2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Chernogolovka (lat. Punella) - a light-loving shade-tolerant perennial from the Yasnotkovye family. The second name is prunella.
Description
Chernogolovka is a perennial equipped with a rather powerful, but at the same time, a short creeping rhizome. The stems of the blackhead are erect, hairy in the upper part and relatively low. As a rule, their height ranges from fifteen to thirty centimeters. And the whole leaves of this plant are equipped with uneven edges. In this case, the leaf blades are usually obtuse and oblong-ovate. The leaves of the upper pair are either almost sessile or sessile, and all other leaves are located on dense petioles.
The flowers of the blackhead can be either purple, red or pink, or blue or blue. All of them gather in spectacular capitate inflorescences, in false whorls sitting on short legs. The bracts in flowers can be either almost round or broadly ovate, and in most cases they are painted in rich dark purple tones. The two-lipped cups are equipped with sharp short teeth, and the purple corollas of the blackhead are also two-lipped. The corollas are about one and a half to two times the length of the cups, and they are all equipped with straight tubes and hairy rings located inside. And the upper lip of each of these corollas is helmet-shaped.
The fruits of the blackhead are shiny triangular egg-shaped nuts.
Where grows
The homeland of the chernogolovka is considered to be the forest-steppe and steppe European regions. Most often, it can be seen growing along the edges of swamps, along the shores of lakes or rivers, as well as in bushes, in meadows and in light forests. As for the distribution area of this plant, it includes Australia, North Africa, North America, Japan, Mongolia, China, India, Iran, Asia Minor and Russia.
Usage
Due to the rather high content of vitamin C, the blackhead is very successfully used in folk medicine - it is considered an excellent remedy for colds, as well as an effective hemostatic agent. And the study of its anticancer properties showed that the carophyllin and ursolic acid contained in it are endowed with the ability to inhibit the growth and subsequent spread of certain types of cancer.
Chernogolovka is a powerful antioxidant, it effectively inhibits inflammation and viral ailments, and also perfectly stimulates the immune system.
Also, preparations made on the basis of chernogolovka can boast of a pronounced antibacterial and antiseptic effect, and this feature allows them to be used as an effective remedy for food poisoning. And the tribes of the Indians who once lived on the northwestern North American coast quite actively used blackhead juice to treat various kinds of inflammations, cuts and abscesses. And of course, this beautiful plant has long been used in Chinese medicine!
Some varieties of this plant are actively used to decorate rock gardens, mixborders and flower beds. And the bitter leaves of the blackhead are often used for making salads.
Growing and caring
It is best to plant a blackhead in sunny or slightly shaded areas equipped with moderately moist garden soils. She needs moderate moisture, in addition, this plant boasts excellent winter hardiness.
In culture, the blackhead reproduces mainly by seeds, in addition, reproduction and division of bushes is quite acceptable - it is usually produced in autumn or spring.
