curvature is not very pleasing. This breed, unlike conifers, is never straight.
We must give the aspen its due - a fallen tree does not become weaker over time. Provided that it was initially healthy. Aspen can be buried in the ground. Not very afraid of water, just covered with a slimy coating unpleasant smell. The walls of the log bathhouse made of aspen will need to be scraped from time to time. To be fair: under the outwardly unsightly " protective coating", which appears when exposed to moisture, hides white wood that does not ignite easily. Fire protection is not required for aspen logs. Over time, street walls acquire a characteristic gray-silver tint. An aspen frame cracks in the same way as a pine/spruce frame. Needs caulk. After sanding, the log looks much more attractive.
It is believed that it is better to harvest aspen for logs in the spring, when the buds swell, indicating the beginning of sap flow in the trunk. Moreover, first stain the logs for a month in the shade or in standing water. Aspen, unlike oak (which is also stained, although without access to oxygen), this only makes it stronger. A carpenter's ax bounces off, the wood becomes so ossified. The chainsaw quickly dulls on fresh aspen, and dust rather than sawdust flies out from under the tire.
In practice, log houses made of this breed look much more advantageous (more neat, snow-white, smell of grass) in winter time. In winter, by analogy with conifers, it is easier to trim aspen than to debark it. The debarker doesn't take it well.
There is a misconception that wood is not damaged by pests. The large aspen beetle Xylotrechus rusticus (pictured) and the large aspen creaker Saperda carcharias specialize in aspen and poplars. With their larvae.
There is no resin in the aspen trunk. Which is good only for the operation of a freshly cut bathhouse. In coniferous pine/spruce trees, the contents of the resin pockets are melted out some time after the first heating. The result is a strong smell of turpentine. There is no such smell in the aspen steam room. Therefore, the atmosphere of the steam room is regarded as soft, the steam is not burning, enveloping, as if covered with a warm duvet.
This breed does not conduct heat well through walls. The sauna does not warm up for a long time, independently distributing heat from the heating zone along the wood fibers throughout the entire log house. But the aspen canopy does not burn the skin. Wood does not breathe; to avoid dampness, the premises must be well ventilated after visiting. What are the advantages of a log house made of spruce for a bath, as opposed to aspen - the ability of the wood to independently remove excess moisture to the street + natural convection of air through the walls.
In everyday life, the common aspen is a cursed tree (possibly due to the characteristic whisper of leaves) during its use it has acquired a trail of plausible and not so plausible myths and superstitions. From the ability to take away mental anguish and draw out illness from the human body, to the fight against evil spirits(aspen stake). In the old days, people used to rule, tell fortunes, and steam in aspen baths to protect against damage and the evil eye. Got rid of melancholy and depression. As actually happens in any Russian bathhouse. It is considered useful to lean your head against an aspen tree. The pain and anxiety go away. If only every tree were healthy...
Aspen log house compared to a log house made from softwood logs
Cutting a bathhouse from aspen logs
Aspen is traditional material during the construction of baths. In most cases, aspen (aspen lining) is used at the stage of finishing the steam room of a bathhouse cut from pine or spruce. However, if you want to steam in an unfinished log house, but so that the logs do not become tarred, there is an option to build a bathhouse entirely from aspen logs.
If we compare aspen and pine (spruce), then aspen has many features that limit the possibilities of construction from this tree. The first feature is that an outwardly healthy aspen can be rotten from the inside. Therefore, the process of selecting aspen logs for cutting a bathhouse takes more time and effort than selecting pine or spruce logs. For clarity, let’s say that if one truckload of timber is needed for a felling, then from a truckload of pine we will sort no more than 10 percent of the logs as unusable, that is, approximately every 10th log, or even less. In order to collect the same amount of high-quality aspen logs, you will have to sort through at least two timber trucks. That is, we will reject almost every second log. Accordingly, production costs increase. As a result, to buy an aspen log house, you will have to pay 20% more than the cost of a pine (spruce) bathhouse.
The second feature of aspen is the poor separation of bark (compared to coniferous wood) in all periods except during the period of active movement of sap. Therefore, we are engaged in cutting bathhouses from aspen logs for at most two months a year: from the end of March to mid-end of May. In the spring, the bark falls off the aspen tree by itself, leaving the log white and smooth. So if you want to buy a log bathhouse made of aspen, make a decision in advance and place an order so that we have time to select logs without rot and cut down the bathhouse in April-May.
The third feature of aspen is its increased (again compared to coniferous species) tendency to crack when logs dry out. In particular, we do not recommend cutting a bathhouse from aspen into a bowl, since the uncovered ends of the logs, especially on the sunny side of the log house, can be “torn.” In our construction practice, there was a case when an aspen log from a bathhouse cut into a bowl cracked in half, right through. It should be understood that cracking of logs is not a violation of the integrity of the bathhouse due to the fault of the developer. It's just a property natural material, and no one will take responsibility for how the log behaves during the drying and shrinkage of the log house. Our task is to cut down and assemble the bathhouse with high quality, and then comes the period of operation. When cutting a bathhouse from aspen “in the paw”, the risk of cracking of the logs at the ends is significantly lower, so we recommend cutting it “in the paw”.
There is one more point that applies only to aspen log houses: since aspen baths are ordered much less frequently than those made from pine (spruce), we do not cut them “for storage.” Only for a specific customer. Since no one may need an aspen bath of the size you need for a long time, we obligatory take an advance payment (in the amount of 20-30% of the cost of the log house).
When buying a bathhouse made of aspen, you should also take into account that all the components that we can provide as standard will be made from coniferous wood. That is, floor boards, lining on ceilings, and boards rafter system, And window frames and the doors are all made of pine or spruce.
However, an aspen bathhouse has undeniable advantages compared to coniferous ones. For example, an aspen bath does not require finishing inside the steam room, since, unlike pine or spruce, aspen does not release resin when heated. In addition, aspen logs are more resistant to impact environment, including moisture. Over time, an aspen log house, as they say, “gets ossified” - after drying, the logs cannot be cut or sawed. An aspen bathhouse has lighter air than a pine or spruce bathhouse. However, if a coniferous bathhouse is decorated with aspen or linden, the effect is similar. So the choice of the type of wood from which the bathhouse will be made is always yours. And choosing aspen or pine needles is more a matter of personal preference than a logically justified action.
Aspen boards and beams are quite rare on the lumber market today. This tree has been undeservedly forgotten by woodworkers, but in vain. Aspen wood has a number of technical and consumer advantages that are not inherent in every hardwood species. It’s not for nothing that in the old days it was one of the main building materials- well houses, bathhouses, cellars were made from aspen, and shingles were peeled for roofing. In addition, various utensils were cut out of it - buckets, ladles, troughs. All this speaks, first of all, about such an irreplaceable quality of wood as high water resistance. Aspen was used to make hammer handles, ax handles, and handles for various garden tools, which means that the wood is highly durable. Now woodworkers have begun to pay more attention to this species and are increasingly using it to produce lumber for various purposes.
Biological features and geography of growth
Common aspen is a deciduous tree belonging to the Willow family, Poplar genus. Aspen is often called “trembling poplar” - this is how the Latin name of this plant (Populus tremula) is translated.
Aspen is a tall large tree, its height can reach 35 meters, and its trunk diameter can be 1 meter. Trembling poplar grows relatively quickly and lives relatively short - the age of the oldest specimens reaches 80-90 years. The main disadvantage of this species is that the wood is often infected with various fungal diseases, so high-quality large-sized sawlogs are very rare.
The root system of the tree is powerful, located deep, forming root shoots of great length. Young trees have smooth bark, and its color can vary from greenish-gray to light green. With age, closer to the base (butt), the bark cracks and darkens.
The leaf arrangement of aspen is alternate, the leaves are characterized by a round or rhombic shape, their length is 3-7 cm. In young shoots, the leaves can be much larger, up to 15 cm long. In autumn, the foliage acquires different bright shades- from golden to bright red.
Aspen blooms before the leaves bloom into earrings containing many small flowers. This tree is dioecious, male catkins are reddish, female catkins are greenish. The fruit is a very small capsule containing seeds equipped with a tuft of hairs.
Aspen is an important forest-forming species in Russia; this tree is found throughout the country, most often in the steppe and forest-steppe zones. It also grows on the border of the taiga and tundra.
This breed “loves” soils with high humidity; the tree feels great on the banks of reservoirs, near swamps. Often found in forests, ravines, less often on dry sands and in mountainous areas. Aspen is part of mixed forests, where it grows adjacent to coniferous species (pine, spruce, larch) and deciduous species such as birch, oak, and alder. It is found throughout Russia and Europe, and also grows in Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, and the Korean Peninsula.
Physical and technical indicators and appearance
The structure of the wood structure of aspen is of the coreless, scattered-vascular type. The color of the wood is whitish, often with a slightly greenish tint. The texture is not particularly impressive or particularly expressive. The heart-shaped rays and growth rings are faintly visible here, so the woody pattern, unlike others hardwood, looks rustic - aspen products are practically not used for decorative purposes.
The structure of the wood is uniform; there are usually about 5.5 growth rings per square centimeter (if you look at the cut). The density of aspen with 12 percent humidity is within 495 kg/m2.
This material is quite soft, and in terms of strength it is very close to linden. Mechanical properties Aspen lumber is approximately as follows:
- Static bending strength - 76.5 MPa
- Compression limit along the fibers - 43.1 MPa
- Tensile limit - 121 MPa
- Impact strength - 84.6 kJ / m2
- End hardness - 25.8 N/kV.mm
- Tangential hardness - 19.6 N/kV.mm
- Radial hardness - 18.7 N/kV.mm
- Percentage of radial shrinkage - 2.7%
- Density - 495 kg/m2.
With an average moisture content of a freshly cut trunk of 82 percent, aspen does not dry out too much. Based on the drying coefficient, it can be classified as a medium drying rock. In terms of load resistance, aspen can be compared with spruce and pine; it bends well and does not lose its strength characteristics with prolonged application of force. At the same time, the wood is highly resistant to abrasion and lends itself well to cutting and turning. Its structure is homogeneous, due to which in the production of lumber it is possible to saw blanks in different directions, from different angles. In this case, a small number of knots get into the products.
Having assessed the above figures, we can conclude that builders are wrong to treat lumber from this species with distrust. Apparently, this is explained by the fact that the tree often grows in wetlands and is susceptible to fungal diseases. In this case, infection occurs precisely from the core, which makes the infected sawlog unsuitable as a raw material for production. But, if the round timber is prepared of high quality, then it can adequately compete with coniferous raw materials.
Aspen cannot be called unique tree, this is a solid middle-of-the-road product that deserves to be used. It is most often used to make timber and edged boards intended for special purposes. Baths/saunas are built from aspen timber. Edged boards, floor tongues, and various small moldings (plinths, platbands, fillets) are made from this wood.
Aspen baths
One of the main positive qualities aspen wood is its ability to withstand high humidity, even without any special treatments. That's why the best tree for the construction of a bathhouse or sauna cannot be found (at least in terms of practicality and price). For the installation of the log house, aspen timber is used, while the interior finishing is carried out using aspen edged boards. All kinds of bath utensils are also made from this wood - barrels for cold water, containers for steaming brooms, ladles, chairs, hangers, etc.
A bathhouse made of aspen will hold heat perfectly. In addition, in this case, one cannot fail to take into account such a feature of aspen wood as the ability to have a bactericidal effect due to its content large quantity tannins and aromatics essential oils. It is believed that the substances released when this wood is heated have a pronounced antitussive, anti-inflammatory and choleretic effect.
An important point is the low cost of timber and boards, so building a bathhouse from aspen will cost very little.
Houses made of aspen timber
Aspen is widespread throughout Russia; lumber made from it is inexpensive and easy to process. However, aspen timber is used very rarely for the construction of houses. This is explained by two reasons:
- It is quite difficult to find the required amount of high-quality timber, since the tree is still susceptible to fungal diseases during the growth process;
- natural humidity Aspen wood is high, therefore, if insufficiently dried lumber is used for construction, cracks may form in the supporting structures during the drying process and the geometry may change.
In addition, in certain circles there is a strong opinion that aspen has negative energy - this may scare some people away from using it as a material for construction and decoration.
How is aspen edged board used?
In addition to finishing baths and saunas edged board made of aspen, due to its increased moisture resistance, is often used for arranging various street buildings. Floors are made from it open verandas and gazebos, flooring garden paths in the form of wooden paving stones. Aspen lumber is also used to make various outdoor furniture and decorative buildings. Benches, tables are made from it, and used as finishing for well covers. They say that best material You won’t find anything better than aspen timber for constructing a well frame. After all, even in ancient times it was noticed that it is in such wells that the water always remains clean and fresh.
A thick board is suitable for assembly frame walls And interior partitions. Aspen edged boards can be used to install sheathing when arranging a rafter system. Dry products are suitable for the manufacture of furniture elements and stairs.
Industrial processing of aspen wood
Aspen is an accessible and inexpensive raw material, while its wood lends itself perfectly to different types mechanical processing (cutting, peeling, sawing, planing). Therefore, this material is widely used for the manufacture of matches, paper, cardboard, containers various shapes and appointments.
In match production, aspen wood is especially highly valued due to its ease of processing. Considering that aspen easily peels into veneer, it is sometimes also used in the manufacture of plywood sheets.
Aspen wood is distinguished by its natural white color and sufficient fiber length, which makes it an excellent raw material for the production of paper and cardboard. The wood of this species does not contain resins, which makes it possible to make barrels and boxes from it.
Aspen lumber TU
As already noted, aspen wood, especially sawlog old age and diameter, is often infected with rot. Therefore, when sawing logs into lumber, a lot of unprofitable wood remains, and this significantly increases the price of lumber.
Any product made of wood, as is known, must be manufactured in accordance with the indicators specified in state standards (GOSTs) - this applies to size, grade, geometry, etc. Considering the characteristics of aspen wood, doing this without increasing costs is very problematic. To reduce costs and the price of lumber, each lumber manufacturer, depending on the capabilities of its equipment, develops its own technical specifications- THAT. Such documents make it possible to produce products that differ in size from GOST requirements. the main task TU is a reduction in the amount of non-commercial wood and an increase in the production of usable lumber, which is especially important in the case of aspen wood. The developed technical conditions allow the manufacturer to reduce the price of products.
Each buyer, in addition, has the opportunity to order lumber from the enterprise at custom sizes, which will allow him to reduce installation costs individual designs and keep waste to a minimum. As we can see, the main difference between GOST and TU is the ability to satisfy to the maximum the needs of the consumer, who needs to have the required number of high-quality piece products, while the “standard” dimensions are not important for him.
Pros and cons of aspen wood
From all of the above, it becomes clear that the characteristics of aspen wood are far from clear. For example, it is characterized by increased resistance to humidity, but is often affected by fungal diseases.
This material has few disadvantages, but they are a fundamental factor when choosing:
- It is very difficult to find quality lumber in required quantities, especially when you need a lot of it;
- The high natural humidity of aspen wood leads, if the products are not dried correctly, to warping, cracking and changes in the geometric shape of structures.
Let us highlight the main advantages of aspen as a building material:
- decent moisture resistance;
- good thermal insulation abilities;
- ease of processing and installation combined with strength and elasticity;
- the absence of resins in wood and high moisture resistance makes aspen an ideal material for baths and saunas;
- When processing aspen wood, the cutting residue of the tools does not become dull and does not require constant cleaning.
Some consider aspen wood to be very beautiful, while others, on the contrary, say that it looks rustic and is not suitable for design. Well, this, as they say, is a matter of taste. In this case, each consumer has a choice and the opportunity to purchase what he likes and is suitable for each specific purpose.
