Kalonka, near Łódź

Native to eastern and central Europe and western Asia, from Spain east to Russia, north to southern Scandinavia and south-east to northern Iran; it was introduced to North America in the mid-1700s as a shade tree. Edible plant - the sap contains a certain amount of sugar and can either be used as a drink, or can be concentrated into a syrup by boiling off the water. Usable plant - a rose coloured dye is obtained from the bark; the heartwood is white and not clearly demarcated from the sapwood, is close-grained, hard and heavy; the trees are fairly wind tolerant and are often used in to give protection from the wind in mixed shelterbelts.