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Reproduction, care and use of the beneficial properties of lilacs
Botanical characteristics of lilac
Lilac is a tree or shrub from the olive family. The crown of the plant is round or cup-shaped. Young shoots have a smooth yellowish-gray or olive-green surface with lenticels. Older trunks are dark gray and peel off the bark in narrow strips. On short petioles are opposite leaves, the shape of which is broadly ovate. The leaves are dark green on top and light green on the inside. Purple flowers – small, with a strong aroma, collected in panicle inflorescences. In one inflorescence there can be about 400 flowers.
The lilac fruit is a two-celled box, flat, oval in shape, having 2–4 seeds with wings. The plant blooms every year and is very abundant. Lilac is found throughout the CIS. Lilac prefers to grow in the garden, park, near residential buildings. The plant loves neutral soils and does not tolerate excessive moisture content in the soil.
Reproduction of lilac
Lilac can be propagated vegetatively and by seed. Lilac varieties and garden forms are propagated by the vegetative method, using grafting, layering and green cuttings for this. Lilacs are propagated by seeds to develop a new variety or to obtain rootstocks.
In August, you need to prepare lilac seeds for sowing. To do this, it is necessary to stratify the seeds for 30–45 days, after which they are sown in a furrow and embedded 1,5 cm into the soil. Further, the furrows (ridges) need to be mulched with sawdust, peat and humus.
Lilac seedlings grow slowly. For full development, they need a whole year. In the second year, seedlings can be planted in the ground, after which they water and hill the soil.
Lilacs are often propagated by green cuttings. Most often, for such reproduction, a greenhouse is chosen under a film or glass, into the soil of which manure and sand are introduced. When the lilac begins to bloom en masse, you need to prepare cuttings. They are cut with a sharp knife with existing kidneys. Before planting, the cuttings are kept under moist moss (as they will retain turgor). Then the cuttings are planted in a greenhouse, deepening them into the sand by no more than 1 cm.
Cuttings should always be kept in moist air. In order to form roots on the cuttings faster, they are treated with root formation stimulants. At first, you need to remove the frames of the greenhouse in the late afternoon or in cloudy weather, and over time, the frames are completely removed. Now the cuttings need regular watering and top dressing. Already rooted plants are planted in ridges, or you can leave them to grow and spend the winter in a greenhouse.
Another well-known way to propagate lilacs is reproduction by layering. For this method, you need to lay queen cells in the nursery. Ready and already grafted plants should be planted in an inclined position, dragging the main trunk with soft wire in a place slightly above the graft. Next, do hilling. Closer to autumn, roots will appear above the constriction, after which the root system of the stock itself is cut off. The mother bushes are planted in ridges, after which the aerial part is cut off. After 3-4 years, you can get layering.
Useful properties of lilac
Useful raw materials of lilac are flowers, buds, bark and leaves of the plant. Lilac keeps its beneficial properties for two years.
Lilac is primarily used as a diaphoretic and anti-inflammatory agent. Due to the content of many useful substances in the plant, it is used as a remedy that lowers fever and reduces pain. Lilac helps in the treatment of feverish diseases. Lilac can cure diabetes.
Lilac infusion is an antipyretic. To prepare the infusion, take 1 tablespoon of the leaves of the plant, pour 100 ml of boiling water over them and leave to brew for an hour. Take the infusion warm, 1 glass three times a day.
Fresh lilac leaves have a wound healing property, so they are used to prepare compresses in the treatment of wounds, felons and boils.
The use of lilac
The lilac contains many useful substances, thanks to which it is successfully used in folk medicine. The plant is used in the form of infusions, teas, decoctions, compresses, fees and ointments.
Lilac buds are used to lower blood sugar. The flowers of the plant help in the treatment of malaria, rheumatism and diarrhea. An infusion of flowers is used for stomach ulcers, whooping cough, shortness of breath, and diabetes. A decoction of lilac is an excellent cold remedy. Lilac tincture helps to get rid of diarrhea, whiter, bruises, wounds and neuralgia.
Tincture for rubbing in rheumatism and osteochondrosis. We take 10 grams of lilac flowers and fill them with 100 ml of vodka. We leave for 14 days to infuse in a dark container. We filter the finished tincture and use it in the form of rubbing on a sore spot.
A decoction of lilac buds in diabetes mellitus. Take 2 tablespoons of lilac buds and pour 500 ml of boiling water. Leaving for 6 hours to infuse, then strain. We take a ready-made broth for 1 tablespoon before eating.
Tincture of sirens in the larynx. To prepare the tincture, you need to take 50 grams of lilac flowers and pour half a glass of vodka. We leave the remedy for a week to infuse. After straining the tincture, it must be diluted with boiled water (10 ml of tincture pour 100 ml of water). The finished tincture is gargled three times a day.
Lilac bark in dermatological diseases. The affected areas of the skin should be washed with a ready-made tincture of lilac flowers. A clean plant bark is applied to the washed places, which is bandaged with a bandage. The bandage is changed after 3-4 hours.
Lilac tincture for malaria. To prepare it, we take 20 grams of lilac leaves, add 1 teaspoon of bitter wormwood and half a teaspoon of eucalyptus oil. Pour this mixture with 1 liter of vodka and leave for 14 days. We filter the tincture and take 2 tablespoons before each meal.
Lilac tea for visual acuity. You need to take the fresh flowers of the plant and brew like any other tea. After the product has cooled down a little, take the gauze and put it in several layers. Wet it in tea from lilac flowers and apply it to the eyes. We hold for 10 minutes. We repeat this procedure before going to bed.
Ointment for neuralgia. Take the lilac buds and grind them to a powder. Mix 1 teaspoon of lilac bud powder with 4 teaspoons of butter. Rub the ointment into sore spots, with exacerbations.
Lilac tincture for joint pain. Take 1 tablespoon of lilac flowers (chopped) and the same amount of lilac leaves. Add 1 tablespoon of bay leaf powder. Here we fall asleep 1 tablespoon of willow bark. Pour this mixture with 500 ml of vodka. Let it brew for 3 hours and filter. We take gauze, moisten it in tincture and apply it to the sore spot for 2 hours.
Contraindications to the use of lilac
Inside, lilac preparations should be used carefully and only after consulting a doctor.