Baikal Skullcap

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

Most of the effective medicines produced by the official pharmaceutical industry are derived from plants that have been used by mankind since ancient times. A striking example of this is a tincture from the roots of Scutellaria baikal. Chinese, Tibetan, Japanese medicine use this plant. The plant is famous for its decorative effect, and can be successfully grown in all kinds of flower beds in summer cottages

Distribution in nature

Natural reserves of skullcap are small. The plant is a rare species. It grows in Asia. In Russia, skullcap can be found in Transbaikalia, Amur region, Primorye and Chita region. In the steppes of the Chita region, among the tansy herbage, the largest amount of natural skullcap was found.

Skullcap is unpretentious and grows on clay, stony, gravelly soils on the slopes of hills, as well as in the steppe expanses.

Description

The Scutellaria Baikal plant seems to have divided itself into two equal parts: its fleshy and powerful root wedges into the soil to a depth of half a meter. Its branchy stems rise to the same height above the ground.

A powerful root follows a short rhizome, from which tetrahedral stems are pulled out in large numbers to the surface of the earth. Narrow-lanceolate leaves sit oppositely on the stem and have numerous glandular points on the lower surface.

In the axils of the leaves of the upper part of the stem, two-lipped blue-violet or blue-blue flowers are conveniently located, forming a one-sided dense cluster of inflorescences. The bright upper lip of the flower looks like a helmet covering the lower part, for which the plant was named with such a brave name.

The fruit of the skullcap is a nutlet completely covered with small spines.

Growing

Skullcap Baikal arkhi is an unpretentious plant. It thrives on garden soils that contain lime. Skullcap tolerates drought without problems; he is not afraid of Siberian frosts, so he does not need to be sheltered for the winter.

Accustomed to living in the vast steppes or open to the sun slopes of hills, skullcap prefers illuminated places, but it can grow in partial shade.

The plant propagates by seeds, and an easier way is to divide the bush. Sowing seeds is carried out in the fall in open ground, or in the spring, sowing them in boxes and growing the seedlings to the desired size. In early June, the seedlings are planted in the place chosen for it. Blossoming can only be enjoyed next year.

To make the bushes thicker, the plant is cut off after flowering.

Use in the garden

Scutellaria Baikal blooms in June-July, but it is decorative throughout the summer season, thanks to its dense branching bush.

Skullcap is a magnificent curb plant. They can decorate garden paths, low fences lit by the sun, retaining walls and blank walls. Skullcap is appropriate in a wide variety of ridges, it will become a decoration of the foreground or middle ground of a mixborder.

Low-growing varieties are suitable for alpine slides, in which they will be pretty in the form of a single bush or a small clump.

Healing action

Preparations based on skullcap baikal have anticonvulsant, vasodilating, sedative effects (superior to valerian tincture). In addition, they help to lower blood pressure, increase strength and slow down the rhythm of heart activity, eliminate spasms of the muscle tissue of the intestines.

In Tibetan medicine and Chinese folk medicine, skullcap is also used as an antipyretic agent. They are treated for epilepsy, insomnia, rheumatism; relieve worms.

Collection and procurement

For medicinal purposes, in late autumn, roots are dug up at least three years old. After thoroughly cleaning them, they are cut into pieces and dried in a well-ventilated area, periodically turning them over. After drying, the roots are cleaned again, freeing from the cork layer.

When drying in dryers, the temperature should be no higher than 40 degrees.

Contraindications: No harmful actions were found.