There are up to 300 types of bluebells in the world. They are common in mixed and deciduous forests, ravines, meadows, along river banks. Most grow throughout Russia, and some of them can only be found in the Caucasus. The most famous of all types is the sprawling bell. It is used in landscape design but is more widely known in folk medicine.
Description
This is a biennial plant. It has a short woody rhizome. A thin stem from 10 to 70 cm high is covered with small broad-lanceolate leaves of a bluish tint. Large (up to 3 cm) flowers are located on long pedicels. Dark veins are often visible on the blue-violet corolla with bent lobes. For the branched stem, on which many of these beautiful flowers are visible from the grass, the spreading bell got its name (the Bellflower family). The fruit is a capsule with a slit-like opening in the upper part. Periodflowering continues all summer, ending in late autumn.
Legends
Like many familiar plants, the bluebell has its own legends and stories. In England, it is still believed that it brings prosperity to the house. It is considered a sacred plant in this country. The monks who wandered the earth wore a flower around their neck, because it resembled a bell in a reduced form. It was believed that if you bring a sprawling bell home, then happiness and good luck will settle with it.
Useful properties
The most famous is the spreading bell, the description of which is given above, for its healing effects. Due to its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, soothing and analgesic qualities, it is used to treat many diseases.
For the preparation of infusions, decoctions and tinctures, all parts of the plant are used - flowers, roots, leaves and fruits with seeds.
The healing properties of bluebell are due to its rich composition. It contains a large amount of steroids, saponins, alkaloids, triterpenoids, phenolcarboxylic acids, anthocyanins, as well as nitrogen-containing compounds: stahydrine, choline and betaine. In addition, it contains a lot of potassium and magnesium.
Medical use
Spreading bell (photo posted in this article) is widely used in the treatment of diseases associated with the female sphere, with epilepsy, headache. Compresses from infusions help with rheumatism, and also contribute to the speedy healing of wounds. drugs,made on the basis of this plant, have an antitussive effect and are used to treat inflammatory processes in the throat. A decoction of the roots is effective for hydrophobia.
Recipes
- In order to prepare a decoction, you need 3 tbsp. tablespoons of dried bluebell herb. It is poured with water in the amount of 400 g, after which it is put on fire and boiled for 3-4 minutes. Then the broth is left for an hour, filtered and consumed at least 3 times a day for half or a third of a glass. The prepared infusion should be drunk in small sips, so it is better absorbed.
- For the treatment of female diseases, the bell is brewed in this way: 2 teaspoons of fresh or dried flowers are poured with one glass of boiling water and allowed to stand for 2 hours. You need to drink the resulting infusion three times a day after meals, 1 tbsp. spoon.
- Bell root is used for viral diseases. It is simmered in a water bath and allowed to brew for two hours under a well-closed lid.
- In addition, viral and infectious diseases are treated with a decoction of dried bell herb. For this, 3 tbsp. spoons of raw materials are poured with water (500 ml) and kept on low heat, covered with a lid, for 5 minutes. After straining, drink half a glass after meals.
- For the treatment of the stomach or kidneys, an analgesic infusion is prepared: 20 g of dry raw materials are brewed with boiling water (500 ml) and infused for 2 hours. Take once for pain in half a glass.
- To prepare a soothing bath, you need 100 gdry grass, which is poured with a liter of boiling water, and after cooling, filtered, poured into the bath. This procedure is very effective for stress and neurosis.
- Compress, which helps with sciatica and joint pain, is prepared from the bell infusion. For this, 2 tbsp. spoons of raw materials are poured with a glass of boiling water and left for 40 minutes under the lid. After straining, the infusion is ready for use. Cotton swabs are moistened in it and applied to a sore spot.
Contraindications
Like most medicinal plants, bluebell is not recommended for everyone. It is contraindicated for people with individual intolerance to this plant, and pregnant women can use it only as directed by a doctor.
Bell in landscape design
This flower can decorate any garden. With its help create whole bell lawns. The plant is quite unpretentious and grows well even in a shaded area. Prefers slightly alkaline, well-drained soils. However, in natural conditions, it is becoming less common.
Currently, the spreading bell is on the verge of extinction. This is due to the fact that they began to collect it in large quantities, including for commercial purposes. Among all the diversity in Italy, for example, only 6 species of this flower have survived.
