Grass heather: description, types and medicinal properties of the plant

Heather is a plant that can only be found in certain areas of our homeland. As a rule, these are Siberia and the Urals. It is there that there are suitable living conditions for heather. This is emphasized by the plant's preference for peaty and marshy soil. In addition, it is able to germinate in sandy soils, forests and wastelands. Which contradicts its historical origin a little.

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Heather characteristic

Heather characteristic

The homeland of heather is South Africa, one asks - why such a preference for frozen terrain? It was from these hot regions that the heather began its journey to us, the grass heather, passing through Europe, Asia, North America, firmly establishing itself on each of these continents.

By itself, heather is a tall (sometimes not very) shrub. Its standard sizes range from 20 to 100 centimeters. Throughout its life in our homeland, the plant has received a lot of names.

Here are a few:

  • Borovitsa.
  • Buckwheat.
  • Troyflower.
  • Ryskun, etc.

In science, heather is known as an evergreen shrub, and a plant can live for about 50 years. Its structure includes a flower, a long stem and a powerful rhizome with oblong roots. I have heather flowerst various colors, but most often these are delicate lilac, purple and cream petals. The leaves of the plant look like a trihedron, and are not large in size. The plant is capable of bearing fruit with leathery spherical fruits resembling a fluffy box.

Heather blooms from July to early September. Fruits appear only from the end of September, and cease their development in October. If you smell the plant, it will smell like honey.

Heather tastes very viscous and bitter.

The plant contains many useful substances and microscopic elements. For example, its flowers are saturated with steroids, pigments and various vitamins. Substances such as leukoanthocyanidins are found in large quantities in the plant stem, and the roots are enriched with protoanthocyanidins.

In the leaves themselves, such substances predominate as:

  • Fumaric acid.
  • Coumarin.
  • Lemon acid.
  • Phenolcarboxylic acid.
  • Glycoside.
  • Starch.
  • Resin, etc.

Types of heather

Types of heather

There are several types of plants. The most common ones are:

  • Ornamental heather is evergreen short shrub... It has leaves that resemble needles in structure. They are not large in size, and are located next to flowers that have a white or dull purple color.
  • Treelike heather is already a tree, and it, like all plant species, is evergreen. Due to its growth, it resembles a shrub. Its leaves are needle-shaped. Flowers are located next to the leaves, which, in their shape resemble wide bells, and smell good.
  • Pink heather is an evergreen shrub. This species blooms from early April and ends in July. It has a thin stem with red and white flowers hanging from it. The leaves of pink heather are narrowed-oval, distinguished by their brightness.
  • Scotch heather is an evergreen shrub with many branches and small leaves.

Almost all of these species are characterized by the cold climate of the Urals and Siberia. They can be found closer to swamps, on dunes, in wastelands and in soil, which is dominated by such a substance as peat.

Heather properties

Heather properties

The plant is not famous for its appearance. The main feature of heather is its composition. Thanks to which a large amount of various medicinal preparations and decoctions. Heather is popular not only in medicine, but also in quackery.

Heather is useful both for internal organs: heart, lungs, kidneys and others, and for the nervous system.

It has a miraculous effect on diseases such as:

  • Stones in the kidneys.
  • Tuberculosis.
  • Cystitis.
  • Disorders in the genitourinary system.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Gastritis.

Heather has a positive effect on the treatment of insomnia, depression and other diseases of the nervous system.

From the obtained infusions and decoctions, a wonderful throat rinse is obtained for sore throat, stomatitis and gum disease. Decoctions are used to treat skin burns, rashes, and irritation. It well removes allergic manifestations on the skin.

Also, heather baths are often practiced in the treatment of sciatica, leg diseases, fractures and bruises, rheumatism and gout.

Dosage forms of heather:

  • Parts of the plant, such as the flowers of the plant, are used to produce medicines.
  • Also, juice is extracted from it, from which various tinctures, decoctions and teas are made.
  • Heather juice also makes good compresses.

The beneficial substances of heather are among the most sought-after bath lotions. The required raw materials are usually collected between July and finished in September.

More information can be found in the video.