2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Winter-lover (lat. Chimaphila) - a genus of herbaceous plants of the Heather family. Under natural conditions, the culture grows in the temperate and cold climate of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus includes four species.
Characteristics of culture
Winter-lover is a perennial herb or shrub up to 25 cm high with a ribbed stem and creeping rhizome. The leaves are evergreen, leathery, sharp-toothed, obverse-lanceolate or ovate, with a wedge-shaped base. The flowers are large, flat-bell-shaped, drooping, white or white-pink, collected in umbellate inflorescences of 2-7 pieces. The fruit is an erect capsule, equipped with bare valves, which open from top to bottom when ripe. Winter-lover blooms in June-August.
Views
* Panicled winter-lover (Latin Chimaphila makulata) - the species is represented by dwarf shrubs 10-25 cm high with white or pink flowers.
* Japanese winter-lover (lat. Chimaphila japonica) - the species is represented by herbaceous plants 10-15 cm high with white and pink flowers. The species is distributed mainly in the Far East.
* Umbrella winter-lover (Latin Chimaphila umbellata) - the species is represented by herbaceous plants 5-15 cm high with pink flowers 15 mm in diameter.
* Winter-lover Menziza (lat. Chimaphila menziesii) - the species is represented by herbaceous plants up to 15 cm high with flowers of white or dark pink color.
Growing conditions
Winter-lover is preferable to grow in semi-shaded areas with light, well-drained and moderately moist soils. The culture of swampy, saline and strongly acidic soils will not tolerate. The winter-lover also does not tolerate stagnation of water.
Reproduction and care
Winter-lover is propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering. Sowing seeds is carried out in the fall under a shelter. Cuttings are carried out in early spring or in the middle of summer. When a culture is propagated by layering, healthy and strong shoots are pinned to the soil surface, sprinkled with earth and watered. The rooted layers are separated from the mother plant next spring, then transplanted to a permanent place.
Care consists in rare watering, fertilizing, weeding and loosening. Organic and mineral fertilizers are applied in the spring. Water the plants at the root. Plants also require light pruning, which allows for abundant branching.
Harvesting and harvesting
The winter-lover is collected during flowering, the shoots are carefully cut off and the darkened leaves are removed. Then the winter-lover is laid out on a pallet, at the bottom of which a layer of paper is laid. The cut shoots must be turned over daily to avoid dampness. After the grass is completely dry, it is packaged in paper or cloth bags. Raw materials should not be stacked too tightly, otherwise it may become moldy. Store the bags in a well-ventilated place. The shelf life is 2 years.
Application
Zimolyubka won one of the first places for its medicinal properties. It is used as a tonic, astringent and diuretic, which is why it is most often used in the treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system. Infusions from winter-lover are also useful for more serious diseases: gonorrhea, hematuria, nephritis, purulent urethritis, ascites, etc. Fresh plant leaves are used to treat burns, tumors and ulcers. As an adjuvant, winter-lover is used for chronic prostatitis, stomach ulcers, tuberculosis, and breast cancer. Dry shoots of winter-lover are also used for making tea.
