St. John's wort perforated

This plant is called still a healthy grass, youth blood, red grass, curse, blood. St. John's wort is lodged along the roadsides, forest edges, glades and even hides among bushes. The plant is herbaceous, perennial, up to a meter in height (usually about 40 cm), with a branchy stem root.

Leaves are smooth, entire, oblong-ovate, opposite and seem pierced due to numerous translucent light and black dots. The plant blooms from the beginning of June to the end of August (a bright yellow broad-smelling, close to the thyroid, inflorescence). Seeds are brown, small, oblong, hidden in a three-star box. St. John's wort is not toxic to humans, however it is toxic to animals.

The properties of St. John's wort were known even at Avicenna. He recommended drinking an infusion of forty days to heal from the "inflamed sciatic nerve". Treatment of St. John's Wort "from 99 diseases" was known to the Slavic leaders, and the Kazakh tabibs.

Juice of St. John's wort is used, first of all, as an effective remedy, restoring the nervous system (up to the restoration of nervous tissues). It is a wonderful natural antidepressant. It is able to regulate metabolism and activate digestion. St. John's wort has spasmolytic, anti-inflammatory, restorative, wound-healing, hemostatic, anthelmintic properties. It is useful for stimulating the work of the heart. Improves blood circulation (both venous and internal organs).

Used for acne vulgaris, otitis media (chronic, purulent), simple vaginitis, periodontal disease, burns, gingivitis, stomatitis, ulcers, catarrhal angina. Inside is indicated for chronic pyelonephritis, diarrhea, enteritis, colitis, gastritis, insomnia, headaches. For those who are sensitive to weather changes, this plant will help to reduce vegetative fluctuations. A wine broth helps with tuberculosis.

It is used in the form of oils, infusions, tinctures, broths.

Now the plant is widely cultivated in suitable climatic zones (most of Ukraine and Russia, Central Asia, the Caucasus).

Seeds are sown in October in a dug out leveled soil (after application of a peat bog or overgrown manure). Spring sowing is possible, but the seeds in this case should be stratified: mixed with sand, moistened (lightly) and soaked for a month and a half in the refrigerator. However, seedlings will be earlier if the seeds are still sown for the winter (they are sown superficially, they are not sealed in the soil). With an interval spacing of 50 cm, the optimum number of seeds is 0.4 g per square meter.

Seedlings are rather tender, develop slowly, so it is desirable to fertilize (2 grams of nitroammofoski per square meter) and three-time manual weeding.

The St. John's wort will begin to bloom in the first year, but wait for a plentiful flowering in two to three years.

The workpiece is carried out when the flowers have just begun to bloom (the beginning of flowering) and until fruits begin to form (until August). The plants cut only the tops. GOST allows cutting up to 25-30 cm, but this height is rarely reached by St. John's wort. The correct collection implies cutting off the stumps left at 15 cm and three pairs of leaves. With a lower cut, the plant either grows poorly, or does not grow at all (the bushes become weaker and do not survive the wintering).

The St. John's wort is dried only in the shade (a faded plant loses its properties, becomes unusable). Dry better in thin bunches (thick bundles can cause rotting stems). Stored raw materials for three years (no more). September is the most suitable for harvesting seeds.

After harvesting, it is necessary to make some fertilizers (potassium-phosphorus, nitrogen can not be used, as they will cause a new growth of the plant itself, while weakening the root).