The flora of our planet is extremely diverse and beautiful. A huge number of different life forms of plants gives not only aesthetic pleasure, but also brings very tangible practical benefits: it is a source of nutrition, decorative elements, a supplier of medicines, a source of clean and fresh air filled with oxygen, and so on.

Among all the life forms of plants, a large place is given to herbs, both cultivated and wild. They occupy almost 50% of the total mass of the planet's flora, so let's consider them.

Herbs: general characteristics

Most often, herbs include plants that have a slightly modified shoot. That is, in the classical sense, the shoot should include a stem, leaves and a flower. So, not all structural parts can be observed in herbs. Often the stem is modified, the leaves acquire such a shape and size that help to adapt to the environmental conditions as much as possible.

Of course, all herbs have a flower as a reproductive organ. However, they are also very different in size, shape and color. This factor will depend on the method of pollination of a particular plant species.

Wild herbs are a very large group, including representatives of almost all known families of angiosperms. The names of herbs are very diverse. There are both historically established "names" and scientific data on binary nomenclature (in Latin, the first name is the genus, the second is the species). For example, Leonurus heterophyllus, or variegated motherwort.

The root system, branching of the shoot, the structure of the flower and leaves - all these botanical characteristics will be based on a particular genus and species of plant, therefore it is impossible to single out any common morphological features for all wild herbs.

Herb classification

Different signs can be put on the basis, but the most often used is the division of herbs into:

• Annuals - buttercups, cornflowers, ageratums, cinquefoils, dope, poppies, chamomile - the names of herbs in this group can be listed for a very long time, as they are numerous.
• Biennial - mallow, euphorbia, sweet clover, lupine, forget-me-not, bluebell, viola and others.
• Perennial - begonia, anemone, alyssum, St. John's wort, reeds, iris, sour, oregano, elecampane and others. The names of herbs in this category reflect their purpose. Obviously, this includes many well-known medicinal species.

In addition to this classification, another one can be given. Based on the area of ​​human use.

1. Medicinal herbs - celandine, succession, thyme, chamomile, sage, calendula, burnet, lily of the valley and others.
2. Cultivated agricultural plants - vegetables, fruits,
3. - ginger, fennel, horseradish, anise, parsley, basil, lemon balm, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, saffron, laurel and so on.
4. Ornamental grasses - ornamental cabbage, bordered euphorbia, Dahurian moonseed, young, bergenia, kochia, rogersia and many others.

According to the place of growth, all herbs can be divided into mountain, forest, meadow, swamp, desert, steppe and horticultural (weeds and cultivated plants).

Wild herbs of Russia

There are many such representatives. Almost all wild herbs, names and photos of their representatives can be seen in any relevant encyclopedia. We will also try to consider in more detail the diversity of Russian wild herbs.

More than 900 species are known only medicinal, and there are also many others. Their distribution across climatic zones is uneven. It is known that most plants, including herbs, are located in the more southern, southeastern and eastern regions of our country. The northern, northwestern and western regions are densely populated, but not so diverse in species composition.

So, one can cite as an example the region of Siberia (Western and Eastern Siberia, the Far East, all nearby regions, up to Chukotka). Here the most common herbs are wild, whose names are as follows:

• parnolistnik;
• anchors;
• dandelion;
• sorrel;
• shepherd's bag;
• primrose;
• viburnum;
• calla;
• Highlander;
• badan;
• different sedges;
• feather grass;
• sagebrush;
• quinoa;
• celandine and many others.

Among these, you can find both medicinal and common types. One thing unites them - these are representatives of the flora living in the wild. Herbs are plants that are simply impossible to cover in one article. Too many of them. The European part of Russia is represented by a variety of beautiful flowering herbs that form whole carpets of colors, making the wild nature unimaginably beautiful. Among them are such names of herbs as lingonberry, common loosestrife, oak speedwell, common heather, Fisher's carnation, forest geranium, hard-leaved chickweed.

Due to good climatic conditions, the central strip of Russia is famous for its many medicinal types of herbs, which also create a beautiful summer, spring and autumn landscape with their flowers. These are such as fragrant kupena, May lily of the valley, juvenile shoot-bearing, oak maryannik, nightshade, blueberries, yastrebinka, hawkweed and others.

We will dwell on the mountainous regions and their herbs in more detail later.

Chin forest

A beautiful perennial plant with a bright pink corolla color and a wonderful honey aroma that attracts pollinating insects from June until September autumn days. Many pasture animals choose this wild-growing beauty for food, since its roots, stem and leaves contain a lot of proteins and carbohydrates. Belongs to the Motylkov family (Bean). The main economic value - as a perennial, carries out annual soil drainage, participates in soil-forming processes, is good for livestock feed. Has no medicinal value.

buttercup caustic

A very widespread plant belonging to the category of poisonous. It is found in almost all stripes of Russia, has a high adaptability to environmental conditions. Includes several types of grass, the names and photos of which can be seen below.

Buttercup varieties:

• caustic ("night blindness" in the common people);
• Kashubian;
• creeping;
• Chistyak spring;
• garden and others.

It is unsuitable for grazing animals, as the shoot of the plant is poisonous. After drying to the state of hay, it becomes safe. It is not used in conventional medicine, but in alternative medicine it is very common as a remedy for rheumatism, open wounds, boils, tuberculosis and burns.

mountain herbs

The most famous among these are, of course, Altai herbs. A huge number of cosmetics, medicines, tinctures, balms, ointments are created on the basis of extracts of these miraculous plants.

After all, the very air of this mountainous area seems to heal. Almost all plants grown on the rocky surfaces of Altai are medicinal. Animals that eat these herbs are the strongest and healthiest. People who use fees from these places for treatment have fewer chronic diseases than residents of other areas.

Some Altai herbs that have received national recognition and are most commonly used by humans:

• red brush (Rhodiola four-petal);
• milk thistle;
• golden rod;
• saltwort hill;
• kopeck;
• upland uterus (ortilia lopsided);
• veronica black;
• White bloodroot;
• small basilisk;
• the rank is squat;
• burnet;
• calendula ordinary;
• sweet clover;
• hawk umbrella;
• Marshmallow officinalis;
• black chokeberry;
• immortelle sandy and many others.

Balms are very common, which combine several herbal components at once. They help with a variety of problems: they cleanse, soothe, tone up, normalize blood pressure, restore sleep, relieve headaches and chronic fatigue, and so on. Such wild mountain herbs, whose names were given above, are very valuable objects of medicine.

milk thistle

Another name for this Altai grass is milk thistle. This plant has long been revered as a very good medicinal assistant. Infusions from different parts of the herb help with liver diseases, cleanse the intestines and eliminate inflammation, relieve swelling and treat jaundice and many other ailments.

The plant itself sometimes reaches 1.5 m in height. The leaves are very beautiful, with a white border and a dissected edge. The flowers look like rounded cones, dark pink or purple. A very valuable property of milk thistle, which allows it to be used both in folk and traditional medicine, is the complete absence of side effects.

Beautiful appearance allows you to use it not only as a medicinal, but also as an ornamental plant in many gardens and orchards.

Rhodiola four-petal

In the common people - Endemic plant of the Altai Territory. One of the most popular among these mountain herbs. It is used in both folk and traditional medicine for the treatment of female diseases of the pelvic organs, infertility, male prostatitis, and inflammation. It helps to stop bleeding, normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system, and helps in the treatment of various viral and bacterial diseases.

Outwardly very interesting, unusual herbs. The description is as follows: low, growing on rocky surfaces, plants with narrow, closely spaced leaves. The flowers are hardly noticeable, pale, but the fruits in the form of leaflets are very bright, red. The shape of the leaves resembles a brush, for which this plant got its name.

The most common medicinal herbs

This group includes a lot of representatives around the world. There is also a wide variety of them in Russia. Indeed, almost all plants (with the exception of highly poisonous ones) contain useful alkaloids, essential oils, resins, tannins, minerals and other components that allow them to be used as medicinal herbs. The names of the most common and well-known representatives of this group, growing on the territory of our country, are as follows:

• pharmaceutical camomile;
• White bloodroot;
• mother and stepmother;
• lemon balm;
• winter-loving umbrella;
• boron uterus;
• common raspberry;
• plantain large;
• motherwort five-lobed;
• calamus ordinary;
• Golden root;
• fragrant collision;
• Red viburnum;
• calendula;
• lemongrass Chinese;
• wild rose ordinary;
• Eleutherococcus senticosus;
• echinacea;
• succession;
• celandine and many others.

Obviously, it is simply impossible to list all the plants, since their species diversity is too great.

Aloe tree

From home potted plants, agave, or aloe, is often used as a medicine. It is a succulent plant with thick fleshy leaves topped with thorns. Aloe juice contains many (up to 200) different useful substances. They help to treat open wounds, inflammation, bacterial and viral ailments.

The most common spice plants

They have been used since ancient times as medicinal, but most often as food additives that make dishes exquisite, original and very fragrant. Some names of Russian spicy herbs will be given at the end of the article: horseradish, dill, parsley, celery, parsnip, black pepper, cardamom, peppermint, lemon balm, mustard and some others.

Perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Korostavnik. The natural range of the species is Eastern, Middle and Atlantic Europe, Ciscaucasia, the west of Western Siberia, the west of Central Asia. It grows mostly in dry meadows, along the edges of forests. Honey productivity up to 150 kg/ha.

Published: 24 Mar 2018

Perennial herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family. It grows in the forest-steppe zones of the European part of Russia, in Western Siberia. It grows in damp places, along the banks of rivers and mountain streams, in thickets of shrubs. Listed in the Red Book. Bad honey. There is no marketable honey from elecampane.

Published: 18 Mar 2018

Hogweed Siberian Dissected, Puchka, Pikan -Heracléum sibíricum. Herbaceous plant of the Umbelliferae family. Siberian hogweed, despite the name, is a predominantly European species, common throughout Central Russia. It is also distributed in Central Europe, Ciscaucasia and in Western Siberia (in its southern part it reaches Altai). It is found in the Crimea, in Kazakhstan (Dzungarian Alatau). It grows in damp places - in meadows, between shrubs. Grows in meadows (especially floodplains), along the banks of rivers and streams, edges, roadside meadows, and […]

Published: 18 Mar 2018

Ural Rebroplodnik - Pleurospermum uralense A two- or three-year-old herbaceous plant, a species of the genus Rebroplodnik (Pleurospermum) of the Umbrella family (Apiaceae). It grows in coniferous and birch-aspen forests, along their edges, in forest clearings, rarely in subalpine meadows, in ravines and near swamps. Secondary honey plant, yields up to 180 kg of honey per hectare.

Published: 28 Sep 2016

Belongs to the umbrella family. A deadly poisonous biennial plant. It grows on forest edges, water meadows, limestone slopes, as a weed in crops and vegetable gardens, on fallows and wastelands, near housing, along roads and fences, in landfills, along the slopes of ravines, along the railroad tracks. Hemlock bees visit well, take nectar and pollen from it. Under certain conditions, it gives a large amount of nectar.

Published: 03 Aug 2016

The marsh bog belongs to the Compositae family. Perennial or biennial plant. Grows in wet meadows, marshes, swampy forests, bushes. Its stem is completely covered with thorns. Grows in Siberia. The honey productivity of one hectare is 250 - 300 kg. Sometimes it gives marketable honey.

Published: 01 May 2016

Weed plant. The species infests all types of crops, occurs in fallows, in orchards and orchards, as well as along roads, along ditches, and in fallows. Contains white milky juice. Strong honey and pollen. Allocates nectar only in the morning hours, because. flowers close in the afternoon. Medosbor intensive up to 380 kg per hectare. Honey crystallizes quickly, dark amber color. The pollen is dark yellow.

Published: 01 May 2016

Perennial herbaceous plant 30 - 90 cm high of the Compositae family. Grows in various meadows, clearings, meadow clearings, along roads in many regions of Russia. It is well visited by bees, which, under favorable weather conditions, collect a lot of nectar and pollen from it. Honey productivity in terms of solid arrays is over 100 kg/ha. Yellow pollen.

Published: 28 Apr 2016

Perennial melliferous herbaceous plant. Sandy cumin grows mainly on sandy soils, on dry copses, forest glades, hills, on fallow lands, rocky and sandy slopes everywhere. The hard scales of the inflorescence wrapper do not wither and do not lose color even when the inflorescences are cut - hence the name of the plant immortelle.

Published: 27 Apr 2016

Herbaceous perennial plant from the Euphorbia family (Euphorbiaceae). Good honey plant. Gives marketable honey. It grows in meadows, light forests, along pebbly and sandy river banks, along roadsides and in crops, especially on loamy soil. Euphorbia pungent displaces all plants that live in the prairies and fields, shading them and taking moisture and nutrients, as well as releasing […]

Published: 27 Jan 2016

An annual or biennial herbaceous weed of the Asteraceae family (Acteraceae) with an upright branched stem 30-80 cm high. The leaves are lanceolate-linear, the lower ones are petiolate. Flower baskets are solitary, at the ends of the branches they consist of dark blue marginal funnel-shaped and median purple tubular flowers, surrounded by hard scales of an ovoid wrapper.

Published: 27 Nov 2015

Mediocre honey. Blossoms in June-September, fruits ripen in August-September. Perennial herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family. It grows on sandy and loamy fresh and moist soils, in meadows, forest clearings, forest edges, in bushes, less often as a weed in crops. Prefers average soil fertility and drainage.

It is amazing how rich the nature of our latitudes is with wild forbs. Medicinal plants are widely settled in fields and meadows, in the steppe and forests, on mountain slopes and in valleys. Many of them are well known to almost everyone, others are not so popular, but are also widely used in folk and official medicine. Below we consider some wild herbs, their purpose and use by humans.

What are herbs: classification

Wild herbs are divided into several typologies:

• life expectancy,
• by appointment,
• by distribution.

Now consider each classification separately.

By life expectancy

According to the life span, wild herbs are divided into annuals, biennials and perennials.

Here are examples of some of them:

• annuals -, cinquefoil, as well as many others;
• biennials - and others;
• perennials - field mint, burdock, and so on.

Did you know? The most common living creatures on planet Earth are plants. There are more than 370 thousand species.

By appointment

Herbs are also classified according to their use by humans. They are divided into spicy and medicinal. Already from the names of these categories it is clear what they are intended for and how they are used.

Distribution

The places where wild cereals grow allow us to divide them into those growing in forests, in the steppe and in the desert, in swamps and mountains, in meadows, in gardens and orchards.

Photos, names, benefits of wild herbs

There are a huge variety of wild plants, and almost every one of them can be found in the corresponding catalog or encyclopedia, with descriptions and photographs.
We will also tell you about some of the herbs common in our territory, presenting their photos, a brief description and a positive impact on human health.

Did you know? Roasted dandelion roots are used to make a coffee substitute, and young leaves are fermented or pickled like cabbage in the cooking of some peoples. In addition, in England, wine has long been made from dandelion flowers.

Dandelion medicinal (in Latin - Taraxacum Officinale) has unique healing properties. It is rich in vitamins A and C, it also has iron and calcium, it is a good detoxifier. The roots and leaves are rich in bitter glycosides, acids, oils, choline, asparagine.
Dandelion is recognized as a plant capable of having such an effect:

• choleretic,
• antipyretic,
• laxative,
• expectorant,
• soothing,
• antispasmodic,
• mild sedative.

Experimental chemical and pharmacological studies have proven that dandelion raw materials have anti-tuberculosis, antiviral, fungicidal, anthelmintic, anticarcinogenic and antidiabetic properties.

In cooking, dandelion also has a well-deserved distribution: cabbage soup is cooked from it, meatballs are made, jam is cooked, and fortified spring salads are also prepared. Dandelions are excellent honey plants: the honey collected from them turns out to be golden and fragrant, with a harsh aftertaste.

Video: beneficial properties of dandelion

St. John's wort (Latin - Hypéricum perforatum) has beneficial ingredients that help a person maintain health. These are vitamin C, nicotinic acid, quercetin, rutin, carotene, sugars, saponins, hyperoside, tocopherol, phytoncides, essential oil, as well as bitter, tannins and resinous substances.

In pharmacology, St. John's wort is used to prepare a variety of preparations from it:

• antibacterial,
• antiseptic,
• painkillers,
• wound healing,
• antirheumatic,
• diuretic,
• choleretic,
• antihelminthic.

Important! St. John's wort has contraindications: it causes an increase in blood pressure, accelerates the elimination of antibiotics fromorganism, incompatible withantidepressants. In women who take oral contraceptives, it can reduce their effect. And men need to remember- with prolonged use, they may experience temporary impotence.

Recently, medical scientists conducted additional studies, during which it was found that St. John's wort has an antidepressant effect that does not have side effects. Also, this herb is valuable in that it is recommended by cosmetologists as an anti-aging, tonic, anti-seborrheic agent.

Since ancient times, healers with the help of St. John's wort healed:

• gynecological inflammation,
• haemorrhoids,
• headaches,
• diseases of the liver and genitourinary system.

Video: useful properties of St. John's wort

Chicory (in Latin - Cichórium) has a rich chemical composition, due to which it normalizes the functioning of many body systems.

This plant can:

• stimulate an increase in immunity,
• heal wounds and eczema,
• have an antitumor effect
• tone the body
• relieve fatigue,
• cleanse vessels.

Chicory also has detoxic properties: it is able to normalize metabolic processes and remove toxins. Using chicory, you can cleanse the kidneys and improve blood composition, speed up peristalsis, eliminate heartburn, and increase appetite. Drinks from it can replace coffee.
Chicory is also used as an anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and antibacterial agent for colds. Diabetics, using this healing herb, can also alleviate their condition.

Stinging nettle (in Latin - Urtica urens) and Dioecious nettle (Urtica dioica) are two types of medicinal herbs that are used in both official and traditional medicine.

Nettle gained its popularity due to the following properties:

• diuretic,
• mild laxative,
• expectorant,
• anticonvulsant,
• anti-inflammatory,
• antiseptic,
• painkiller,
• wound healing,
• blood-purifying,
• hemostatic.

Pregnant and lactating women use nettle to improve lactation and normalize blood iron levels. Its anti-diabetic effect has also been proven.

Traditional medicine uses nettle for:

• dysentery,
• cold,
• constipation
• dropsy,
• diseases of the liver and bronchopulmonary system,
• hemorrhoids,
• rheumatism,
• gout,
• boils,
• acne and lichen lesions of the skin.

Video: useful properties of nettle

Burdock (in Latin - Arctium) is widely used in both medicines; mainly apply its root. The root system of burdock is richest in inulin polysaccharide (about 45%), it contains tannins and essential oils, mucus, fatty substances, bitterness, resins, mineral salts, ascorbic acid, protein.

Burdock root is used as a diuretic, diaphoretic, analgesic and choleretic agent, it helps in the formation of pancreatic enzymes.

Also, this plant has the following effects:

• laxative,
• antimicrobial,
• antiseptic,
• antiallergic,
• wound healing,
• antidiabetic.

Hogweed (in Latin - Heracléum) has long been known for its healing properties. It contains furocoumarins, which have a bactericidal effect, so anthelmintic drugs for animals are produced from it.

For humans, hogweed remedies are effective against psoriasis. Plant juice is used to treat ulcers and festering wounds, asthma and epilepsy. An anesthetic medicine is prepared from the roots for liver inflammation, as well as for jaundice.

Hogweed is used in cooking, and it is also a complete fodder crop that is combined with others to produce silage for livestock.

Hogweed contains trace elements, carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins, as well as tannins, chlorophyll, carotene, and essential oils. The flowers contain a lot of nectar, which the bees transform into excellent honey.

Important! It is necessary to handle cow parsnip carefully, since its juice, getting into open areas of the body, can cause severe allergic reactions and burns that turn into huge blisters.

Oregano

Oregano, or oregano (in Latin - Oríganum vulgáre) contains flavonoids, phytoncides, bitterness, tannins, essential oil, thanks to which preparations based on it serve as anti-inflammatory and choleretic agents. Oregano is used to treat whooping cough and bronchitis, and is taken as a sedative and pain reliever.

Medicines from this herb:

• increase appetite,
• improve intestinal peristalsis,
• produce a diuretic effect
• relieve epileptic seizures
• relieve convulsions,
• normalize the menstrual cycle.

Video: useful properties of oregano

Field or meadow mint (in Latin - Mentha arvensis) contains menthol, which has mild anesthetic properties. It is also an ingredient in medicines for blood vessels and the heart: Validol, Valocordin, Zelenin drops and others.

Useful properties of mint are very versatile:

• mint can enhance intestinal motility, contributing to its timely emptying, limiting putrefactive processes and fermentation;
• from the dried leaves, infusions are prepared, which are used for disorders of the nervous system and insomnia;
• mint helps relieve nausea, produces a choleretic effect, eliminates diarrhea;
• alcohol tincture and oil solution are used to reduce swelling and pain in case of inflammation of the respiratory system;
• The antimicrobial and gum-strengthening properties of the essential oil are used in the production of toothpastes and powders, as well as infusions for rinsing the mouth.

Important! Do not use mint for children under three years of age. Also, do not get carried away with it for men of childbearing age, due to the fact that it can reduce libido, and women who have problems conceiving, as this herb can exacerbate the problem of infertility.

Tansy

Common tansy (in Latin - Tanacetum vulgare) is known for having a powerful anthelmintic effect. Also, a powder is prepared from it in the form of an insecticide against insect pests. Tansy contains alkaloids, essential oils, flavonoids, tannins.

This plant is used in hepatitis to reduce the production of mucus that accumulates in bile. The herb has a positive effect on the tone of the muscles of the stomach and intestines, increasing secretion.

An infusion of basket inflorescences can:

• increase the amplitude of heart contractions,
• eliminate hypotension,
• heal gastric and duodenal ulcers.

Traditional medicine uses tansy in the treatment of:

• enterobiasis,
• hypoacid gastritis,
• hepatitis A,
• colitis,
• ascariasis,
• cholecystitis.

Compresses from this herb are effective for purulent wounds and gout.

Video: useful properties of tansy

Plantain (in Latin - Plantago). In medicine, two types of plantain are used: flea and Indian. The composition of these medicinal herbs contains a lot of ascorbic acid, phytoncides and carotene.

Alcoholic and aqueous leafy extracts of plantain treat severe forms of gastric and duodenal ulcers. Juice treats gastritis and enteritis, it is drunk for better digestion of food. Special studies by phytochemists have proven that plantain leaves contain elements that affect cholesterol metabolism.

An infusion of the leaves is used to expel sputum in case of:

• bronchitis,
• pulmonary tuberculosis,
• bronchial asthma,
• pleurisy,
• catarrh of the upper respiratory tract,
• whooping cough

Plantain is known as an antiseptic because it can:

• relieve inflammation,
• heal wounds,
• anesthetize,
• purify the blood.

Medicines prepared from the plant can destroy Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli, hemolytic staphylococcus, and pathogenic microbes in infected wounds.

Wormwood (in Latin - Artemísia absínthium) is used in gastroenterology. Its benefits are due to active ingredients, such as absinthine, anabsinthine, flavonoids, thujone, pinene, cadinene, bisabolone, chamazulenogen, selinene.

Wormwood leaves are rich in phytoncides, alkaloids, capillin, ascorbic acid, provitamin A, malic and succinic acids, carotene and saponins.

• The presence of galenic substances stimulates the reflex function of the pancreas, improves the functioning of the gallbladder.
• Terpenes relieve inflammation and are pacemakers.
• The essential oil extracted from the plant has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system.
• Saturated hydrocarbons found in the grass have a bactericidal and fungicidal effect.
• Bitterness, which is also present, can stimulate appetite and normalize digestion.

Traditional medicine considers wormwood an excellent remedy for:

• insomnia
• ascariasis,
• flatulence,
• obesity
• migraine,
• enterocolitis,
• gastritis,
• diseases of the kidneys and liver.

Video: useful properties of wormwood The plant is also useful for bad breath. On the basis of wormwood, ointments are prepared that treat fistulas, eye diseases, bruises and burns.

In combination with other herbs, wormwood is successfully used for:

• pulmonary tuberculosis,
• hypertension,
• fever
• edema,
• hemorrhoids.

Horsetail (in Latin - Equisetum arvense) is rich in flavonoids, derivatives of apigenin, quercetin, luteolin, silicic acid, and tannins.

There are also oxalic, aconitic, linoleic, malic and ascorbic acids, fatty oils, alkaloids, calcium, carotene, iron, potassium, magnesium, copper and other substances.
Thanks to the listed components, horsetail has the following properties:

• cleansing,
• anti-inflammatory,
• antimicrobial,
• anthelmintic,
• diuretic,
• antiseptic,
• detoxification.

In medicine and cosmetology, horsetail is used in the form of infusion, lotion and decoction. It is used in compliance with unloading diets in the process of losing weight. Cooks use the young shoots of horsetail, boiling or frying them and adding them to omelettes and casseroles, as well as filling for pancakes and pies.

Video: useful properties of horsetail

Quinoa (in Latin - Atriplex) is useful in the treatment of rheumatism, it allows you to relieve emotional stress. Due to the large amount of rutin and potassium, it is used in cardiology and for atherosclerotic changes in the vessels.

Did you know? Since ancient times, quinoa has been used as food during war or crop failure: rye flour with ground quinoa seeds was used in the preparation of bread. Such bread, although it was not attractive in appearance and taste, still helped people survive in times of famine.

Drugs from it are treated:

• chronic and acute diseases of the lower respiratory tract,
• stomach diseases,
• skin diseases,
• inflamed wounds.

The plant also serves as:

• anti-inflammatory,
• wound healing,
• cleansing,
• diuretic,
• expectorant
• choleretic,
• sedative.

Vegetarians appreciated the quinoa on its merits, because it contains a lot of protein: cabbage soup from it, as well as meatballs, soups, mashed potatoes and bread, allow you to stay full for a long time.

Video: beneficial properties of quinoa

Celandine (in Latin - Chelidonium) has many useful components: it contains up to twenty toxic substances that destroy pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa.

Useful action of celandine:

• helps with cramps
• removes inflammatory processes,
• can relieve and soothe
• has an antitumor and bactericidal effect,
• serves as a diuretic
• heals wounds,
• increases lactation in lactating women,
• medicines from celandine clean the lymph from infections.

When using small doses of celandine:

• blood pressure decreases;
• cardiac activity slows down;
• neuroses, convulsions, paralysis, epilepsy disappear;
• the work of the pancreas is improved.

When using celandine in treatment, it is important to remember that you cannot exceed the dose of the prescribed amount of the drug yourself, otherwise this will lead to dangerous side effects.

Important! It is necessary to start taking this herb with a minimum dose, gradually increasing it to the desired one.

In this article, we will describe in detail all types of medicinal and wild plants, attach beautiful photos, and also briefly describe how to care for and grow these plants at home. A more detailed description of care can be found in other sections of our website. So let's go.

Arnica plant ,(lamb, swimsuit) grows in the western part of Russia, up to the Dnieper, in forest meadows. Arnica is cultivated on lean, even peaty, soils. The Arnica plant requires deep tillage. Arnica is planted in August, with two parts of any forage grasses. The first year, Arnica is mowed not low, until flowering. For the second and third years, picking flowers, for 4-5 years, in late autumn, picking roots. Either whole flower baskets or flowers and roots taken out of them are collected. Arnica flower baskets are dried quickly, at the highest possible temperature.

Medicinal plant henbane

poisonous plant henbane , (fading) - one year old. or double. a weed plant, common throughout Russia, but loving fatty soils. More often Belen comes across near housing, on garbage heaps and pits, in vegetable gardens and orchards, along ditches, along roads and along river banks. Because Henbane seeds difficult to ripen, then special seed plants must be left. Sowing Henbane from early spring, in rows and not densely; after the emergence of seedlings (2-4 weeks after sowing), they must be thinned out, leaving one plant 8 inches from the other. The collection of henbane leaves occurs only in the second year. The collection of leaves in general from both wild and cultivated henbane is carried out during flowering: for a two-year-old - in June, for a one-year-old - in August.

poisonous plant belladonna

Belladonna , (sleepy dope, myogol). It grows wildly in the Crimea, the Caucasus and in the mountainous parts of the southwestern region. Belladonna is cultivated on sandy - calcareous soil, loose, rich in leaf humus; likes semi-shady places. Belladonna is propagated by seeds (first on fallow ridges) and rhizomes (can be taken from the 3rd year of culture). The distance on the ridges is 70-80 cm. It keeps well in one place up to 6 years. In medicine, the roots and leaves of the Belladonna plant are used. Both those and others are collected in July, before flowering. Belladonna roots are taken only lateral, young, fleshy and juicy. Dried whole or cut lengthwise. Belladonna leaves are dried in a dark room at a low temperature.

Valerian medicinal plant

Valerian , (Baldrian, Overyan). Valerian grows wild in forest meadows and forest edges, between shrubs, in wet meadows and floodplains of the middle strip of the Hebrew. parts of Russia. In the same strip can be cultivated. The soil for planting Valerian plants choose rocky, calcareous or field depleted, although it is possible to cultivate on ordinary arable land. They respect the land like a vegetable garden. On shallow arable land, grooves are made at a distance of 25 cm from each other and they are thrown into them valerian seeds , sealing them only with a roller. You can also propagate valerian rhizomes.

For sowing, seeds should be used exclusively from wild-growing plants. Valerian Care consists in weeding and surface loosening. It is possible to increase the yield of roots by cutting flowering stems as rarely as possible, leaving only basal leaves. In August and September, valerian rhizomes are harvested, along with the roots. White strong rhizomes of valerian with next year's buds are preferred. They are cleaned from the ground, cut lengthwise and washed in wooden boxes with holes or in wicker baskets, fortified in some kind of running water. You can dry valerian either in the sun or in a dryer. To obtain the best grade of root, small, thin roots are combed from it. Valerian is the richer in active principles, the more substantial and sublime the soil on which it grew.

Gentian , (yellow gentian). Gentian grows wild in the mountainous regions of Siberia. Cultivation attempts in the southern regions were successful. Ridges for gentian are laid in light shade, prepared from heather or light sandy soil with leaf humus, tightly rolled, sown, lightly covered with earth and covered with moss, which is removed as soon as shoots appear. Ridges with seedlings are covered with brushwood for the first time.

The grown seedlings of gentian are then transplanted to other ridges with looser soil, at a distance of 10-20 cm, one from the other. In the second year, a batch of plants that have reached a height of 30-40 cm are transplanted into the garden, on deeply loosened, fairly moist, rich in lime and humus soil. In medicine, gentian is used in the form of roots.

They are dug up at 8-4 years of culture, in late autumn or early spring, and only large roots of gentian are taken, and small ones are left to grow further. You can also cultivate other species with red flowers, but their roots are less large. Gentian Bush , (lihomanik, falcon flight, tovstuha). Grows wildly on the hills and among the bushes, in the middle and. southern part of the USSR. Mine-

The properties of the roots are the same as those of the yellow, but only the content of active substances is less.

Adonis , (Adonis). Adonis grows wild in the steppes of the black earth belt and in the Urals. In the north, it occurs up to the Nizhny Novgorod, Ryazan and Oryol regions. (inclusive), in the hills. : between bushes. Cultivated, horticultural varieties are completely unsuitable for business, and their seeds cannot be used for sowing in the steppes. In April-May, during full flowering, whole plants are cut off, discarding thick stems. adonis plant must be dried as quickly as possible in order to avoid its blackening.

Melilot officinalis , (burkun). Grows in fields, wastelands, steppe deposits, thickets of shrubs, along roads, along ravines, etc., almost all over Hebrew. parts of Russia, except for the extreme north. Dried flower-bearing tops of sweet clover are used in medicine.

Oak summer and winter

Oak summer and winter. In medicine, the bark of young branches of 8-10 liters is used. age (in any case, not older than 20 years), taken in the spring, and not thicker than 2-3 mil.

Datura plant

Datura . Grows profusely in weedy places, in the southern and part of the middle part of Russia. Datura can be cultivated by direct seeding in a scatter. With a garden crop, you can harvest 3-4 times a summer. Phosphate fertilizer increases the amount of alkaloids in Datura leaves. Datura leaves and seeds are used in medicine. The leaves are collected from flowering plants. The leaves of the second collection are richer in alkaloids than the first. Freshly picked leaves should be frozen immediately and dried as soon as possible. Dried dope leaves do not withstand long-term (more than a year) storage, pharmacies buy only fresh leaves.

Angelica , biennial. Angelica grows wild throughout Russia (south of the Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod regions), in damp places, along river banks. Angelica is grown on good garden soil, with deep processing. Loves rotten fertilizer. The place for landing angelica should be low-lying, but not swampy, sunny. Angelica seeds freshly collected from cultivated plants are sown in autumn or spring and greenhouse seedlings are bred. The distance between plants is 35-40 cm.

In medicine, angelica rhizomes are used along with roots, dug out in late autumn before frost or in early spring, before the start of growth into a stem. Angelica roots are dried cut and strung on threads near the stove. The pharmacopoeia requires that there be no admixture of angelica roots. Spring cleaning roots are preferred. Young stems and leaf petioles are used to make ducats.

golden root plant

Golden root , (gold seal, yellow root). It is not found in the wild in Russia, but culture, as shown by the experiments of cultivating this plant near Moscow, is quite possible. Reproduction is better by rhizomes, more difficult by seeds, due to their low germination. Rhizomes for planting a golden root are dug up in May and planted on ridges prepared in autumn, deeply dug up and abundantly fertilized with leaf humus. The ridges are necessarily arranged in a strong shade or over them they put canopies over the soil.

The ground should be moist all summer, but not too damp. Golden Root Care consists in loosening the soil and weeding out weeds. For the winter, plantings are best protected from frost with a rotted leaf tire. Blossom Golden root starts from the second year, the collection of rhizomes can be started from the third year. They are dug up in August, when the fruits ripen, the tops with buds and thin branches of the rhizomes are separated and planted in a nursery or stored until spring planting, and the thicker rhizomes are dried along with the roots. In America, experimental plantings of this plant yielded 384 pounds. raw root from tithes; one pood of dry root is obtained from 4 poods. raw.

Plant Kasatik

Iris . It can be cultivated in the gardens of the middle and western regions of Russia. In the southern regions it is found in the wild state. The plants require a lot of sun and a few heavy soils. Pieces of iris rhizomes are planted on ridges 6-10 inches apart and allowed to develop for at least three years. Three years later, they begin to produce autumn digging of the roots, selecting thicker and more regular shapes for sale, and the rest for a new planting. Pieces of 15 cm long and 4 cm thick are cut from the best roots of iris; these pieces are smoothly planed and a hole is drilled at their flat end for threading the cord. These pieces serve as a teething aid for children. The remaining pieces, trimmings and roots, thinner and irregular in shape, go on sale. separately. The rhizomes of the German iris completely replace the rhizomes of the Florentine iris, the culture of which in the Union is possible only along the southwestern coast of the Black Sea.

castor oil , Ricinus, ricina, in our latitudes, an annual plant. The most preferred variety is the small-fruited variety, as it contains significantly more oil. Castor beans can be cultivated with success in the Kherson province. and south. The crop (field) is similar to that of corn. Castor bean soil requires fertile, rich in phosphorus, potassium and lime. Castor seedlings are very sensitive to frost. At. With sufficient heat and moisture, the seeds ripen no earlier than 5-7 months after sowing, they ripen very differently at different times, which greatly complicates harvesting. In medicine, fatty oil obtained from seeds by cold pressing is used. Hot pressing produces oil for technical use.

Buckthorn plant

Buckthorn , perennial. It grows in forests and shrubs in almost all of Europe. parts of Russia, except for the north. Dried bark is used, collected in April from the trunk and branches of young buckthorn bushes. The bark is used in medicines, aged for at least a year in a dry place or heated for an hour at 100 °.

medicinal plant lily of the valley

Lily of the valley . It grows wild in most of the European part of Russia, in forests and between shrubs. Lily of the valley flower brushes are used in medicine, sometimes together with leaves. Lily of the valley tinctures in pharmacies are prepared mainly from fresh flowers; in rare cases, dried flowers of the latest collection are used.

Linden medicinal plant

Linden. Purely picked and carefully dried flowers are used.

, double Grows wildly along the shores of the Baltic and White Seas. Cultivated with success on ordinary garden land, with high humidity, with a slope to the north. Sowing in August, and in the south in early spring. In medicine, fresh plants are used, cut in the second year; although the leaves may be plucked in the first year, for the preparation of a tincture and essential oil, or as an antiscorbutic. Essential oil can be driven from dry spoonful grass if, after moistening it, it is mixed with a certain amount of diluted mustard and allowed to stand in a warm place for some time before distillation.

Plant Jacques sleeping pills

, m. opium, m. oily, m. white, m. blue, m. gray, m. field, m. garden, m. terry, single-haired. Cultivated in vegetable gardens and field crops. Used in medicine; 1) immature, dried fruits, peeled from seeds. They should be gray-greenish in color, with 10-15 radiant stigmas and as many incomplete nests, dry fruit weight about 3.5 g, 2) poppy seed, exceptionally white, 3) dried juice flowing from ring-shaped or helical cuts made on still immature poppy (opium) pods. Good quality (strong, rich in alkaloids) opium, however, can only be obtained in the extreme south (in Transcaucasia, Turkestan).

medicinal plant juniper

Juniper , perennial. It accompanies pine and together with it is most common in the northern regions of Russia, while in the south they are found on sandy spaces and in mountainous places. In medicine, mature (black with a bluish bloom) seedlings, usually referred to as berries, are used. Essential oil is distilled from juniper wood.

medicinal plant mint

Mint English, peppery, cold, many-sided. Cultivated in large quantities in the Yaroslavl, Tula, Voronezh, Tambov, Mogilev, Kazan, Saratov, Kharkov, Kiev, Poltava, Podolsk and Taurida regions. The most suitable soils are chernozem loams and sandy-silt alluvial along river banks. In the non-chernozem zone, cultivated and fertilized loamy or sandy soils are good for the previous plant. Sufficient soil moisture is a necessary condition for a successful mint cultivation. Withstands flooding without damage. mint plant not afraid of shading, but contains less essential oil. Of the various varieties of mint, white and black mint should be preferred for planting.

white mint blooms earlier and produces an oil with a particularly delicate aroma, but for that it is quite sensitive to both frost and drought, and yields an essential oil somewhat less than black mint. Black mint is more hardy, blooms a little later, gives 15-20% more oil, but for that it has a worse aroma. In the south, where both varieties bloom almost simultaneously, it can be advantageous to produce a mixed crop of black and white mint. Mint should not be propagated by seeds, but exclusively by cuttings. mint cuttings(pieces of rhizomes) in early spring in the south are planted directly in place, in furrows. In the north, mint cuttings are often planted first in. Planted mint cuttings in the south are watered several times. Caring for a mint plantation consists of a shelf and careful loosening of the soil.

mint picking time produced during flowering; if for the first time not the whole plant is cut, but only the flowering tops, then the collection can be repeated two or three times, and the last time you usually have to cut the plants with unblown colored buds. The last cut is made at the very root. In the south, mint winters without any cover; in the middle provinces, “it is not better to cover for the winter with a dry leaf, loose earth and manure. At one plantation site, mint can be kept for three years. If you want to keep the plantation for a longer time, then it must be thinned out and subjected to surface fertilizer in autumn with rotted manure or watering with slurry in spring.

The mint culture can be included in the crop rotation; the writer of these lines cultivated p. mint in the Kharkov region. on low meadow, partly flooded land in such a crop rotation: 1) strong manure fertilizer and hemp on it, 2) fodder beetroot, 3, 4, and 5) mint, 6) grain bread. The removed mint is knitted into bundles and dried, hanging under a canopy. 1 teaspoon dry mint is made from 5 teaspoons raw. Peppermint essential oil can be driven, both from raw and dry. The harvest of raw mint from a tithe is 100-200 pounds. Oils from tithes with a good culture from 20l. up to 1 pood.

Curly mint plant

Curly mint . The culture is the same as peppermint. In medicine, (rarely) the whole herb is used, cut at the time of flowering. Essential oil is distilled from fresh or dried trap.

Digitalis , (). It does not occur in the wild. Culture is possible in the southwestern provinces, but with the risk that the rhizomes will freeze in winter. In any case, the plant is so medicinally important that experiments with its culture are necessary. In England, foxglove is being cultivated in the field, sowing 6l. seeds. In medicine, leaves collected during flowering are used. It is necessary to dry digitalis leaves at a temperature not exceeding 40 °. Under the influence of even slight dampness, the product loses all medicinal value during storage.

medicinal plant fern

Fern . It grows wild in most of Russia, in forests and between bushes. The upper part of the rhizome, cleared of shoots and leaves, comes into play; collection is made in August-September. Browned (stale) fern rhizomes are rejected.

Medicinal plant Plaun

club moss ,(Boxthorn). Grows in abundance in coniferous forests and birch groves of northern and central Russia, less common in the black earth belt. In medicine, club spores are used. Spikelets that are not yet ripe are collected and allowed to reach, spreading them out on paper. Spilled spores of the club moss are collected in jars.

Sagebrush . Everywhere in Russia, on the black soil (in the fields, hills and wastelands).

chamomile . It grows wild in fields and in weedy places in central and southern Russia. In the Tula, Kharkov, Poltava regions. cultivated in significant quantities. For culture, light soils are selected whenever possible. The first sowing of chamomile is done in the fall, 1 f. seeds. Sowing is scattered, dense. Seeds are covered with a roller. At the end of June or at the beginning of July, the first harvest is made, the soil is loosened with a cultivator and the second sowing is carried out. Second collection of chamomile in September. For chamomile seeds, a special area is left with early shoots; the seeds of the plant are harvested when; the baskets are already dry, but the seeds have not yet fallen out of them. Beveled plants in small sheaves are placed under a canopy for final maturation. In medicine, colored heads of chamomile are used, cut off, if possible, without a stem. When drying, to prevent fermentation, the flowers are laid out as thinly as possible.

Persian chamomile

It grows wild in the mountain meadows of the Caucasus. It is successfully cultivated in the Kiev and Volyn regions. Seeds are sown in spring on garden beds with very shallow incorporation. Chamomile loves the soil with an admixture of lime. In late June or early July, seedlings are planted on the same ridges. The following spring, they are transplanted into place, and possibly often weeded. Since the end of July, chamomile heads have been harvested as they are opened. Every year in the spring, before the buds begin to unfold, the ridges are dug up and at the same time reproduction is carried out through rhizomes. You can also cultivate chamomile in July.

The land is well prepared in autumn, plowed up again in spring and carefully harrowed. Ordinary sowing is carried out in a mixture with seeds of fast-growing plants (mustard, colza), which are then pulled out. The main care consists in thorough weeding and inter-row loosening. In autumn, the plants are thinned out, and the pulled ones are transplanted. Flowering in the second year. They leave the plantation in one place, from time to time applying mineral fertilizers, until at least 10 pounds are obtained from the tithe. powder. Collected just-opened heads are dried in the air, in the shade. 2,000 dry heads weigh 5 pounds. Dry heads are ground in a special mill, and in this form they go on sale, under the name of Persian and Dalmatian powder.

Rhubarb plant. Known culture in the Tula province. The soil for growing rhubarb needs lime content. It is better to breed rhubarb from rhizomes, planting them first on ridges and then transplanting them into places, at a distance of sazhens from each other. The earth must be dug up. Fertilizer with bone meal or phosphate (in no case manure). Stagnation of water in the arable horizon is detrimental to rhubarb. Since the leaves of rhubarb die already at the end of July, intermediate crops of vegetables with a shallow root system, or chamomile are possible with it. For the winter, each rhubarb bush is covered with manure. Full maturation of the roots requires 10-12 years. The dug roots of a rhubarb are carefully sorted, all flabby, spongy pieces and small roots are discarded; the black outer bark is peeled off; the selected roots are cut into pieces, strung on a thread and dried.

Licorice , (licorice, sweet root, licorice). Licorices grow wild; on salt licks in southeastern Russia and in Transcaucasia. Licorice can be cultivated in loose deep sandy soils. Licorice is planted in grooves drawn at 11-12 inches. one from the other, segments of roots or basal shoots. The first collection of roots is obtained 3-4 years after planting. The field can be maintained with a good harvest for 20-25 years by loosening the soil after harvest. To collect licorice roots, they dig them out with a plow, and some of the shoots remain in the ground, and the field is renewed by itself, requiring only the planting of roots in some places on the bald patches. Once harvested, licorice roots are kept in heaps for some time, where they acquire a brighter yellow color. The aged roots and shoots of licorice are then washed, cleaned and scraped off from the side roots.

ergot medicinal plant

Ergot , (horns). Formed on ears of rye. Ergot is removed from the ears or separated from the grain of rye during threshing, and winnowed.

Sage , (kalufer). It is found wild in gardens and orchards near Odessa, Yekaterinoslav, Kharkov and Kursk. There are also 15 species of wild sage, but none of them is suitable for medicine. Cultivated in the Yaroslavl and Poltava regions. The soil for the culture requires dry, light, but rich in humus and lime; Strong sunshine is needed. It is best to propagate sage by dividing old bushes. In winter, sage freezes to the root; in autumn, it should be spudded to protect the basal buds. In medicine, dried sage leaves (exclusively cultivated plants) are used, cut before flowering or at its very beginning.

medicinal plant saffron

Saffron , (crocus). Cultivated in large quantities in Baku and Dagestan. It can be cultivated in the southern part of Russia, where it matures, in areas facing noon, with dry soil. It is best along the beams, protected from the north; the proximity of a river or a damp meadow is very favorable; in wet years, the yield of saffron is always higher. The soil for growing saffron should be well loosened and well fertilized. Saffron bulbs are planted in July in furrows, 13 cm deep, drawn from each other at a distance of 13-18 cm).

In one place, a saffron plantation can be left up to 6 years if liquid or mineral fertilizer is applied from the third year. Saffron begins to bloom in the first year, but gives the largest number of flowers in the third year. Since saffron leaves appear only at the end of summer, it is recommended to sow some other plant among saffron that gives an early harvest, for example, chamomile. In medicine and confectionery, the stigmas of saffron pistils are used, mixed with the smallest possible number of anthers, stamens and columns. The most important part of the culture of saffron is the collection and drying. Collection of saffron flowers produced within 2-3 weeks, on dry autumn days, in the morning when the flowers open. Now, after the collection, cleaning is carried out, i.e. separation and selection of stigmas from flowers, and it must be completed no later than by the morning of the next day. The isolated product is dried on sieves over a brazier with coals or in an oven until it becomes solid.

Tarragon . Grows wildly in the southeastern provinces. In medicine, flower tops and young tarragon are used. Tarragon flowering tops are harvested. To the indications given for individual plants, it is necessary to add a few general remarks about the collection and drying of medicinal plants. Collection should always be done on a clear sunny day, and after the dew has completely disappeared. Delicate plants and especially flowers can only be collected in baskets. Start drying immediately after

collection. Tarragon can be dried in the shade in the air, on ropes and attics, directly on the floor, on matting or canvas, or, much better, on special lattice frames raised above the floor. Drying can also be done in barns, barns, sheds and sheds, as long as they are dry and have sufficient ventilation. When drying, tarragon should be placed in a thin layer or tied into small bundles. And the bundles and layers of the product must be turned over more often. Rain or dew can, if not completely spoil, then greatly reduce the quality of the product.

Tarragon roots in most slulays are best dried in a Russian oven or oven in vegetable dryers, without raising the temperature above 50 °. If there is no dryer, and there is no way to arrange it, then it is convenient to dry the roots in the attics, under the roof, placing them on the stage, in a thin layer. Tarragon roots are usually harvested either in the fall, after the foliage has withered, or in the spring, before it develops. The roots are washed with cold water and then prepared for drying in various ways, some by peeling and cutting, others not (see instructions in the description of individual plants). Tarragon seeds are harvested when mature and usually do not require much drying.

The fruits are also usually harvested when ripe and then dried. The purer the product, the more the color of the fresh plant is preserved in it, and the more careful its packaging, the more expensive it is. The price increase under these conditions can reach up to 250-300%. Before proceeding with the preparation of a particular product, you should find a place for its sale and purchase a ready-made sample of a good product from the pharmacy warehouse, to the qualities of which you should try to adjust your product. All the more attention in the preparation of medicinal herbs should be paid to ensure that they are not mixed with herbs that are similar only in appearance, but do not have medicinal properties.

The art of healing has been known since the Stone Age. Being in close and constant contact with wild animals, a person willy-nilly noticed the peculiarities of their behavior and diet. It was obvious that some plants had a calming effect on animals, while others had the opposite effect.

History of herbal medicine with wild plants

Herbal medicine is a way of treating certain diseases through the healing properties of plants and herbs. Moreover, the medicine can be either a freshly harvested plant or its specially prepared components: decoctions, dried herbs and fruits.

Even the ancient Sumerians actively used knowledge about the healing properties of plants. The natural components of medicinal plants sometimes inspire more confidence than the preparations presented by modern pharmacology.

Today, phytotherapy is a hybrid of knowledge about the benefits of medicinal herbs and modern technologies. After all, it is much easier to maintain the normal functioning of body systems than to treat the consequences.

Wild medicinal plants: names and types

Almost all year round, experienced herbalists harvest medicinal herbs and prepare them for further use. Almost everything is collected and harvested, from flowers and leaves to roots. The main thing is not to harm the plant itself and follow the rules for collecting raw materials. This includes plants recognized as official medicine, and plants - household helpers. Everything .

So, what exactly are wild medicinal plants? Simply put, these are plants that are the main raw material for the manufacture of traditional medicines.

By species, medicinal plants growing in the wild can be divided into:

- On trees (aspen, alder), thanks to which medicinal raw materials are harvested in the form of bark, tree buds and even fruits;

- On herbaceous (chamomile, valerian), the largest group, representing a huge number of representatives of the plant world used for medicinal purposes;

- On shrubs (hawthorn, juniper), also a fairly wide group of plants, which is also a supplier of medicinal raw materials in the form of tree fruits, leaves and flowers;

- On creepers (ivy), the least represented type of vegetation, especially on the territory of our country, but no less valuable source of medicinal plants.

In addition, wild plants can be subdivided:

- Food medicinal plants. Almost all wild berries can be attributed to this group - lingonberries, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, bird cherry, etc. Not only the berries themselves are used, but also the leaves, for brewing tea or making an infusion, or as a seasoning for preparations for the winter. Craftsmen even prepare flour from sapwood. This also includes oaks, which can be a source of both the fruits themselves - acorns, for making sweets, and the same sapwood, for making flour. In addition, nettle, dandelion, willow-herb, oxalis and hops are used. All of these plants and herbs, or parts of them, are edible and usable, both raw and processed (cooked). This group also includes poisonous wild medicinal plants, for example, the hoof plant, which, when properly prepared and used, has a positive effect in the treatment of diseases of the nervous system and the normalization of blood pressure. What wild herbs can be used for food can be found in the video.

- Plants used for medicinal purposes. These are well-known birch buds, the tincture of which is so useful in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and the genitourinary system of the body. This is linden, which has anti-inflammatory, analgesic diuretic properties, and helps with colds, in the treatment of burns, and also as an immunostimulant. And alder, decoctions and infusions on the cones of which help with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and decoctions with bark are used as a disinfectant and anti-inflammatory agent. The well-known hawthorn is a healer for heart diseases, and has a positive effect in the treatment of hypertension.

Medicinal collections of wild plants

Collection of herbs to improve immunity: for 1 liter of boiling water, 1 teaspoon of crushed and dried raw materials is taken - leaves of sea buckthorn, black currant, strawberries, echinacea grass and St. John's wort, and rose hips. All this is brewed, infused for no more than 15 minutes and filtered. It is used as a regular tea without sugar, or with the addition of honey.

Fortifying collection: in 1 liter of boiling water, half a teaspoon of strawberry, blackberry and currant leaves, 1 teaspoon of thyme and St. John's wort herbs are brewed. Let the resulting infusion brew for at least 10 minutes, strain and drink throughout the day as a tea.

Gout tincture: crushed juniper berries, rose hips and watermelon seeds are infused in 1 liter of boiling water for at least 20 minutes. Strained, cooled and taken in a quarter cup twice a day after meals for a week.