Snakehead

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Snakehead (Latin Dracocephalum) - a genus of annual or perennial grasses, less often shrubs or dwarf shrubs of the Yasnotkovye family, or Lipocytes. In total, there are about 40 species, of which 38 species grow within the former USSR. The name of the plant comes from two Greek words "drakon" - snake, and "kephalos" - head. The shape of the flowers visually resembles the head of a snake. The homeland of the plant is China, Mongolia, the Western Himalayas, Altai and the Baikal region. Snakehead is widely cultivated in Ukraine, Moldova and the Caucasus, in smaller quantities in Russia.

Characteristics of culture

Snakehead is a herbaceous plant with an erect, branched tetrahedral stem of green color or with a violet-red pigmentation up to 80 cm high and a taproot system. Leaves are dark green, oblong, opposite, petiolar, jagged edges. The flowers are white, purple silt bluish-purple, arranged in ring tiers around the stem in the form of thin racemose or false whorled inflorescences. Flowering is gradual: from the lower flowers to the upper ones. Seeds are small, oblong-oval, ribbed, 1.5 mm in diameter, up to 3 mm long. The snakehead is characterized by increased cold resistance, the seeds germinate at 5-7C. Seedlings tolerate frosts down to -3C without any problems. Long-term decrease in temperature is not reflected in the growth of the snakehead.

Growing conditions

Snakehead prefers light, moderately moist soils, rich in humus. Does not accept waterlogged, swampy, saline soils and heavily shaded areas. The illumination is preferably intense, the culture is not favorable to the north and west winds, as well as to areas with stagnant cold air, that is, to the lowlands.

Soil preparation and sowing

The plot for growing the snakehead is prepared in the fall: the soil is dug up and humus is introduced. In the spring, the ridges are loosened simultaneously with the incorporation of fertilizers. Sowing is carried out at an early date, to be more precise, at the end of April - beginning of May. Seeds are sown in a row method with an interval of 40-60 cm. The distance between the plants should be about 8-10 cm. With a two-line sowing scheme, the distance between the belts is 50-60 cm. The seeding depth is 1.5-2 cm. The sowing rate is 10 g. for 1 sq. m. Seedlings appear in about 12-14 days. To obtain early greenery, winter sowing is used, in this case the crops are covered with a thick layer of sawdust.

Care

One of the main snakehead care procedures is weeding. Weeds negatively affect the growth and development of plants, therefore, the first weeding is done immediately after the emergence of shoots, the second - when the plants reach a height of 12-15 cm. In the future, the snakeheads themselves cope with this task, suppressing the weeds with their mass.

Harvesting is carried out before flowering. Plants are cut high, on the line of the main foliage, since the lower parts do not contain essential oils and are not suitable for food. The aroma of dried leaves intensifies after 2-3 weeks of storage in a tightly sealed container.

Application

Snakehead is an excellent culinary spice, it not only stimulates the appetite, but also improves the digestion process. Snakehead is rich in vitamins and other beneficial substances, therefore it is used as an analgesic, anticonvulsant, wound healing, sedative and relaxing agent. Snakehead infusions are used for neuralgia, headaches, heart palpitations, migraines and joint aches, as well as for toothaches.