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Alnus nepalensis - D.Don.

Common Name Nepalese Alder
Family Betulaceae
USDA hardiness 8-11
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Forests in ravines, on stream banks and occasionally in drier localities, 900 - 2700 metres in the Himalayas[146].
Range E. Asia - China, Himalayas
Edibility Rating    (0 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Half Hardy Moist Soil Wet Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Alnus nepalensis Nepalese Alder


Alnus nepalensis Nepalese Alder

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of lolypop
Alnus nepalensis is a deciduous Tree growing to 22 m (72ft 2in) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. It is in flower from September to October. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind.
It can fix Nitrogen.
Suitable for: medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist or wet soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses

None known

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Diuretic

A useful diuretic for reducing swelling of the leg[269]. The juice of the bark is boiled and the gelatinous liquid applied to burns[272].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Dye  Fodder  Fuel  Soil stabilization  Wood

The bark contains 7% tannin[240], it is used in dyeing and tanning[11, 146, 272]. It is used to deepen the red colour of madder, Rubia cordifolia[269]. A fast growing species, it is suitable for plantation cultivation in tropical uplands[269]. The tree is locally cultivated by West Java Forest Service to reforest eroded slopes under ever-wet climates[269]. The tree establishes rapidly on areas subject to landslides, binding the soil with its extensive root system and stabilizig the slope[272]. Wood - soft, tough, even grained, rather durable, easily sawn, seasons well and does not warp. It is used to a limited extent in carpentry, house construction, tea boxes, for making furniture, rope bridges etc[146, 158, 269]. A very good timber, it deserves to be more widely used[146]. In India the trees are coppiced every two years for fuel[269].

Special Uses

Carbon Farming  Nitrogen Fixer

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Agroforestry Services: Crop shade  Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Fodder: Bank  Management: Coppice  Management: Standard  Regional Crop

Prefers a heavy soil and a damp situation[1, 11]. Grows well in heavy clay soils[11]. Succeeds in very infertile sites[200]. The Nepalese alder is reported to tolerate clay, flooding, fog, gravel, sand, shade, slope, water-logging, and weeds[269]. It is not tolerant of high winds[269]. Grows best in deep well-drained loams or loamy soils of alluvial soils, but ranges from gravel to sand to clay[269]. Prefers an annual rainfall estimated at 50 - 250cm, an annual average temperature in the range of 19 - 23°C, and a pH of 6 - 8[269]. This species is possibly only hardy in the milder areas of Britain[11]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil micro-organisms, these form nodules on the roots of the plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200]. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is branching: a heart root, dividing from the crown into several primary roots going down and out [2-1].

Carbon Farming

  • Agroforestry Services: Crop shade  Plants providing crop shade especially trees.
  • Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.
  • Fodder: Bank  Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
  • Management: Coppice  Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
  • Management: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
  • Regional Crop  These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees, and Woodland Gardening. Our new book to be released soon is Edible Shrubs.

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Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe and only just covered[200]. Spring sown seed should also germinate successfully so long as it is not covered[200, K]. The seed should germinate in the spring as the weather warms up. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. If growth is sufficient, it is possible to plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer, otherwise keep them in pots outdoors and plant them out in the spring. If you have sufficient quantity of seed, it can be sown thinly in an outdoor seed bed in the spring[78]. The seedlings can either be planted out into their permanent positions in the autumn/winter, or they can be allowed to grow on in the seed bed for a further season before planting them. Cuttings of mature wood, taken as soon as the leaves fall in autumn, outdoors in sandy soil.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

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Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Expert comment

Author

D.Don.

Botanical References

11200

Links / References

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Readers comment

ABHISHEK SARAWAGI   Thu Mar 20 2008

please advise if alnus nepalenis can be used to making plywood. and is it better wood to make plywood than poplar wood found in india

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