Content
Verbeynik is a perennial herb from the Primroses family. The genus includes more than a hundred varieties with different periods of the biological cycle. 8 varieties grow in Russia, the main distribution is the North Caucasus and the European part.
The plant received its specific name for its distant resemblance to a willow
Description of common loosestrife
The appearance of the herb depends on the variety; common loosestrife (lysimachia vulgaris) grows in the form of a dense bush with straight stems. There are dwarf, ground cover and creeping representatives. Inflorescences are also of different types: paniculate, scabbard or single flowers in the leaf axils. The color is white, pink or yellow.
Characteristics of common loosestrife:
- A perennial plant forms a bush consisting of many stems. It grows in damp forests, along the banks of rivers and reservoirs, a favorite place - meadows near swamps.
- During the season, the length of the stems reaches 1 m. Shoots are erect, tough, with a light green, finely pubescent surface.
- The root system is branched, powerful, creeping. The culture is classified as an aggressive invader, since ornamental seedlings completely displace the nearby herbaceous plants.
- The leaves are arranged whorled in 4 pieces. The shape of the leaf plate is lanceolate, smooth in the upper part, pubescent at the bottom. The color is light green, shape with solid smooth edges.
- The flowers are medium-sized, collected in paniculate inflorescences, which are formed at the tops of the shoots.
- Flowers with five petals are bright yellow in color with an orange core.
- Fruits are round-shaped brown seed pods.
Common loosestrife blooms in the first half of June, the seeds ripen from August to September. Flowering is long, abundant, the upper part of the bush is completely painted in bright yellow.
Application in design
The common verbeynik is not classified as an exotic plant; it is a variant of unpretentious field flowers. In landscape design, an ordinary loosestrife is used:
- To simulate a corner of the wild.
Common weasel is a decoration of the park edge
- For creating small compositions in a flowerbed near the house.
Loafers look great in combination with hosts and creeping ivy
- Used in mixborders with ornamental shrubs.
Common loafers can become a color accent of a flower bed
- To decorate the foreground of the composition.
The plant blends harmoniously with irises
- To limit the perimeter of the flower bed, or discounts
Without a yellow accent color, the composition would look unfinished.
Breeding features
The common loosestrife quickly builds up the root system, during the season the plant increases it by 2-3 times. For reproduction, use the method of dividing the parent bush. In the spring, the common loosestrife is dug up, the plots are cut off with a sharp knife and planted on the site. In 3 years, it is possible to fill quite large vacant territories. The survival rate under optimal conditions in the common loosestrife is high, the plant is characterized by intense shoot formation. The planted bushes bloom in the same year.
You can propagate the culture by seeds. The planting material ripens at the end of September. The boxes are collected and immediately sown loosestrife seeds in a container. Seedlings grow at a temperature of 15 0C and regular watering. In spring, young shoots can be planted in the designated place, after 3 years there will be a full-fledged flowering bush on the site.
You can use the cuttings method. In the spring (before flowering), the material is cut from the middle of the shoots. They are placed in water, and when root filaments appear, they are transferred into the ground.
Planting and caring for common loosestrife
The common verbeynik grows rapidly and blooms profusely if the conditions created meet the biological requirements of the culture. Caring for herbaceous shrubs is simple; agricultural techniques include watering, fertilization and autumn pruning of dry stems.
Recommended timing
A frost-resistant plant can be placed on the site at the beginning of the growing season or at the end. If common loosestrife is grown from seed, seedlings in cold climates may not overwinter, even under cover. It is better to plant the seedlings on the site in the middle of spring, then there will be no problems with survival.
The division of the common loosestrife can also be carried out at the beginning or at the end of the season. For culture, the procedure is allowed no more than once every 3 years. If the weather permits and the ground is not frozen, the plots are placed on the site at the first appearance of sprouts.
Site selection and soil preparation
A herbaceous shrub will grow on any soil, as long as it is fertile. A good option is waterlogged peatlands.
The plant is planted in lowlands, along the banks of reservoirs, in an area with a close occurrence of groundwater
If this is not possible, the common loosestrife will have to be watered often and abundantly.
Well-lit areas are chosen for the culture, periodic shading is allowed, but not a constant shadow under the crown of trees. With a shortage of ultraviolet light, the common loosestrife will not bloom. Before planting, the site is fertilized, rotted compost is introduced into the soil.
Landing algorithm
After removing the plant from the soil and dividing it into several parts, it is planted along with the remaining earthy clod.
Some of the old roots can be cut off, but this must be done carefully so as not to damage the root suckers.
Planting common loosestrife:
- The root system of the plant is shallow, so a deep hole is not needed for it. It is enough to dig 10 cm deep. The width is determined by the root coma.
- When planting, the plant is not greatly deepened. The common verbeynik will independently occupy the space necessary for it.
- A mixture of peat and compost is placed at the bottom of the pit, and ash is added.
- They put a plant and sprinkle it with earth.
- The soil is gently pressed. If there are sprouts, they are left on the surface.
Growing features
The common loosestrife is an unassuming plant. He does not need special care. There is no need for loosening and weeding, it completely displaces nearby growing weeds, the root system is superficial, strongly growing, so the soil around the loosestrife is not touched so as not to damage the root.
If a herbaceous shrub is planted on the shore of a reservoir or in a swampy area, then watering is recommended only in abnormal drought.
A crop placed in a dry area requires regular watering
A frost-resistant plant at any age hibernates without shelter. After flowering, the stems are cut off completely. In the fall, an ordinary loosestrife is fed with organic matter, the compost can be added in the spring.
Pests and diseases
The common loosestrife is a wild species characterized by strong immunity. The plant practically does not get sick. Of the pests on the shrub, aphids can parasitize. At the first appearance of insects, the culture is treated with Antitlin.
The medicinal properties of common loosestrife
In folk medicine, all parts of the plant are used. The leaves, flowers and stems of the plant contain many medicinal substances. The following components are of particular value:
- ascorbic and silicic acid;
- rutin;
- saponins;
- tannins;
- essential oils.
The plant has a hemostatic, anesthetic effect, promotes rapid tissue regeneration in wounds, has astringent and antiseptic properties.
Application in traditional medicine
Alternative medicine uses lotions, decoctions and tinctures based on common loosestrife. They are used to eliminate:
- diarrhea;
- bleeding;
- thrush;
- festering wounds;
- stomatitis;
- eczema.
Leaves relieve pain, stop blood on fresh wounds, disinfect. Powder from the root and flowers relieve inflammation from abscesses.
Decoctions and infusions recipes
To stop internal bleeding (especially important with heavy menstrual flow), an infusion prepared from 1 tbsp is recommended. l. dry loosestrife leaves and 200 ml of boiling water. Raw materials are poured and insisted for 6 hours. They drink in two doses (morning and evening), 100 ml each. The daily rate, the course of treatment is 7 days.
To prepare a tonic for recuperation after an illness, you will need:
- fresh plant leaves - 2 tbsp. l .;
- vodka or alcohol - 200 ml.
Cooking technology
- The foliage is crushed, poured into a glass container.
- Pour in vodka or diluted alcohol.
- Close tightly, place in a dark place.
- Withstand a week, filtered.
Take 15-20 drops. 4 times a day.
Medicinal raw materials are harvested from the top of the shoots
For headaches during colds or seasonal respiratory infections, a drink made from loosestrife, rosemary, and pharmacy chamomile helps. 2 tbsp. l. dry or fresh raw materials pour 400 ml of boiling water, allow to cool, drink.
Collection, procurement, storage of raw materials
Raw materials are harvested during flowering:
- Cut off the upper part of the stems with inflorescences and leaves, retreating from the base about 15 cm.
- Remove dry fragments, cut into pieces of 2-3 cm.
- Dry the workpiece in the shade with good air circulation.
- Store in a dry place in a canvas or paper bag.
You can squeeze the juice out of the plant. Leaves with flowers are placed in a blender bowl, crushed to a homogeneous mass, the liquid is squeezed out and poured into a plastic container, tightly closed and sent to storage in the freezer.
The root is also beneficial for health. It is dug in late autumn, cleaned of soil, dried in limbo and stored.
Limitations and contraindications
The medicinal properties of the common loosestrife are not widely used in traditional medicine, since there are a number of contraindications when the remedy cannot be taken:
- with high blood pressure;
- people suffering from varicose veins;
- with thrombosis;
- with an allergic reaction to the composition;
- with poor blood clotting.
Conclusion
Common Looseweed is a perennial herbaceous shrub with bright yellow flowers. An unpretentious frost-resistant plant is used in ornamental gardening. The culture has medicinal properties, this feature has found application in alternative medicine.
