2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Asperuga (lat. Asperugo) Is a monotypic genus of herbaceous plants of the Borage family. The only representative of the genus is the species - Asperuga prostrate, or recumbent. Another name of the genus is Ostritsa. In its natural form, it grows everywhere.
Plant characteristic
Asperuga is an annual herb up to 40-50 cm high with a juicy pointed stem, planted with strong hooked balls along the ribs. The leaves are pubescent with dense bristles, pointed, very delicate, protruding, oblong-spatulate. The flowers are small, sessile, located in the leaf axils. Calyx ovoid or cordate-rounded, flattened at fruit, covered with subulate bristly hairs over the entire surface. The corolla is purple; over time, it acquires a blue color. The fruit is a nut.
The subtleties of growing
Asperuga is actively developing both in sunny and semi-shaded areas. Rotting in strong shade. Asperuga is not very demanding for soil conditions, although it gives more succulent leaves on fertile, moderately moist and loose soils with a neutral or slightly acidic pH reaction.
Sowing of asperuga is carried out in autumn or early spring. Asperuga can be sown at several times, the last summer sowing is done in early August. Before winter, the seeds of the plant are sown in mid-late September. The seeding depth is 1, 5-2 cm. The ordinary method is the most suitable for the crop. The distance between plants should be 10-20 cm.
Caring for an aspergia consists in loosening, weeding and occasional watering. Asperuga is undemanding, and does not need special care, so its cultivation will not take a summer resident much time and effort. Plants do not need fertilizing, however, before sowing the ridges, you can fertilize with rotted organic matter.
Harvesting is carried out with the appearance of peduncles. Green leaves are crushed and dried in a well-ventilated area without direct sunlight. You can cover the workpieces with gauze to avoid the negative effects of flies. Store dried asperuga in a tightly closed container.
Application
In many countries, asperugu is considered a weed plant, but in the Caucasus it is used as a spice. It is added to pickles, marinades and various meat and vegetable dishes. The plant is more widely used in folk medicine. Decoctions from the leaves have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. They are useful for bronchial asthma and hypoxia.
Recommended:
Asperuga Outstretched
Asperuga outstretched belongs to a family called borage, in the Latin version the name of this family is as follows: Boraginaceae Juss. Asperuga prostrate is an annual climbing plant, in length which can fluctuate in a fairly large interval:
