2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The cake / Tagetes Erecta L. / is an annual herbaceous, unpretentious flowering plant that belongs to the family Asteraceae. This is one of the most common plants in our country for decorating balconies and lawns.
The genus includes about 30 species. The cake originates from Central America, mostly Mexico. In some countries in Central America, the cake is associated with a number of mystical rituals. In India garlands of turta are served to guests and dignitaries.
Growing the cake
The plant is fast growing, drought tolerant and heat loving, absolutely unpretentious to soil conditions. Prefers open sunny places, but grows well in light shade.
Clay-sandy, fertile and lighter soils, but with enough nutrients, are most suitable for the growth and good development of the cake. The plant is sensitive to low temperatures.
The cake propagated by seeds. With pre-produced seedlings, the cake will begin to bloom earlier, and its flowers will delight the eye until late autumn. Sowing indoors should take place in late February or early March.
At a soil temperature of about 25 degrees, the seeds will germinate within 5 days. If the seeds are sown less frequently and in rows may not dive. In a permanent place, the cake is exported and planted in early May, when the danger of frost has passed.
The cake it can be planted directly in the soil, but after the frosts have passed. Care during the growing season is regular watering, feeding and weeding.
The cake is a plant resistant to pests and pests. The leaves release phytoncides that repel insects and pests (even those that penetrate the soil).
The bright colors of the cake allow it to be used to create multi-colored spots in lawns, for planting in portable and permanent flower beds. Low-growing varieties are suitable for curbs, flower carpets and beds. Low and medium varieties are extremely suitable decoration of balconies, terraces and windows. High varieties are used for cut flowers. They last in a vase between 8 and 15 days.
Composition of the cake
As part of turta includes flavonoids, tannins, antiseptics and essential oil. The cake contains some antiseptic substances that are used in medicine. In addition, it contains a large amount of carotene and pigments.
Types of cake
There are hundreds of varieties turta, but the most common are the following three types:
Tagetes erecta - has a branched stem and reaches a height of 1 meter. Baskets are large and kitschy, yellow or orange-yellow.
Tagetes tenuifohia - compact shrub, reaching 30 cm in height. It has thin stems and small, dissected leaves. The inflorescences are small and differently colored, reaching up to 400 pieces per plant.
Tagetes patula - has upright and branched stems. The inflorescence can be scabies-shaped, clove-shaped and chrysanthemum-shaped. The colors are painted in different ways. Up to 100-200 inflorescences can be formed in one bush.
Benefits of cake
The main action of the cake is antiseptic and tonic. In China it is used to treat coughs, colic and colds. In Chinese folk medicine, cake is a great remedy for calluses, swelling, fungal infections and frostbite. In India from turta an oil is extracted which, together with sandalwood oil, is used for the production of perfumes.
In Bulgarian folk medicine turta is widely used to treat bleeding, mastopathy, uterine inflammation, infertility in women, cysts and especially fibroids.
It is said that the decoction of the cake gives guaranteed success against fibroids. For this decoction is used only the flowers of the herb, picked before complete dissolution during flowering. They should never be picked after flowering, because they have already lost their useful properties.
Three colors of cake / together with the handles / are boiled in 400 ml of water for 5 minutes on low heat. After cooling, the decoction is filtered. Drink three times a day, 120 ml before meals. The treatment should be administered for three months at intervals of 5-6 each month.
In addition, the cake is used for skin diseases such as pimples, rashes, acne and eczema. It is recommended to use the cake under medical supervision.
