Common Name:

General Information

Alnus jorullensis is a deciduous tree that can grow up to 30 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole of a fully grown tree can be free of branches for up to 20 metres and up to 150cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its wood. It is also cultivated as a fuel and timber species, and is used as a pioneer plant for re-establishing woodland. It is extensively planted in plantations throughout Mesoamerica and South America[].
There are no known threats impacting this species now or major threats predicted in the foreseeable future. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

C. America - Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico

Habitat

Moist soil habitats, such as stream and river banks, swamps and moist montane slopes, often in very dense stands, at moderate to high elevations[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	25.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Alnus jorullensis is a plant of tropical montane forests, where temperatures are cool, with abundant rainfall. They are also found in high-elevation, open, oak-pine and fir woodlands in Mexico[].
Grows best in a sunny position, but is somewhat shade tolerant[]. Prefers a heavy soil and a damp situation, but it succeeds in ordinary garden soil[]. Grows well in heavy clay soils[]. Tolerates very infertile sites[].
The tree responds well to coppicing[].
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[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Alnus jorullensis is an early successional species that regenerates and colonizes on open disturbed ground where other forest types have been destroyed though natural processes, such as landslides, or as a result of anthropogenic activities. It is used extensively in reforestation on disturbed sites and is widely grown in plantations throughout MesoAmerica and South America as a timber and fuel wood species[].
In agroforestry it is used in silvo-pastures to provide nitrogen for increasing forage availability and quality, to improve soil fertility, and it is grown in association with crops such as corn and beans, coffee and wild blackberries[].

Other Uses

The wood and bark is rich in tannin, which is used to impart a red colour[, ].
Woodland guides select this species for marking new trails through the mountain forests. The red marks of the bark cut by their machetes re as effective as red paint in marking the way[].

The wood is rather light and soft but firm, straight-grained, rather fine-textured, easy to work, tough and strong, finishes
smoothly, is not durable in contact with the ground[]. It is used for the manufacture of boxes for transporting vegetables, shoe trees, matchsticks, post poles, broom handles, domestic implements, plywood cores and particle board. It is also locally harvested for firewood, and charcoal production[].

Propagation

Seed -

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