What does a thistle plant look like?
The thistle plant is the national symbol of Scotland and is featured on the country’s coat of arms. Thistle grows everywhere, it can be found in almost every corner of our planet. Somewhere it is considered a weed, but somewhere it is used for medicinal purposes.
It is a herbaceous plant with thorns. The spines are sharp and long, and the flowers, on the contrary, are soft and fluffy.
Thistle has fluffy purple flowers
In nature, there are about 120 species of this plant. In our country, 3 types are most common:
- Lactic. Grows only in sunny areas. Quite tall, can be grown for decorative purposes to create hedges.
- Curly. A miniature plant that rarely grows to 1 m. It has the fewest thorns. All Western Siberia is covered with this type of thistle.
- Drooping. Height 1 m.Differs in long lower leaves, they grow up to 55 cm.The upper leaves are small, about 6 cm long.
In fact, there is little difference between the different species. All species have purple flowers, similar leaf shape. According to the medicinal properties, the species also do not differ.
Folk healers use this plant widely. Here are some examples of its use:
- Against neurosis and insomnia. 1 tbsp. l. pour a glass of boiling water over dried or fresh flowers, cook for 3 minutes, let it brew for 1 hour. Strain and drink ½ tbsp. three times a day.
- Against bronchitis. 1 tbsp. l. Pour 300 ml of cold water over chopped roots, bring to a boil, keep on fire for another 8 minutes. Strain after cooling, drink half a glass 4 times a day.
- Against cystitis and other problems with the genitourinary system. 1 tbsp. l. Pour 1 tbsp of chopped leaves. boiling water. Don’t cook! Let it brew for 1 hour. Strain and drink half a glass twice a day. You can also make a stronger version of this infusion and use it for external use against boils and abscesses.
- Against rheumatism and gout. Squeeze out the juice from fresh foliage, drink 1 tsp. three times a day.
- For colds and coughs. Pour 150 g of flowers and 100 g of sugar with 300 ml of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until about half of the liquid has evaporated. Strain and take 1 tsp. 4-6 times a day immediately after meals. Store the syrup in the refrigerator.
If your health problems are very serious, consult a specialist before taking these remedies!
Understand what a thistle looks like so you can find it and use it for medicinal purposes. Many medicinal products can be prepared from this plant.