Bell

Useful properties and use of the bell

Useful properties of the bell

Bell It has anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, analgesic and soothing effects on the body. And this is the merit of those bioactive substances that are part of the chemical composition of this plant, namely carotene, caffeic and coumaric acids, kaempferol, quercetin, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium. The leaves and flowers of the plant also contain a lot of ascorbic acid. For medicinal purposes, stems, flowers and leaves are used, harvested from June to August – during the flowering period.

For culinary purposes, young leaves are harvested in early May during the budding of flowers, the roots are dug up in early spring or late autumn. When cutting the tops of the plant, they try to leave the largest specimens for divorce. Dry the flowers in the dark, in well-ventilated areas, it is best that the plants are in bunches. After drying, the raw materials are folded into flat boxes, trying not to wrinkle.

Application of the bell

In folk medicine, decoctions and infusions of the plant are used, it is also effective in the form of a powder. Decoctions treat internal bleeding, fear and epilepsy in children. Water infusion is recommended to gargle for colds, tonsillitis, stomatitis. A decoction of the fruits and herbs of the bell is used to treat fever, atherosclerosis, constipation, glaucoma and syphilis. Decoction baths are used in the treatment of nervous disorders. Once upon a time, grass compresses were applied to the site of a dog bite, and lichen and panaritium were treated with powders.

Herbal infusion: 2 teaspoons of dry grass should be poured with a glass of boiling water, insisted for 15 minutes and filtered through cheesecloth. The infusion can be used externally for gargling or internally, at the rate of 1-2 tablespoons on an empty stomach 2-3 times a day.

Flower infusion: 1 teaspoon of powder from the inflorescences is required to pour a glass of boiling water and leave for 40 minutes, then cool and strain through a strainer. It is recommended to take the remedy 1 tablespoon as needed.

Decoction: Pour 10 g of crushed roots into an enamel bowl, pour 250 ml of water and boil in a water bath for about two hours with a tightly closed lid. You need to drink the medicine 1 tablespoon 3 times a day after meals.

bluebell seeds

The seeds of this flower vary in size from dusty particles to larger specimens. They ripen in fruits and are used for its reproduction. Seeds can be sown in autumn or spring, in the ground or in a greenhouse. Since the seeds are very small, they can be mixed with sand or grated chalk before sowing.

bluebell flowers

With its decorative effect, the flowers of this herb delight the eye of many amateur gardeners, occupying a worthy place in their flower beds. Usually bells grow in the form of inflorescences, but can be single. Their color scheme is very diverse: there are white, pink, purple, blue and bluish flowers. The plant is called a bell because the flowers in some species are bell-shaped. They bloom profusely and for a long time in spring and summer.

Cultivation of bluebell

In nature, there are about 300 species of this plant, which grows mainly in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. More than half of the types of bluebells grow in Russia, the Carpathians and the Far East. Grass propagation is done by seeds or seedlings.

For seedlings, use wooden boxes or other containers with a layer of drainage inside. The soil mixture is selected from leafy or soddy soil, weathered peat and sand, disinfecting such a mixture with a solution of potassium permanganate or boiling water. After planting, the seeds are not sprinkled with soil on top, but covered with paper or glass. Periodically, the soil should be sprayed with water, preventing drying out. After the emergence of seedlings, the mini-greenhouse is removed. Plant pests are slugs and rust.

Bluebell varieties

Bluebells are frost-resistant perennials and dwarfs, grown mainly for rock gardens. There are also biennials – they are planted in flower beds. This grass is easy to grow, with the exception of a few species that need to be protected from excess moisture in the winter season. The group of border bells is also numerous, they have varieties of different heights and they bloom from July to September. The varieties used for rock gardens are completely unpretentious, they only need non-acidic, drained soil. The grass blooms profusely in June-July.

Bell blue grows in the form of a bush with a diameter of up to 40 cm and a height of 40-60 cm. This undemanding flower is one of the best rockery decorations. Its blue flowers form capitate inflorescences. In one place, the grass can grow up to 6 years. The plant blooms from June to July, in the wild it prefers calcareous rocks in the upper belt of European mountains. You can grow this species in rocky gardens, in flower beds, in flower pots.

The bell is boring – herbaceous perennial medicinal plant. It has a short rhizome, reddish and hairy, with indistinct edges of the stem, oval or lanceolate leaves. The upper leaves are sessile, the lower ones grow on long petioles. The flowers are grouped in an apical head, inflorescences consist of 15–20 flowers. Flowering occurs in June and August.

The plant is widespread in the European part of Russia, in Belarus, Ukraine, Siberia, Central Asia. This species grows in open glades and forest edges, in steppes and meadows. The plant is used as an analgesic, sedative and antiemetic.

meadow bell – a perennial plant 15–20 cm high. It has a branched dense rhizome, erect or ascending non-branched stem. Leaves are heart-shaped or round-bud, long-petiolate. The flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences of light blue or purple. This species grows in regions with a temperate climate: in Siberia, the Caucasus, Central and Asia Minor, and Europe. Its habitats are meadows, steppes, forests, sometimes the plant can be found in desert and rocky areas.

Handbell Medium – a biennial, very beautiful plant 1,2 m high. The stem is vertical, pubescent, strongly branched, with many small leaves. The flowers are collected in a loose brush, simple or double. This species blooms from June to September with white, pink, purple or blue flowers. The plant serves as a wonderful addition to flower arrangements. It is most often planted in flower beds with other perennials. It looks very impressive in bouquets. Once cut, the flowers can stand in water for up to 10–12 days.

Bellflower Milkflower – perennial herbaceous plant. Its stem is straight, branched, with many leaves, reaches a height of 50-150 cm. Fragrant milky-white flowers are collected in large racemose inflorescences. This species grows in the Caucasus, Asia Minor, northeast Turkey and northwest Iran. The plant is used in double borders, in meadow flower beds. This kind of bell looks great near water bodies. This plant is one of the longest-lived. In nature, it can reach the age of 20 years, in culture – 12.

Contraindications to the use of the bell

These are individual intolerance and hypersensitivity. It is not recommended to use preparations from the plant for pregnant and lactating women, children under 6 years of age. Refuse to use this drug should be people with acute chronic diseases. Be sure to follow the dosage and consult your doctor before use.