Hawthorn ordinary (spiny)

One of the most common plants that adorn the local landscape is hawthorn.In addition to the spectacular appearance, the plant contains many useful substances that help improve health, cope with various ailments.

The plant of the Rosaceae family is a shrub or ornamental tree, the size of which varies from 3 to 10 meters in height.

Common hawthorn is characterized by the presence of medium-sized thorns, as well as thick leaves of large size. Spines are twigs that have not developed to the desired size. They are localized near the fruit, protecting them from damage.

This plant does not bear fruit every year. During flowering white flowers appear or pinkish with an unpleasant smell (many compare it with the smell of fish). After sowing the first seedlings, sometimes you have to wait more than a year.

Of particular interest are the fruits of hawthorn. They have a bright red or orange color. The shape is usually round. The fruits are large in size. Their appearance is expected only 10 years after planting the plant.

A distinctive feature of the plant is unpretentious. Hawthorn ordinary does not require special care, which consists in pruning dried branches, as well as monthly watering and weeding.

The abundance of the sun provokes the appearance of a large number of fruits, but this does not mean that the plant will die in the shade. Just the fruit on it will be smaller. Like any living organism, plants are also susceptible to infection. Among the most common problems are the appearance of rust, fungus. It is possible to get rid of troubles by processing with special means, as well as by cutting off the affected areas.

There are also such living organisms as: mites, aphids, silkworms, worms, which can cause considerable damage to the plant. Insecticides are used to combat them.

It is believed that the plant has longevity. It can live 400 years.

The fruits of this type can be eaten or for treatment. The special composition of hawthorn makes it indispensable in the fight against functional disorders of the heart, metabolic disorders, vascular activity, kidney and liver. It is often used to treat colds, flu, and diseases of the nervous system.

According to the description of the composition, in addition to vitamins A, C, fiber, common hawthorn contains polyphenols, quercetin, hyperoside, vitexin, tartaric, citric, kretegu acid, tannins, essential oils.

However, it should be remembered that The use of this plant for therapy is possible only after the recommendation of a doctor. Improper or excessive use of a medicinal plant can lead to the opposite effect - provoke an exacerbation of the disease or cause a negative reaction in the form of an allergy, nausea, headache.

In addition to the ordinary (prickly or smoothed) hawthorn, there is a huge number of different varieties that differ in their type, size of shoots, as well as the place of growth. There are several common species.

• Crimean. This species can be found in the east of the Crimea. In appearance similar to hawthorn ordinary. Among the differences can be distinguished large leaves, less bright color of the berries.
• Oriental. Prefers highlands. The plant can be found in the central and European region. The berries have a pink color, a large spherical shape, something like a tomato.
• The black. Shrubs grow in Slovakia, Hungary.A distinctive feature is the black color of small-sized berries.
• Peristonadreshenny. It grows in Europe and in the West. The plant has an original type of berries that have a pale pink color with a shiny surface.
• Yellow. It grows in the south-eastern part of America, prefers sandy surfaces. A characteristic feature of the berries is the yellow or orange color of fruits that have a spherical shape.

• Siberian. It grows in Russia, mainly in Siberia, as well as in Asia and Mongolia. A distinctive feature of the berries is a shiny red color, round shape ..
• Krugolistny. Homeland of this variety is considered to be North America. A characteristic feature is a dense crown with dark green leaves, as well as spherical fruits of red color.
• Coarse. The plant is originally from North America. A distinctive feature is the presence of very sharp spines. The fruits have a carmine shade, round shape.
• Soft. The ornamental shrub from North America is distinguished by a large number of spines, dark green foliage, and rich red berries.
• Odnopepichny. The plant grows in the European part, grows rather slowly. A characteristic feature is the presence of small dark green leaves, small red fruits.
• Cock spur. The ornamental shrub from North America is distinguished by a large size of the spines, brown berries that have a roundish shape.
• Slivolistny. The decorative look is obtained by crossing a large-fibrous variety with a rooster spur. The plant has a thicker crown, medium-sized spines, red round berries, and slow growth. This type is often used as fences.

Proper preparation of hawthorn will preserve its useful properties for a long time.

Only fruits that grow away from objects that pollute the environment are suitable for picking.For example, factories, road routes, landfills. It should be noted that the low temperature adversely affects the healing composition of berries, so the harvest is recommended to be collected before the onset of frost. Collect the fruits better in dry weather.

The collection of plants is recommended to be carried out with fully opened flowers, since unopened buds quickly darken when dried, which negatively affects the properties of the product. It is not recommended to tear off all the inflorescences, flowers, as some of them will go on insemination.

Fruits should be harvested at their full maturity, which can be determined by the color saturation, as well as soft consistency. The berries are pulled off with shields, the stalks are cut, then washed. Thoroughly washed berries are left in a dry dark place until completely dry.

You can use several methods for freezing.

• In the freezer put a container with a flooring of cling film. First put one layer of fruit. Then cover it with a film and put the second layer. After the berries are frozen, they are packaged in bags, left in the freezer.
• You can use the quick freeze mode, putting ready-made bags of berries in the freezer.

Hawthorn fruits can be stored in dried form. To do this, you can use the following methods.

• Berries can be placed in a specialized drying with a temperature of not more than 40 degrees, since a higher temperature contributes to the destruction of the healing properties of the plant.
• For drying, you can use the oven, but the door is better to keep it open.
• As a dryer, you can also use conventional batteries. In this case, the berries are put into bags made of cloth, hung above the battery.

An indicator of high-quality harvested fruit is dark color, surface tightness, and fragrant odor. Dried preparations in the form of fruits are stored for 24 months, in the form of flowers - 12 months. Such long-term storage is possible subject to certain rules.

Dried pieces must be placed in bags made of cloth or paper. They can also be put in a glass container with a tight lid. Storage room should be dark, well ventilated.

The method of harvesting plants, similar to the drying, can be attributed to felting. The method differs from ordinary drying by pre-soaking the berries in a sweet syrup. The process takes about 10 hours. Then the fruits are removed and dried.

You can also note the ways of harvesting hawthorn in the form:

• ground berries with sugar;
• sweet jams, preserves;
• drink.

Of course, fresh berries have the greatest benefits to the body. However, any method of preparation in one way or another allows you to preserve the beneficial properties of the miraculous plant, which is famous not only for its many healing components, but also for its pleasant taste and aroma.

When preparing a useful drug from hawthorn, you can use the following recipes.

For the general strengthening of the body, improving performance, recuperation, it is recommended to drink tea with hawthorn. For its preparation it is necessary to take hawthorn berries and pour boiling water over them. Better to do it in a thermos. After 10-12 hours of infusion, the tea will be ready for use. The proportion is selected depending on the desired result. In order to make the drink highly concentrated, 30 berries pour 500 ml of boiling water.

To this proportion you can add the hips. This is done to taste or in a 1: 1 ratio.

For the treatment of diseases used tincture, infusion or decoction of hawthorn. To prepare the tincture, you need to mix the berries with flowers, pour them with vodka. 200 ml of alcohol-containing means take 2 tablespoons of raw materials. Capacity with a solution tightly closed, put in a dark place for 15-20 days. After the tincture is ready, it is filtered through several layers of gauze.

For the preparation of infusion use cake from hawthorn berries. It is possible to get gruel by squeezing the juice from the soaked hawthorn fruit. Two tablespoons of gruel pour 400 ml of boiling water, infused for 30-40 minutes. After filtering the infusion through several layers of gauze, the miracle cure is ready for use.

To prepare the broth, you need to take 20 berries, pour 200 ml of boiling water over them. After this, the broth is pounded in a water bath for 10-15 minutes, allowed to cool, then filtered through several layers of gauze.

In the preparation of medicines is not recommended to use iron containers, as the metal contributes to the destruction of nutrients.

It should be noted that the proportions of therapeutic fluids are chosen individually: depending on the age, condition of the body, and the particular course of the disease. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, one or another remedy may be used.

In the next video you are waiting for useful properties and the use of hawthorn.