Content
- 1 Characteristics of the lofant plant
- 2 Useful properties of lofant herb
- 3 Description of varieties and types of lofant
- 4 Planting and caring for a lofant outdoors
- 5 Reproduction
- 6 Diseases and pests
- 7 When the lofant is collected
- 8 How to properly dry a lofant
- 9 Ways to use a lofant
- 10 Contraindications
- 11 Conclusion
The lofant plant is unique in its healing properties and chemical composition, it is not without reason that it is called northern ginseng. Since ancient times, Tibetan monks have used it in their recipes to treat a wide range of diseases. Today the lofant is also grown for decorative purposes and as a melliferous plant. The popularity of this culture among gardeners is growing from year to year.
Characteristics of the lofant plant
Lofant (multicolor) is a herbaceous perennial from the Lamiaceae family. The genus includes 22 species with similar morphological characteristics. In different regions, the plant is known by the following names:
- licorice mint;
- large blue hyssop;
- multicolor fennel (fennel);
- ranise rib flower;
- giant hyssop;
- anise hyssop;
- agastache (agastakhis).
The Latin name for this kind of herbs - Agastache, consists of 2 words of Greek origin: agan - "many, many", and stachys - "ear". Many English-speaking sources call the multifilament simply mint because of the characteristic spicy aroma and the similarity of flowers and leaves.
The natural habitat of this medicinal plant is the Northern states of the USA, the Southern regions of Canada, Asia. Nowadays, in the wild, none of the types of lofant is practically not found. The first description of agastachis belongs to a botanist from Holland - Jan Gronovius. In 1762, using only a few specimens and notes from the English collector of the flora of the state of Virginia, John Clayton, he was able to give a detailed description of the genus of polygrids he was studying.
The lofant plant is a bush with several straight tetrahedral stems on which opposite, serrated, simple leaves are located. The height of the multi-grate, depending on the variety, ranges from 45-150 cm, the diameter of an adult plant is up to 90 cm.
The top of each shoot is crowned with a complex vertical inflorescence in the shape of a candle. The calyx of the flower has a tubular conical back shape, the corolla is also tubular, gradually expanding. The flower has 4 stamens, 2 of which are longer, the pistil has 2 stigmas. The color of the petals can range from pink and lilac to deep purple. The ripe fruit is divided into 4 smooth nuts with villi at the top.
Like many other plants in the family, the lofant has a pleasant aroma. In the midst of flowering and calm, gentle notes of lofant fill the entire garden with a fragrance. Essential oils are found in abundance not only in the flowers, but also in the leaves of the plant, and when lightly rubbed, they also exude a subtle anise aroma.
Lofant is a valuable honey plant. Along with sweet clover, this plant is specially sown for the purpose of collecting honey, which has an interesting aniseed flavor. Beekeepers love the multi-grate for its unpretentiousness and long flowering period. Lofant can be grown in one place for up to 10 years, provided that the climate is not particularly cold.
Useful properties of lofant herb
Lofant is a medicinal plant that many rightfully consider one of the best natural biostimulants. In folk medicine, a multi-grate is used for:
- acute respiratory diseases;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- diseases of the genitourinary sphere.
The powerful medicinal properties of the herb lofant have been scientifically proven. The tool is used as:
- anti-inflammatory;
- antimicrobial;
- antioxidant;
- antimycotic;
- lipotropic;
- immunostimulating.
Description of varieties and types of lofant
Many species and varieties of lofanta are successfully grown on personal plots both in our country and abroad. Plants differ in the size of the bush, decorativeness and in the degree of melliferousness, however, all polygrids have powerful medicinal properties.
Lofant Mexican
This type of multiforme is loved by many growers because of the compact size of the bush and large bright inflorescences. The adult plant does not exceed 80 cm in height, while the spike reaches half the total length of the stem. It blooms with deep red or pale pink flowers, exuding a delicate aroma.
The Mexican lofant is a plant with good drought tolerance and grows well even on impoverished soils. This type of grackle is not grown as a honey plant because it is not attractive to bees. The plant is often used in landscape design for landscaping the local area, it is well formed by means of regular pinching.
The most popular variety of Mexican mint (lofanta) is Amethyst. This is a fairly tall plant, the bush reaches a height of 1.5 m. It is valued as a good melliferous plant, for medical purposes the Mexican grate is used to remove toxins, toxins and radioactive substances. It helps to normalize blood pressure, prevent vascular congestion, improve metabolism, as well as headaches and insomnia.
Lofant wrinkled
Lofant Tibetan or wrinkled is often called Korean mint due to its widespread distribution in this country. In addition to Korea, this plant can be found in the Himalayas and Tibet, in Central and North Asia, in Siberia. This type of polygrizzly grows especially well on drained sandy and sandy loam soils.
The plant is a cross between shrub and grass. The species reaches a height of 1 m, in diameter - up to 60 cm. The leaves are outwardly similar to nettle, the inflorescences are dense candles with many small funnel-shaped purple-violet flowers. Korean mint has a pronounced aniseed aroma that attracts a large number of insects. From 1 hectare planted with a wrinkled lofant, a beekeeper can collect up to 700 kg of tasty and healthy honey per season.
This type of grate is characterized by good frost resistance. The rhizome of the Tibetan lofant does not freeze at -30 ° C, the ground part can withstand a short-term temperature drop to -5 ... -10 ° C.
Lofant Frant
Anise Lofant Frant is a perennial plant that grows up to 110 cm in height. The flowers of the multigrizzly are colored in blue-violet tones, dense spike-shaped inflorescences reach a length of 8-15 cm. Seeds of this species can be purchased in many hypermarkets or via the Internet. It can be sown both in open ground and for seedlings.
The lofant Frant blooms throughout the summer season, new flowers quickly bloom to replace dried flowers. This variety does not differ in enviable decorativeness, but it is loved by gardeners for its unpretentiousness, valuable medicinal properties and a pleasant aroma, somewhat reminiscent of mint and valerian.
Lofant Barbera
This type of multi-grate is distinguished by its compact size (no more than 60 cm in height) and bright orange flowers. The foliage has a gray-green tint. Lofant Barbera grows wild in the southeastern United States and northern Mexico. The plant prefers sunny areas, does not tolerate frost.
Mountain lofant
This type of agastachis is characterized by compactness and increased bushiness. The mountain lofant grows to an average of 45-90 cm. The aroma of flowers is stronger than that of a wrinkled polygranch.The plant is grown mainly as an annual, but in central Russia and more southern regions, with good shelter, it can successfully overwinter. Among the varieties, the most popular are:
- Desеrt Sunrise (tall bush with pink flowers);
- Sunset (purple-orange inflorescences, bush - about 50 cm in height);
- Blazing sunset (with a characteristic mint aroma).
Planting and caring for a lofant outdoors
Lofant is an unpretentious plant that can grow on any type of soil. It will not die on acidic and swampy soil, however, it will bloom poorly and rarely.
On fertile nutrient soils, the lofant will grow rapidly and show itself in all its glory. Systematic pruning will stimulate the development of new shoots and ensure a long flowering period of several months.
During the dry season, the plant needs regular watering. For abundant flowering, the multi-grate should be fertilized regularly. To increase decorativeness, complex mineral fertilizers are used, which are applied 3 times a season, and in autumn they are fed with organic matter (compost or humus).
As you grow weeds lofant thickets need to be weeded out, since the plant is not able to take out more aggressive species. In the fall, many gardeners cut off the ground part of the plant, leaving half of the total height of the bush.
Reproduction
Lofant can be propagated both vegetatively and generatively. The most common breeding methods are:
- Division of the bush. In early autumn or early spring, before the appearance of new shoots, an adult shrub is divided into 3-5 parts so that each has a well-developed root system. Delenki are immediately determined to a new place, after placing a drainage in the hole, and watered abundantly after planting.
- Cuttings. Shoots are rooted similarly to any garden shrubs in a nutritious substrate, providing increased humidity, that is, placing them in a greenhouse or greenhouse.
- Seed method. Growing a lofant from seeds is one of the popular breeding methods. Seeds are sown directly into the ground in early May, after the last frost. To do this, make grooves about 2 cm deep, where the prepared planting material is placed. For better germination, seeds can be soaked in a growth stimulant solution. As young plants germinate, plantings are thinned out, leaving stronger and more viable ones.
- Seedling method. Lofant seeds are sown in large containers in early April. After the appearance of 2 pairs of true leaves, the plants dive into separate pots. In the spring, after the last frost, the seedlings are assigned to a permanent place. With this method of reproduction, the flowering of the polygranular occurs in the very first season.
Diseases and pests
Any type of lofant is resistant to most diseases and is practically not affected by pests. In the case of prolonged damp and cool weather, as well as with a strong thickening of the plantings, the plant may suffer from powdery mildew, fusarium and spotting. These diseases are of fungal origin and are eliminated through the use of fungicides. The plant is sprayed with the preparation diluted according to the instructions in 2 stages with an interval of a week.
When the lofant is collected
The procurement of raw materials is carried out from the last days of June to August. 2 crops can be harvested from 1 plant per season. Harvesting is best done in hot weather, since it is in such conditions that the concentration of nutrients in the ground part is maximum. Shoots are cut from the bush with a sharp blade at a height of 10-12 cm, foliage can be torn off with your hands.
How to properly dry a lofant
Dry the multi-grate in a dark, well-ventilated room, tying it in small brooms and hanging it on a rope or wire.
The dried lofant is crushed and stored in a tightly closed glass container. Shelf life - up to 2 years.
Ways to use a lofant
The lofant plant is widely used in medicine. Agastakhis is a part of many medicines produced on an industrial scale. In folk recipes, aniseed multicolor is found even more often. The most popular ways to use a lofant:
- With minor damage to the skin and fungal diseases, baths from a decoction of lofant herb help well.
- In the form of compresses, lotions, tinctures of the multicolor is used for vascular diseases of the legs. The tool relieves puffiness well.
- In case of heart diseases, the use of lofant can reduce the risk of stroke, stabilize blood pressure, and strengthen the walls of blood vessels. For the purpose of prophylaxis, drugs based on it are prescribed for ischemia.
- Thanks to its powerful sedative effect, the multifilament plant has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the brain, especially in senile sclerosis.
- In parkinsonism, lofant is used as often as rosehip root, angelica or sage. Tincture of crushed leaves, stems and inflorescences in alcohol allows you to get rid of the disease in the shortest possible time.
- The lofant plant is a strong antioxidant. It is used to remove toxins and toxins from the body, as well as in severe poisoning.
- Reception of a decoction from a multi-grate system normalizes metabolism.
- As a restorative agent, lofant is used after suffering pulmonary diseases, including pneumonia and bronchitis.
Contraindications
Despite the proven medicinal properties, the lofant also has contraindications. In addition to individual intolerance to substances that make up the chemical composition of the plant, it is not recommended to take it in the following cases:
- with low blood pressure;
- during pregnancy and lactation;
- in the postoperative period;
- in the presence of oncology;
- with thrombophlebitis;
- with epilepsy.
The consequences of an anise lofant overdose can also be dire. Despite the seeming harmlessness of drugs based on a lofant, it is better to consult a doctor before use, since only a specialist is able to calculate the correct course of treatment based on the individual characteristics and predispositions of the patient.
Conclusion
The lofant plant will become not only a decoration of any garden, but also a green healer that helps with many diseases. Even an inexperienced grower can grow a lofant due to the unpretentiousness and vitality of the plant.
