2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
The common cultivated plum, the fruits of which are tasty and loved, has a distant ancestor that still lives in nature today. This is the prickly plum or blackthorn, which has retained its healing abilities, which help a person to cope with diseases. The power of the curative effect of prickly plum is much higher than that of its cultured descendant
Habitat
It is not for nothing that the prickly plum is called Thorn or Thorn. From its stems with sharp thorns, it is possible that a crown of thorns was made, laid by the tormentors on the head of God's son, Jesus Christ. True, the word "thorn" was used to name many thorny plants, therefore, for two thousand years, theologians have not been able to find agreement in the name of the plant that served such an unseemly deed. Still, let's hope that prickly plum, capable of forming impassable thickets in the wild, is not involved in such a terrible event.
After all, it grows on the edges of deciduous light forests almost throughout Europe and Asia Minor; form clumps in the steppes of Northern Kazakhstan; climbs the slopes of the Caucasus mountains, accumulating in its leaves, flowers, fruits, roots a harmonious complex of substances that can heal the human body from ailments.
Habit
The blackthorn loves to bush, whether it be a shrub or a small tree growing up to 5 meters in height, the stems of which are protected from enemies by sharp thorns.
The prickly plum is rich not only in thorns. Its oblong-elliptical leaves are dark green on the upper side, and on the lower side - as if with a silvery bloom from pubescence. On short branches created by nature for fruiting, small white flowers are collected in bunches, sometimes having a pinkish tint. The flowers turn into black-blue juicy fruits in the first half of September, holding tightly to the twigs until the very cold. They are usually harvested after the first light frost. In the green pulp of the fruit, an ovoid or spherical bone is comfortably located - a guarantee of continued life.
Growing
It is quite possible to grow a savage in the country, always having your own doctor at hand.
The blackthorn is in no hurry to grow, slowly increasing in height. Loves sunny places, refusing to bloom profusely in the shade.
Prefers calcareous or clayey soils, fertile, moist, although rather resistant to drought.
Thorns are propagated by root suckers or by grafting.
Belonging to the Plum genus, the blackthorn is affected by the same enemies as the cultivated plum, therefore, when processing fruit trees in the garden, one should not forget about the blackthorn.
To maintain the decorative appearance, dry branches and tops are removed (vertical shoots on the stems of blackthorn, weakening the plant's immunity). Thorn hedges are mowed once a year. He easily tolerates a haircut, so you can form thorny dense hedges, protecting from uninvited guests and prying eyes of neighbors.
Healing abilities
The complex of substances in the leaves, flowers, fruits and roots of blackthorn has a healing effect on the human body. Leaves and flowers regulate disturbed metabolism in the body, have a calming, blood-purifying, diuretic, laxative effect. Ripe fruits, on the other hand, have an astringent effect, helping with indigestion.
People with diabetes mellitus include the fruits and leaves of blackthorn in their diet. Fresh fruit juice is good for jaundice. And acne, redness on the face, eczema of the face and ears are treated with the pulp of the fruit.
Collection of medicinal raw materials
During the flowering of the blackthorn, its flowers are harvested, and after flowering, the leaves that have not yet hardened are harvested. Black and blue fruits are often harvested after the first light frosts, and the roots in autumn or spring, combining the collection of medicinal raw materials with the thinning or removal of especially nimble plants that violate other people's borders.
Decoctions and infusions are prepared from the finished raw materials, tea is brewed, fruits are eaten fresh.
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Blackthorn: Great Strength Of A Small Berry
Blackthorn is unpretentious to growing conditions and in nature it can be found almost everywhere - from warm southern to cold northern regions. But in the home garden, this is not such a common culture. Perhaps this is due to the fact that raw fruits have too sour and tart taste, and the tree itself is of modest size. But nothing beats the pleasure of hot tea with thorn jam, when outside is snow and frost
