Common Name:

General Information

Alnus acuminata is a medium-sized to tall evergreen tree with a wide, rounded crown; usually growing 10 - 25 metres tall but exceptional specimens may reach 30 - 40 metres[]. The bole is straight, usually 20 - 50cm in diameter, but sometimes up to 100cm[]. On unfavourable sites the plant may only develop into a shrub[].
The tree is harvested from the wild as a local source of wood, fuel, tannins and dyes. It is sometimes cultivated as a timber crop in plantations[].
A widespread and common montane species, but much of its original habitat in the drier inter-Andean valleys has disappeared over the centuries. The tree is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, north through C. America to Mexico.

Habitat

Grows well on steep mountain slopes at elevations between 1,000 metres in Costa Rica and 3,800 metres in Peru[]. Common in the mountains, often forming almost pure, dense, extensive stands, but more often associated with oaks and often with pines[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	25.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Alnus acuminata is a plant of higher elevations in the tropics, where it is generally found at elevations from 1,000 - 3,700 metres[]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 15 - 28°c, though it can tolerate 4 - 34°c[]. Plants can withstand temperatures that dip briefly below 0°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,500 - 2,500mm, tolerating 1,000 - 3,500mm[]. It is usually found in areas with a distinct dry season of 3 - 5 months[].
Grows best in a sunny position, but can tolerate some shade[, ]. Prefers deep, well-drained soils with high content of organic matter[]. Succeeds in shallow soils[, ]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 7[].
A fast-growing tree, it can reach a height of 25 metres in 10 years[].
Plants can commence flowering when just 4 - 5 years old from seed[].
Plants reproduce freely on exposed bare-soil surfaces[].
Trees respond well to coppicing[].
Grown in rotations of about 20 years, the optimum annual yield of wood for fuel and industrial use is 10 - 15 cubic metres per hectare[, ].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots 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[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bark and leaves have medicinal value, and have been used in the treatment of muscular and joint pain, rheumatism, skin infection, and as an anti-inflammatory[].

The macerated leaves are used to treat joint and muscular pains, rheumatism and skin infections[]. A leaf infusion is part of a cure for inflammation of the prostate[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A pioneer species that grows rapidly, needs light, and regenerates in open areas. It tolerates a wide range of climates and soils[]. It can be used in reforestation projects at higher elevations in the Tropics[].
Both within its native range, as well as in other areas such as tropical Africa, the tree is increasingly planted for the reclamation of denuded sites, erosion control, soil improvement and in agroforestry systems. It is well suited for these purposes because of its rapid growth and tolerance to a wide range of soils and climatic conditions[].
It has been used as a shade plant for coffee in Costa Rica for about 100 years[].
Planting of this species in association with maize and corn can reduce the cost of planting these crops by up to 60%[].
The agroforestry benefits of this species are not derived only from its nitrogen fixing capabilities but also because of
the leaves, which recycle nutrients into the soil[].

Other Uses

The inner bark yields tannin and dye[].
A brown dye is obtained from the bark[]. It is often used for cotton and other textiles[331[

The heartwood is cream-coloured, turning reddish upon exposure; it is not distinctly demarcated from the sapwood. The grain is straight; the texture fine; lustre is medium; there is no distinctive taste or odour. The wood is light in weight; tough; strong; moderately durable in the open, durable when under water, and not resistant to insects. Easy to work with hand and power tools, it takes a good finish. It can be used for furniture, cabinetwork, coffins, boxes, interior construction, posts, plywood, carving, pulp etc[, , , , ]. A match company in Colombia evaluated 20 species and found this species to be the best suited for making match sticks[].
The wood is used as a fuel[]. A traditional firewood, it burns evenly and very well[, ]. The calorific value is estimated at 19 250 kJ/kg[]. The wood is also used to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a short viability and should be sown as soon as it is ripe[]. It requires 10 - 20 days of cold stratification at 5°c in moist sand[]. Sow the treated seed in a nursery seedbed, only just covering it. Germination should commence within 13 days. The seedlings can be planted out into their permanent positions when they are 30 - 40cm tall, usually about 4 - 6 weeks after germination[].

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