The berry of blueberry where grows? Where grows blueberries in the suburbs? Forests, where blueberries grow in Russia

The people have long known the healing properties of blueberries. Where this berry grows, there necessarily are engaged in its collection. And they do it not only local people. Why do people who live hundreds of kilometers from those places where an amazing berry grows - a bilberry - come for the harvest?
Where it grows, the medicinal value, how to use the fruits and other parts of the miracle plant - all of this will be briefly described in the article.

Description

Blueberries are common shrubs belonging to the family of cranberries. The height of the plant is usually from 20 to 30 centimeters. Leaves are dark green small with a wax coating.

The berries are not very large, but juicy. Fruits are black, sometimes dark purple. The taste is sweet and sour. Seeds that are inside the fruit are very small, so they do not spoil the taste of berries.

In May and June, blueberries begin to blossom actively. Where a lot of shrubs of this amazing plant grows , there during its flowering a large number of bees gather. The behavior of insects is such that the plantation does not go unnoticed, not only by amateurs gathering berries, but also by all who turned out to be in the bilberries at that time.
A notable corner can be visited again in one to two months, as in July and August the harvest of berries begins. By the end of the season, especially juicy and tasty blueberries are becoming.

Where grows in nature

Surprisingly, the plant does not grow in the southern hemisphere. Residents of hot countries also do not know him. The northern hemisphere of the planet is the place where you can find huge plantations of blueberries growing in natural conditions.
In addition, it is necessary to clarify that blueberries are particularly fond of the northern hemisphere. Here in the swampy places thickets of shrub can stretch for tens of kilometers. Blueberries are found not only in well-watered areas. Mixed, coniferous forests, where soil moisture is moderate, also likes blueberries.

Where grows in Russia

Answering this question, it is necessary to know that bilberry is usually called "Russian berry". And this is not accidental. It is established that the largest plantations of the plant are located on the territory of Russia.

Some areas of the European part of the country, Karelia, Siberia, the northern regions of the Urals, the Tyumen region, separate areas of the Trans-Urals are places where bilberry is especially common.

Yields of berries are different every year. There are so many different factors affecting this indicator. Do not forget that the place of growth is one of the main conditions. In the harvest years from a hectare of bilberries you can collect up to one ton of valuable berries.

Marshes and forests, where blueberries grow, are the real treasure of the country. Citizens are required to use resources rationally and carefully. Only such an approach will help to preserve the wealth given to man by nature.

Bilberry in folk medicine

The plant is very popular among the people quite by chance. Healing properties of berries and blueberry leaves have been known for a long time. Infusions, decoctions and other products made from plant parts, and in modern practice are used to combat illnesses.

The inhabitants of Ancient Russia, the peoples inhabiting the territory of modern Siberia and the Russian North, blueberries (where it grows today) has always occupied a special place. Berry, normalizing digestion, helped to get rid of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Possessing bactericidal properties, blueberry juice helped to relieve inflammation of the genitourinary system.

Medicines prepared from berries and leaves, improved the activity of the brain, normalized the state of blood. Regular use of blueberries had a beneficial effect on the retina, improving vision.
It's not for nothing that the plant was kindly called a bilberry, a bilberry, a shrub in the people. All healers, healers, shamans had in their arsenal of drugs, prepared from a wonderful berry.

Composition of berries and blueberry leaves

Unique properties of the plant are due to the substances that make up its structure. Today, scientists have methods that make it possible to determine exactly what acids, vitamins, minerals enriched a particular product. Berries and blueberry leaves are also well studied.

It is established that the fruits contain organic acids - lemon, lactic, cinnamon, oxalic, malic, and amber. Each of them individually and in combination with other substances has the most beneficial effect on the human body.
Iron, potassium, copper, manganese, sulfur, chromium, phosphorus, zinc are chemical elements, whose presence is also found in blueberry fruits. Manganese contains as much as there are no other plants. Blueberries are used as a source of vitamins of group A, B, C, PP.

No less unique in their chemical composition are the leaves of the shrub. They are used in the fight against various ailments. For example, the drugs from the blueberry leaves used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus are very popular.

It is not accidental that the people fixed the expression, the meaning of which is this: wherever blueberries grow and people regularly consume it, doctors have nothing to do.

Bilberries in beekeeping

As stated earlier, the plantations of blueberries during its flowering are actively visited by bees. The flowers of the shrub are an excellent honeycomb. It is established that bees are able to bring to the hive from the flowers of blueberries to two kilograms of nectar per day.
This fact is confirmed by experienced beekeepers. They try to arrange the hives near the places where blueberries grow in large quantities.

Blueberry honey differs from other varieties of this product. It is very fragrant, transparent, has a small reddish hue. According to the medicinal properties of this honey, it is not inferior to varieties collected from other medonos.

Cultivars of blueberries

Such a useful and tasty berry could not be overlooked by breeders. Thanks to their hard work already in the beginning of the XX century, there are gardens and special nurseries where blueberries grow everywhere. In the suburbs, about two dozen different varieties of this wonderful berry are grown.

Conventionally, plants are divided into two groups, taking into account the height of the bush - medium (from 60 to 120 cm) and tall (up to two meters). All cultural varieties of blueberries, intended for cultivation in the Moscow region, are resistant to frost, fungal diseases. The close occurrence of groundwater is not an obstacle to planting shrubs in garden areas.

Methods of harvesting blueberries

The second half of summer is the season when blueberry ripens. Berry, where it grows in natural conditions, can persist on the bushes and before the beginning of autumn. In this period there is an active collection of blueberries.

Berries are useful not only in fresh, but also in a processed form. How best to prepare blueberries for the winter, keeping all of its healing properties? This question interested everyone who was fortunate enough to bring a basket full of wonderful fruits from the forest.

Drying is one of the ways of harvesting berries. Drying blueberries at home is not difficult. Berries need to be sorted by removing twigs, leaves, spoiled fruits. Prepared blueberries are sprinkled with a thin layer on a baking sheet or other flat surface and placed in the sun. Regularly mixing berries, they achieve their complete drying.

The whole procedure will take several days - it will depend on the weather. The dried berries are stored in a paper bag or a linen bag. In winter, from blueberries you can brew compote, jelly, use as a filling for pies.

Frozen - another popular way of storing blueberry fruits. The berries can be placed in the freezer chamber whole or pre-made of them puree. The billet can become an independent dish, ready for use, as well as the basis for making beverages, baking stuffs.

Blueberry jam is another common way of harvesting berries. Pancakes and fritters will be much tastier if served with such jam.

This is just a small list of recommendations on how fruits can be harvested and used. Each housewife keeps her secrets, allowing her to pamper the family during the winter, to surprise guests with dishes prepared from blueberries.