What can be made from rowan wood. Rowan tree: description and photo

The fuel characteristics of tree species vary widely. And they differ in flammability (in everyday language “they burn poorly” and “they burn well”), heat output (“little heat” and “lots of heat”), smoke (no need to explain) and ash content (the amount of non-combustible components in wood tissue, from which depends on whether little or a lot of ash remains after the fire). Good and high-quality firewood is firewood with high flammability and heat output, but with low smoke and ash content. Bad firewood - for which everything is the opposite.

A general requirement for firewood of any species: it must be well dried. Freshly cut wood, saturated with moisture, always burns poorly. By the way, the ideal time for harvesting wood for any purpose is the middle of winter: the trees “sleep”, the sap does not flow, and it is easy to transport in the snow.

Most common in forests Central Russia The tree - birch - produces firewood of almost ideal quality. Birch wood and bark are saturated with hydrocarbon compounds (tar). It ignites easily, burns hot and friendly, and produces relatively little ash. Thin birch splinters and bark are the best means for lighting fireplaces and lighting samovars. But this firewood also has a drawback: it cannot be stored in large quantities; it is poorly stored - it quickly rots and turns into dust.

Pine is good, especially if an old resinous tree was used for firewood. But with spruce and larch the situation is different. Their wood is resinous, but twisted (has twisted fibers). Spruce logs crack heavily, while larch logs are very dense. They burn hot, but not intensely, produce a lot of ash, and besides, they have an insidious habit of shooting out embers, which is why you can’t put them in the fireplace.

Firewood from small-leaved tree species, which make up a significant mass of the stand of Central Russian mixed forests (aspen, alder, bird cherry, rowan), is considered to be of low quality. Aspen and alder require particularly careful drying and fine splitting. Low quality logs are made from willow and poplar wood.

Firewood made from broad-leaved trees (oak, beech, hornbeam, elm, linden, maple, chestnut) is very good in terms of heat output and flammability. However, in Central Russia there are few of these trees; cutting them down for firewood is a sin; bringing them from afar will cost a pretty penny. The wood of fruit trees (apple tree, pear tree) is of equally high quality, but you can only get hold of them by chance - if the old orchard has been uprooted.

It is best to store fuel reserves under a roof in a barn. An open-air woodpile constantly gets wet and dry, becomes covered with mold and fungi, and serves as a free canteen for wood-boring insects and a shelter for rodents.

Writer M.M. Prishvin, in one of his stories, recalled a curious incident that happened to the landlady with whom he once had to live. One day, in the midst of winter, she bought five fathoms of birch firewood from a visiting merchant. It was snowing, and the old merchant, so as not to disturb the mistress, volunteered to put the firewood in the woodpile himself.
When the fire in the stove finally flares up, further observations of it make it possible to confirm or refute the previous signs: “Strong draft in the stove - for frost, weak - for thaw.” “If the wood burns with a bang, it means frost.” “If the flame rushes into the chimney and the wood burns with noise, it means a snowstorm.” Even the color of the flame could tell an experienced housewife. It has long been noted that a red fire in a stove means frost, and a white one means thaw. The stronger the frost in the yard, the more firewood was consumed to warm the hut. The stove seemed to the owners an insatiable and gluttonous creature:
Matryona stands, healthy, vigorous, her mouth opens, whatever she gives, she swallows. Even the richest and most thrifty owners in severe frosts said with a sad smile: “It’s frosty outside, but the money is melting in your pocket.”
While it was relatively warm weather, the housewife tried to heat the stove with aspen wood left over from last year. But “...in December, when the real frosts began,” the writer recalls, “no matter how much we heated with aspen wood, the house immediately got cold.” “Well,” the hostess once said, “from tomorrow we’ll start making birch firewood, these won’t let you down, but Aspen is not firewood, aspen is dust." However, at the woodpile stacked by the merchant, it turned out that instead of birch wood, it contained aspen firewood, powdered with snow to disguise it. “So,” the writer concludes, “the pious old man painted as many as five fathoms of aspen firewood to look like birch.”
To be able to imagine the losses suffered by a gullible woman, it should be recalled that before the introduction of the metric system, a fathom was equal to three arshins, or 2 m 13.4 cm. In everyday life, the so-called fly fathom was quite often used, equal to the distance between the fingers of wide open hands. Of course, such a fathom depended on the person’s height and everyone had their own.
A fathom of firewood is a woodpile that is one fathom high and the same width. The depth of the woodpile is determined by the number of rows laid out from logs having a standard length, that is, three quarters (54 cm). Firewood laid in a woodpile in one row was called firewood, in two - a double, and in three - a tee. Apparently, the story is about firewood, and the woodpile sold by the merchant had a length of 10 m 76 cm with a height of 2 m 13.4 cm. It is known that firewood is different from firewood. One fathom of aspen firewood produces almost half as much heat as birch firewood. In order to heat the stove hot, it is enough to burn just one good bundle of birch firewood, while aspen firewood will require at least two bundles. In addition, aspen firewood does not burn as smoothly as birch firewood, and produces a lot of ash, which prevents combustion. This is what people used to say: “Aspen firewood is not suitable for cooking - it doesn’t produce enough heat.” All year round Only the poor used such wood to heat their stoves, like those mentioned in the comic Maslenitsa refrain:
Once upon a time there lived a grandfather and a woman On aspen wood Three logs in their heads!

Birch firewood differs from aspen not only in the composition of the wood, but also in density; it is much heavier. The higher the density of wood, the more heat it produces during combustion.

One cubic meter of absolutely dry birch wood weighs 570 kg, a cubic meter of aspen 370 kg. Accordingly, the calorific value of one cubic meter of birch is almost twice as high as that of aspen. Of course, when talking about the calorific value of wood, its bark is not included in the calculation. The birch bark alone is worth something! It ignites easily and quickly and produces much more heat than wood of the same mass. Therefore, a birch log cannot be compared with others. Each log, covered with birch bark, has its own kindling. After all, in the oven, the birch bark first lights up, and only then with its help does the whole log. Birch firewood burns together, which is why a high temperature quickly arises in the firebox, and hot coals help maintain a stable heat in it. While the stove is burning, the light pleasant aroma of burning birch wood spreads throughout the hut. This is why people in Rus' love birch firewood so much. Since the calorific value of combustion of a cubic meter of firewood is different, the type of firewood must be taken into account when setting the price. At the same time, the mass heat of combustion, depending on the composition of the wood, is almost the same for most trees. Let's say, 10 kg of birch firewood provides approximately the same amount of heat as aspen, spruce and oak firewood of the same weight. The exception, perhaps, is pine: it gives a little more heat due to the resin it contains.

The lower the density of wood, the faster it ignites, but it burns just as quickly. Moreover, combustion is accompanied by a crackling sound and scattering of sparks. Solid wood, on the contrary, lights up slowly, but burns with a powerful and calm flame. There is another significant difference when burning hard and soft wood. Soft wood has short flames, while hard wood has long flames. Therefore, it is preferable to burn solid wood in large, spacious fireboxes.
As is known, once upon a time Central Asia Firewood was sold by weight, with the exception of brushwood, which was counted in bundles. Buyers paid little attention to the type of wood, as long as it provided the required amount of heat. It would seem that if Prishvin’s old man had sold firewood by weight, his path to fraud would have been cut off. But this was not the case, and with this method of trading the possibility of deception is also not excluded. The cunning southern firewood dealers were not averse to fooling the buyer on occasion. True, they did not disguise the poplar as oak or beech, but simply saturated the wood with moisture ahead of time. The firewood was soaked for several days in a ditch or stream, then allowed to dry on top and only after that was taken for sale. For the buyer, such firewood is doubly unprofitable: not only did he have to pay for the water in it, but most importantly, such firewood burns poorly and produces little heat. The higher the moisture content of wood, the lower its calorific value. This relationship is shown in the table below. For comparison, the table includes anthracite, brown and hard coal, which are not used to heat Russian stoves. Anthracite has the highest calorie content, but charcoal has exactly the same combustion temperature. This means that with the help of charcoal in the firebox of a Russian stove, you can create a very high temperature.

Calorific value of some fuels:

Types of fuel Heat of combustion kcal/kg
Dry firewood with humidity:
up to 25% 3300
up to 30% 3000
up to 50% 2800
Lump peat is wet. 30% 3000
Briquette peat 4000
Brown coal 4700
Hard coal 7000
Anthracite 8000
Charcoal 8000

When burning dry wood, the temperature in the firebox can only be raised to 1000°C, although the heat-producing capacity of oak and birch, as studies have shown, is over 1500°C. But it is impossible to achieve such a temperature when burning wood in a stove solely due to various heat losses caused by the design of household stoves. The so-called firewood produces a lot of heat. In the past they were used for smelting metal. Such firewood was obtained from dead trees that had been standing for at least a year. During mass harvesting, trees were specially dried while standing, removing a strip of bark from the butt in a circle in the spring. Trees that dried out over the summer were cut down in the fall. However, practice has shown that dry wood is just as unprofitable to use for heating household stoves as wet wood, since it burns very quickly and a significant part of the heat goes into the chimney.
People have long noticed that the best return comes from burning firewood that was stored in a special woodpile or woodshed. Such firewood is usually called air-dry.
Wood different breeds trees vary in chemical composition. When burning, one rock emits more volatile substances, another less. If there is an excess of volatile substances in the wood, they do not have time to burn in the firebox, they rise up the chimney and, settling there, form soot. Soot or amorphous carbon is a product of chemical underburning of volatile substances, and under certain circumstances it is flammable. Soot deposited in a thick layer in the chimney can ignite and cause a fire.
High-calorie birch firewood, unfortunately, emit a lot of soot. If stoves are heated with birch wood, they must be cleaned as often as possible. Alder wood burns hotly, and almost without emitting soot. From time immemorial they were used to fire stoves in rich city houses, noble estates and even in royal chambers. People called alder wood royal firewood. The wood of oak, ash, elm, as well as fruit trees: apple, pear, plum and cherry gives a lot of heat. Apple wood burns especially hot and smokeless. By the way, the German occupiers knew the price of this firewood well. Where they had to spend the winter, all the apple orchards were cut down for firewood. In the southern regions of Russia, wood from dried apple trees was necessarily harvested for firewood. Even uprooted rhizomes were used for fuel. In the Tambov province there was a custom on Pokrov (October 14) to heat the stove only with apple wood. According to legend, in those houses where this custom was observed, it was warm all winter.
IN northern regions Pine, spruce and larch are also used for the firebox. Heavy and dense larch wood has the same high calorie content as oak and apple trees. However, when burned, coniferous wood “shoots.” Therefore, during the combustion of the stove, it is necessary to constantly monitor so that the coals that fall out during “firing” do not fall on flammable objects.
All types of willows burn hotly and without soot, but they burn out very quickly. Therefore, more willow firewood is used for one firebox than any other. It is curious that burning the wood of some trees and shrubs was prohibited for various reasons. For example, it was impossible to burn maple because, according to the beliefs of the ancient Slavs, a person was once “sworn” (transformed) into this tree. In confirmation of this, they pointed to branches and twigs that had an opposite arrangement and resembled arms thrown up. In addition, maple leaves appeared to a superstitious person as palms with outstretched fingers. They also believed that trouble awaited those who used elderberry wood as fuel. It was believed that under the elderberry bush, in its roots, the devil himself lives, as well as imps of all stripes, so they do not forgive when they favorite plant let them in for firewood. In Western Europe, the elderberry was considered a cursed tree, because Judas allegedly hanged himself on it. Anyone who violated this prohibition brought small uninvited guests into his home - fleas and bedbugs. Of course, this punishment does not seem too severe compared to the one promised to those who decide to heat the stove with rowan wood. Since the mountain ash was considered a very vengeful tree everywhere, those who violated the ban would face inevitable death. And you just have to be glad that trees, the burning of which is taboo, are not of great importance as fuel.
However, let's return to M. Prishvin's story. It follows from it that in the winter the landlady with whom he lived fired the stove with birch firewood, and in the off-season - in late autumn and, apparently, early spring- aspen firewood. And in this there is deepest meaning. During the winter, while the stove is heated with birch wood, the chimney becomes quite overgrown with soot. When, as the weather gets warmer, the stove is switched to aspen wood, the soot in the chimney begins to gradually disappear. This phenomenon is explained by the fact that aspen firewood not only does not form soot itself, but also helps remove from the chimney the soot that has formed from burning other firewood.
When wood is completely burned, ash, consisting of mineral substances, remains in the furnace. Wood of one species produces more ash, and another less. Experts call this property of wood ash content. The high ash content of firewood worsens its combustion and contributes to the formation of firebrands, which experts call mechanical underburning. When a lot of ash is constantly produced during the combustion process, it prevents oxygen from reaching the wood and prevents it from burning. Softwood from deciduous trees, such as poplar and willow, has a high ash content. In order for ash-filled firewood to burn completely, they require special care: they are often poked with a poker, shaking off the resulting ash, and the firebrands that have sunk in it are removed from the ash. Gradually, firewood in modern household stoves is giving way to higher-calorie fuels - coal and gas. However, according to scientists, this phenomenon is temporary, since these combustible minerals are irreplaceable and their reserves are depleted every year. The time will come when the underground storerooms will be completely empty. At the same time, wood fuel does not face such a fate; it can be renewed endlessly as long as the sun shines above the earth. For example, a fast-growing willow tree can produce twelve tons of wood per hectare annually. Someday you will have to remember this. So, firewood, so familiar to everyone, is not only the fuel of the past, present, but also of the future.
Herbal fuel. In the treeless regions of Russia, only very wealthy people could afford to heat Russian stoves with wood. Basically, what the local nature provided was used as fuel. Most often these were herbaceous plants. During the harvest, straw was prepared, tying it into tight sheaves. In spring, summer and autumn, dung and “apples” (dried cow and horse manure) were collected from pastures, roads, pastures and wherever livestock passed. In some areas, manure was mixed with chopped straw, clay and coal dust. Using wooden spans, briquettes were formed from this mass, which were dried in the sun and then stored under a canopy. In the fall, reeds and weeds were harvested. About this somewhat unusual fuel for residents of forested areas, V. Dahl wrote: “Weeds, large-trunked grassy weeds, bushy grass in fallow lands and backyards. Weeds are mowed for fuel... The weedy plant is large and woody, bushy, stocky grass, perennial from the root.” Among the “weedy” plants, the most suitable for firing stoves are the woody trunks of burdock or burdock, which, apparently, is not in vain in ancient riddles even compared to oak: “There is a withered oak tree, the devil-devil sits in it; whoever approaches will not will go away." The stems of Chernobyl (artemisia), angelica, fireweed (fireweed), nettle, thistle, hogweed and other tall herbaceous plants were also used for fuel. The dried stems were tied into dense bundles approximately 15-20 cm thick. To ensure that they had the same length, the excess ends were cut off on the block. Herbal fuel was stored in stacks in barns, under a reed or straw canopy. Sometimes weeds were harvested for the winter even in those places where it was possible to heat stoves with wood. True, there it was used as good kindling. In many southern regions, reed was also used as fuel - a tall grass with a woody tubular stem and a thick panicle at the top. The same cereal about which the famous folk song is sung: “The reeds rustled, the trees bent...” Contrary to the rules of botany, reeds are quite commonly called reeds in everyday life. Another herbaceous fuel that has replaced firewood, and not only in treeless areas, has been peat for many centuries. Already in the 12th-13th centuries, the extraction of peat was established - fuel consisting of dead plants, partially decomposed in swamp conditions.
Peat was used not only in Russian stoves, but also in heating and cooking stoves, the so-called Dutch and Swedish stoves, the fireboxes of which did not have a blower. In terms of calorific value, peat is close to firewood.
Concerned with the problem of heating residential premises on the southern outskirts of Russia, Peter I wrote in one of his instructions to the Azov governor: “In the Azov meadows and other places, near and far, at least look for peat, which will be usefully used in the woodless places there; also and teach people (until peat is found) to use reeds (of which there is a lot) instead of firewood...” But even in forest areas, Peter I recommended “to search for peat in every possible way, so that there is help for firewood.” In the steppe regions of Ukraine, straw was widely used to fire stoves. It was used to heat stoves not only in peasant huts, but also in the houses of landowners. For example, the old-world landowners Afanasy Ivanovich and Pulcheria Ivanovna, glorified by N. Gogol, had straw heating: “The rooms of the house in which our old people lived were small, low, such as are usually found among old-world people. In each room there was a huge stove that occupied almost a third of it. These rooms were terribly warm, because both Afanasy Ivanovich and Pulcheria Ivanovna loved the warmth very much. Their fireboxes were all located in the canopy, always filled almost to the ceiling with straw, which is usually used in Little Russia instead of firewood. straw and lighting make the canopy extremely pleasant on a winter evening..."

Rowan is perhaps one of the most common trees in Russia. We can know with confidence that every resident of our country knows exactly what rowan looks like. Older generations remember with pleasure the taste of sour berries, which become sweeter in the cold - a small piece of childhood that remains with a person for life.

This plant can grow almost anywhere. This is explained by its unpretentiousness and endurance. That is why it is most often chosen for decorating a personal plot. Rowan can become really important element of landscape design country house. Its advantages lie not only in its endurance, as mentioned above. The appearance of the rowan tree is pleasing to the eye and attracts attention, which can look advantageous against the background of monotonous decorative and complex decorations.

This short article, as one can already understand from the previous paragraphs, will be entirely devoted to rowan. This famous plant is of particular interest not only to specialists in the field of botany, but also to the ordinary reader, drawn to interesting information about everything at once.

Rowan - description. Characteristics of rowan

To begin with, you should simply describe the rowan, and also answer a very common question that relates to this plant. Many users on the network ask the question “Is rowan a shrub or a tree?” If you think about it, this question is very logical, if you look closely at the mountain ash, you really won’t immediately understand whether it is a bush or a tree, its structure matches both characteristics, so it can be either a bush or a tree.

Finding the answer to this question is quite easy. You just need to enter “Rowan ash” into the search engine, and all the information about it will be posted in the first paragraph of the article on this comprehensive resource. The fact is that this plant itself is a tree, but at the same time There are also shrub varieties. The tree family is Rosaceae, the root system is well developed, reaches 2 meters in depth and spreads to 5 meters in diameter, the type of fruit is spherical, the height of the tree usually reaches 6-15 meters. Rowan looks like a not very tall tree with a straight trunk, as well as a crown, the shape of which can be described as ovoid.

Rowan trees are distinguished by their smooth bark and grayish color. . Leaves can be of different shapes: oblong-lacental or simply oblong, alternate, also called imparipinnate. This plant is indeed a very beautiful tree, which determines its popularity as an ornamental plant. The old leaves of this shrub are not pubescent, unlike the young ones.

Rowan is especially beautiful during its flowering period, when it begins to bloom, and also looks very pretty in the fall. The flowers are collected in a kind of panicle and can be white or have a pinkish tint. The smell of rowan flowers, however, is not particularly pleasant. This is a plant bears fruit annually, but one should not naively believe that the “harvest” can be collected in specified deadlines. Approximately once every three years the plant produces a full “harvest”.

The rowan tree usually blooms in late spring or early summer. At the same time fruit development begins in autumn in September. Gradually, they turn from white berries into red or black fruits. Of course, the berries of the rowan tree may not be on a par with the berries of cherries or grapes when comparing their taste, but in terms of usefulness they can easily compete with them.

Some growing features

When planting any plant, you should first learn about the peculiarities of its cultivation. This will avoid possible subsequent death of the plant as a result of improper care.

• In the case of rowan, you don’t have to worry when planting it. As already mentioned above in this article, this plant is very, very hardy and unpretentious, and feels quite comfortable in almost any soil. Also, don’t forget about something else important quality This plant is frost-resistant. This ability allows the mountain ash to withstand even the most harsh winters. In addition, the plant can boast of resistance even to high temperatures.
• This plant is ideal for lovers of beautiful landscapes who prefer to put a lot of effort into caring for plants, as it practically does not require constant, regular watering. True, in the summer it is recommended to periodically moisten the soil under the rowan tree. Also, thanks to its strong and developed root system, the plant will not fall before strong gusts of wind. It should also be noted that the plant is resistant to heavily polluted city air.

The value of rowan as an ornamental plant

It was already said above that rowan is often used by landscape designers as an ornamental plant. Moreover, both rowan trees and shrubs are used. Popularity of rowan used for decoration is due to a number of reasons. First of all, you should definitely point out the beauty of the crown of a rowan tree or shrub, which stands out for its density and compactness. Of course, plants with a “weeping” crown shape are most often used.

It is also worth noting the beauty of rowan leaves, which are distinguished by their unusual shape. In addition, in the fall the leaves become orange-reddish tint. In addition, bright rowan berries, which are able to retain their beautiful color even up to late winter., rowan leaves are also very suitable for autumn herbarium.

Types of mountain ash

Many people don't even know that they exist different types rowan Most often you can come across rowan species with red berries, but there are also chokeberry varieties mountain ash (photo), which are highlighted as a separate species. It is worth noting that the fruits of both types, both red and black, have medicinal properties. The most common type of this plant is the mountain ash. There are more than forty varieties in total.

Serious work on the selection of mountain ash species was carried out by the famous Russian scientist Michurin. The scientist has developed several new hybrids of this plant. It was thanks to his research that chokeberry, which has already been mentioned in this article. In principle, it is very similar to the ordinary rowan species, but it does not belong to this species. In fact, this is a separate hybrid plant that has its own name - chokeberry.

Medicinal properties

The fruits of the mountain ash have long been used by people as a folk medicine. Rowan berries contain various vitamins, as well as glucose, fructose and sorbic acid. All these components very beneficial to the body, especially weakened by illness.

• It is necessary to identify some ailments for which decoctions of healthy rowan berries are sometimes used. It is recommended to drink such decoctions for hypertensive patients and people suffering from atherosclerosis. Also this folk remedy can help with disorders of the heart, kidneys and liver. Rowan juice can be used in cases where a person has gastritis, hemorrhoids or low acidity. One of the beneficial components of the fruit of this plant- sorbic acid - can become a serious assistant in the fight against dysentery bacillus and staphylococcus.
• The berries of the plant are sometimes used as a preservative for food products, as well as for water purification. Our ancestors even had a certain way of purifying water - at night they simply threw a branch of this plant into a bucket of water. This method not only allowed the water to remain fresh for a long time, but also imparted a pleasant taste.

The meaning of rowan in ancient rituals

The importance of mountain ash was noted in ancient times. Cases of using the plant as a decorative ornament and medicine have already been indicated above, but even in pre-Christian Rus', in some regions, people used rowan for certain rituals. For example, there were wedding ceremonies, which involved laying rowan leaves on the shoes of the newlyweds, and also placing rowan berries in their pockets.

The specified plant in this case used as a symbol of protection against the possible machinations of witches and sorcerers. Rowan trees were also planted next to the house for the same purpose. Rowan was also used to drive out spirits that brought various diseases and illnesses to people.

In addition, the value and significance of rowan among the people is emphasized by the existence various legends, which were passed down from mouth to mouth for more than one generation. For example, you can point out an interesting and original legend that tries to explain the presence of bitterness in the taste of rowan fruits. According to this legend, the rowan tree was created by the devil himself from the tears of Eve when she was expelled from paradise.

It was believed that this served as a kind of symbol of Satan’s victory over humanity. But after the Creator discovered the similarity of the leaves of the rowan tree with the cross, he took it from the devil's garden. This could not please the devil, who subsequently set out to destroy his own creation so that it would not go to the Creator and people. But he failed to do this, only as a result of trying the berries of the rowan tree have become bitter.

The decorative and medicinal properties of rowan, which have already been discussed in this article, are not the only advantages of this beautiful plant. The qualities and properties of the wood of this tree make it possible to make various joinery products from it. Here it is necessary to mention the main advantages of rowan wood-strength and elasticity.

As already mentioned, there are quite a few different varieties of this plant, but one of them can boast of quite large fruits. Large-fruited rowan berries are really large compared to the fruits of other varieties of this plant. One berry can weigh twenty grams and have a diameter of three and a half centimeters. The fruits of large-fruited rowan are very tasty. At the same time, this variety is not as unpretentious as other types of mountain ash. She doesn't really like winter, so she needs special care. Interesting fact about large-fruited mountain ash is that it was bred in Crimea Crimean Tatars.

Rowan with sweet fruits instead of bitter ones, it was first found in the village of Nevezhino, Vladimir region. From there it spread throughout Russia. It was this variety with sweet fruits, called nevezhensky, that at the beginning of the twentieth century was used for the mass production of tincture, which was called “Nezhinskaya”.

Rowan picture

Rowan is one of the most beloved and popular trees in our country. They plant it in parks and squares, along roads, in the courtyards of high-rise buildings. And, of course, very often rowan is an important element in the landscape design of country houses. This popularity of this plant is explained primarily by its beautiful appearance, as well as its ability to grow on any soil and its unpretentiousness.

What does the name "rowan" mean?

The word "rowan" is directly related to two others - "bird" and "catch". This name was not given by chance. The fact is that its bright fruits practically do not fall off and can hang on the branches in winter. And this, of course, attracts a huge number of different birds to the mountain ash.

General description

Sometimes Internet users ask the question: “Is mountain ash a shrub or a tree?” The answer to this is quite simple. Most often, rowan is a not too tall (from 5 to 10 m) tree with a perfectly straight trunk and a dense egg-shaped crown. There are also shrub varieties. The bark of the trunk and branches of all varieties is grayish in color and smooth. The leaves of rowan are oblong or oblong-lanceolate, odd-pinnate, alternate. Their beautiful appearance- one of the reasons for the popularity of rowan as an ornamental plant. Young leaves are pubescent, old ones are not.

The rowan tree blooms quite beautifully. Its flowers are collected in a panicle and may have white or with a slight pinkish tint. However, their smell is not particularly pleasant. Rowan bears fruit annually, but a good harvest can only be obtained once every 3 years. This plant blooms either in late spring or early summer. The fruits begin to develop in September. Gradually they acquire a bright red or black color. The shape of rowan fruits is round or apple-shaped. Of course, they are inferior in taste to cherries and grapes. However, in terms of usefulness they can easily compete with them.

Rowan seeds have a crescent shape and a reddish tint. Fruiting begins quite late - in the 5-7th year of planting. Most bountiful harvests The rowan tree begins to produce after about 30 years of growth. From one mature old plant you can harvest up to 100 kg of berries per year.

Rowan is widespread not only in our country, but also in Europe, as well as in North America and throughout Asia.

Methods of propagation of rowan

Common rowan is a tree that reproduces by seedlings, seeds, cuttings or root shoots. The first and last methods are most often used. Despite the fact that this tree is very unpretentious, when planting seedlings in holes, it is necessary to add manure and mineral fertilizers. In order to begin to actively develop, the plant is pruned, leaving about 5 buds on it. Rowan seedlings are accepted very easily, and this tree grows quite quickly. It is best to plant this ornamental plant in the fall. Seedlings are usually obtained by grafting a bud or cutting onto a seedling.

Features of cultivation

As already mentioned, rowan can feel good on absolutely any soil. Another remarkable feature is its frost resistance. This plant is able to endure the most severe winters without harm. Rowan tree is also very resistant to high temperatures. It requires virtually no watering and tolerates drought well. However, it is still necessary to moisten the soil under it in the summer from time to time. Another advantage of this plant is its wind resistance. Its root system is quite well developed. Rowan also tolerates gas pollution of city streets very well.

Decorative value of rowan

The answer to the question of whether rowan is a shrub or a tree is given above. Both varieties are often used for decorative purposes. The popularity of this tree as a plant used in landscape design is due to many reasons. First of all, this is, of course, the beauty of the crown itself, which is compact and dense. Weeping varieties of this plant are especially valued.

In addition, the leaves of rowan trees, which have an unusual shape and acquire orange-reddish shades in the fall, have decorative value. Another reason for its popularity in this regard is the bright berries that cover the crown in large quantities and retain their attractiveness until late winter.

Types of rowan

The genus of mountain ash has more than forty varieties. However, not all of them are widespread. In gardens and parks you can find both red-fruited and chokeberry, identified as a separate species, rowan. The fruits of both colors have medicinal properties. The most widespread as an ornamental plant is the mountain ash tree. All varieties of this plant belong to the Rosaceae deciduous family and are classified into two main subspecies, differing in the shape of the leaves.

The famous Russian scientist of the last century, I.V. Michurin, was very seriously involved in rowan selection. They developed several new hybrids of this wonderful plant. In his laboratory they also obtained such a variety as chokeberry - a tree similar to the common rowan, but in fact it is not one. This plant is a hybrid called chokeberry.

The most famous rowan hybrids

Hybrids of this plant can be created in a mixture with many others. For example, the Krategozorbuz variety is considered one of the most famous. This is a very interesting hybrid of rowan and hawthorn. Malozorbus is another common mixture. It is a hybrid of rowan and apple tree. Sorbapyrus is a mixture with pear, distinguished by dark ribbed, very tasty, sweet and sour fruits. Another interesting variety is Amelozorbus, which is a mixture of rowan and serviceberry.

Medicinal properties of fruits

Rowan is a tree whose fruits are also used to improve the health of the body. Our ancestors knew about the healing properties of these berries. Rowan fruits contain simply a huge amount of vitamins (C, E, P, K). In addition, the juice and pulp of the plant’s berries contain fructose, glucose, sorbic acid and caratine. They also contain a lot of tannins.

Taking decoctions of rowan berries is recommended for diseases such as atherosclerosis and hypertension. They are also drunk for problems with kidney, liver and heart function. Rowan juice also helps a lot with hemorrhoids, gastritis and low acidity. Sorbic acid is destructive to staphylococcus and dysentery bacillus. Therefore, rowan berries are often used as food preservatives or for water purification. Our ancestors also knew that if you throw a rowan branch into a bucket of water, it will acquire a pleasant taste and will not spoil for a long time.

Rowan - a tree, a photo of which you can see on this page, has another rather interesting property. Its berries can alleviate the patient’s condition during oxygen starvation. Our ancestors used the juice and decoctions of the fruits of this tree to treat those burned as a result of a malfunctioning stove. In addition, rowan berry juice increases blood clotting and reduces cholesterol content. It also has choleretic and diuretic properties.

The panicles of this plant, as already mentioned, are white. Rowan (for a tree, or rather its flowers, is sometimes characteristic pink) is valued not only for the medicinal properties of the fruit. The flowers of this plant of both shades are also used for medicinal purposes. For example, they help very well with various types of female ailments and coughs.

For what diseases are the berries used?

The red rowan tree produces fruits used as a medicine for the following ailments:

• sclerosis and cardiosclerosis;
• hemorrhoids;
• goiter;
• heavy menstruation (to increase hemoglobin in the blood);
• as a contraceptive.

Of course, rowan also has contraindications. You should not take drugs based on its fruits if you have increased blood clotting and thrombosis. It is also not recommended to use such medicines with gastritis increased acidity, stomach or duodenal ulcer.

Rowan in cosmetics

Rowan is a tree whose fruits have been used for cosmetic purposes since Ancient Greece. Infusions of berries were used for washing, as a hair rinse, as a hand bath, etc. Modern cosmetologists advise using gruel made from the pulp of berries to improve facial skin health. For aging, oily skin, you can use a mask of berry juice mixed with egg whites whipped into a stiff foam as a rejuvenating agent.

Rowan (the tree whose photo is given below), or rather its fruits, is often used for weight loss. To do this, you just need to brew the berries like tea (20 pieces per glass of boiling water). You can also prepare a decoction of crushed fruits mixed with thin twigs. Since rowan binds carbohydrates in the body, you can even make a sweet remedy from its berries to lose weight. To do this, take half a kilo of sugar per kilogram of fruit. Take one tablespoon of this jam per day.

Ritual meaning of rowan

Once upon a time, the red rowan tree also had sacred ritual significance. For example, in the Central regions it was used during wedding ceremonies. The newlyweds' shoes were covered with its leaves, and the berries were placed in their pockets. This was done in order to protect the future family from the machinations of sorcerers and witches. For the same purpose, they planted rowan next to the house. Until now, this tree is considered a symbol of family happiness. In the Middle Ages in Rus', rowan was used to drive away the spirits of disease. The sick were placed on its branches for healing.

The rowan tree, the description of which is given above, is a plant about which there are various kinds of legends. For example, there is a very interesting legend that explains the bitterness of its fruits. In ancient times, it was believed that Satan himself created this tree from the tears Eve shed when she was expelled from paradise. He did this as a sign of his triumph over humanity. However, the Creator, seeing that the leaves of this tree resembled a cross, took it from the devil’s garden. Of course, Satan did not like this, and for a long time he tried to steal and destroy the mountain ash. However, all he succeeded in doing was making her berries bitter. But at the same time, a divine sign also appeared on them - a five-pointed stigma in the form. Until now, this “mark” on rowan fruits is considered a symbol of the inevitable second coming.

Not only legends, but also poems and proverbs were written about this wonderful tree. By the way, not only in ancient times. The songs of Evgeny Rodygin “Oh, curly rowan tree” and Irina Ponarovskaya “Rowan beads”, we think, are well known to everyone in our country.

Folk signs associated with rowan

There are several signs associated with this tree:

• If the rowan tree, the description of the flowers of which is given above, is covered with white or pinkish panicles in the spring, it means that oats and flax will be born this year.
• A high harvest of a wild variety in the forest foreshadows a rainy autumn, a low harvest means a dry autumn.
• If the leaves on the rowan tree turn yellow very early, it means that autumn will be early and winter will be cold.

Harvesting rowan

You now know the answer to the question of whether rowan is a shrub or a tree. However, whatever the variety of this plant, its fruits can be collected from the moment of ripening until late frosts. It is most convenient to cut the brushes with a sharp knife or pruning shears. Already on the ground they are cleaned of stalks and various types of debris.

Dry the berries in the oven at a temperature of approximately 70 degrees. You can also do this outdoors, of course, not in rainy weather. Their healing properties Rowan berries are stored for two years. In winter, they can be brewed as tea or ground in a coffee grinder and added as a seasoning to various dishes. In addition, jam is made from chokeberry, and very tasty marmalade is made from red rowan.

The rowan tree is incredibly beautiful in autumn because of the bright red or red-orange berries. However, its fruits have a not very pleasant bitter taste. But after the first frost it disappears. Therefore, it is best to collect the fruits of this tree at the end of October or beginning of November. The bitterness in berries is caused by a special substance called amygdalin. By the way, it will be said that it cannot be considered safe. In the stomach it decomposes to hydrocyanic acid. Therefore, eating too many bitter rowan berries is not recommended.

Medicinal and decorative properties are not the only advantages of this wonderful tree. Very high quality rowan wood is made from it. Its distinctive properties are hardness and elasticity. In ancient times, this wood was mainly used to make spinning wheels and spindles. In addition, rowan can serve as a mother plant for other members of its family, for example, pear and quince.

One of the most interesting varieties Rowan is considered to be large-fruited (Sorbus domestica). It was bred in Crimea by the Crimean Tatars. The fruits of this variety can be pear-shaped or round. At the same time, they reach a diameter of about 3.5 cm and a weight of 20 g. Their taste is simply wonderful. However, this variety requires shelter for the winter and is not nearly as unpretentious as ordinary varieties. In some regions it is believed that rowan is a widow's tree. If you cut it down, there will be a dead person in the house.

At the beginning of the 20th century, rowan was used to prepare tinctures in industrial scale. They were made from fruits of the ignorant variety. However, the tincture was called “Nezhinskaya”. Why its manufacturers chose this name is still unknown. It was believed that this was done in order to confuse competitors. There was also an opinion that the tincture was given this name because “unfeminine” sounds more pleasant than “ignorant.” By the way, it was in the village of Nevezhino, Vladimir region, that sweet fruits without bitterness were first discovered. Subsequently they spread throughout Russia.

You can see a beautiful photo of the mountain ash tree just above. People call its fruits berries. However, from a biological point of view, they are nothing more than apples. The presence of rare vitamin P in them puts rowan in one of the first places among all medicinal plants. It is its presence in the juice that explains the ability of the fruits of this tree to eliminate irritability, insomnia and general weakness of the body.

Well, we hope we've given enough detailed description such interesting tree like a rowan. High decorative qualities and unpretentiousness make it more than advisable to use it as a decoration for the courtyards of private houses and cottages, as well as city streets.

Quince(English quince tree, genus Cydonia oblonga) belongs to the Rosaceae family. In the Caucasus, common quince is found in forests and on river banks. The Caucasus is also considered the birthplace of cultivated quince varieties.
In the mountains it grows on slopes at an altitude of up to 1400 m above sea level. It is grown on state fruit farms in the region; there are old orchards in the Tuapse region. Common quince is a deciduous tree up to 8 m high with a trunk diameter of up to 40 cm. The tree lives up to 70 years.

Quince is a diffusely vascular, coreless sapwood species with poorly distinguishable annual layers, the color of the wood is from light yellow to pinkish yellow. It is well polished and processed with cutting tools. Quince wood is hard and heavy. It has a high uniform density and belongs to medium-drying rocks. Suitable for turning and carved products, adheres well. The density of wood at a humidity of 12% is 800 kg/m 3 ; for cultivated varieties it is slightly lower - 750-770 kg/m3. It is highly susceptible to rotting, but is well impregnated with protective compounds.

The process of drying quince wood is not very complicated. During drying, the wood does not crack. Steaming gives good results - the wood acquires a rich yellow. Drying is carried out under moderate conditions. After steaming at the first stage, which lasts 5-7 days, the temperature in the chamber must be maintained at 60 °C, the speed of the drying agent is 1 m/s. In the second stage (duration 8-10 days), the temperature can be increased to 75 ° C, the relative humidity should be at 85%. The speed of the drying agent should be left the same as in the first stage. At the third stage of drying, a short-term moisture-heat treatment is carried out, the temperature is reduced to 40 ° C, and the air dampers are opened. At the next stage, cooling occurs with fans turned on with constant reverse and an air speed of 0.75 m/s. The entire process of drying quince wood can take up to 20 days.

Knife handles, figurines are made from quince wood, and expensive furniture is inlaid with it.

Peach(English peach, genus Prunus persica) is another representative of the Rosaceae. The homeland of the peach is China; in the Caucasus it grows only in the cultivated gardens of state fruit farms, in the Tuapse region and south of the city of Tuapse, towards Sochi. Peach is a tree up to 6 m high with a trunk diameter of up to 30 cm. Life expectancy is up to 60 years, in gardens usually up to 30.

Peach is a sound semi-circular-vascular breed. The kernel is light brown, the sapwood is light yellow, the boundary between the kernel and sapwood is clear. The annual layers are sinuous and clearly visible in all sections. Wood has a high uniform density. The cutting tool handles well. The density of peach wood at a humidity of 12% is 760 kg/m 3; peach is a medium-drying species. There are no data on shrinkage rates. In terms of biological resistance, it belongs to medium breeds, it is better to use indoors.

Drying peach wood requires gentle conditions, as it is prone to cracking and warping. Already at the first stage, the workpieces must be treated with an end protection agent; good results are achieved by using a film-forming end protection, for example Induline SW-910 from Remmers. It is necessary to carry out preliminary atmospheric drying to a humidity of 25-30%, the duration of which in the summer is 20-25 days. At the first stage (duration 15-20 days), the temperature in the drying chamber is not raised above 40 ° C, the speed of the drying agent should be 1 m/s, and the relative humidity in the chamber should be 80%. At the second stage, the temperature must be increased to 55 ° C and moisture and heat treatment must be carried out. At the third stage, open the air dampers and gradually reduce the temperature until the chamber cools completely. During the entire kiln drying process, it is necessary to monitor the humidity with a hand-held moisture meter. Drying wood 30 mm thick can take up to two months.

Peach wood is used for finishing car interiors, exclusive furniture, and making souvenirs. Sliced ​​veneer is used for veneering regular wood.

Mountain ash(eng. mountain ash, genus Sorbus aucuparia) - a tree 15-20 m high with a trunk diameter of up to 50 cm. Distributed throughout Russia. In the Caucasus it is found in the mountains at an altitude of up to 1200 m, in spruce and pine forests and in clearings. Lives up to 100 years. In the Gelendzhik area there are small tracts of rowan trees.

Rowan is a sound breed, with wide red-white sapwood and a red-brown core. The annual layers are clearly visible in all sections, the medullary rays are faintly visible. The wood has high uniform density and a characteristic shine.

Rowan wood is heavy and durable. Rowan belongs to the medium-drying species. Shrinkage coefficient: radial - 0.19; tangential - 0.26; volumetric - 0.47. Density - from 570 to 900 kg/m3. The average density of rowan wood growing in the Caucasus at a humidity of 12% is 600 kg/m3. It is well processed with cutting tools, ground, polished, glued and impregnated.

The technology for drying wood is similar to the technology for drying most hardwood species. Good results are obtained by preliminary steaming for three days, after which the rowan acquires an even red color. After steaming at the first stage (lasts 5-7 days), the temperature in the chamber can be set at 40 ° C, and the speed of the drying agent - 1.5 m/s. At the second stage (8-10 days), the temperature is gradually increased to 70 °C, and the speed of the drying agent is reduced to 1.2 m/s with constant reverse. Humidity is maintained at 80%. At the third stage, a short moisture-heat treatment is carried out to relieve internal stresses in the wood. At the last stage, the air dampers are opened, the temperature is reduced, and the speed of the drying agent is set at 0.75 m/s. The entire process of drying rowan lumber takes 22-25 days.

Rowan wood is a valuable ornamental material. Used in furniture production and interior design. Furniture panels, tool handles, and dishes are made from it.

Bird cherry(English bird cherry tree, genus Padus avium) - a representative of the Rosaceae family, a tree up to 18 m high with a trunk diameter of up to 40 cm. Lives up to 80 years. In the Krasnodar Territory, it is distributed in shelterbelts; in the mountains it is found at an altitude of up to 1000 m in the second tier of oak and beech forests. Bird cherry is a sound species with light yellow wide sapwood and a red-brown core. The annual layers are faintly visible in all sections. The medullary rays are small and clearly visible to the naked eye. Belongs to low-drying breeds. Bird cherry wood is heavy and durable. Density at humidity 12% - 720 kg/m3. The wood is flexible, polishes well, cuts well, and is painted evenly. It cracks poorly and has excellent biostability.

Drying bird cherry wood requires caution; the species is prone to cracking. Before loading the lumber into the chamber, it is necessary to impregnate the ends with a means for treating the ends, for example, “SENEZH-TOR”. At the first stage, the chamber should be humidified and warmed up to 30 ° C, the air flow speed should be 0.75 m/s. At the second stage (12-14 days), the chamber is heated to 50 °C, the speed of the drying agent can be increased to 1 m/s, the relative humidity in the chamber must be maintained at 90%. At the third stage, moisture-heat treatment is carried out to relieve internal stresses in the wood with mandatory ventilation of the chamber. At the next stage, the lumber is dried for 10 days at a temperature of 45 °C. At the last stage, the temperature is reduced to 20 °C, the air speed is 1 m/s. The chamber is unloaded after complete cooling. The drying process can take 35-40 days. After proper drying, it stably retains its shape and size.

Bird cherry wood is used to make furniture parts and household items. The twigs are used to make baskets.

Mulberry(English mulberry, genus Morus) has been cultivated for more than 4 thousand years. On the territory of the Caucasus and Krasnodar region White mulberry (Morus alba) and black mulberry (Morus nigra) grow. This tree is up to 35 m high, trunk diameter is up to 1 m; lives up to 300 years. It is found in old gardens in the Sochi region, in the Tuapse region, in the Adygea mountains south of the city of Maykop, in the Otradnensky region, as well as in shelterbelts and cultural plantings.

Mulberry is a ring-vascular species with narrow yellowish sapwood and a red-brown core. Under the influence sunlight the wood takes on a dark brown color. The annual layers are clearly visible. The medullary rays are narrow, but also clearly distinguishable. It is well processed with cutting tools, ground and polished, painted and varnished. Due to low water absorption, it is poorly impregnated with protective compounds, biostability is average, so mulberry products are best used indoors.

Mulberry wood is durable - almost as good as beech, viscous and heavy. Density at a humidity of 12% is 600-700 kg/m 3, depending on the growing conditions. Mulberries are classified as low-drying species.

The process of drying mulberry lumber is quite lengthy, but is carried out under normal conditions. During drying, lumber warps little and almost does not crack. At the first stage (duration 8-10 days), the temperature is 40 ° C, relative humidity is not lower than 85%, the circulation speed of the drying agent is 1.5 m/s. At the next stages, it is necessary to reduce the air humidity, as well as the speed to 1.2 m/s, and raise the temperature to 60-70 °C. At the next stage, moisture and heat treatment should be carried out for 6 hours, then quickly heat the chamber to 85-90 ° C and turn off the heating. The wood should be left to cool for 7-10 days. The speed of the drying agent must be reduced to 0.75 m/s. The drying time for lumber with a thickness of 30-32 mm can be 30-35 days.

Beautiful texture, pleasant color and high quality wood - these characteristics allow it to be used for interior decoration, furniture production, parquet production, musical instruments and artistic crafts.

Caucasian persimmon, or Persimmon(English persimmon, genus Diospyros lotus) in the Caucasus and Krasnodar Territory is found in the mountains, grows together with other deciduous trees in areas located at an altitude of up to 600 m above sea level, it rarely forms pure forest stands. Oriental persimmon is widespread, which is similar in wood quality to common persimmon. Grows in gardens. Persimmon is a tree up to 30 m high, the trunk diameter can reach 75 cm.

Caucasian persimmon is a sapwood species; mature wood and sapwood do not differ in color. The color of the wood is yellowish-black, there are also trees with black wood (depending on the place of growth), the annual layers are poorly distinguishable. Persimmon wood is heavy, sinks in water, and at a humidity of 12% it can reach a density of 1050 kg/m3. Hardness is twice as high as oak. It has good water drainage, is resistant to insect damage, and is not susceptible to rotting. It is difficult to process, but it can be sharpened, polished, polished to a mirror finish, and bent.

Persimmon wood is difficult to dry - it is a low-drying species, but is highly susceptible to cracking and warping. Immediately after harvesting and sawing, lumber must be treated with a special protective compound against cracking, and the stacks must be protected from exposure to sunlight. During drying, the temperature in the drying chamber should not be raised above 50 °C.

The air flow speed must be maintained in the range of 0.75-1 m/s, with a constant, often changing reverse. During chamber drying, moisture-heat treatment should be carried out at the first stage and always after the moisture equalization phase - to relieve internal stresses in the wood. The process of drying lumber from persimmon wood with a thickness of 25-30 mm can take up to 50 days.

Persimmon wood is used to make weaving looms, turning products, expensive exclusive furniture, sports accessories, and it is even used in construction. Sliced ​​veneer is used to inlay furniture and decorate interiors.

Walnut(English: Circassian walnut, genus Juglans regia), one of the popular names for “royal walnut”. In the North Caucasus it grows along gorges, river valleys, slopes of hills and mountains, at an altitude of up to 1000 m above sea level, in mixed forests grows individually or in small groups, sometimes forming small groves. Grown in gardens.

Found in field protective plantings. Walnut is a tree up to 35 m high, the trunk is straight, massive, up to 1.5 m in diameter. Lives up to 300 years.

Walnut is a scattered-vascular kernel species. The vessels are large and clearly visible in a cross section. The kernel is dark, brownish-gray, uneven in color. The transition from the core to the grayish-brown sapwood is gradual. The medullary rays are almost invisible. Density at humidity 12% - 640 kg/m3. Walnut is a highly drying species. Works well with tools, paints and polishes. Under the influence of steam it bends well.

The wood is wear-resistant, tough, and bending-resistant. Protective treatment is moderately amenable. In terms of resistance to decay, it is classified as a moderately resistant species.

Drying of walnut lumber should be carried out under soft conditions. When dried, lumber warps greatly and has a slight tendency to crack, but when dried it retains its shape well. The temperature at the first stage is gradually raised to 40 ° C, the air flow speed can be set at 1.2 m/s. The pores of walnut wood are large and it gives off moisture quite easily, so the drying process should not be accelerated. At the second stage, the temperature must be increased to 60 °C.

The speed of the drying agent may not be changed throughout the drying process. Moisture-heat treatment should be carried out for no more than four hours so that the wood does not absorb excess moisture. After moisture-heat treatment, the temperature should be set within 40-45 ° C, and the lumber should be dried for 7-10 days. Then the temperature is reduced and the air dampers are opened. Drying lumber walnut takes 30-40 days depending on the initial humidity.

Walnut wood has been used by furniture makers for a long time; high-quality and expensive furniture is made from it. Walnut is used for finishing premises and making molded products. The best gun stocks are made from solid walnut.

Sliced ​​veneer is obtained from burls, which is used for cladding furniture and producing high-quality plywood. At the beginning of the 20th century, Russia was the largest supplier of burl walnut wood. Currently, France and Italy are the leaders in the supply of walnut wood in Europe.