2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Lofant / Lophanthus Anisatus Benth / is a perennial herbaceous plant that is most widespread in China, Japan, Canada and the United States. It belongs to the Ustosvetni family.
It is known by many names - licorice, anise mint, agastache, blue hyssop, pineapple hyssop. Most of its names are associated with the aroma of its flowers.
Lofant or lophanthus is highly cold-resistant, drought-resistant and unpretentious to soils. It has unique honey and healing properties. It reaches a height of 2 meters and blooms actively for almost three months. Lofant has the longest flowering period.
The stem of lofant is erect, strongly branched and leafy. Its leaves are large, toothed and up to 10 cm long. It blooms with small white flowers that are gathered in spike-like inflorescences.
They are located at the edges of the lateral branches of the stem. Its seeds are small, rounded, oblong and dark brown. They retain their germination for up to two years.
Growing lophanthus
The lophant mainly propagated by seeds. The seeds are planted in small boxes at a depth of 0.5 cm in polyethylene greenhouses in early March.
They germinate up to 5-6 days after planting, and after a month they dive. They are planted outdoors only when there is a permanent warming of the weather - at the end of April.
Lofant seedlings are planted in rows, the distance from row to row should be 60-70 cm, and from one plant to another - 25-30 cm.
During the growing season weeding should not be allowed, watered during heavy planting. After rain or watering, the soil should be loosened.
With seedlings grown early in greenhouse conditions and planted in favorable weather conditions, the plants begin to bloom around mid-June. They continue to bloom intensively until the end of August.
After September and under favorable conditions, new shoots with spike-like inflorescences begin to grow from the branches of the main stems.
Lofant is a great honey plant, and its honey productivity exceeds 400 kg per hectare. The bees are very eager to visit the plants, and the honey obtained has an extremely pleasant aroma and valuable healing properties.
Cooking lophanthus
The leaves of lofant are suitable for making tea. Cold or slightly chilled, it is perfect for quenching thirst. The leaves are most fragrant shortly before flowering.
The hard leaves of lophanthus are suitable for drying and can be used with vegetables such as carrots, red beets and pumpkin. Decorate a fruit salad or pudding with the flowers. Lofant can be used as a spice or aromatic additive to black tea. You can use the pleasant aroma of the spice even for meat dishes and add it to everything you think will combine with its fresh aroma.
Benefits of lophanthus
The lofant is extremely useful. Phytotherapists claim that there is no disease in which the healing properties of lophanthus do not help.
The plant is considered a symbol of youth and beauty. Regulates metabolism, lowers blood pressure, purifies the blood, destroys pathogenic bacteria.
In Tibetan medicine, the terrestrial part of lophanthus is used as a general tonic and anti-aging agent, as well as in gastritis, bile problems, hepatitis. It has a beneficial effect even in the treatment of radiation victims.
The lofant overcomes sexual weakness, stops headaches, relieves menstrual pain, cleanses the kidneys, liver and bile. Relieves pain in facial nerve palsy, is used to recover from severe nervous disorders.
Lofant is taken mainly in the form of teas, infusions, decoctions and inhalations. The young leaves of the plant are cut into small pieces and placed in the food.
The scent of lophanthus repels mice and various pests from the garden, basements and living quarters themselves.
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Lofant is a perennial plant with unique medicinal and culinary qualities. In their natural environment, the fragrant stalks reach two meters in height. As a cultivated spice it is widely used in countries such as China, Japan, USA and others.
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