Ailant is the highest tree representative of the Simarubov family. The native Asian, brought to other countries, quickly got accustomed to foreign territories. After all, it is not particularly picky about soil types. However, not every climate suits him. Therefore, it is possible to see ailanth only in the southern regions.
Description of the highest Ailant tree
It is possible to recognize ailant according to certain morphological characteristics. Photos of the ailanta tree will be presented later.
The tree grows vertically upward, reaching a height of 20, and sometimes 25 meters. The barrel is endowed with an even cylindrical shape. The top of the trunk ends with a crown, which, depending on the age of the plant, has a different look. In young plants, it resembles a pyramid, and in old plants it is sprawling, spherical. The bark is thin, painted in a light brown color.
The tree leaves are large, reaching a length of 60 cm. In shape they look like a palm tree. The structure is as follows: on a long stalk in both directions grow small oval leaves, the size of which is no more than 12 cm. Their number is 25 pieces. If you touch the leaves of aylant, they will begin to exude an unpleasant odor.
Aylant is a flowering tree that has small inflorescences of green-yellow hue. By themselves, they resemble panicles that reach 12 cm in length. Flowering begins in July or August. During this period, inflorescences spread a nasty scent.
As for the fruits, they look like oblong, dense leaves with a seed. Their length is 4 cm, the color is brown-red.
The roots of the plant are located near the topsoil, but this does not affect the stability of the trees.
The reproduction of the ailanthus tree is carried out by seeds and root fragments. As for life expectancy, it lasts for 80 years, and sometimes even 100 years.
Growing conditions
Ailant refers to plants that prefer a large amount of light. But the tree is completely unpretentious to soil types. Therefore, it feels good on rocky and sandy terrain. Even salt marshes will not interfere with the growth of ailanth. The trees are perfectly adapted to both wildlife conditions and urban environments. Young islanders prefer the southern climate, therefore, cold winters can be disastrous for them. But old trees are fully adapted to low temperatures and easily tolerate twenty-degree frosts. However, with an even greater decrease in temperature, the tree trunk is covered with severe ice and freeze a little. This does not lead to the death of the plant , since with the onset of heat it quickly recovers.
Habitat
Since aylanthus is a thermophilic tree, its places of growth also have a mild, humid climate.
Landing can be met in the southern European part of Russia, as well as in the Crimea. The streets of some Ukrainian cities are decorated with alleys and landings of aylantes. In many park areas of the Caucasus, Central Asia, aylant trees are also found.
A bit of history
The tree is endowed with its own story. To begin with, it is worth saying that the name "aylant" has Indonesian roots. In literal translation, it means "tree of the gods."
Despite the fact that there are a lot of trees of this species on Russian and Ukrainian territories, these places are not his homeland. Ailant was brought to Europe from China by one of the Asian monks. He brought a tree for planting in one of the local arboretums of England. The climate of the country turned out to be to the liking of plants, and after more than a dozen years, the trees grew not only in the southern part of England, but also penetrated into other European countries and regions in which the climate was warm and quite humid.
Islanders have a very high desire for life. Proof of this is the case that occurred in Karadag in the 60s of the last century. The servants of the botanical reserve cut down all the trees of ailanth, and the place on which they grew was covered with a thick layer of asphalt. And still, a year later, shoots of young trees began to break through the asphalt.
Aylanth was imported into Russia in the 19th century, but not for decorative purposes, but for production. Leaves are a great breeding ground for silkworm caterpillars. However, after the revolution, silkworm production was suspended. Nobody was engaged in trees. Soon they began to be eliminated, citing the fact that the plants exude an unpleasant odor.
Aylant as a component of medicines
Despite the specific smell exuded by wood, aylanth is widely used in the medical field.
The substances contained in the leaves of the plant are endowed with an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect.
The components that are in the bark and in the wood of the branches are excellent antiseptics. Such substances are highly effective in combating various skin diseases: depriving, ulcers and others.
Various tinctures and preparations are prepared from woody fruits that cope with a disease such as angina. In addition, they are prescribed for urolithiasis, liver diseases, in rare cases, as a tool in the fight against oncology.
The blossoming elements of aylant are used in the manufacture of medicines to combat defteria and scarlet fever.
Use in traditional medicine
An unconventional method of therapy was also not without the use of aylant. It is especially popular in Chinese traditional medicine. So, for example, roots and leaves are used for disorders of the intestinal tract, in particular, for dysentery. Effective is getting rid of roundworms and other representatives of tapeworms.
The fruits of the tree have a high effect in the prevention and treatment of hemorrhoids.
For diseases of the respiratory tract, fever, decoctions based on the bark and leaves of aylant are used. In addition, such tinctures and drugs help with high puffiness - remove excess fluid.
The use of bark as a therapeutic agent is associated with its composition. It contains the following substances:
- tannins;
- alkaloids;
- quassin;
- sterols;
- saponins.
As you can see, despite the repulsive aroma of aylant, this tree carries considerable benefits for human health. But before you experience the effect of the plant on yourself, you should consult a doctor.