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Common loosestrife is a perennial herbaceous plant from the Primrose family. The genus includes more than a hundred varieties with different biological cycles. 8 varieties grow in Our Country, the main distribution is the North Caucasus and the European part.
The plant received its specific name for a distant resemblance to willow.
Description of common loosestrife
The appearance of the herbaceous plant depends on the variety, the common loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) grows in the form of a dense bush with straight stems. There are dwarf, ground cover and creeping representatives. Inflorescences are also of different types: paniculate, scale insects or single flowers in leaf axils. The color is white, pink or yellow.
Characteristics of the common loosestrife:
- A perennial plant forms a bush consisting of many stems. It grows in damp forests, along the banks of rivers and reservoirs, a favorite place is meadows near swamps.
- During the season, the length of the stems reaches 1 m. The shoots are erect, rigid, with a light green, finely pubescent surface.
- The root system is branched, powerful, creeping. The culture is classified as an aggressive invader, since ornamental seedlings completely displace nearby herbaceous plants.
- The leaves are arranged in whorls of 4 pieces. The shape of the leaf plate is lanceolate, smooth at the top, pubescent at the bottom. The color is light green, the shape is with solid smooth edges.
- The flowers are small, collected in paniculate inflorescences, which are formed on the tops of the shoots.
- Flowers with five petals of bright yellow color with an orange core.
- The fruits are rounded brown seed pods.
Common loosestrife blooms in the first half of June, seeds ripen from August to September. Flowering is long, plentiful, the upper part of the bush is completely painted in bright yellow.
Application in design
Common loosestrife is not classified as an exotic plant, it is a variant of unpretentious field flowers. In landscape design, an ordinary loosestrife is used:
- To simulate a corner of the wild.
Common loosestrife serves as a decoration of the park edge
- To create small compositions in a flower bed near the house.
The loosestrife looks advantageous in combination with hostas and creeping ivy
- Used in mixborders with ornamental shrubs.
Common loosestrife can become a flower bed accent
- To decorate the foreground of the composition.
The plant is in harmony with irises
- To limit the perimeter of a flower bed or rabatka
Without the yellow color accent, the composition would look unfinished.
Features of reproduction
Common loosestrife quickly builds up the root system, during the season the plant increases it by 2-3 times. For reproduction, the method of dividing the parent bush is used. In spring, common loosestrife is dug up, plots are cut off with a sharp knife and planted on the site. In 3 years it is possible to fill quite extensive empty territories. Under optimal conditions, the common loosestrife has a high survival rate, the plant is characterized by intensive shoot formation. Planted bushes bloom in the same year.
You can propagate the culture by seeds. Planting material ripens at the end of September. The boxes are collected and seeds of loosestrife are immediately sown in a container. Seedlings grow at a temperature of 15 0C and regular watering. In the spring, young shoots can be planted in the allotted place, after 3 years there will be a full-fledged flowering bush on the site.
You can use the cutting method. In the spring (before flowering), the material is cut from the middle of the shoots. They are placed in water, and when the root threads appear, they are transferred to the ground.
Planting and caring for common loosestrife
Common loosestrife grows rapidly and blooms profusely if the created conditions meet the biological requirements of the culture. Caring for a herbaceous shrub is simple; agricultural technology includes watering, fertilizing and autumn pruning of dry stems.
Recommended dates
A frost-resistant plant can be placed on the site at the beginning of the growing season or at the end. If the common loosestrife is grown from seed, seedlings in cold climates may not overwinter, even when sheltered. It is better to plant seedlings on the site in the middle of spring, then there will be no problems with survival.
The division of the common loosestrife can also be done at the beginning or end of the season. For culture, the procedure is allowed no more than once every 3 years. If the weather allows and the ground is not frozen, plots are placed on the site at the first appearance of sprouts.
Site selection and soil preparation
A herbaceous shrub will grow on any soil, as long as it is fertile. A good option is waterlogged peatlands.
A plant is planted in the lowlands, along the banks of reservoirs, in a site with a close occurrence of groundwater.
If this is not possible, the common loosestrife will have to be watered often and plentifully.
Well-lit areas are chosen for culture, periodic shading is allowed, but not a permanent shadow under the crown of trees. With a deficiency of ultraviolet light, the common loosestrife will not bloom. Before planting, the site is fertilized, rotted compost is introduced into the soil.
Landing algorithm
After extracting the plant from the soil and dividing it into several parts, it is planted along with the remaining earthen clod.
Some of the old roots can be cut off, but this must be done carefully so as not to damage the root offspring.
Landing common loosestrife:
- The root system of the plant is superficial, so a deep hole is not needed for it. It is enough to dig 10 cm deep. The width is determined by the root coma.
- When planting, the plant does not deepen much. The loosestrife ordinary will independently occupy the space necessary for it.
- A mixture of peat and compost is placed at the bottom of the pit, ash is added.
- Put the plant and sprinkle with earth.
- The soil is gently pressed down. If there are sprouts, then they are left on the surface.
Peculiarities of growing
Common loosestrife is an unassuming plant. He does not need special care. There is no need for loosening and weeding, it completely displaces the growing weed grass nearby, the root system is superficial, strongly growing, so the soil around the loosestrife is not touched so as not to damage the root.
If a herbaceous shrub is planted on the shore of a reservoir or in wetlands, then watering is recommended only in abnormal drought.
A crop placed in a dry area requires regular watering.
A frost-resistant plant at any age hibernates without shelter. After flowering, the stems are cut off completely. In autumn, the common loosestrife is fed with organic matter, compost can be applied in the spring.
Pests and diseases
The common loosestrife is a wild-growing species characterized by strong immunity. The plant practically does not get sick. Of the pests on the shrub, aphids can parasitize. At the first appearance of insects, the culture is treated with Antitlin.
Medicinal properties of common loosestrife
All parts of the plant are used in folk medicine. The leaves, flowers and stems of the plant contain many medicinal substances. The following components are of particular value:
- ascorbic and silicic acid;
- rutin;
- saponins;
- tannins;
- essential oils.
The plant has a hemostatic, anesthetic effect, promotes rapid tissue regeneration on wounds, has astringent and antiseptic properties.
Application in folk medicine
In alternative medicine, lotions, decoctions and tinctures based on common loosestrife are used. They are used to fix:
- diarrhea;
- bleeding;
- thrush;
- festering wounds;
- stomatitis;
- eczema.
The leaves relieve pain, stop the blood on fresh wounds, disinfect. Powder from the root and flowers relieve inflammation from abscesses.
Recipes for decoctions and infusions
To stop internal bleeding (especially true for heavy menstrual flow), an infusion prepared from 1 tbsp is recommended. l. dry loosestrife leaves and 200 ml of boiling water. Raw materials are poured and infused for 6 hours. Drink in two doses (morning and evening), 100 ml each. The daily norm, the course of treatment is 7 days.
To prepare a tonic to restore strength after an illness, you will need:
- fresh leaves of the plant – 2 tbsp. l.;
- vodka or alcohol – 200 ml.
Technology of preparation
- The leaves are crushed, poured into a glass container.
- Fill with vodka or diluted alcohol.
- Close tightly, place in a dark place.
- Withstand a week, filtered.
Take 15-20 cap. 4 times a day.
Medicinal raw materials are harvested from the top of the shoots
From a headache during a cold or seasonal respiratory infections, a drink made from loosestrife, rosemary, and pharmacy chamomile helps. According to 2 tbsp. l. dry or fresh raw materials pour 400 ml of boiling water, allow to cool, drink.
Collection, procurement, storage of raw materials
Harvest raw materials during flowering:
- Cut off the upper part of the stems with inflorescences and leaves, retreating from the base of about 15 cm.
- Remove dry fragments, cut into pieces of 2-3 cm.
- Dry the workpiece in the shade with good air circulation.
- Store in a dry place in a canvas or paper bag.
You can extract the juice from the plant. Leaves with flowers are placed in a blender bowl, crushed to a homogeneous mass, the liquid is squeezed out and poured into a plastic container, tightly closed and stored in a freezer.
The root is also beneficial for health. It is dug in late autumn, cleaned of soil, dried in limbo and stored.
Limitations and contraindications
The healing properties of common loosestrife have not been widely used in traditional medicine, because there are a number of contraindications when you can not take the remedy:
- with high blood pressure;
- people suffering from varicose veins;
- with thrombosis;
- with an allergic reaction to the composition;
- with poor blood clotting.
Conclusion
Common loosestrife is a perennial herbaceous shrub with bright yellow flowers. An unpretentious frost-resistant plant is used in ornamental gardening. The culture has medicinal properties, this feature has found application in alternative medicine.
