Elecampane decorative. Elecampane: planting, growing and caring. Botanical description of elecampane

Elecampane is famous for its medicinal rhizome, which has antimicrobial, choleretic, bactericidal and a number of other actions. And on the flowerbed there are beautiful, unpretentious yellow flowers. How to grow and use this plant, we will tell you in this article.

Growing and caring for elecampane

This is a perennial plant that can reach a height of up to two meters, which is why it is called elecampane tall. The yellow flowers look like large daisies. Blooms from June to October. Not whimsical to growing conditions. Prefers moderate moisture, sunny places, neutral, fertile soils. Moisture stagnation and clayey, heavy soils does not tolerate. Caring for elecampane includes watering, weeding, and organic fertilization before flowering. In the fall, you need to cut off all the stems, leaving 15-20 cm from the soil level.

Breeding elecampane

For reproduction, either rhizomes or seeds are used. If you use rhizomes, then you need to dig up a plant that is at least 3 years old and carefully divide the underground part. These manipulations should be done in the spring, before the beginning of the growing season, or in the fall. To plant the elecampane rhizome, you need to dig a hole that will be half the size of the root itself, both in depth and in width. Fill halfway with a fertile mixture of compost or humus. Place the spine and sprinkle with earth, tamping slightly.

It multiplies well with elecampane and seeds, which can spread over the site and self-sowing. You can sow seeds both in the fall, after they have ripened, and in the spring. To do this, prepare shallow holes in which to sow seeds. Before planting, it is recommended to dig up the land, level it and fertilize it with phosphate and potash fertilizers. An important point: the germination capacity of seeds planted in autumn is much higher than in spring. Therefore, it is better to sow seeds in the fall or use seed stratification for spring sowing.

Procurement of medicinal raw materials

Elecampane root is used for medicinal purposes. For harvesting, it is recommended to dig up plants that are at least two years old. In autumn, cut off the ground part of the plant, dig out the rhizomes, rinse and cut into pieces no more than 20 cm thick. Dry in a well-ventilated area. Dryers can be used, but the temperature should not exceed 40 ℃. For storage, you can grind dry rhizomes. Store in a dark, dry place in cloth bags.

Medicinal properties and use of elecampane

Elecampane is used as a means:

anti-inflammatory;
anthelmintic;
antifungal;
antimicrobial;
expectorant;
disinfectant.

From ancient times to the present day, in folk medicine, they are treated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: to restore acidity in the stomach, relieve inflammation and spasms, normalize motility and secretory function. As an expectorant, elecampane is used for respiratory diseases. Non-healing purulent wounds are also treated with this remedy. And they also use elecampane for:

jaundice;
hemorrhoids;
gastritis;
diabetes mellitus;
eczema;
dermatitis;
furunculosis;
sexually transmitted diseases;
arthritis;
absence of menstruation (or scanty, irregular).

In cosmetology, decoctions are used for the skin of the face, which have a rejuvenating, anti-inflammatory effect. And also, hair is rinsed with a decoction of elecampane, to strengthen and with dandruff.

For treatment, alcohol tinctures of rhizomes, ointments based on it, decoctions, infusions and teas are used.

For decorative purposes, elecampane is planted in areas like hedges or to create tall compositions or a medicinal flower bed. Bright yellow flowers always attract attention.

Having planted elecampane in a summer cottage, you can not only decorate the territory, but also stock up on medicinal raw materials for many diseases. The information from this article will help you avoid annoying troubles when growing this plant.

Elecampane belongs to the genus of perennial plants of the Astrov family. Usually this is a plant with whole multi-veined leaves and large yellow inflorescences. Quite often you can find such names as Yellow color, Elena's tears, Oman. The genus Astrovich has more than 100 species that grow in the wild, about 30 of them can be found in our country. The most typical for our latitudes is elecampane high inula Helenium). It grows mainly in meadows, forest edges near water bodies. The plant blooms in the month of July and lasts an average of one month. The upper flower baskets bloom first, and then the inflorescences on the side shoots. Due to its impressive size and beautiful flowering, elecampane will look great in garden landscaping. It is great for solitary planting and will create a beautiful view, becoming the center of attention. Gardeners who grow not only ornamental plants, but also fruit crops should consider elecampane as an excellent honey plant.

Types of elecampane

In all the expanses of our planet, there are more than 300 species of elecampane. These species grow in the temperate zone of Eurasia and in the savannas of Africa. Here is some of them:

British.
German.
Caspian.
Mechelist.
High.
Rough.
Spread out.
Fabulous.
Oriental.
The eye of Christ.
Sandy.
Willow.

As decorative species in our latitudes are grown: tall elecampane, sword-leaved and magnificent elecampane.

Elecampane magnificent

This plant grows up to two meters in size. Elecampane magnificent forms large leaves of an elongated oval shape. Flowers in this species are collected in large scutes, however, they are located on longer pedicels than in elecampane tall. The blooming of the magnificent elecampane lasts almost all summer.

Elecampane swordsman

This type of elecampane is a compact shrub with a maximum height of 40 cm. The plant consists of numerous stems, which are covered with oblong lanceolate leaves. The flowers are located on the top of the plant. They do not exceed 3-4 cm in diameter. The blooming of the Mechelian elecampane lasts two months in the middle of summer.

Leaving and landing elecampane

Elecampane refers to a rather unpretentious perennial plant. If you were able to plant it on the site, then you can be sure that it will continue to grow and multiply without any participation from the gardener. However, if you want to turn your plant into a highly flowering lush bush, you still have to make an effort.

Elecampane tall is very fond of moisture, so it is better to plant it in damp places. The diffused shade of trees will help the plant retain moisture and protect itself from drafts.

Drained and highly fertile soil is perfect for planting elecampane, so before planting you need to take care of a sufficient amount of humus. In addition, you should pay attention to the chemical composition of the soil. If the soil is quite dense, it is necessary to add sand and rotted sawdust into it. On acidic soils, lime debris, ash and chalk are added. If a plant transplant is planned in the autumn period, phosphorus-potassium preparations are added to the soil, in the spring it is better to give preference not only to phosphorus, but also to potassium and nitrogen.

Under favorable circumstances, the first shoots appear within two weeks. As soon as the sprouts reach a height of several centimeters, they are thinned out and an interval of at least 10 cm is made between them. After 14 days, the procedure is repeated.

Care

In order for the plant to please the gardener with a lush ground part, it is necessary to provide him with timely watering. On sunny days and drought, it is better to water elecampane 2-3 times a week, with sufficient precipitation, it is enough to water the plant once a week. Elecampane is very fond of various dressings and tolerates them perfectly. In the spring, the plant must be fertilized with a urea solution (1:10). In the summer, it is better to use manure diluted with water with the addition of mineral fertilizers for these purposes. This top dressing is prepared in a ratio of 1: 10: 1.

Elecampane is resistant to diseases and pests, therefore it does not require practically any processing. However, as a preventive measure for diseases, it is necessary to loosen the soil under the bush and remove weeds. With the onset of cold weather, the upper part of the plant begins to die off, so all leaves and shoots are cut off before the winter season. Elecampane does not require any shelter in winter, however, in order to increase soil fertility, it is necessary to mulch the soil under it.

The unpretentious elecampane with its beautiful golden flowers will certainly decorate your garden. Unlike most flowering plants, it does not require additional care and will develop rapidly and delight you for more than one year.

Plant type: perennial or annual.

Description: how the name of the plant came about is unknown, but since ancient times elecampane has been used as a medicinal plant. Belongs to the Aster family. In total, science has studied about 200 species that grow in Africa, Europe, Asia. The type is often perennial, rhizome, less often - biennial and annual plants, sometimes dwarf shrubs. Stems are weakly branched, smooth or pubescent, straight. The shape of the leaves is large, whole-edge or unevenly toothed, lanceolate or oblong. Inflorescences are baskets, located singly at the ends of the stems or collected in paniculate or corymbose inflorescences. The leaves are lanceolate, green. The marginal flowers are yellow or greenish-yellow. In shape, they are reed, rarely filiform, twice as long as the leaves of the envelope, and the middle ones are tubular. Achenes are ribbed, cylindrical, hairy or glabrous.

Properties: inuls (elecampane) have been cultivated for a long time, many of them are of medical value, for example, elecampane high. Recently, these plants have been frequently grown in flower beds in America, Asia, and Europe. No new varieties are known yet. Of particular interest are the species described below.

Elecampaneus grandiflora (Inula grandiflora)

This type of elecampane has straight stems and large heart-shaped leaves. Leaves located at the roots, broadly lanceolate and elongated. During the flowering period, the height of the plant reaches 150-160 cm. The diameter of the flower baskets is 4-6 cm, they are collected at the end of the stems in paniculate long inflorescences, the shade is orange-yellow. Flowering time is July. The fruit is an achene. The seeds are large, without a fly.

In the wild, it is found only in the subalpine belt of the Caucasus. It is a powerful, majestic, spreading plant, up to 2 m in height, with a furrowed thick stem. Type - perennial. The lower and basal stem leaves are large enough, elliptical-oblong, up to 50 cm long and 25 cm wide. At the base, they are narrower and form a petiole 30-60 cm long. The upper foliage is sessile and noticeably smaller than the lower one. Flower baskets are up to 15 cm in diameter, on long peduncles up to 25 cm, 2-4 in rare scutes or single. Yellow color. Blooms profusely in July-August. The seeds begin to ripen in August-September. After that, the plant will bloom, it loses its decorative effect due to yellowing of the foliage, so it is better to cut it off.

It mainly grows in light pine and deciduous forests, on steppe and meadow slopes, along the banks of rivers in the Caucasus, in Europe, in Siberia.

Plant type - perennial. A distinctive feature is the formation of a cylindrical bush with a height of up to 2.5 m. The powerful rhizome has a pronounced odor. The lower stem and basal leaves are oblong-elliptical, large. The width is about 15-20 cm, and the length is 40-50 cm. Starting from the middle of the stem, the foliage is sessile. The bases are heart-shaped, stalk-embracing. The baskets are up to 8 cm in diameter and have a golden yellow hue. They are located on short, thick peduncles in the axils of the bracts, sometimes collected in a brush. The flowering period is July-August. Duration of flowering is 30-35 days. The seeds ripen between August and September.

Lighting: all types of inul prefer well-lit, sunny locations.

Soil type: nutritious soil is needed, which should be deeply cultivated and moistened before planting. The only exception is one species - sword-leaved, which is planted on well-drained, dry alkaline soils, and acidic soils must be calcified before planting.

Care: elecampane grows very slowly, so it does not require frequent transplants and divisions. Elecampane are such plants that respond well to various organic fertilizers, especially manure. To retain moisture in the soil, plantings should be mulched. Wood chips are preferable, but grass cuttings and shavings can also be used. The magnificent elecampane needs to be tied up, as its heavy shoots, strewn with flowers, begin to bend to the ground. When the shrub blooms, the shoots should be cut off, as they spoil the appearance of the plant due to rapid drying. They are characterized by increased winter hardiness and drought resistance.

Reproduction: carried out by planting seeds or dividing the bush. Sowing seeds is done in autumn or spring. Transplanting and dividing elecampane should be carried out during the period of foliage regrowth, in the spring. The part of the rhizome with the bud of renewal is a division. Planting is possible in August, after flowering. In this case, in large species, you need to cut off the stems and basal leaves at a height of 10-15 cm from the soil. It is recommended to wash the rhizome before dividing.

Application: elecampane, the properties of which are described above, looks great in group or single plantings, on the shore of a pond or on a lawn. Elecampane magnificent is able to form a sprawling tall bush, which is completely covered with yellow daisies. It will go well with pot flowers. If you use it in group plantings, then the flower will serve as an excellent background for lower plants, such as hosts, hellebores, kupins, forest geraniums, astilbe. Elecampane is distinguished by its simplicity of cultivation and longevity.

Tall species of elecampane look good on the banks of large reservoirs, in mixed plantings near buzulnik, volzhanka, basil, large-sized ornamental grasses, as well as against the background of shrubs. Lower species look great near small streams, next to Virginia Tradescantia, daylilies, cuffs.

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Elecampane - and decorate the garden and give health

Each gardener at his dacha necessarily has a corner of medicinal herbs, the plants of which are used in treatment according to folk recipes. One of these medicinal plants can be high elecampane (elecampane ordinary, Inula helenium) or, as it is also popularly called - yellow, meadow aman, Elena's tears, Elena's heart, Oman, divosil, elecampane, etc.

One - and perennial plants elecampane are included in the Aster family and constitute a separate genus "elecampane". There are more than 100 species of elecampane in the genus, of which about 30 grow in natural conditions on the territory of Russia. The typical species in the Russian Federation is high elecampane, which has a number of medicinal properties used for treatment in folk and official medicine, as well as nutritional benefits.

Elecampane high (Inula helenium). © Schloss Wildegg

Botanical description of elecampane

According to the decorative characteristics, elecampane can be attributed to the group of decorative deciduous and decorative flowering plants. Tall, up to 1-2 m tall, with a straight furrowed stem, covered with short hard hairs, large, up to 50 cm long-petiolate basal leaves, rough to the touch due to hard pubescence. Stem leaves are smaller, with regular arrangement, from the axils of which large baskets of single inflorescences bloom on long peduncles. Individual small yellow or golden-orange, yellow-orange flowers are collected in inflorescences-baskets. In some species, the inflorescences are combined into corymbose panicles or racemes and are located at the ends of the stems.

Long bloom, from July to September. The flowers resemble small asters and flicker with elegant bright suns on cloudy days. The rhizome of a dark brown color is medicinal. The adventitious roots extend from the rhizome and stems from the vegetative buds, which form the aboveground mass. The rhizome of elecampane has a wrinkled surface, yellow-brownish flesh on the cut, interspersed with miniature cells-receptacles for essential oils. Its peculiar aroma and bitter-spicy taste distinguish it from other roots when excavated.

Elecampane in garden design

Since these are perennial plants, the location in the garden landscape is chosen in advance. It looks great in solitary plantings on mown lawns, flower beds. It is used for decoration of parks, forest parks, especially humid places near ponds, small lakes. They are planted along the roads.

For decorative purposes, you can use other types of elecampane: huge or large elecampane, British elecampane, oriental elecampane, magnificent elecampane.

Elecampane gorgeous (Inula mafnifica) in garden design. © Andrew Loudon

The use of elecampane in the food industry

There is a lot of special literature about the medicinal properties of elecampane. But it is also widely used in the food industry.

In the alcoholic beverage industry, it is used to flavor drinks. In the wine room - for dyeing white wines.

In cooking, raw materials are used for the manufacture of confectionery, baked goods, as well as fortified soft drinks.

Essential oil of roots and rhizomes is used to flavor fish dishes, food concentrates.

The oil has strong fungicidal and bactericidal properties.

Read about the medicinal properties of elecampane in the article: "Elecampane, or Yellow color - description and medicinal properties"

Growing elecampane

Seat selection

In natural conditions, elecampane prefers humid shady places along the banks of ponds, forest lakes, moist deciduous forests. Therefore, at home breeding under elecampane, regardless of the type of soil (except for saline and acidic), choose areas protected from direct sunlight ("penumbra of the forest edge"). In central Russia, under elecampane, it is better to take away protected from drafts, well-lit places.

Soil preparation

To form a lush ornamental bush with abundant flowering, elecampane needs loose, breathable soil with a high nutrient content. Therefore, in the fall, a large amount of humus or other loosening materials is introduced on heavy floating soils.

The soil is usually prepared in the fall. Humus, compost or other organic fertilizers are added for digging. If the soils are fertile enough, you can limit yourself to the introduction of urea, a phosphorus-potassium mixture in the fall (40-50 g / m?), And in the spring add ammonia or other nitrogen-containing fertilizers for planting.

During the first year, additional feeding is needed. It is better to carry them out with nitrophosphate in the phase of formation of basal leaves, as well as after 3-4 weeks with the growth of aerial shoots. In the fall, before leaving them to retire, feed the plants with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.

When growing ornamental plants in subsequent years, you can not fertilize them, but watering is needed. If the culture is used to collect medicinal raw materials (digging out rhizomes), then feeding is carried out annually.

Elecampane high (Inula helenium). © Mike Serigrapher

Elecampane landing

Planting rhizomes

Planting rhizomes is best done in spring, during the period of leaf blooming on fruit crops. During the warm summer season, the plant will take root and form an aboveground mass. In the south, you can plant delenki in August at the end of the flowering of plants. In the first year, elecampane grows by 20-40 cm, as if gaining strength and already for 2-3 years forms a powerful above-ground decorative bush.

Before planting, the rhizomes are pre-cut into divisions so that each part has 1-3 vegetative buds. The wells for planting are prepared according to the size of the cut at a distance of 30-45-60 cm. The rhizome is buried in the soil by 5-6 cm. Fertilizer is preliminarily introduced (if necessary) into the hole and the soil must be moistened. Places of cuts on the dividers are treated with finely crushed coal. The rhizome is arranged with vegetative buds upward. The soil is slightly compacted, water is added and mulched.

Sowing with seeds

Elecampane seeds do not require special preparation. In spring or autumn, they are sown in separate holes (more often after digging the rhizomes, in the same hole as a protective measure) or in a row method to a depth of 1-2 cm, leaving a row spacing of 35-45 cm. Before sowing, the soil is moistened. Seedlings appear in 2 weeks. At a height of 5-6 cm, thinning is carried out, which is repeated as the bushes grow. With the growth of the bush, the area is increased to 60x60 cm.

Elecampane care

Elecampane grows slowly in the first year, forming a rosette of basal leaves. In autumn, the aerial part dies off and from the second year of life begins to build up a powerful aerial part. Elecampane blooms in the second year. Flowering lasts from July to August. The dark brown seed baskets ripen in September-October. One basket of a three-year-old plant provides up to 5000 seeds, therefore 1-2 plants are usually left for the seed fund if the crop is grown on medicinal raw materials.

Care consists in maintaining the decorativeness of the flower bed or specimen planting of elecampane. Faded baskets, weeds are promptly removed, and the soil is loosened. Despite the root penetrating deep into the soil, elecampane responds well to watering and loves a constantly moist substrate. In autumn, after the end of flowering, the dead aboveground mass is removed into compost heaps. Elecampane plants, with good care, reach 2 meters in height, and the abundant flowering bends the stems to the ground. To preserve the decorative effect of the bush, you need to tie it or tie it to a support. Elecampane plants perfectly tolerate drought and frost, so they do not need shelters. Elecampane is remarkable for its resistance to diseases and pests and does not need protective measures.

Elecampane in the flower garden. © Jess Knowles

Breeding elecampane

Plants are propagated by seeds, dividing rhizomes and through seedlings. The first 2 methods are most common. Seedlings are propagated in the northern regions, but this method is used much less often. To obtain seedlings, sowing is carried out in February. Care is normal. Seedlings are planted in the designated place in the second half of May.

Harvesting of roots and rhizomes

For a home first-aid kit, the harvest of rhizomes with adventitious roots is harvested for 2-4 years. After the seeds ripen, they gently undermine the bush (preferably with a pitchfork), placing them along the radius parallel to the stems. This is less likely to damage the rhizome. Before digging, the stems are cut into a stump of 5-10 cm. Shake off the ground and wash. Cleanly washed rhizomes are divided into pieces of 10-20 cm and dried in the shade for 2-3 days, then dried with good ventilation in dry warm rooms. It is possible to carry out drying in ovens at a temperature not higher than + 35..40 * С. During drying, the raw materials are constantly agitated for uniform evaporation of moisture.

Elecampane: growing in the country and medicinal properties

Growing and caring for elecampane

Breeding elecampane

Procurement of medicinal raw materials

Elecampane root is used for medicinal purposes. For harvesting, it is recommended to dig up plants that are at least two years old. In autumn, cut off the ground part of the plant, dig out the rhizomes, rinse and cut into pieces no more than 20 cm thick. Dry in a well-ventilated area. Dryers can be used, but the temperature should not exceed 40 ?. For storage, you can grind dry rhizomes. Store in a dark, dry place in cloth bags.

Medicinal properties and use of elecampane

Elecampane is used as a means:

anti-inflammatory;

anthelmintic;

antifungal;

antimicrobial;

expectorant;

disinfectant.

jaundice;
hemorrhoids;
gastritis;
diabetes mellitus;
eczema;
dermatitis;
furunculosis;
sexually transmitted diseases;
arthritis;
absence of menstruation (or scanty, irregular).

For treatment, alcohol tinctures of rhizomes, ointments based on it, decoctions, infusions and teas are used.

For decorative purposes, elecampane is planted in areas like hedges or to create tall compositions or a medicinal flower bed. Bright yellow flowers always attract attention.

www.dacha-svoimi-rukami.com

Elecampane - nine-strong hero

Elecampane has many popular names: bear ear, nine-strength, astonishing, wild sunflower... He was credited with magical powers from nine serious ailments. This plant is surrounded by many secrets and legends. Even Avicenna in the "Canon of Medicine" recommended the use of elecampane for inflammation of the sciatic nerve and pain in the joints in the form of bandages of roots and leaves.

Elecampane - winter-hardy tall perennial with erect shoots. The oblong-oval leaves are close in size to the leaves of burdock, and the golden flower baskets are very similar to the miniature sunflower inflorescences.

Elecampane high

This plant is already mentioned in the writings of the great physician Hippocrates. In the Middle Ages, it was successfully grown in monastery gardens for medicinal purposes. Elecampane is widely used in Tibetan and Chinese medicine.

Elecampane rhizomes contain essential oil, a large amount of inulin... In folk medicine, they are used to treat diseases of the respiratory tract, tuberculosis, gastrointestinal tract, flu, rheumatism, diabetes mellitus.

Decoction of roots and rhizomes elecampane recommended as an expectorant and anti-inflammatory agent. You can also cook it at home. To do this, one tablespoon of crushed dry raw materials is placed in an enamel bowl and poured with a glass of boiling water, covered with a lid and heated in a water bath for 30 minutes, stirring often, and then cooled and filtered.

Elecampane high

Drink the broth warm 3 times a day, one hour before meals.

Scabies ointment is popular: A tablespoon of chopped elecampane roots is thoroughly mixed with a glass of unsalted butter.

For rubbing with sciatica: 20 g of dry roots are infused in 100 g of vodka for 10-12 days.

Here is a recipe for one of the medicinal drinks called “ Nine forces»: 300 g (or 50 g of dry) roots of elecampane are crushed and boiled in a liter of water for 20 minutes. (dry - 25 min.). Filter the broth, add 100-150 g of granulated sugar, 0.5 cups of cranberry juice, stir and cool.

www.botanichka.ru

A perennial plant elecampane (Inula), also called yellow, is a representative of the Asteraceae family, or Asteraceae. This plant can be found in nature in Africa, Asia and Europe, while it prefers to grow in quarries, near water bodies, in meadows and ditches. Also, this culture is called wild sunflower, goldenrod, thistle, bear ear, nine-force, divosil, forest jaundice, thistle or forest adonis. According to information taken from various sources, this genus unites 100-200 species. Since ancient times, elecampane has been widely used in alternative medicine, and gradually this plant began to be cultivated. Today, one of the species of this genus is becoming more and more popular among gardeners? elecampane tall (Inula helenium): This is the most popular species and has medicinal properties.

Features elecampane

Elecampane most often represents a perennial semi-shrub or herbaceous plant, but the genus also contains annuals and biennials. Thickened roots extend from the shortened rhizome to the sides. Straight weakly branched shoots can be smooth or pubescent. Large heart-shaped leaf plates can be oblong or lanceolate, as well as whole-edged or unevenly serrated. Baskets-inflorescences are single or are part of panicle or corymbose inflorescences. Baskets consist of tubular median and marginal flowers, which can be colored in various shades of yellow. The lanceolate leaves of the wrapper are green in color. The fruit is a cylindrical ribbed achene, which is either glabrous or pubescent.

Growing elecampane from seeds

Before you start planting elecampane, you need to choose the most suitable site for it, while taking into account that this thermophilic plant prefers sunny places. The substrate should be moist, nutrient-rich and breathable. Sandy loam or loamy soil is suitable for planting. It is best to sow this plant after pure steam, in this case, you will be provided with a rich harvest.

Preparation of the site for sowing should be done in advance. It is necessary to dig it to the depth of a shovel bayonet, while adding compost or humus (5-6 kilograms per 1 square meter), as well as a potassium-phosphorus mixture (40 to 50 grams per 1 square meter). After that, the site must be fenced. Immediately before sowing, fertilizers containing nitrogen should be scattered over the surface of the site, after which they must be sealed to a depth of 10 to 15 centimeters. Then the surface of the site must be lightly tamped.

Seeds should be sown before winter or in spring (in the second decade of May). It is not necessary to stratify the seeds, but to facilitate sowing, gardeners advise, combine them with sand (1: 1). For one row, which is 100 cm long, you will need about 200 seeds. If the soil is heavy, then the seeds need to be buried by only 10–20 mm, but if it is light? by 20-30 mm. The width between the rows should be 0.6–0.7 m. The seedlings will appear only when the air warms up to 6–8 degrees. The optimum temperature for growth and development of elecampane is from 20 to 25 degrees. If weather conditions are favorable, the seedlings will appear half a month after sowing. A few days before the seedlings appear, the site should be buried across the sowing rows, while all large clods of earth, as well as threadlike weed seedlings, must be removed.

This plant can be propagated by dividing the rhizome. In the southern regions, using this method, elecampane is propagated in the spring, and even in August. At the same time, in colder regions, rhizomes are divided only in spring, during the disclosure of leaf plates. Remove the rhizome from the soil and divide it into several parts, while on each division there should be 1 or 2 vegetative buds. When planting divisions between them, a distance of 0.3 to 0.65 m should be observed, while they should be buried 50–60 mm into the soil, and their buds should also be directed upward. Before planting, each well should be spilled with lukewarm water, and then fertilizers are applied to them, which should be combined with the soil. After planting, the surface of the site must be tamped, watered well, and covered with a layer of mulch. In the first year, the rooted divisions will have sprouts, while their height by the end of the summer period will reach from 0.2 to 0.4 m.

Caring for an elecampane in the garden

After the seedlings of elecampane appear on the site, you will need to thin them out. The plant must be watered, weeded in a timely manner, and it is also necessary to loosen the soil surface near the bushes. In the first season, elecampane is characterized by extremely slow growth, so, at the end of the summer period, the height of the bushes will not be more than 0.3–0.4 m. By this time, leaf rosettes and a root system should form in the bushes. The first flowering can be seen only in the next season in July, while its duration? about 4 weeks.

Watering and weeding

This culture is moisture-loving, and it especially needs water during the formation of buds and flowering. The bushes have a penetrating root system that is able to extract moisture from relatively deep soil layers. In this regard, watering elecampane is needed only during a prolonged drought.

Systematic weeding is needed for such plants only in the first year of growth. Already in the next season, the bushes will grow and get stronger so that no weed can interfere with them.

When leafy root rosettes begin to form in the bushes, they will need feeding with Nitrofoskaya. Re-feeding is carried out 20-30 days after the first, when the growth of ground shoots begins. In the autumn, before the plant plunges into a state of dormancy, it should be fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizer, which is applied to the soil.

Elecampane collection and storage

Elecampane rhizomes with adventitious roots may be removed in the second year of growth. After the seeds are fully ripe, the bush must be shortened to 50–100 mm, then take a pitchfork and carefully undermine it. Remove the root from the soil, shake it off well and rinse. Then the rhizome should be cut into pieces, the length of which should be equal to 10–20 centimeters. They are laid out in a shaded place, where they will wither for 2 or 3 days. After that, the raw material should be transferred to a room with good ventilation and spread out (the layer thickness should be less than 50 mm). To dry the rhizomes, you will need to maintain the temperature in the room from 35 to 40 degrees, while the raw materials should be systematically stirred and turned over to ensure it dries evenly. For storage, elecampane is poured into dishes made of wood or glass, and you can also use bags. It retains its medicinal properties for up to 3 years.

Types and varieties of elecampane

Elecampane Royle (Inula royleana)

The height of this perennial plant is about 0.6 m. The length of the oblong leaf plates is about 0.25 m. The inflorescences reach 40-50 mm in diameter, they include ligulate and tubular flowers of a deep yellow color. Flowering is observed in July – August. Cultivated since 1897.

Elecampane root-headed (Inula rhizocephala)

This decorative type is one of the most popular in the culture. Long lanceolate leaf plates are part of the basal rosette, in the center of which is a dense compact yellow inflorescence. The superficial root system is highly ramified.

Eastern elecampane (Inula orientalis)

The homeland of this species is Asia Minor and the Caucasus. This perennial plant with straight stems reaches a height of about 0.7 m. The leaf plates have an oblong-spatulate shape. Inflorescences reach 9-10 centimeters in diameter, they include long and thin dark yellow ligulate flowers, as well as tubular? yellow color. Cultivated since 1804

Sword-leaved elecampane (Inula ensifolia)

It occurs naturally in Europe and the Caucasus, while this species prefers to grow on mountain chalk and calcareous slopes, in forests and steppes. The height of the compact bush is 0.15–0.3 m. Thin, very strong shoots branch out in the upper part. Sessile, narrow lanceolate leaf plates in length reach about 60 mm. Single yellow baskets have a diameter of 20–40 mm. It has been cultivated since 1793. There is a low-growing variety: the height of the bush is about 0.2 m, it blooms luxuriantly and for a relatively long time.

Elecampane magnificent (Inula magnifica)

It is not for nothing that this species received such a name. This perennial plant is a powerful, spreading and majestic bush, which can reach a height of 200 cm. The stem is furrowed and thick. Large basal oblong, as well as the lower stem leaf plates are half a meter long, and their width is 0.25 m.The leaves tapering at the base turn into a petiole, which can reach 0.6 m in length. more of them. Inflorescences of yellow color in diameter reach 15 centimeters. On peduncles, reaching 0.25 m in length, they are located one by one or several pieces, forming corymbose inflorescences. Flowering is observed in July – August. A faded bush loses its decorative effect and, as a rule, is cut off.

Elecampane British (Inula britannica)

In nature, this species is found in Asia and Europe, while it prefers to grow in ravines, in sedge swamps, birch forests, steppes, along roadsides, on wet saline and forest meadows, as well as in floodplain shrub thickets. This perennial plant is not very tall; its surface is covered with gray tomentose pubescence. The ribbed erect stem is slightly red at the bottom, and in the upper part it can be branched or simple. The leaf plates are lanceolate, elliptical, or linear-lanceolate (less often ovoid), they are finely toothed or whole-edged, spines are located along the edge. The front surface of the leaves is slightly pubescent or bare, and the back? has a dense covering, consisting of compressed glandular or woolly hairs. Inflorescences of yellow color in diameter reach 50 mm, they can be part of loose corymbose inflorescences or be solitary.

Elecampane high (Inula helenium)

In nature, it is found in Europe, the Caucasus and Siberia, while this species prefers to grow in meadows, in light deciduous and pine forests, as well as on river banks. This perennial plant is a cylindrical bush, which reaches a height of about 250 cm. The powerful rhizome has a sharp aroma. The length of the lower stem and oblong-elliptical basal leaf plates is about 0.4–0.5 m, and their width? from 0.15 to 0.2 m. Beginning from the middle of the shoot, the leaf plates are sessile and have a stem-embracing base. In diameter, the yellow-golden baskets reach 80 mm, they are located in the axils of the bracts on short peduncles and are part of the rare racemose inflorescences. This species began to be cultivated in ancient times.

Elecampane properties: harm and benefit

Healing properties of elecampane

The healing properties of elecampane are contained in its root system, which includes such substances as: wax, vitamin E, resins, essential oils, mucus, saponins, polysaccharides inulenin and inulin.

A decoction of the rhizome and roots of this plant is used in the treatment of inflammatory processes in the stomach and intestines, for example, for peptic ulcer disease, gastritis, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, as well as for diseases of the kidneys and liver, fever, acute respiratory infections, influenza, bronchitis with thick secretions, tuberculosis, tracheitis and other inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Such a decoction is distinguished by expectorant, anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, diuretic, antiseptic and anthelmintic. This remedy has a particularly detrimental effect on roundworm.

This broth is used for skin diseases, and if you combine it with lard, you get an excellent remedy for scabies. Fresh leaves are recommended to be applied to ulcers, tumors, scrofulous and erysipelas.

Even in alternative medicine, elecampane is used in the treatment of itchy dermatosis, purulent wounds, cystitis, venereal diseases, furunculosis, eczema, jaundice and arthritis. In the pharmacy, you can purchase the drug Alanton, made on the basis of elecampane roots, it is used in the treatment of non-scarring ulcers of the stomach and duodenum. Is tocopherol (vitamin E) part of the rhizome? it is a powerful antioxidant that helps slow down the aging process.

To prepare an infusion of elecampane, you need to combine one small spoonful of dried roots with 250 ml of cold water. Leave the mixture for 8 hours to infuse, after which it is filtered. You need to drink 50 milligrams 4 times per knock for a third of an hour before a meal. It is used as an expectorant, as well as for hemorrhoids, high blood pressure, and also as a blood-purifying agent for skin diseases.

To prepare tincture of elecampane, 120 grams of fresh rhizomes of this plant are taken. Should it be mixed with? part of a glass of port or Cahors wine. The mixture is boiled for 10 minutes, then it is filtered. Drink 2 or 3 times a day, 50 milligrams before meals. It is used as a tonic and tonic for stomach ulcers, gastritis or after a serious illness.

Contraindications

Means made on the basis of elecampane should not be used for serious cardiovascular diseases, pregnancy, hypotension, gastritis with low acidity and kidney pathology. During menstruation, which is accompanied by severe pain, these drugs can intensify them. When treating children, elecampane is used with great care.

The first: for the unique healing properties, traditional medicine was appreciated in ancient times. Second: later this plant found application in the food and alcoholic beverage industries as a natural flavoring and coloring agent. Third: with active development, elecampane was looked at from the other side - as a spectacular perennial plant that can create a unique accent in the garden and require almost no maintenance in return.

This sun flower, also referred to as Elena's tears, yellow and Oman, belongs to the family Astrovye (Asteraceae) and elecampane to a separate genus. The genus consists of more than 100 species that grow in the wild, and 30 of them are found in our country - in meadows, forest edges and near water bodies.

Description of the plant

The typical and most common type is elecampane high ( Inula helenium), the name of which speaks for itself: the powerful erect stems of this culture sometimes reach a height of 2.5 m. The basal oblong leaves are very large and grow up to 50 cm in length and 20 cm in width. Stem leaf plates are smaller and are located on the shoots in the next order. The entire ground part of the plant has a characteristic feature: both the stem and the leaves are covered with hard pubescence, which is well felt to the touch.

Such a Spartan appearance gives elecampane an advantage over other "gentle" cultures: it is almost never amazed and even endures weather disasters. And with the appearance of delightful sunny inflorescences on the bush, reaching 6-8 cm in diameter and resembling miniature yellow sunflowers, elecampane immediately transforms and discards its strict image.

Elecampane high. Photo from the site matka03.ru

The flowering of this culture begins in July and lasts about a month: the flower baskets located at the tops of the main stems bloom first, and then the inflorescences formed on the lateral shoots pick up the baton. In contrast, they are completely painted in a bright golden color, have the same convex center, made up of many small tubular flowers, but differ in long threadlike petals, which give elecampane a special charm.

Due to its tallness, elecampane will look spectacular in the background of a flower garden and emphasize the overall picture of the landscape with its beauty. It is great for solitary planting, creating a vertical accent in the garden and becoming the center of attention during its flowering period.

In addition, gardeners who decide to acquire such a bright perennial will not only be able to decorate their backyard plot, but also get additional benefits from the plant. 2-3 years after planting, you can begin to harvest valuable medicinal raw materials - the fleshy odorous rhizomes of elecampane, which will be indispensable for the prevention and treatment of a wide variety of ailments. The broth is used for inflammatory bowel and stomach diseases, in case of liver and kidney problems, as well as an anthelmintic and diuretic.

And for those who grow vegetable and fruit crops on the site, in addition to ornamental plants, it is worth considering elecampane also as an excellent honey plant. Its inflorescences attract a huge number of butterflies, bees and bumblebees and always turn out to be their favorites: in the common flower garden, insects sit on the "yellow" baskets.

Elecampane is a wonderful honey plant. Photo

Elecampane is an unpretentious plant and, once planted on the site, will continue to develop without any participation from the gardener. However, if you want to get lush bushes with numerous large inflorescences, this crop should still be given a little attention.

Landing

Elecampane will thrive well in wet places. He will like the diffused shadow of trees or a place next to a fence or structure, which will protect him from drafts and shade part of the day.

This plant prefers drained and highly fertile soil, therefore, when preparing a bed for it, you should take care of sufficient refueling or. On heavy soils, it is worth adding sand, rotted sawdust or other loosening materials for digging, and on acidic soils, add slaked lime, chalk or wood. When planting in autumn, phosphorus-potassium preparations are added to the soil, and if they are planted in spring, they are replaced with a complex fertilizer containing, in addition to phosphorus and potassium, also nitrogen.

Elecampane has an amazing resistance to diseases and pests, so it will not require any additional measures from you to protect it. The maximum that still needs to be done is to periodically loosen the soil under the plants and remove weeds, which often perish themselves under the pressure of powerful roots and large leaves of this culture.

To maintain decorativeness during the flowering period, you need to periodically cut off the drying inflorescences. They acquire a brown tint and do not look very attractive, besides, they give numerous seeds, which, when they hit the ground, strongly clog the garden with unnecessary shoots.

If there is a need for reproduction, you can leave one largest inflorescence on the bush and collect seed from it in late September or early October. One such basket on an adult 3-4-year-old plant produces several hundred seeds.

With the onset of stable cold snaps, the ground part of this culture begins to die off, therefore, on the eve of winter, all the leaves and stems of the plant are cut off - next spring it will grow new shoots. Winter-hardy elecampane does not require any shelter for the winter, but in order to increase fertility in the fall, it makes sense to mulch the soil under it with humus or compost.

Views

In the temperate zone of Eurasia and in the vastness of Africa, a variety of elecampane species grow. However, as cultivated plants, the above-described tall elecampane is mainly grown, which differs from its relatives in especially powerful shoots, as well as magnificent elecampane ( Inula magnifica) and elecampane swordsman ( Inula ensifolia).

The magnificent elecampane also reaches impressive sizes - up to 2 m. But in comparison with the tall tree, this perennial forms large basal leaves of an oblong-elliptical shape, tapering to the base and attached to the stem with the help of long petioles. The magnificent elecampane also has single or bright yellow inflorescences collected in small shields, but they are located on longer peduncles and can reach a diameter of 14-15 cm. This species blooms from July to August.

But the swordsman elecampane will help to create completely different compositions in the flower garden, since it has a compact bush shape and does not grow higher than 30-40 cm.The bush of this perennial plant consists of numerous herbaceous stems covered with sessile lanceolate leaves 4-6 cm long.

In mid-summer, the plant forms single inflorescences with a diameter of 3-4 cm, located at the top of each shoot, which makes the flowering more abundant. In addition, the blooming period of elecampane is longer - from early July to late August.

Elecampane swordsman. Photo from the site koffkindom.ru

The unpretentious elecampane with its catchy golden flowers certainly deserves your attention. Unlike most other flower crops, it does not require special care and will develop perfectly in one place without transplanting and dividing up to 10 years.

A perennial plant elecampane (Inula), also called yellow, is a representative of the Asteraceae family, or Asteraceae. This plant can be found in nature in Africa, Asia and Europe, while it prefers to grow in quarries, near water bodies, in meadows and ditches. Also, this culture is called wild sunflower, goldenrod, thistle, bear ear, nine-force, divosil, forest jaundice, thistle or forest adonis. According to information taken from various sources, this genus unites 100-200 species. Since ancient times, elecampane has been widely used in alternative medicine, and gradually this plant began to be cultivated. Today, among gardeners, one of the species of this genus is becoming more and more popular - elecampane high (Inula helenium): this is the most popular species that has medicinal properties.

Seeds should be sown before winter or in spring (in the second decade of May). It is not necessary to stratify the seeds, but to facilitate sowing, gardeners advise, combine them with sand (1: 1). For one row, which is 100 cm long, you will need about 200 seeds. If the soil is heavy, then the seeds need to be buried by only 10–20 mm, and if the soil is light, by 20–30 mm. The width between the rows should be 0.6–0.7 m. The seedlings will appear only when the air warms up to 6–8 degrees. The optimum temperature for growth and development of elecampane is from 20 to 25 degrees. If weather conditions are favorable, the seedlings will appear half a month after sowing. A few days before the seedlings appear, the site should be buried across the sowing rows, while all large clods of earth, as well as threadlike weed seedlings, must be removed.

After the seedlings of elecampane appear on the site, you will need to thin them out. The plant must be watered, weeded in a timely manner, and it is also necessary to loosen the soil surface near the bushes. In the first season, elecampane is characterized by extremely slow growth, so, at the end of the summer period, the height of the bushes will not be more than 0.3–0.4 m. By this time, leaf rosettes and a root system should form in the bushes. The first flowering will be seen only in the next season in July, while its duration is about 4 weeks.

Systematic weeding is needed for such plants only in the first year of growth. Already in the next season, the bushes will grow and get stronger so that no weed can interfere with them.

Top dressing

Types and varieties of elecampane

Elecampane Royle (Inula royleana)

Elecampane root-headed (Inula rhizocephala)

Eastern elecampane (Inula orientalis)

Sword-leaved elecampane (Inula ensifolia)

Elecampane magnificent (Inula magnifica)

Elecampane British (Inula britannica)

In nature, this species is found in Asia and Europe, while it prefers to grow in ravines, in sedge swamps, birch forests, steppes, along roadsides, on wet saline and forest meadows, as well as in floodplain shrub thickets. This perennial plant is not very tall; its surface is covered with gray tomentose pubescence. The ribbed erect stem is slightly red at the bottom, and in the upper part it can be branched or simple. The leaf plates are lanceolate, elliptical, or linear-lanceolate (less often ovoid), they are finely toothed or whole-edged, spines are located along the edge. The front surface of the leaves is slightly pubescent or bare, and the seamy surface has a dense covering, consisting of appressed glandular or woolly hairs. Inflorescences of yellow color in diameter reach 50 mm, they can be part of loose corymbose inflorescences or be solitary.

Elecampane high (Inula helenium)

In nature, it is found in Europe, the Caucasus and Siberia, while this species prefers to grow in meadows, in light deciduous and pine forests, as well as on river banks. This perennial plant is a cylindrical bush, which reaches a height of about 250 cm. The powerful rhizome has a sharp aroma. The length of the lower stem and oblong-elliptical basal leaf plates is about 0.4–0.5 m, and their width is from 0.15 to 0.2 m. Starting from the middle of the shoot, the leaf plates are sessile and have a stem-enveloping base. In diameter, the yellow-golden baskets reach 80 mm, they are located in the axils of the bracts on short peduncles and are part of the rare racemose inflorescences. This species began to be cultivated in ancient times.

Elecampane properties: harm and benefit

The healing properties of elecampane are contained in its root system, which includes such substances as: wax, vitamin E, resins, essential oils, mucus, saponins, polysaccharides inulenin and inulin.

Even in alternative medicine, elecampane is used in the treatment of itchy dermatosis, purulent wounds, cystitis, venereal diseases, furunculosis, eczema, jaundice and arthritis. In the pharmacy, you can purchase the drug Alanton, made on the basis of elecampane roots, it is used in the treatment of non-scarring ulcers of the stomach and duodenum. Tocopherol (vitamin E), which is part of the rhizome, is a powerful antioxidant that slows down the aging process.

To prepare tincture of elecampane, 120 grams of fresh rhizomes of this plant are taken. It should be mixed with ½ part of a glass of port or Cahors wine. The mixture is boiled for 10 minutes, then it is filtered. Drink 2 or 3 times a day, 50 milligrams before meals. It is used as a tonic and tonic for stomach ulcers, gastritis or after a serious illness.