Tree Species (Scientific Name)
Alnus acuminata
Firewood
Lumber
Medicinal
Product
English Common Name
Alder
Peru Common Name
Mentol
Tree Family
Betulaceae
Average Leaf Size (cm)
11cm
Length
×
6cm
Width
Tree Height
Medium (20–35m)
Elevational Range (m)
>2100m
Distribution
Native
Exotic
Native to Peru
Native to
Region
Americas
Latin America
Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Venezuela
Coffee Agroforestry Information
Coffee System
Arabica
Coffee Impact
Beneficial to coffee
Prevalence
Unknown
Cultivation
Planted
Natural
Tree Management
The seed has a short viability and should be planted as soon as it is ripe. It requires 10 to 20 days of cold stratification at 5°C. Plant the seed in a nursery, just covering it. Germination should occur within 13 days. Seedlings can be planted when they are 30 to 40 cm tall, usually around 4 to 6 weeks after germination.
Tree Benefits and Uses
Farmer Uses
- Firewood
- Lumber
- Medicinal
- Product
Used for furniture, cabinets, caskets, boxes, interior construction, posts, plywood, tool handles, carving and pulp. Harvested from the wild as a local source of tannins and dyes. The bark and crushed leaves have been used to treat muscle and joint pain, rheumatism, skin infections, and as an anti-inflammatory. An infusion of the leaves is part of a cure for inflammation of the prostate. The leaves are used as a poultice to heal wounds and stop bleeding. A traditional firewood, it burns evenly and very well and is also used to make charcoal.
Farm Services
- Coffee Shade
- Soil Improvement
- Erosion Control
- Reforestation
- Nitrogen Fixation
Reforestation: the tree is increasingly planted for the recovery of cleared sites and soil improvement
Biodiversity Benefits
Yes
Citations
Citations
Jezeer, Rosalien. (2018). PhD dissertation: Shedding Light on Shade- Reconciling Livelihoods and Biodiversity in Coffee Agroforests. 10.13140/RG.2.2.28895.71844.;
Mendoza, A. L. M., & Guerrero, M. H. (2010). Catálogo de los árboles y afines de la Selva Central del Perú. Arnaldoa, 17, 203-242.;
Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2022-09-30. tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Alnus+acuminata;
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: Alnus acuminata Kunth. Accessed 30 Sep 2022. Published on the Internet: https://panamabiota.org/stri/taxa/index.php?taxon=Alnus+acuminata&formsubmit=Search+Terms#