The plant is a creeping shrub belonging to the genus of evergreens of the heather family. In earlier editions, it may have been called crowberry, shiksha, bearberry, black grass, bugnovka, or pork blueberry. Almost all subspecies have edible fruits, but only one species can be cultivated in natural conditions - black crowberry. Let's take a closer look at this plant.
Black crowberry (shiksha): description
The crowberry stem grows about 20 cm and has fairly long shoots that can reach one and a half meters, it all depends on the climate and soil. Each individual is a separate bush and grows, as it were, in "spots". One of the characteristic features of crowberry is the branches, which can easily be called additional roots. The main stem has a dark brown color, but the young shoots are covered with small villi. The bush loves freedom, so it grows throughout its life, while older shoots die off over time, but this is almost imperceptible thanks to new branches.
The fungus serves as a conductor of nutrients, which, in turn, is connected directly to the rhizome. Leaves, which are 2 to 8 mm long, haveelliptical shape and grow in a certain sequence. Outwardly, crowberry resemble needles, since the shape of the leaves has a slightly twisted surface on the reverse side. Life expectancy is about five years.
Inflorescences and flowering
The inflorescences themselves are not particularly attractive, as they have only three petals of pink, purple or pale red. A rarity is the ovary (they have only the upper one), which has more than three inflorescences on one branch. Shiksha (black crowberry) Siberian begins to bloom approximately in late May - early June, while in the European part this period is shifted to late April - early May.
Black crowberry has raven-wing fruits. The name is most likely directly related to the miraculous properties of berries, which have a mild diuretic effect.
Black crowberry growing
In nature, this plant is found quite often, especially in areas of peat bogs and a number of other regions - Ivanovo, Tver and Smolensk. Growing shiksha in your own garden is unlikely to succeed, as it does not grow well in such conditions and dies over time. If there is a need for its cultivation, then it is necessary to acquire a full-fledged cultural form, along with the rhizome and the fungus itself. A strongly branched shrub that reaches 50 cm in height does not have berries on all branches, as it belongs to the category of dioecious plants.
By the way, berries,which reach a diameter of a centimeter, are tasteless, although most consider them to have a slightly sour taste. Such a plant needs a lot of sunlight, while it cannot exist without fungi, which are a direct source of mineral elements and participate in photosynthesis. Black crowberry prefers peaty or sandy soils, while the earth should be loose and without strong seals and any stagnant water.
Each bush should be planted at a distance of at least half a meter from each other, but the depth should be no more than 35 cm (the neck itself is 4 cm). Do not forget about the drainage system, which should consist of sand and gravel and be at least 10 cm, while the soil mixture itself should be made from equal volumes of sand, peat and turf. Crowberry black (shiksha) has a rather interesting chemical composition, as it includes such useful substances and trace elements:
- vitamin C;
- essential oils;
- flavonoids;
- triterpene saponins;
- carotene;
- anthocyanins;
- manganese;
- benzoic and acetic acids;
- various tannins.
Plant care
The plant still needs additional feeding, but it should be done no more than once a season. Young shoots are mulched with peat, the layer of which should be no more than 7 cm. In additionShelter in the winter time is not needed. Pruning should consist solely in the form of pruning dry shoots. Weeding should be regular and only in the first few years of her life.
Sprouting weeds will be suppressed by the plant after several years of independent life. If the plant is in a dry climate, frequent watering should be carried out, and only with settled water, not running.
Reproduction
The plant propagates by separate layers, cuttings or seeds. You can try to plant wild bushes that were found in the nearest forest, but this method, although quite simple, remains ineffective in many cases. Many avid gardeners cut the branches incorrectly, after which the plant begins to grow, but ceases to exist after a few years. The best way is to dig up the root system and the surrounding earth layer, after which an immediate planting should follow. Do not forget about sanitary pruning, as black crowberry can grow significantly, thereby ruining other crops.
Useful properties of the plant
In addition to the above useful elements, berries contain minerals and acids necessary for humans, which allows the body to function normally. Berry picking can begin at the end of July and continue until early spring. It is recommended to collect fruits in the morning in baskets or clean and dry buckets. Berries that survived the winter are also useful because they do not lose their properties.under low temperature conditions. Fresh fruits are recommended to be stored in airtight glass jars in a cool place.
In late autumn, only those berries are harvested that are intended for freezing, which is done in bulk. Berries will feel great in plastic bags, which are also convenient to store in the freezer. Traditional medicine uses not only berries, but also foliage, young shoots. Raw materials must be cut during the flowering period of the plant. Drying is pretty normal. So, the branches are folded in one layer on a dry and clean cloth, after which they are sometimes mixed.
Applications
A small amount of juice made from crowberry berries will help calm the nervous system, besides, it can relieve severe headaches and at the same time significantly improve metabolism. Some attribute marvelous properties to it: they say shiksha helps in the treatment of diseases such as scurvy. Berries are used instead of potent diuretics. Infusions made from black crowberry can help with diarrhea and other disorders of the gastric tract. The decoction is effective in various eye diseases. Alcohol infusion can help with paralysis and epilepsy. And the leaves are used as a healing agent aimed at strengthening the hair roots.
Adding a small amount of herbs to tea can normalize kidney function. To heal wounds, hold a sprig of crowberryin warm water, then apply to the wound for several hours. At the same time, the plant has a beneficial effect on the human central nervous system. Crowberry black, or crowberry, or shiksha, has no contraindications. An exception can only be personal intolerance to individual elements contained in the juice of this plant. It is not recommended to use the berry for expectant and nursing mothers. Before use, it will not be superfluous to consult a specialist.
