Eryngium - beneficial properties and contraindications
Eryngium flatifolia- used as an expectorant for chronic bronchitis, as a sedative for anxiety, nightmares and insomnia.
Latin name: Eryngium planum.
English name: Eryngo.
Family: Umbelliferae - Apiaceae.
Synonym: Eryngium flatum.
Common name: desert thistle, blue thorn.
Parts used: grass, less often rhizome.
Botanical description: Eryngium flatifolia is a perennial plant with a straight tap root. Stems up to 1 meter high, branched in the upper part. All parts of the plant, especially the upper one, have blue or purple shade. The leaves are hard, leathery, with spiny teeth along the edges. The basal leaves are oval or ovate, up to 15 cm long, on long petioles. In the middle part of the stem they are indistinctly lobed, on short petioles. In the upper part of the stem the leaves are sessile, palmate with 3-5 lobes. Flowers with blue or blue petals are collected in dense ovoid heads up to 2 cm long. The involucre leaves, bracts and sepals are lanceolate, with spinous teeth. The involucre leaves are as long as the flower heads or even longer. Eryngium flatifolia blooms in June-July. The fruits are ovoid, scaly, up to 3 mm long.
Habitat: grows in Ukraine, the European part of Russia, the North Caucasus, the south of Western Siberia in dry meadows, glades, forest edges, on sand, along river banks, in the steppes.
Collection and preparation: The grass is collected during flowering, cut into pieces and dried in the shade on outdoors. Shelf life - 2 years. Roots are dug in spring and autumn. Air dry after cutting in half. Shelf life - 3 years.
Active ingredients: Eryngium flatifolia contains sucrose and fructose, polysaccharides, organic acids - citric, malic, oxalic, glycolic, malonic, triterpene saponins, phenol carbonic compounds, essential oil, acetylene compounds, vitamin C, flavonoids, carbohydrates, traces of fatty oil, tannids.
Photo of grass medicinal plant Eryngium flatifolia
Eryngium flatifolia - medicinal properties and uses
IN folk medicine decoction, infusion and tincture of the herb eryngium flatifolia are used as an expectorant for chronic bronchitis, as a sedative for anxiety, nightmares and insomnia. Research has established the effectiveness of a decoction of herbs and roots for whooping cough and severe irritating cough. Herbal infusions are used for rinsing for inflammatory diseases of the oral mucosa and toothache. In addition, the infusion of the herb causes and intensifies menstruation, relieves pain and inflammation, and has an antitoxic effect (therefore, a decoction of the roots is used for mushroom poisoning).
- Recipe for preparing a decoction of eryngium flatifolia: 1 tbsp. l. crushed roots are poured with a glass of boiling water, boiled in a water bath for 30 minutes and filtered without cooling.
- Recipe for preparing herbal infusion from Eryngium planum: 1 tbsp. l. Brew the herbs with a glass of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, strain.
- Eryngium tincture recipe: 30 g of crushed eryngium herb and pour 0.5 liters of vodka. Leave for two weeks, shaking frequently. Strain, squeeze and drink for 1 month, 1 tbsp. spoon three times a day 30 minutes before meals. Eryngium flatifolia is used for painful urination, chronic bronchitis, renal colic, kidney stones and bladder, liver diseases, joint pain, swelling of the legs. This tincture is also an antidote to mushroom poisoning.
ATTENTION!
Self-medication is dangerous! Before treating at home, consult your doctor.
Treatment with eryngium
- acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections. Use a decoction of eryngium as a diaphoretic in combination with brown twigs - 1 tbsp. pour 2 cups of each plant into a spoon cold water, simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes. Add a handful linden color, leave for another 20 minutes. Filter and drink half a glass 3 times a day.
- Rheumatism, leg cramps, pain in knees and elbows. Recipe for eryngium ointment: melt half a matchbox's worth of yellow beeswax over a fire, add 4 tbsp. spoons of melted interior pork fat, a small stick of propolis and 2 tbsp. spoons of eryngium extract. Stir thoroughly and quickly pour into a wide jar. Store in the refrigerator. Rub the ointment into sore spots at night.
- Strong headache and toothache . Recipe for eryngium extract: in a liter enamel pan place 4 tbsp. spoons of dry crushed herbs, fill the container cold water, close the lid and evaporate the infusion to half the original volume. The result will be a thick, coffee-colored liquid. Pour into a dark glass bottle. Store in the refrigerator for up to one and a half years. For headaches, for pain in cervical vertebrae, lower back, take 20 drops per glass of water 3 times a day.
- Persistent smoker's cough. Prepare a decoction of 1 part plant and 5 parts water and drink throughout the day. Every day - a new decoction. The course of treatment is 5-7 days. Heavy discharge mucus will make the bronchi clear.
Contraindications. Individual intolerance, hypertensive patients are not advised to take decoctions from this plant orally, but the ointment can be used externally. Eryngium is contraindicated for pregnant women, as well as women on the eve of menstruation.
The embossed capitate inflorescences that form in summer on these majestic plants attract attention and add height to the mixborder. Their inflorescences resemble those of thistles, attract butterflies and bees, and are surrounded by even more showy spiny bractae, which, like the top of the stems, are usually brightly colored. Most of the species and varieties of eryngium, described below, are perennial herbaceous plants, half of them are evergreen, and only two are completely winter-hardy. They bloom from mid to late summer, and their dry inflorescences are especially showy in winter arrangements.
E. agavifolium (S. agavolifolia)
An evergreen, heat-loving plant that forms a dense bush, with greenish-white capitate inflorescences up to 5 cm in diameter. The leaves are dark green, hard, sword-shaped, with sharp serrated or jagged edges, mostly collected in basal rosettes. The height and diameter of the plant is 1.5x0.75 m.
E. alpinum (S. alpine)
One of the reliable species for central Russia, forming blue-violet inflorescences, reminiscent of teasel, up to 5 cm long, surrounded by feathery bracts of the same color. A winter-hardy perennial herbaceous plant that forms a dense bush with shiny, dark green, heart-shaped basal leaves with serrated edges. The height and diameter of the plant is 1x0.7 m.
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"Blue Star"
The variety has dark blue inflorescences.
E. amethystinum (S. amethyst)
This species produces small blue inflorescences (up to 2 cm), surrounded by sharp, darker blue bracts. An evergreen, slightly winter-hardy perennial with very spiny, dissected basal leaves. The height and diameter of the plant is 60x60 cm.
E. bourgatii (S. Bourget)
A species with rounded inflorescences up to 2.5 cm in diameter, the color of which varies from gray-green with a steel tint to lilac-blue. The stems are the same color. A persistent perennial plant with basal grey-green leaves with striking silver veins. The height and diameter of the plant is 60x50 cm.
"Oxford Blue"
E. giganteum (S. giant)
This tough, powerful, biennial plant with a clear silhouette produces blue inflorescences up to 4 cm long, surrounded by beautiful wide silvery bracts with spines. The basal leaves are oval, dark green. Prone to self-seeding. The height and diameter of the plant is 1.2x0.75 m.
E. maritimum (S. maritum)
Round, light blue inflorescences up to 2.5 cm in diameter, surrounded by spiny gray-blue bracts, appear on short, strong stems. Short-lived evergreen perennial herbaceous plant with prickly leathery gray-blue rosette leaves. Ideal for rocky gardens. The height and diameter of the plant is 50x50 cm.
E. oliverianum (S. oliver)
The plant produces lavender-blue inflorescences about 4 cm long, surrounded by narrow, spaced, spiny bractae, on straight stems. A winter-hardy perennial herb with green, oval basal leaves with serrated or serrated edges. The height and diameter of the plant is 1x0.6 m.
E. pandanifolium (S. pandanifolium)
This species has small round purple inflorescences up to 1 cm in diameter, collected in groups, on tall, rigid stems. A powerful, although not entirely winter-hardy, plant with rosettes of very long, strap-like green leaves with soft, spiny edges. The height and diameter of the plant is 2.4x1.2 m.
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E. planum (S. flat)
This one is especially winter-hardy species, widespread in Russia, forms numerous dark blue capitate inflorescences 1.5 cm in diameter, surrounded by spaced bracts colored in the same tone with spiny tops. A perennial with dark green leathery basal leaves that contrast with the spiny upper stem leaves, colored Blue colour. The leaves often overwinter. The height and diameter of the plant is 75x40 cm.
E. tripartitum (S. tripartite)
The plant produces blue inflorescences 1 cm long, surrounded by spaced bracts with spiny tips. The inflorescences are collected in groups on openwork thin shoots. A persistent perennial herbaceous plant with flexible stems and basal rosettes of dark grey-green, coarsely toothed overwintering leaves. The height and diameter of the plant is 1x0.5 m.
E. variifolium (S. varifolia)
This eryngium forms groups of small inflorescences up to 2 cm in diameter with narrow, recurved silver-white or silver-blue bracts bearing spines. An evergreen, heat-loving perennial with rosettes of sharp-toothed dark green leaves with a marbled pattern, which, in contrast to the dissected stem leaves, are oval in shape. The height and diameter of the plant is 50x25 cm.
E. zabelii (S. Zabelya)
A hybrid that produces dark blue-violet inflorescences up to 2.5 cm long, surrounded by hard, spiny-toothed silver-blue bracts. A winter-hardy perennial herbaceous plant with rounded, tripartite basal leaves with spiny-toothed edges. The height and diameter of the plant is 50x30 cm.
"Violetta"
The variety has larger blue-violet inflorescences and reaches 75 cm in height.
Growing
IN middle lane In Russia, most species of eryngium are quite winter-hardy, with the exception of E. agavifolium and E. variifolium, which require shelter even in the south of Russia. Other species are planted on sunny place into well-drained, moist garden soil.
Reproduction
Seeds are sown in autumn or before winter in pots that are placed in a cold greenhouse. Perennial species can be propagated in early spring root cuttings or careful division of the bush, protecting fragile roots.
The genus of eryngium or eryngium (Eryngium) has about 230 species perennial plants, growing in regions of tropical, subtropical and temperate latitudes. Some representatives of the genus have been cultivated and are successfully grown as ornamental plantings.
The hybrid c. is very popular among gardeners. Zabel (Eryngium x zabelii), as well as such spectacular species of eryngium as alpine (“Blue Lace”), sea, flat-leaved (variety “Jade Fros”), amethyst (“Sapphire Blue”) and a giant, majestically silver-gray variety of which (Silver Hosta) can produce about a hundred large inflorescences on one bush.
When caring in open ground, eryngium is so unpretentious that it requires virtually no attention from the gardener throughout the season.
Description
to his appearance the plant resembles a mordovnik or an elegant thistle. The stems are erect, blue or bluish-green, branched at the top. Reach from 30 to 100 cm in height depending on the species. The leaves are hard, spiny along the edge of the leaf blade.
Numerous inflorescences with a diameter of about 2 cm are surrounded by very decorative cup-shaped spiny bracts of pink, pale blue, silver-white or bright blue.
Eryngium grows best in full sun. It prefers poor or moderately fertile, well-permeable sandy-loamy or even rocky soil. However, under favorable growing conditions and planting eryngium in soil with the addition of small quantity leaves and flowers will be much larger in nutrients and the plantings will be more impressive. For example, adding the usual eggshells allows you to get a brighter and more intense color of the inflorescences.
Caring for eryngium also includes pruning shoots in early spring. Watering is regular. The plant can withstand prolonged drought, but does not tolerate stagnation of water. It tolerates winters well and, as a rule, does not require shelter. The culture is so hardy that it can survive even in unfavorable conditions growth.
Reproduction
Eryngium propagates by sowing seeds, which ripen at the end of September. Sowing is carried out in mid-November right at open ground. Using seedling method, seeds are sown in late February - early March. Germination temperature is 20 °C. On permanent place seedlings are planted in early June.
The perennial can be propagated by dividing old bushes in spring or fall. But when using this method, be very careful, since the roots of the plant are very fragile and easily damaged, and the divisions do not take root well in a new place.
Application in the garden
Eringium is ideal for creating naturalistic landscapes and interesting compositions in rocky gardens. Looks beautiful in company with,
Eryngium flatifolia appeared in my garden 10 years ago, when I was experimenting with planting different dried flowers. In addition to eryngium (this is the scientific name for eryngium), I then grew teasel and many different spikelets, but all of them did not take root in my dacha - some were frozen, some did not like the soil, but the blue spines and bluish pinnate leaves of eryngium make me happy every time season. Here are the main secrets of the agricultural technology of this unpretentious plant, which I have accumulated over several years.
1. How to grow eryngium from seeds
Eryngium seeds can be sown in open ground before winter, because... in nature it spreads by self-seeding. I only had one bag at my disposal, so I didn’t take any risks and planted the precious seeds in a container for seedlings. I had to wait at least three weeks for germination; I remember that I was about to throw away the soil, but then almost all the seeds sprouted.I transplanted the seedlings into the ground at the end of May; by that time the sprouts had become quite elongated, because... they were cramped in the container; Moreover, the temperature on the windowsill was much higher, +18 – 20 degrees. For myself, I concluded that it is better to move dried flowers of this type into the ground in a compact form, otherwise they are easy to break. However, my “pets” survived the transplant surprisingly easily. Soon the leaves grew stronger and small rosettes appeared. In the first year I loosened them, freed them from weeds, and covered them with spruce branches for the winter. The eryngium overwintered well and in the second year produced flower stalks with amazing sky-colored cones.
2. What conditions and care does the eryngium need?
The eryngium is not picky about the soil; I planted it with the addition of compost, but did not fertilize it further. On loamy soils it gives even more bright color– I have it almost amethyst, blue-violet.All care consists in the fact that you sometimes need to free the bush from the grass, provide it with a support when the plant stretches out, so that the branches do not fall.
Plus, prune before winter. yellow leaves and remove the flower stalks. Our eryngium winters well; we only made shelter in the first year.
3. How to divide an eryngium bush
Time passed, the bush wintered well, was renewed every year, but remained quite compact, and no self-seeding was observed in the garden. From this I concluded that this is apparently a hybrid, and if I want to share it with my neighbors, who also wanted to decorate the lawn with blue cones, then I will have to divide the bush.The first time I performed this procedure with caution, because... It is believed that dividing eryngium in this way is not best idea, because it has a very brittle rhizome. However, everything went well. In the spring, I cut off a small piece of the plant with a large piece of soil with a shovel, then I repeated this procedure again the following spring - now two of my neighbors have lush eryngium bushes. The mother plant also underwent the operation calmly.
4. What place should be given to eryngium in the garden?
The eryngium remains decorative throughout the season; in June it has small green cones, in July they become larger, and in August they turn blue.
It is believed that eryngium is perfect for various borders - along the path or at the edge of the site. It also looks impressive in mixed perennial flower beds, because... It is a bright blue shade (almost amethyst) that creates a spectacular combination with many colors:
With white (gypsophila, chamomile),
With yellow (snapdragon, calendula),
With red (poppies, shabot cloves).
There are two points that need to be taken into account when placing eryngium in a mixborder:
1. The plant reaches a height of 60 - 80 cm, so it cannot be placed in the foreground.
2. Following the eryngium, you need to plant flowers of medium size 30-40 cm, so that they do not look like an elephant and a pug. Flowers with small heads, of field origin, and not exotic species, then the illusion of a flower meadow in the garden is created.
It so happened in my dacha that the eryngium grows on its own; we initially planted it in a separate place so as not to lose it, because... it bloomed in the second year, and there it took root. Because Gradually I stopped cultivating the area around the plant, and it turned out that it was growing among the green lawn. It looks very impressive, I'm very glad I didn't plant anything nearby.
5. Eryngium and insects
I noticed that eryngium flowers are highly respected by brightly colored insects - butterflies, bumblebees, and especially red fire beetles. On a sunny day, the eryngium bush is a very unusual and beautiful sight; it is full of life. However, beauty is beauty, but I decided to read whether fire beetles could cause harm to neighboring strawberry beds. It turned out that these beetles are very useful; they are predators and cleanse the garden of small pests.
6. Eringium in a dry bouquet
In September we cut off all flower stalks. The most beautiful branches are sent to a dry bouquet; for this purpose they need to be dried hanging in a dark, well-ventilated place. In reality, the buds and leaves begin to dry out while still on the stem.
True, eryngium has a tendency to crumble in a bouquet, so it is better to treat the buds with a special varnish or renew the composition every year.
If you are superstitious, you can tie a small bundle and hang it over front door, because People call this plant “chertogon” and believe that it drives away evil spirits. I also prepare a little eryngium as a medicinal plant - I read that it works as an expectorant and helps with toothache. I haven’t tried it myself, but I keep it just in case.
Eryngium flatifolia- Eryngium planum L.
It grows wildly in the European part of the country, in the Caucasus, Western Siberia, Central Asia, Central and Southern Europe, and Northern China.
Perennial herbaceous plant up to 100 cm tall. The stems in the upper part are branched and bluish. The leaves are hard, thin, leathery, the upper stems are three to five-parted. The flowers are blue or dark blue, collected in a capitate inflorescence ovoid up to 2 cm in diameter. The involucre leaves are blue, linear, subulate-toothed. It blooms in July for 35-40 days, bears fruit in August. The fruit is two-seeded. The seeds are covered with scales on the sides. In culture since 1576.
In GBS Moscow, the seeds were collected in 1947 in the Podolsk district of the Moscow region, on the bank of the river. Gums. Grows from IV to IX. Blooms from VI to VII. Seeds VIII to IX. It blooms and bears fruit profusely every year. High 80 cm. Blooms in the 2nd year.
In general, the plant is lean, with leathery leaves and hard bristles-spines, located in all convenient places: along the edges of leaves, wrappers and even on the teeth of the flower calyx. The upper part of the stem along with the inflorescences seemed to be dipped in blue ink with a metallic sheen. Other species of eryngium, in principle, correspond to this description, differing, in addition to size, only in the shape of basal leaves, involucres and color. However, in flat-leaved plants the blue color is also a variable feature. Wandering through dry meadows and clearings, where it grows in abundance, you can find both very pale specimens and very bright ones. Numerous varieties mentioned in catalogs often differ only in this.
Of the pale ones, the best is considered " Beslehem" ("Bethlehem"), tall and powerful, burdened with numerous weighty inflorescences. During their tests, the British calculated that there were up to 67 heads per stem. Among the bright ones, for example, " Blaukappe" ("Blaukappe") or " Blue Cup" ("Blue Cap"), " Fluela"("Fluela"), a powerful tetraploid" Tetra Petra"("Tetra Petra"), reaching a height of 120 cm." Blauer the Beast"("Blauer Zwerg"), seen on our market, is compact and relatively low, up to 60 cm, with blue flowers and wrappers. Perhaps a completely dwarf one will appear, up to 30 cm, with leaves the size of teaspoons." Blue Hobbit"("BlueHobbit"), whose seeds are actively advertised in English catalogues. There is a curious variety " Blue Ribbon"("Blue Ribbon") with "sprouted" heads: small ones emerge from the large main ones.
Common eryngium(E. campestre). This typical inhabitant of the steppes and wastelands of the chernozem zone is clearly distinguished from the flat-leaved one by its strongly dissected basal leaves and the complete absence of blue coloring. It is notable only for the fact that it produces an extremely harmful and prickly tumbleweed.
Photo on the left EDSR.
Photo on the right of Zakutnaya Natalia
