The Alder
Herbal healer, faery gateway and bleeding bark.
Identification: Alders are deciduous, their leaves are oval and shiny with a little indent at the top like a heart. The tree is conical in shape, can grow up to 28 metres and live to the age of 60. It’s easy to spot an alder by the female catkins which stay on the tree year round, they look like little round cones and start off green in spring and turn brown. They open up to release their seeds, blown away by the wind. The tree also has male catkins which are more pendulous and turn yellow. Alder bark is dark and fissured, often covered in lichen. Twigs have a light brown, spotted stem which turns red towards the top and young twigs are sticky to touch.
Qualities: Alder is a favourite for boat building and underwater structures because instead of rotting, water makes alder wood stronger. Alder groves are very efficient at healing damaged land and can grow in nutrient-poor soils where few other trees thrive. This is due to a species of bacteria thats lives on alder roots and stimulates the growth of nodules that can fix nitrogen from the air and transfer it to the soil. Nitrogen is an essential food for plant health and this transfer is a mutually beneficial partnership between roots and bacteria. In addition, alder leaves fall when they’re still green and decompose rapidly to form rich humus.
Folklore: If cut, the pale wood turns a deep orangey red, giving the impression that the tree is bleeding and so there used to be some fear around these trees. Along with the belief that they were used by faeries as a gateway to the Otherworld, it became common to avoid passing an alder tree. It was also believed that this magic could be used to divine the weather and influence the elements and wind-fall twigs would be fashioned into wands. As with many trees the alder is linked with creation and in Irish legend the first man was made of alder and the first woman was made of rowan. The green dye from the flowers was used to colour and camouflage the clothes of outlaws like Robin Hood, and was thought to also colour the clothes of faeries.
Herbal Uses: It was believed that a few alder leaves placed in the shoes before a long journey would cool the feet and prevent swelling. Alder is also associated with soothing inflammation, fighting infection, and promoting healing. The bark is most commonly used, but the leaf buds, mature leaves, male catkins, and green female catkins are also medicinal.   Â
Alder is bitter and supports liver functions, such as the break down of wastes and formation of bile to assist with fat digestion. Alder bark tincture can be used to aid digestion of rich foods. You can mix it with other bitter and aromatic plants like orange peel, chamomile and gentian as an aperitif.
Alder is also antimicrobial and used to treat internal and topical infections. Skin disorders including acne and boils may respond well to both internal and topical use of alder. Its astringent properties make it useful in tightening inflamed tissue. A poultice can be made by chewing up the plant and placing it directly on a wound. You can also gently simmer the leaves in a little bit of water, let them cool, and then place the warm herbs over the area, or saturate a dry wash cloth with the concentrated alder tea and place it over the skin. Herbalist Corinne Boyer makes an alder bud oil infusion for sore muscles. It has a strongly aromatic smell similar to cottonwood, but the buds are smaller and are more work to collect. Skokomish elder Bruce Miller recommended alder bark tea for mouth ulcerations and sore throats. 1
Wildlife: In the UK Alder is the food plant for the caterpillars of several moths including the alder kitten, pebble hook-tip, the autumnal and the blue-bordered carpet moth. Catkins provide an early source of nectar and pollen for bees, and the seeds are eaten by the siskin, redpoll and goldfinch. The wet conditions found in alder woodland are ideal for a number of mosses, lichens and fungi, along with the small pearl-bordered fritillary and chequered skipper butterflies, and some species of crane fly. Alder roots make the perfect nest sites for otters. In the States, alder twigs are important food for deer, elk, and moose. Small birds eat the seeds and use the trees for cover and nesting. Beavers eat alder bark and use the branches for constructing their dams. Alder shades streams, rivers and ponds, and helps protect fish and other wetland species.Â
Ogham tree calendar:
Month: February 18th to March 17th
Colour: Crimson
Animals: Red fox, ram and stallion
Associations: Endurance, strength, intuition, prophecy, sacrifice, confidence, power and balancing emotions.
Alder provides moral and physical strength. It’s a sign to be true to yourself and refuse to be compromised. The challenge is to know when you should move forward and when to pause and consolidate. Avoid stubbornness and listen to other points of view. Build a strong foundation and move forward.
Elise Krohn 2016, https://wildfoodsandmedicines.com/alder/
DISCLAIMER please do not use alder internally or externally without research, understanding and advice from a medical professional or qualified herbalist.