2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Island or Chinese god tree / Ailanthus glandulosa / is up to 30 m tall, deciduous, fast-growing tree with a strong root system. The bark of the ailta is yellowish-gray, usually smooth. The crown is rounded, with semi-raised, often horizontal branches.
The leaves of the tree are up to 1 m long, pinnate. The leaves are 13-27, ovate-lanceolate, broadly toothed at the base, pointed at the tip, with glandular teeth directed backwards, with a very unpleasant odor. The flowers are inconspicuous, greenish-yellow, gathered in erect apical panicle inflorescences, with an elderberry-like odor. The fruits of the islet are elliptical, pale yellow, membranous winged, with one seed.
The island blooms in June and July. The average lifespan is about 30 to 50 years, although specimens of up to 150 years have been observed.
The island originates from China, Japan and India. The plant is transferred to the northern temperate zone and in our country and is bred in the plains as a fast-growing ornamental and park tree. It can also be seen in a wild state.
History of the island
Historically, the first attempts to introduce the island outside its natural environment were aimed at Korea and Japan. There is evidence that the tree occurs naturally in these lands, but modern scientists are united around the view that this is an example of the transfer of species from early historical times.
It is also believed that various territories of China have been the subject of introductions. Since 1784, the species has been distributed in Philadelphia and soon became part of the typical street view of cities on the East Coast of the United States, and even in Europe. The tree was brought separately to California around 1890 by Chinese participants in the California gold rush.
Wherever the species is sown as an ornamental, it goes beyond its desired distribution and the severity of its biological aggressiveness soon becomes clear. The situation in settlements in the United States is the most worrying. Due to its particularly strong and stable root system, the islet causes problems in sewers, underground cables, in the foundations of buildings, on railways and even on highways.
The composition of the island
The bark of the tree contains 2 bitter substances (kvass and neo-kvassin), aylantin, one fluorescent glucoside, a significant amount of tannins, flobafen and others. The leaves contain tannins (up to 12%), quercetin and others.
The fruits of island contain 16.30-17.9% (seeds 30.8-32%) fatty oil, which belongs to the group of semi-arid, with the following composition: linoleic acid 56, 1%, oleic acid 36.3% and saturated acids 7.6% (45).
Growing an island
The island is an extremely adaptable plant that grows almost anywhere, quickly colonizes even areas with environmental disturbances. It is propagated by seeds. The other way is through root shoots. Its root system is shallow, reaching a depth of 46 cm, but it is quite branched. New trees can grow from the root to a distance of 3 meters from the main tree.
In addition, the roots of the island are very durable and penetrating. The islet grows quickly if cut off. The tree is light-loving and difficult to grow in shady places. However, Aylant successfully competes with other tree species even in the presence of only 2 to 15% (gaps in the tree canopy) of sunlight.
The tree is characterized by fast but short annual growth, unlike most tree species that grow slowly but continuously. Island rarely reaches more than 50 years of age, in all environments in which it develops. However, the plant is one of the most resistant to pollution, including sulfur dioxide, cement dust and soot, as well as ozone depletion. High concentrations of mercury in its root system have also been observed.
The island has been successfully used in the reclamation of areas with soil acidity disorders. It grows successfully on soils with a hydrogen index (ph) of 4.1, low levels of phosphorus and high levels of salinity. Due to the good ability of the tree to store water in its root system, it also copes with drought. It is often found in areas where few trees can survive.
Collection and storage of island
The leaves / Folia Ailanthi glandulosae / and the bark / Cortex Ailanthi glandulosae / from aylant are used, the bark being picked in the spring and the leaves in June and July. The bark is peeled from the young branches designated for pruning or from the stems of the trees designated for felling during the sap movement in the plant. For this purpose, transverse incisions are made with a sharp knife at a distance of 10 cm from each other, then joined with one or more longitudinal incisions, whereby the bark is peeled without much effort. The leaves are harvested during the flowering of the plant.
Cut the whole leaf, then separate the leaflets. The collected material, after cleaning from the impurities found during picking, is dried as quickly as possible in ventilated rooms, spread in a thin layer on frames or bedding, or in an oven at a temperature of up to 40 degrees. From 3 kg of fresh bark 1 kg of dry is obtained, and from 4.5-5 kg of fresh leaves 1 kg of dry is obtained. The treated material is stored in dry and ventilated rooms, separate from other drugs, so as not to give them its smell.
Benefits of island
The island is known in Chinese and traditional Asian medicine for the treatment of asthma, viral infections, vaginal ailments and infections. The herb is also successfully used for diarrhea, dysentery, tapeworm, cancer, epilepsy, fever, gonorrhea, malaria.
The islet is effective in premature ejaculation, dental tumors, painful spasms during menstruation, white flow in women, uterine bleeding, palpitations, breast tumors. In Korea, bark tea cures sore throats as well as gastrointestinal ailments. In Africa, it is used to treat heart problems, seizures and menstrual discomfort.
The island widely used in homeopathy. He fights a large number of diseases typical of everyday life of modern man. The herb has a beneficial effect on allergies during different seasons, recurrent ENT diseases, influenza and flu-like conditions, some disorders of the nervous system, skin, gastrointestinal, gynecological and other diseases.
The fruits of the islet are used in ophthalmic diseases. The herb also has an anti-insect effect. In addition, the plant is part of homeopathic remedies for cancer.
The leaves and bark of the islet are also used in the tanning industry. Wood is widely used in the pulp industry to produce wood pulp. The wood contains resinous substances, from which a special type of varnish is prepared. The island is also used to strengthen eroded terrain.
In France and China, its leaves are used to feed silkworms instead of mulberry leaves. Aylan is also an excellent honey plant, although if bees use only this herb, honey acquires an unpleasant taste. Toxins produced from leaves, bark and roots continue to be studied for the production of natural herbicides.
Folk medicine with island
In Bulgarian folk medicine island used against diarrhea, worms and tapeworm. Take 1 g of finely crushed bark or leaves.
Harm from the island
The application of aylant for treatment should be done very carefully and only with the necessary competence, because at higher doses the plant is toxic. With islet poisoning, nausea, vomiting, skin rashes, headache, dizziness, drowsiness and others are observed.
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