What is heather. Heather ordinary: useful properties, cultivation, care and feedback

An evergreen plant, known for a long time with its medicinal properties, absolutely unpretentious to soils, capable of growing in the forest, on wasteland and marshland, is an ordinary heather. Charming, modest, unpretentious ... What is heather?

Description of heather ordinary

It is an evergreen plant whose life cycle is about four decades. Externally low flower (from 20 cm to 1 meter) flower heather is characterized by a strongly branching, reddish-brown stalk. Leaves are very small, trihedral, located opposite. Flowers are sirenovato-pink, drooping, collected in one-sided brushes. Fruit is a box (usually four-cavity) with a lot of small seeds, which matures in early autumn. Flowering heather, which lasts almost all summer, represents an incredibly charming lilac-pink spectacle, which fascinates and falls in love with itself.

Reproduction of heather: ways

Reproduction of heather is done in several ways: by dividing the bush, by cuttings and by seeds. Most of all future plants suitable soil, consisting of river sand, peat and coniferous land. The container into which the seeds will be sown is required to be covered with glass (thus creating a mini-boy) before emergence. Watering is required from the spray gun approximately once a week. Literally a month later there will be young heather plants, which are recommended for hardening in summer to fresh air. In a separate flower pot, they can be determined after 8-10 months.

Reproduction by cuttings is made from the strongest shoots that have faded. Their cutting is performed in late summer. Saplings of heathers are required to root in separate containers with a loose, constantly moist mixture consisting of sand and peat in equal proportions. The most comfortable temperature for rooting is +20 ^o C.

The most reliable and most commonly used method of reproduction is the division of heather roots. This manipulation is performed during the transplant; The earth clod needs to be divided into parts, which need to be planted in separate pots. Then transplanted plants should be watered and fed regularly.

How and when to plant heather

It is best to plant heather in the spring (early May), in a sunny open area protected from cold, piercing winds. During the season, the evergreen shrub has time to adapt, take root, and fully mature before the onset of cold weather. Thus, the plant will safely carry the winter. Heather, planted in autumn (September-October), may well take root and please with its flowering, but it may die, because there is a risk of winter frostbite, because the plant does not have time to adjust to changing temperature conditions.

Before planting the root lump is required abundantly, until complete wetting, water. Then the plant is planted in the soil: on one square meter it is recommended to place no more than 15 undersized or 8 tall plant units. A couple of years, the landing site will be decorated with a beautiful heather carpet.

When growing heather on the backyard or in a flowerpot cultivated for not more than one year, the plant can extend the life cycle for the next season. To do this, a week after the flowering is complete, cut off the shoots and determine the heather bush to fresh air. Then you need to make a full feeding cycle in combination with trimming. It is worth remembering that heather grown at home is often exposed to infection by pests such as a spider mite or aphid; Too high humidity can cause fungal diseases.

Heather Care

What is heather and how to properly care for it? In the care of heather, which in Greek means "to clean", is absolutely not whimsical, and a long period can do without irrigation provided that it does not grow on sandy or peaty soil. In this case, the plant needs to be provided with moisture, otherwise it will dry up.

As a top dressing it is recommended to use mineral preparations. It is best for heather to use a fertilizer for azaleas, which is required to use in accordance with the instructions on the package. Top-dressing is done every spring; When you make it, avoid getting drugs on the leaves of the plant.

Pruning heather shoots is recommended for the third year, in the autumn, after the plant ceases to bloom. Shoots are required to cut a little below the inflorescence with a small grip of old wood.

Heather ordinary: useful properties

Growing heather is an uncomplicated process that brings tremendous benefits. Its harvesting is carried out from the end of June to September - the time when the shoots contain the maximum amount of substances useful for the body: vitamins, minerals, organic acids, flavonoids. What is heather and how does this plant benefit man?

The medicinal preparations prepared on the basis of heather ordinary have soothing, disinfecting, diuretic, anti-acid, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, expectorant, diaphoretic, wound-healing action. The plant promotes the acceleration of blood coagulability, is effectively used in the treatment of gout, urolithiasis, cough, cystitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, gastritis and other diseases. Heather juice is effective for tonsillitis, pharyngitis, stomatitis, used to rinse the sore throat and mouth. Heather broth treats stomach diseases, dysentery, allergies, eczema and other diseases. The external application of decoction or powder from crushed heath flowers helps with burns, ulcers, wounds. Heather baths are used with radiculitis, bruises, dislocations, fractures and swelling of the legs.

Heather with care of appearance

Heather ordinary, useful properties and application of which are in demand in folk medicine, is very useful for external beauty. Its infusion is applied against hair loss (by rubbing into the scalp), to give the head of hair a natural shine and natural density.

Heather ordinary, Ledum, the description of which is of interest to connoisseurs of traditional medicine, are excellent tools containing a lot of useful components and are used in the treatment of a large number of diseases.

Prescriptions of medicines from heather

To prepare the broth requires 20 grams of flowers and heather leaves (in a crushed form) to pour 200 grams of boiling water and for a quarter of an hour on a water bath. Continue to cool and drain. The medicine is recommended to be consumed 2-3 times a day for 70 ml before meals. Decoctions are an excellent preventive agent, which helps to strengthen immunity.

What is heather - know the true connoisseurs of folk medicine. Heather tea, which has a soothing effect, is prepared from two teaspoons of flowers (you can have herbs), which you first need to pour a glass of boiling water, then cook for 10 minutes, strain and drink in a warm state one cup a day.

The recipe for tincture of heather: 10 grams of dried roots to combine with 50 ml of 70% alcohol; The resulting formulation should be insisted for 2 weeks in a dark place. Then strain and eat three times a day in an amount of 30-40 drops before eating.

Effective heath baths have a soothing effect. For their preparation, 50 grams of grass should be soiled in 7 liters of boiling water. Insist for half an hour, strain. Pour the resulting composition into the bath and take the procedure.

Useful compresses from heather

In the treatment of joint diseases, arthritis, rheumatism, polyarthritis, heath compresses are used. To prepare, you need to pour a glass of boiled water into a tablespoon of heather using a thermos. Insist herbal composition for 2 hours. Then you need to fold in a few layers of gauze, abundantly moisten it in infusion and apply to sore spots for 30-60 minutes.

This miraculous heath honey

Heather honey is very valuable. It has a dark red color, this product has a very rich flavor, a tart taste with a small bitterness and contains a large number of useful substances. With prolonged storage, it does not crystallize, but coagulates, acquiring a jelly-like structure due to the rich content of protein substances. It is used in diseases of the bladder; With the help of this product effectively fight with gout and rheumatism. This is an excellent remedy for insomnia: one tablespoon at night ensures a calm, strong sleep. Heather honey is useful for people suffering from chronic stomach diseases. It fully reveals its properties in the treatment of infectious polyarthritis, bronchitis and asthma. For people with allergic manifestations, its use is undesirable.

To use heather in order to improve health, there are a number of contraindications. Thus, ordinary heather is not recommended for gastric diseases, prone to constipation, and also for individual intolerance.

Application of heather in other directions

In addition to the therapeutic direction, heather is used in many spheres of human life. From the flowers are produced delicious wines, fragrant tinctures and pleasant liqueurs. Available in its composition tannins have coloring properties, so the tops of stems are used in the coloring of leather and wool.

Heather is a valuable fodder for livestock, nourishing between straw and hay and containing a large amount of vitamins.