2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Wheatgrass / Centaurea / is a beautiful plant with bright blue flowers. It is known by the names buttercup, bluebell, falcon or clove. It is covered with prickly inflorescences, and in addition to blue colors, there are species with white to brown color.
The genus Metlichina is very large - there are about 500 species. It is composed of herbaceous plants, which can be annual, biennial or perennial. Perennials of the genus have a creeping or tuberous thickened rhizome, and some species have fleshy roots.
The stems of cornflower are recumbent or erect, and at the base are well leafed with successively arranged leaves that are simple to pinnately thickened. Wheatgrass inhabits mainly areas with temperate climates. It is widespread in Europe and the Mediterranean countries.
All kinds cornflower propagated by seeds. They are smooth and oval, and on top they have a brush of hairs that help them fly. The seeds are sown in March-April.
Wheatgrass grows very well in direct sunlight. The soil should be light, fertile and draining. It is watered regularly, but the moisture is better to be scarce than excessive. Fertilize every two weeks, with ordinary fertilizer for garden flowers. Wheatgrass blooms in early summer.
Wheatgrass flowers contain a dye with a beautiful blue color, which is why they can be used to dye yarns and waves, and if combined with wild poppy flowers, the result is an extremely pleasant brown color.
Composition of wheatgrass
The flowers of the plant contain anthocyanins, represented by ciainin; coumarins with the brightest content of cichornin, which is a glycoside of esculetin. Flavonoids, microelements, mucous substances, the bitter glycoside centarun and others were also found in the composition of wheatgrass. Wheat contains some salts of manganese and potassium.
Collection and storage of wheatgrass
The usable parts of cornflower are her colorful baskets and flowers. They are collected during full flowering, without a remnant of the flowering stem. When collecting only the flowers from the flower baskets, the peripheral funnel-shaped flowers are torn off by hand.
Collect only colors with a deep blue color. Flower baskets are dried in ventilated rooms or outdoors, spread in a very thin layer. The collected flowers are dried in an even thinner layer, on mats, shelves or frames. Must be dried in the shade.
Benefits of wheatgrass
Wheatgrass has a very good diuretic, choleretic and appetite stimulating effect. The main positive qualities of wheatgrass are due to the bitter glycosides centaurine and cyanine contained in it, as well as the alkaloid pelargonine. Wheatgrass helps with liver disease, kidney and urinary tract problems, treats fatigue after a long illness.
Folk medicine with wheatgrass
Bulgarian folk medicine has long cured a number of diseases through wheatgrass. The most common of these are lack of appetite caused by various reasons; kidney and urinary tract diseases such as cystitis, urethritis, nephrozonephritis, nephrolithiasis. Wheatgrass is useful in people exhausted by a long illness, in diseases of the biliary tract.
Folk medicine recommends the application of extracts of wheatgrass in inflammatory diseases of the bronchi, in severe whooping cough. It is useful in obstructive bronchial syndrome. Wheatgrass is a very good expectorant and anti-inflammatory agent.
Take 2 tsp. from the colors of cornflower and pour a glass of hot water over them. Leave to stand for about 20 minutes, and after cooling the mixture is filtered. Drink for a day.
To make a decoction of wheatgrass, pour 1 tsp. flowers with 250 ml of boiling water. Boil for 10 minutes and then strain. The resulting decoction is drunk 3 times a day, 80 ml.
Blue cornflower can also be applied externally - for rinsing in case of eye inflammation. Wheatgrass also cures liver problems.
Wheatgrass relieves suffering such as shortness of breath, ascites, palpitations and jaundice. It is used against dandruff and hair loss, and in combination with balm, nettle and valerian is effective in skin diseases. For the best effect on dandruff and hair loss, boil the corn with water and vinegar. Crushed wheatgrass seeds are applied to calluses and warts.
