2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Eleutherococcus (lat. Eleutherococcus) is a woody winter-hardy plant from the Aralievye family. Other names are freeberry, Siberian ginseng, prickly or wild pepper, as well as the devil's bush or virgin (Eleutherococcus got the last two names because it is the most prickly and inconspicuous among all plants belonging to the Araliaceae family).
Description
Eleutherococcus is a thorny, medium-sized shrub, equipped with a multitude of finger-compound leaves. As a rule, its height is within one to two meters, but the height of individual specimens may well reach four to five meters. And each shrub is equipped with a huge number of isolated stems - there may be twenty-five or even more!
Straight shoots of Eleutherococcus are covered with a strong bark of a pleasant light gray color. They are densely covered with many thin spines obliquely directed downward. And the cylindrical rather strongly branching rhizomes of Eleutherococcus, equipped with a huge number of adventitious roots, are usually located in the upper soil layers. And often the length of the root system of a given plant reaches thirty meters!
Finger-complex oboval leaves of Eleutherococcus sit on long petioles. Above they are either with small bristles, or naked, and below along their veins there is a slight reddish pubescence. As for the edges of these leaves, they are always sharp-toothed.
Small bisexual flowers of Eleutherococcus are collected at the tips of branches in simple umbrellas. At the same time, a pale purple color is characteristic of staminate flowers, and a slightly yellowish color for pistillate ones.
The fruits of Eleutherococcus, which have the appearance of shiny black spherical bones, are collected in rather large black balls. Each drupe reaches seven to ten millimeters in diameter, and there are exactly five bones inside it. And for the yellowish seeds of this plant, the shape of a crescent is characteristic. All seeds have fine-meshed surfaces, and their length ranges from 3.5 to 8.5 millimeters.
Eleutherococcus usually blooms in July and August, and it begins to bear fruit in September.
In total, the eleutherococcus genus has about thirty varieties of thorny trees and shrubs.
Where grows
Most often, Eleutherococcus can be seen in China, Japan, as well as in Southeast Siberia and in East Asia.
Usage
In culture, only one species of Eleutherococcus is grown - it is Eleutherococcus prickly (it is also called armed Eleutherococcus).
It is believed that the medicinal properties of this unique plant of its kind are almost identical to the medicinal properties of ginseng, which is why it is often called Siberian ginseng. As a rule, the rhizomes and roots of this plant are mainly used for medicinal purposes. And it is best to dig up adult specimens for this, the height of which exceeds the meter mark.
Eleuthero is an excellent remedy for fatigue (both physical and mental) and low blood pressure, and is also a great tonic. However, it is categorically not recommended for use in hypertension, as well as in acute infectious ailments and sleep disorders.
Growing and caring
Eleutherococcus will feel best in light shade (it is very shade-tolerant and shade-loving), on well-moistened and sufficiently fertile garden soils. If the summer is dry, the plant should be watered regularly. And in winters with little snow, Eleutherococcus will need a good shelter.
Eleutherococcus is propagated by root suckers, dividing bushes, seeds (with mandatory preliminary stratification), as well as layering or green cuttings.
As for various pests and diseases, Eleutherococcus is practically not susceptible to their attacks.
