Umbrella family: characteristics, representatives, photos

Umbrella - a family of dicotyledonous plants belonging to the Araliev order. Consists of 434 genera and more than 3,780 species. Distributed throughout the world, although most representatives are concentrated in the temperate geographical zone and much less often in tropical regions. Umbellates include many important for humans vegetable crops, herbs and spices, medicinal and ornamental garden plants, as well as some poisonous species and weeds.

Edible roots and root vegetables

Roots and root crops have been eaten by humans since very ancient times. If you think about it, even now in everyday cuisine there are the most common of them, for example, potatoes or carrots. Many varieties are little known to the uninitiated person. But among them there are also those who were once simply undeservedly forgotten.
By the way, many of the root vegetables contain a large amount of beneficial trace elements. But during cooking, most of them are lost, since the product is, in one way or another, subjected to heat treatment. Of course, eating them raw to get your daily dose of vitamins is not the best way out. Although once our ancestors did just that.

List of root vegetables

Potatoes.

Once brought to us from Europe by Peter I, it did not immediately gain recognition among the inhabitants of our country. Moreover, it came to riots when the emperor tried to force the peasants to grow it. It was only in 1812 that they finally began to eat it, and since then it has been called by the people "the second bread".

Sweet potato.

For some reason, it is considered an analogue of potatoes, only with a sweeter taste. But this is a completely erroneous opinion. Outwardly, it somewhat resembles him, only the shape is slightly more elongated than that of a potato. And the main difference is that the sweet potato is still a root, not a root vegetable.

Jerusalem artichoke.

Its other name is earthen pear. It contains a lot of nutrients, but in its pure form it is little used: usually in the form of food additives or as part of a product. Jerusalem artichoke has a positive effect on the work of the gastrointestinal tract, the vascular system, and also has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin. Moreover, to achieve the latter, it can be consumed both inside and make cosmetic masks out of it.

Parsnip.

This refers to its wild variety. Externally, the parsnip root resembles a carrot, only white. It has a higher content of nutrients than Jerusalem artichoke. It can be used as food for diseases of the kidneys and cardiovascular system. Also, parsnip root is widely used in cosmetology.

American peanut.

No matter how outlandish the name of this root vegetable sounds, we hasten to reassure you: we are talking about ordinary peanuts. By the way, it is also very rich in trace elements necessary for the body. Prefers a southern climate. therefore, it most often grows in the Caucasus (if we talk about Russia) and in other countries located at similar latitudes.

Ginger.

Better known as a spice. It is widely known as an addition to Japanese rolls and sushi. It is added as a seasoning to many dishes. It has beneficial properties such as promoting weight loss, as well as helping with problems with blood pressure and musculoskeletal tissue.

Schefflera - umbrella plant

Schefflera is a tropical plant of the Araliaceae family. In indoor floriculture, they are grown because of the fancy leaves. A small tree looks good in spacious rooms, halls and lobbies.

The shape of the leaves resembles spread fingers or an umbrella. The leaf plate can be cut into several lobes (from 4 to 12). Schefflera rarely blooms at home.

The plant is named after a German botanist Jacob Christian Schefflerwho lived in the 18th century. The genus has more than 200 species. Most often, four of them are grown in room conditions:

- S. actinophylla (radiant); - S. arboricola (tree); - S. digitata (finger); - S. elegantissima (graceful).

According to the US Department of Agriculture website, each species has Latin female names: Agalma, Paratropia, Brassaia, Tupidanthus, Vitis, etc.

It turned out to be quite simple to determine the species belonging of my “household”. Schefflera tree - the most common type in home floriculture. The spotted "tail" has grown by 20 centimeters for me in a year and has released a lot of new foliage.

Scheffler, who is still small for me, so that she grows faster, I try to create comfortable conditions for her: I water, spray from a spray bottle, wipe every finger. It's easy to look after her. This is how I do it.

CARE FOR SHEFFLER

Some growers believe that shefflera is a shade-loving plant, but we have empirically found out that she prefers diffused light.

By the way, in variegated shefflers the foliage has a brighter color where they are more often "kissed" by the sun. In the shade, the color of the leaves is more uniform. Therefore, if you want the tree to be decorated on all sides, then from time to time turn it towards the sun.

Room temperature it is quite suitable for its content, the main thing is that the column of the thermometer does not fall below + 12оС. Otherwise, the shefflera can throw off the leaves, the same reaction she has to drafts and temperature changes. Water it with soft, settled water as the top layer dries. I do it with the following frequency: in the summer - once every three days, in the winter - once - every five days.

It is better not to put it near heating devices, the inhabitant of the tropics is hygrophilous, and hot batteries pretty dry the air. A green "umbrella", like a real one, loves rain, so do not forget to spray it regularly. And the flower can also be placed on wet expanded clay, thereby increasing the humidity of the air.

Feed Sheffler can be a universal fertilizer for ornamental deciduous plants once every two weeks in the spring-summer period. She willingly "eats" natural fertilizers from banana, coffee, potatoes.

In order for new points of growth to appear, the sheffler is cut off, from this the bush becomes more lush.

Transplanted not often, once every two years is enough. The composition of the earth is slightly acidic: turf (2 parts), leaf (1 part) and sand (1 part).

Propagated in three ways: seeds, cuttings and the method of air layering.

Propagation by cuttings. The stalk is cut off and placed in a mixture of peat and sand. In this case, you need to create a special greenhouse: organize the bottom heating (20-22o) and cover with a transparent film. Spray and ventilate periodically. They are transplanted only after the young shoot takes up the roots of the entire container in which it is kept. By the way, in the water, the stalk quickly acquires roots.

Reproduction by air layers is not an easy task. We read here how to organize it correctly.

Propagated by seeds less often. Firstly, they need to be obtained somewhere, well, not everyone expects a positive result.If you still got seeds, then we sow them in the spring or at the end of winter in a mixture of peat and sand (or vermiculite). The constant temperature for seedlings should be + 22-25 ° C. With a favorable coincidence of circumstances, in a month you should have an escape.

Medicinal roots

Traditional medicine is rich in recipes for various decoctions and mixtures of medicinal plant roots. Grandmothers-healers, from an early age studying the beneficial properties of various plants, are familiar with many firsthand, and can tell a lot if they wish. For example, the fact that the roots of most weeds benefit the body if they are dried and insisted for a while, and then use the resulting product for several days or weeks.

1. Wheatgrass - grass that covers vegetable gardens in large quantities. In other words, it is a very common weed. But before you ruthlessly mow it and send it to the trash, think about how many diseases it can cure. For example, a decoction of wheatgrass is excellent for kidney ailments, diseases of the intestines and lungs, problems with blood pressure, diabetes, osteochondrosis.
2. Dandelion. The well-known plant, it would seem, does not carry any practical benefit. However, it is not. Infusions and decoctions of dandelion root perfectly help in the treatment of joints, anemia, diathesis, and are also additionally used during the treatment of liver and stomach cancer.
3. Ginseng. Only the lazy one has not heard about the healing properties of the root of this plant. The number of diseases in which this unremarkable root is used is very large. This is anemia, and hypertension, and nervous exhaustion, and atherosclerosis, and diabetes, and gastritis. Medicines containing ginseng root are prescribed for diseases of the bronchi and lungs. It is also an excellent general tonic, analgesic and sedative.
4. Valerian root has been known for its sedative effects since childhood. In addition to the positive effect on the nervous system, it is used for diseases of the thyroid gland, as well as for pneumonia, psoriasis and problems with the cardiovascular system.
5. Eleutherococcus, namely, its root, has a pronounced positive effect on the work of the central nervous system with its systematic use. All ailments associated with nervous disorders can be cured or reduced by using tincture of Eleutherococcus.

6. 

Mother and stepmother (other names: male flower, tobacco herb)

This perennial plant blooms in early spring with yellow honey-scented inflorescences. Before the leaves appear, the rhizome throws out peduncles with red scales and yellow inflorescences. This plant blooms from February to March, possibly April. It grows on wastelands, on the outskirts of fields or roadsides. Flowers should be picked in good weather, when they are already in full bloom. In order for them to preserve their presentation, they need to be dried quickly. But for medicinal purposes, leaves are used more. It is better to collect them in March - June, and preferably clean, it is recommended not to wash them.

Those leaves that grow in the sun contain more beneficial ingredients than those that grow in the shade. Mother and stepmother is an excellent cough remedy, especially for whooping cough. Tea made from this flower makes coughing easier. It is also used for diseases of the lungs and for irritation of the stomach and intestines. In addition, coltsfoot tea is used to treat open wounds, skin inflammations, rashes and to cleanse the blood.

Root vegetable potato

Potatoes in Russia are the second bread. It seems that the root vegetable potato has always been on our table. But this is not at all the case! Peter I brought potatoes from Europe, and this plant of the Solanaceae family came to Europe from South America. The American Indians have eaten potatoes since time immemorial, but Europeans did not immediately adopt the root vegetable. Potatoes were first grown in greenhouses for the beauty of their flowers.Little by little, high society began to cook potato dishes. But attempts to instill a love for potatoes in the common people met with persistent rejection. The people responded with potato riots to the Prussian king, who ordered to grow this vegetable. Peter I also failed to force the peasants to grow potatoes. Half a century later, Catherine II took it up. The empress's decree of 1765 on potato cultivation was met with hostility. The peasants refused to grow unknown potatoes instead of the familiar turnips and rutabagas. Not knowing that only potato roots are edible, the peasants picked the berries of the overseas plant. And its berries are poisonous, and hundreds of people were poisoned. Potatoes became a habitual dish in Russia after the war of 1812 - so Russian people have been eating potatoes for only 200 years.

Potato tubers, if not dug up, will freeze in winter and will not sprout next year. This is the main evidence that potatoes are a tropical plant and will not survive in our area without human help.

Wild potatoes grow in the Andes. It stores nutrients in the tubers. When the potato growing and flowering season ends, its terrestrial shoot dies off. With the beginning of the new season, tubers sprout. New shoots grow from special buds on the tuber, which we call "eyes" and are removed when cleaning. White shoots that appear on potatoes that have stagnated until spring are new shoots. Potatoes are also propagated by seeds that ripen in poisonous berries.

Wild carrots are the progenitor of the popular root vegetable

The wild carrot is a close relative of the house carrot, but its root is much smaller and irregular in shape. The British called this plant "Queen Anne's lace". According to the legend, the wife of Jacob I, arriving in England from Denmark, invited the local ladies of the court to weave lace as light and graceful as the flowers of wild carrots. But no one could compare with the queen, a skilled lace-maker, in this kind of needlework. The inflorescence of this species is umbellate, with a purple flower in the middle. There is a theory that it attracts pollinating insects by mimicking a fly. To distinguish a wild carrot from its close relative, hemlock, you should be aware of several features of its structure:

• bracts at the base of the umbrella;
• pubescent stem;
• small purple flower in the central part of the inflorescence.

  

The Poisonous Hemlock is a tall plant with a smooth, succulent, purple-spotted stem. While Queen Anne Lace is not considered a poisonous plant, it is important to remember that wild species retain chemical defenses that domesticated varieties lack. Therefore, it is not recommended to approach them for pregnant or lactating women and people with poor health. In the photo, the Umbrella family is easy to separate from others due to the special structure of the inflorescence. But it can be quite difficult to distinguish between some wild and cultured representatives. The usual precautions will help keep everyone healthy: it is best not to touch unknown plants, not to pick their flowers, and avoid eating roots of unknown origin.

Edible root vegetables and their photos

Perennial herbaceous plants root crops "store" nutrients in underground stems - rhizomes. Real roots grow from the rhizomes, which absorb moisture from the ground. The edible root vegetables of ginger, a native of tropical Asia, are famous. Dried grated "ginger root", slightly pungent, with a pleasant smell, sets off the taste of various sweets and drinks, goes well with meat dishes and marinades. Ginger is added to gingerbread, the British cook puddings with ginger, the Americans - ginger ale, the Russians - kvass and sbiten. The rhizome is also valued by the relative of ginger turmeric. Dried and crushed, it turns into a yellow powder - a spice and food coloring. In India, turmeric is dyed yellow on fabrics.

Look at a wide variety of root vegetables in the photo on this page:

Another edible herb - runny (Aegopodium podagraria) - is often found in moist shaded forest, along ravines and ravines, damp stream banks. This is one of the very first spring grasses to appear in the forest at the same time as the shoots of nettles. Runny from the umbrella family - the inflorescences are fixed on thin knitting needles, which diverge in rays in radial directions. At the top of the plant is the largest fist-sized umbrella. In those places where there is little light, the runny forms thickets, entirely consisting of leaves without flowering stems. In clearings rich in sun, the plant acquires a rather tall stem with a white umbrella. Even in the heat, the leaves of the plant are covered with droplets of water - this is perspiration that seeped through the water cracks in the green plates. Cabbage cabbage soup cooked from dream is not inferior to cabbage. Young, unfolded leaves and petioles are harvested. Go to food and stems, from which the skin is pre-cut. Petioles and stems put in a salad will give it a spicy taste. Wild greens of dream as a very nutritious and vitamin product were widely used by Moscow canteens in the spring of 1942 and 1943. Dozens of people went to the forests near Moscow to harvest this grass. In those difficult years, she also helped her sleep in winter - she was chopped and salted in advance, like cabbage. Dream soup is prepared as follows: chopped and fried petioles of dream leaves, onions, finely chopped meat are placed in a pot, poured with meat broth and put on fire. Chopped leaves of dream is added to the barely boiled broth and boiled for another thirty minutes, and fifteen minutes before the end of cooking, add salt, pepper, bay leaf.

One of the few forest plants in which leaves, stems, and rhizomes are suitable for food is hogweed. Among our herbs, there is hardly another such giant. Powerful ribbed, covered with bristles, the trunk of this plant sometimes reaches two meters in height. The trifoliate leaves of the hogweed are also unusually large, coarse, woolly, dissected into large lobes. No wonder the popular name for hogweed is "bear paw". This is a common inhabitant of forest edges, forest meadows, wastelands, roadsides. Its peeled stems have a sweet, pleasant taste, somewhat reminiscent of that of a cucumber. They can be eaten raw, boiled, or fried in oil. In spring, the hogweed is tender, and its young leaves with a taste of carrots are also edible. All types of hogweed contain essential oils and therefore smell harsh. Hogweed greens are usually first scalded in order to reduce the pungent odor, and then put into borscht or put to stew. The hogweed broth resembles chicken broth. The sweetish rhizome of the plant, containing up to 10% sugar, is not inferior in calorie content and taste to garden vegetables and corn. Some hogweed juice contains furocoumarin, which can cause skin burns. Therefore, care must be taken when collecting this plant.

In clearings and fires, in damp and shady places, often vast areas are covered with luxurious bracken ferns (Pteridium aquilinum). Its thick brown rhizome is overgrown with filamentous roots; large pinnately complex leathery leaves emerge from the top of the rhizome. The bracken differs from other ferns in that the bags with spores are placed under the wrapped edges of the leaves. As a food product, bracken is widely used in Siberia and the Far East. Its young shoots and leaves are boiled in a large amount of salt water and washed thoroughly to remove all scales from the leaves. Bracken shoots soup tastes like mushroom soup.

Cactus

They are thorny plants of various sizes. Basically, cacti are inhabitants of deserts and semi-deserts, where the humidity level is very low. But some species also grow in the tropics. Cacti easily adapt to sudden changes in temperature. They live on sandy and gravel soils.The thorns of these plants grow instead of leaves, their maximum length can be up to 25 cm. This helps the cacti to prevent moisture loss.

Currently, various types of these exotic plants are very widely used in landscape design.

Where edible plants and herbs grow

It may seem strange to some, but wild plants can really be eaten and, moreover, saturate the human body with the necessary useful components. They allow the traveler, if necessary, not only to satisfy hunger, but also to restore the supply of energy.

Each plant has an individual character, and therefore there is no one exact location of their growth. Some species settle exclusively in the thick of forests, while others - in voids. A very large number prefers to grow near water bodies, for example, along rivers. And least of all you can find them in the mountains.

Medicinal plants of the Krasnodar Territory: photo and description

In our country, nowhere else is there such a variety of flora as in the Kuban. In total, 160 species of medicinal plants of the Krasnodar Territory were recorded in these places. Some will be described in this article.

It is not natural for a person to treat nature with care, therefore very often people ruthlessly tear plants, sometimes even with roots. As a result, some species begin to disappear altogether, and therefore are under protection. The forests of this area are rich in such trees as linden, oak, chestnut. They are also called relict, that is, they are those that have survived since ancient times. The Azov-Kuban lowland is located in the northern part. There are only steppes and fields here. On the slopes of the beams and along the sides of the roads, you can meet different types of grasses: it is creeping wheatgrass, bitter wormwood, quinoa, coltsfoot.

Dandelion

Dandelion
Even small children can easily recognize the good old dandelion. This perennial herb belongs to the multicolor family. It is characterized by a green stem, up to 60 cm long, pinnate toothed leaves emerging from a basal rosette and yellow baskets. The fruit is an achene with a tuft of light gray hairs.

It grows mainly in the forest-steppe zone. You can meet him in open spaces, for example, in fields, along rivers, ditches, and in almost every yard and vegetable garden, as well as in the forest at the edges and along forest paths.

The flower has a valuable composition, which includes protein, vitamins A, C, E. All its parts contain milky juice, due to which it has a bitter taste. You can eat it raw, but not everyone will like the bitterness present. To get rid of it, it is better to boil the plant, but if this is not possible, at least pour it over with a portion of boiling water or hold it for several hours in salt water. The leaves will fit well into a salad, and the root is best eaten boiled or fried. He will act as a completely satisfying dish. And if you dry it and grind it finely, you can get a healthy herbal tea.

Pandanus

This spiral palm tree is widely used by home growers. It is a plant with thorny leaves and a lush crown.

The leaves are narrow and oblong, with thorns at the ends. They grow in a spiral. This is a very showy plant. Grows naturally in the tropics. As a domestic inhabitant, the pandanus is very unpretentious. It is usually recommended for novice growers. It quickly grows to a large size, becoming like a real palm tree. But if there are small children or pets in the house, it is better to refuse this plant.

Nettle

Nettle
Nettle scares away hikers with its strong stinginess. But, despite this its peculiar property, it is not forbidden to eat it.

The plant is characterized by stems up to half a meter high and lanceolate leaves with sharp teeth around the perimeter. It is completely covered with hairs, giving it that very property of burning. Most often, nettles can be found along ravines, in clearings and in forests, mainly in dark places, for example, next to bushes.

Nettle is very nutritious, it contains vitamins C, B, K, carotene and acids. If there is a need to eat raw leaves, then initially it is necessary to scald them with boiling water, and then cut into pieces or roll them up. It is best if you can cook them for 5-6 minutes. This will allow any formic acid to evaporate, giving the plant a neutral flavor. Under domestic conditions, the leaves are added to the cabbage soup, the stems are fermented, and the juice is taken as a tincture.

St. John's wort

People have come up with many different names for herbs that have been used to treat diseases for a long time. Among the many plants, St. John's wort enjoyed special respect. At that time it was a "magic" herb - a savior from 100 diseases. During excavations of ancient settlements, archaeologists managed to find the seeds of 20 herbs, including St. John's wort. People believed that this plant helps from ailments that were brought on by evil spirits and witches. It is very useful for humans and does not contain any harmful substances.

In Russia, St. John's wort was used very widely. For example, they put it in mattresses for children, so that the aroma would protect the baby from terrible dreams. John's wort was at one time considered a source of light that expels any evil, relieves of sadness and grief. This plant was also a favorite herb of many prominent people, because it healed not only the body, but also the soul. To date, scientists have proven that it has antidepressant properties, which are associated with its photosensitizing effect.

Wild onion

Wild onion
Many edible plants are rarely eaten, but not wild onions. It is very common in cooking and is used by some peoples as well as common green onions. If he met on the way, then you can eat him with peace of mind.

Perennial grass often grows in pastures, fields and forests. It can be distinguished by its long, bare stem, arrow-shaped leaves and a spherical basket of white-lilac flowers.

All green parts of the plant can be eaten fresh or dried. For use in its raw form, additional processing is not required, it is enough to rinse it thoroughly. Onions are dried in the open air or in an oven, after which they are chopped and used as a seasoning.

Eringium

Einehead is another name for it. These plants have a thorny flower. Nowadays, eringium is very popular and is a decoration of the garden. Its blue and blue thorny buds are very showy. The most common species are flat-leaved and alpine erythematosus. They are widely used in garden landscaping. The height of these specimens reaches from 70 cm to 1 meter. Alpine Eringium, in comparison with flat-leaved, has larger inflorescences.

In modern landscape design, plain eringium is also used, the so-called tumbleweed. It is a very thorny but showy plant. Erythematosus grows well in rocky and dry soil.

Woodworm

Woodworm
Woodlice is known to many as a weed, so I do not know everything about the edibility of this herb. This valuable plant has a branchy creeping stem, along which there are multiple oblong leaves. The flowers are white and star-shaped.

The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. They have many useful components: vitamins A, C, E, iodine, potassium. The taste of the plant is absolutely neutral, so you can eat it both independently and as part of dishes and salads.

Characteristic

The list of medicinal plants of the Krasnodar Territory is quite impressive and hardly fits in one article. We will look at some of them with you.The species diversity of plants in any territory depends, of course, on many factors. But the main role in this is played by the climate, weather and the characteristics of the soil and air. Scientists have divided the entire territory of Russia into several climatic zones, but, despite this, many experts talk about the diversity of flora and fauna directly within this or that region. We will consider the medicinal plants of the Krasnodar Territory, which are characteristic of this territory, and describe the most common and famous plants.

It is believed that the Kuban has a fertile territory for the most diverse flora, including healing ones. So, in the Krasnodar Territory of medicinal plants (the name of some we provide a little below), there are about 160 species.

Quinoa

Quinoa
Many summer residents come across this grass every year. It can have a green or reddish tint. Its leaves are lanceolate or spear-shaped. Depending on the species, it can reach a height of 50 to 150 cm.

You can eat it fresh, or you can boil it in a little water. It is often used for the preparation of medicinal broths, as it contains a large amount of protein, fiber and organic acids.

Etruscan honeysuckle

The semi-evergreen shrub reaches a height of 5 m and is very different from the garden representatives. The leaves of honeysuckle are very thick and dense, round or dull. The shrub blooms beautifully: peduncles up to 4 cm long envelop the entire crown and appear on the sides. You can see this amazing picture in May and June, but wild honeysuckle bears fruit in September. It can grow in the form of a liana and a bush spread on the ground.

The number of honeysuckle is extremely small: in Lobanova Shchel there are up to 9 plants, and near the village of Yuzhnaya Ozerevka - up to 141. Also, over 290 shrubs have been registered on the Big Profile up to 2600 m long.

Burdock

Burdock large (burdock)
This plant is most often found in ditches, river armholes, forested areas and hollows. It is very easy to distinguish it: the trunk is thick and long, sometimes exceeding 1.5 m, the large leaves are heart-shaped, the inflorescences-baskets of purple color are covered with thorny needles.

Fresh leaves are often boiled in soups. But special attention is paid to the edible root of the plant. It can be eaten raw, or you can apply heat treatment, for example, bake in a fire. In structure, it is very similar to an ordinary potato.

Araucaria

This is a coniferous evergreen plant, its bark is flaky. It grows very slowly. Its branches are located horizontally, the crown is pyramidal. The leaves are subulate, light green, up to two centimeters long. Gives the interior design an elegant chic. Araucaria is unpretentious in care. Loves good lighting, but is afraid of direct sunlight. In the warm season, it requires abundant watering, and in winter, moisture must be reduced. Loves daily spraying.

On the subject: Tuna Pasta

Horse sorrel (wild sorrel)

Horse sorrel
Wild sorrel is an edible plant familiar to many. It is very similar to its small brother, the common sorrel. The difference lies in the size and structure of the leaves, which are much larger and stiffer in the equine species. The total plant height can reach two meters in height.

Due to the fact that the leaves are quite dense, they do not taste as good as the usual species, but they are quite edible. All parts of the plant are rich in tannins, essential oils, vitamins and trace elements. And if the root is better used for making decoctions, then the leaves and petioles can be eaten fresh, for example, as part of a vegetable salad.

It is often found in forest and forest-steppe zones, in meadows, and horse sorrel loves wet swampy areas.

Red Book

In 2007, the Red Book of the Krasnodar Territory was created, in which endangered species of animals and plants were entered.The initiators of the decision were the inhabitants of this area, who realized that the amazing beauty of the Kuban must not only be preserved, but also increased. Thanks to these caring people, it was possible to preserve everything in its original form. Consider some medicinal plants of the Krasnodar Territory listed in the Red Book:

• Spring adonis (adonis).
• Colchicum is magnificent.
• Sandy immortelle.
• The watch is three-leafed.
• Dioscorea Caucasian.
• Marsh cinquefoil.

To dream

To dream
Perennial plant of the umbrella family. On long, thin stems, there are a large number of oblong leaves. Depending on the location, this edible forest plant may have an umbrella of small white flowers on top. They appear in conditions of abundant sunlight. Prefers the territory of wastelands, deciduous forests, forest edges.

It is best to eat young shoots, leaves and petioles. They can be identified by their very light, almost transparent yellowish-green color. Before you start eating the plant, it must be boiled for at least 1-2 minutes. In this case, the skin must be removed from the stem. The cooked leaves are delicious with butter. It is very often added to soups.

Features of home cacti

These thorny plants are unusually tenacious, as they can be for a long time without watering and fertilizers. In winter, you don't need to water them at all. But cacti definitely need sunlight. There are many types of them. Home flowering cacti are covered with buds, as a rule, annually, but when they reach 3-4 years of age. This happens in the spring. But some species can delight with flowers at other times of the year.

For a cactus to bloom, it is necessary to create conditions close to natural for it. First of all, this concerns lighting and humidification. In the fall, you need to water less often. In winter, it is advisable to give up watering altogether. And start sprinkling with water only in March, resuming irrigation. In winter, the lighting should be dim, and the room where the cacti are kept cool. If the buds have already begun, this thorny houseplant should not be transplanted and fertilized.

Yarrow

Yarrow
A widespread perennial plant from the Asteraceae family. It is characterized by a long, straight stem, lanceolate leaves and small flowers of white or pink color, collected in a dense scutellum.

You can meet him almost everywhere: along paths and roads, in meadows, wastelands, in the forest zone. Shoots, leaves and flowers are eaten. Due to its bitter taste, it is usually consumed in dishes or dried as a seasoning.

Description and characteristics of the Umbrella family

Most are spicy herbs with alternate, feathery, split leaves that, when rubbed, release aromatic oils. Stipules are usually absent. Stems are grooved, with hollow internodes. The inflorescences are often in the form of an umbrella or a head with a flat top, consisting of several flowers. The flowers themselves are usually small, mostly bisexual, actinomorphic. Each of them has five small but distinct sepals, five petals and an enlarged center. Attractive melliferous inflorescences are often visited by ants and other small insects. Fruits in the form of a droplet consist of two parts, which disintegrate at the end of the ripening period.

Medunitsa (pulmonaria)

Lungwort
This beautiful useful plant prefers to grow in clearings, forest edges and in forest ravines. You can recognize it by the large number of blue-red flowers wrapped in wide ovoid leaves with a rough surface.

You can eat raw lungwort without fear.It is very useful because it contains ascorbic acid, silver, carotene, saponins, tannins. For this purpose, only the ground part of the flower is used. Leaves and stems make a great addition to soup or fresh salad.

Valerian

Perennial medicinal plant, blooms with small white-pink flowers, which are collected in panicles. The roots are yellowish-brown in color. Valerian blooms in early summer and ends in September. In medicine, it is customary to use the root of the flower. This plant is harvested in spring or autumn. The root is carefully dug up, then washed and dried in a ventilated area. Preparations made on the basis of valerian have a sedative and antispasmodic effect.

Valerian infusions are taken for migraines, tantrums, insomnia, pain in the stomach and intestines. It also has a carminative effect and improves digestion. This medicinal plant helps with strong feelings, pain in the heart, has a positive effect on the heart muscles and soothes the nervous system.

Asparagus

Asparagus
Wild asparagus is slightly different from store-bought asparagus, with a thinner stem, but generally recognizable. The forest plant has a bright red edible fruit. They ripen only by September, but if there is a need to eat something in natural conditions, then it's not scary, the stems, root and shoots of asparagus are also edible. You can eat them raw, but if possible, it is better to boil them for a few minutes.

Mineral salts, saponin, essential oils are all found in wild asparagus.

Dull-leaved pistachio

The tree, whose height reaches 10 m, has a beautiful and dense crown of an ash-green hue. By autumn, the foliage turns red, beautifying the area in which the pistachio grows. The main feature of this tree is the unusual aroma of resin during the period of ovary of the first leaves before dropping the crown.

The pistachio begins to bloom in May, and the first fruits are formed in July or August. Nuts appear 8 years after planting. This amazing tree can be 1000 years old. By the age of 125, its height reaches 5 m.

In the region of the Vodopadnaya Shchel, a pistachio-juniper woodland was discovered, in which up to 70 plants grow, ranging from several years to centuries old. In other regions, pistachio trees are found in smaller numbers.

Brief information from the botany section

The Umbrella family, the characteristics of which are discussed in this section, mainly consists of perennial grasses. However, a small number of shrubs are found. Plants are easily identified by their characteristic inflorescences of small white, yellow, pink or blue flowers. The inflorescence umbrellas can be simple or complex. The flowers in them are regular, bisexual, with a barely noticeable calyx. Most often, the corolla of a flower has 5 petals. The flower contains 5 stamens and a pistil. The nectar, which attracts insects for pollination, is released by a protruding disc at the base of the column.

The fruit of all representatives is a bipartite achene. When ripe, it is held for a long time on an elongated thread, which grows as an extension of the peduncle. Botanists call it a droop. The walls of the fruit are often filled with essential oils.

The leaves are in most cases pinnately dissected, with a swollen lower part covering the stem like a groove.

Poisonous oak

This beautiful shrub with almost glossy leaves saturated with sap belongs to the genus toxicodendrons - "toxic trees", if this name is literally translated from Latin.

Its leaves and stems contain urushiol oil Allergies to Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac. It irritates the skin and can cause severe allergies - an itchy, red rash with bumps and blisters.

According to experts from the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), severe reactions even require POISONOUS PLANTS urgent medical attention.

Root system of legumes

Legumes include well-known beans, peas, peanuts, chickpeas, beans. There are woody forms - acacia, mimosa. Herbs - clover, lupine. They are found both in the wild and in gardeners' gardens. Cultivation is also practiced on an industrial scale. The root system of legumes is pivotal. Most of them have small tubers on the roots, which are formed as a result of the activity of bacteria that penetrate the roots from the soil. These bacteria use nitrogen and convert it into minerals that other plants feed on. Therefore, legumes are useful to plant next to other plants. After the death of the plant, the soil is saturated with nitrogen and more fertile.

Types of root systems in plants

The roots of the plants did not appear immediately. Plants have gone through an evolutionary path, as a result of which they acquired roots. Algae do not have roots, since they live in water and they do not need roots. The first plants that took root on the ground did not have roots, but the so-called resoids, which served only for anchoring in the soil. Now resoids have some types of mosses. The root is the main part of the entire plant system. It keeps the plant in the ground. Throughout its life, the root provides moisture and nutrition. Root development depends on climatic conditions. For example, many desert plants have a long root to extract water.

There are two types of root systems - pivotal and root.

In the tap root system, the main root is pronounced, thicker, lateral roots extend from it.

The fibrous root system is characterized by the absence of the main root, growth occurs due to the lateral and adventitious roots, does not penetrate into the ground as deeply as the pivotal one.

All horse systems consist of

• main root
• lateral roots
• adventitious roots

All of these roots form a root system that forms throughout the life of the plant. The main root develops from the embryo, which grows vertically in the ground. Lateral roots extend from it.

Root system of berry bushes

Berry bushes play a special role in fruit orchards. Knowledge of the structure of their root system and proper care ensure a good harvest. Their main difference from trees is the absence of a trunk. Dozens of branches branch off from the roots, which give a crop. The roots do not lie deep, their horizontal arrangement is characteristic. When digging a near-trunk circle, you need to carefully work with a shovel to avoid touching the roots.

Kislitsa

One of the few plants that does not have a stem. Its green leaves, which closely resemble clover, extend directly from the root. It can be found mainly in forests, especially in dark places, for example, under the trunks of fir trees.

The most important advantage of acid is a high content of vitamin C. Along with it, the plant contains organic acids and carotene. You can eat its leaves raw to seize hunger if necessary, or you can simply chew them to quench your thirst due to the secreted juice. At home, sour cherry is added to cabbage soup, soups, salads and even brewed like tea.

Lumbago (sleep-grass)

Another relative of the seemingly harmless, but predatory buttercup. Its juice contains poisonous alkaloids that cause inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes. Therefore, it is advisable to tear such flowers with gloves.

The medicinal properties of the herb of the penny

The medicinal properties of the penny are influenced by the constituent elements:

• xanthines;
• tannins;
• flavonoids;
• polysaccharides;
• retinol;
• phytoestrogens;
• pectin;
• starch.

Flavonoids, in particular catechins, are characterized by the fact that they help to remove harmful substances and heavy metals from the human body.They also strengthen, and most importantly, they reincarnate the walls of the capillaries and neutralize free radicals.

Also, the penny can also be used as a melliferous, fodder or ornamental plant.

Sergibus - chemical composition

The aerial part of Sergibis contains many useful substances:

• ascorbic acid;
• rutin;
• fiber;
• proteins; proteins;
• acids - linoleic, linolenic, oleic, palmitic, arachidic, stearic, palmitoleic;
• trace elements - Mg, Cu, Fe, B, K, Mo, Ni, Ti;
• mustard essential oil.

In terms of nutritional value, Sverbiga is equal to peas and beans. And the mustard oil contained in this plant is the cause of the slight bitterness in the stems.

Poisonous twin

In nature, there are a lot of plants similar to the prickly tartar. So, almost every medicinal herb or edible mushroom has a poisonous counterpart. To avoid sad consequences, it is important to learn to distinguish between them. Basurman herb is often called thistle or thistle. This is not only a fallacy, but a dangerous delusion. Basically, some similarities are confusing. This is not surprising: the thistle and tartar belong to the Asteraceae family and have similar features. However, these are completely different plants with dissimilar properties. To understand this, it is enough to make a comparative characteristic.

Spurge

All sorts of species of this huge genus of plants are sometimes very different from each other: some look like wildflowers, others like cacti ... One thing unites all representatives: the caustic milky juice, which gave the genus its name.

This juice is toxic Keratouveitis caused by Euphorbia plant sap. It leaves burns on the skin, and once on the mucous membrane of the eye, it causes a sharp burning sensation and temporary blindness. Later, symptoms such as fever, malaise and swelling may appear.

Why is Sergibus useful? - Wildlife

Comments display order: Default New first Old first 0 Alain_Delon 05/16/2017 left a comment: Sverbiga, or Sergibus - lat. Bunias is a biennial thick-rooted herb that is most commonly referred to as meadow radish or wild radish. It tastes as bitter as a regular radish. Family Cabbage (lat. Brassicáceae), previously the family was called Cruciferous (Cruciferae). Sverbigi herb contains: vitamin C, rutin, fiber, proteins, proteins, linolenic, linoleic, oleic, palmitic, arachidic, stearic, palmitoleic acids; trace elements - manganese, copper, iron, boron, phosphorus, potassium, molybdenum, nickel, titanium. Nutritional value is equal to legumes. The mustard essential oil contained in sverbyg gives it a slightly pungent taste, reminiscent of both the taste of a young cabbage leaf and a radish. Traditional medicine uses sverbigu at high blood pressure, to strengthen capillaries and larger vessels, sverbigu is used as an antiscorbutic agent and to expel ascaris worms. In some countries, such as England, sverbyga is grown as a salad plant and eaten young peeled stems. Like No Reply Spam 0 Lussi left a comment on 05/16/2017: You probably met this wild plant, because it grows everywhere and during the flowering period attracts the eye with bright yellow islets in meadows, fields, roads and villages. During growth, the sverbig can reach a height of one and a half meters. The trunk is very noticeable, it is covered with barely noticeable black warts and hairs. The lower leaves have a peculiar shape in the form of a lyre. Those that envelop the plant from above are serrated, rough to the touch. The inflorescences are bright yellow, intertwined in baskets. Every year, the weed plant blooms all summer. When the fruits ripen in the form of a pod, they can be found in seeds in the form of a snail, yellow-brown in color. The plant belongs to the cruciferous family. People call it wild radish. Why is sverbig useful? Let's pay attention to its composition in order to determine how useful this weed medicinal plant is. It contains: • salts of many microelements necessary for the body, from iron to titanium. • shock amount of vitamin C • protein • fats • essential oil. For what diseases is it necessary to include the medicinal plant sverbig in the diet? • diabetes mellitus • allergy • anemia • scurvy • diabetic periodontal disease • radiation injury • atherosclerosis • polyneuritis Like No Reply Spam

Botanical description [edit | edit code]

A biennial herbaceous thorny plant that can grow up to 200 cm.

The stem is erect, winged, cobweb-woolly, branched in the upper part. Wings up to 1.5 cm wide, irregularly elliptic along the edge with protruding long (3-6 mm) needle-shaped yellow spines.

Leaves are alternate, sessile, descending, seroputty on both sides, 12-30 cm long, decreasing towards the top of the stem. The lower leaves are elliptical, pinnately lobed, with wide triangular toothed lobes; upper leaves lanceolate or oblong; basal leaves taper towards the base, turning into a petiole.

Flowers are tubular, bisexual. Calyx in the form of a tuft of hairs. Corolla purple with five deeply divided lobes. Stamens (including five) with anthers fused into a tube. Pistil with unilocular lower ovary. Flowers are collected in spherical baskets 3-5 cm wide, with 1-3 baskets at the tops of the stem and lateral shoots. The envelope of the basket is flattened, jugular, at first cobweb, then naked, with green leaves, ciliate along the edges, ovate at the base, subulate-narrowed at the apex with a strong yellow tip. The outer leaves are bent downward. The common bed of the basket is pitted, the pits are jagged along the edges.

Water in plant life

Water plays an important role in the life of every plant.

• Plants are 80 percent water
• Delivers food to other parts of the plant
• Regulates heat transfer
• A source of hydrogen for photosynthesis.
• Provides firmness to the leaves

Considering all the factors of the role of water, its absence will ensure the death of the plant. The entry of water into the plant's body comes from the roots, the evaporation of water occurs through the leaves. The meaning of such a water cycle is metabolism. If the uptake of water by the roots is less than its input through the leaves, the plant wilts. Water replenishment occurs at night, as evaporation is reduced.

Water exchange takes place in three stages:

1. The roots absorb water.
2. The water is moving towards the top.
3. The water evaporates through the leaves.

Water absorption and evaporation are approximately the same. Only a small percentage of it synthesizes substances.

Description of the species

Umbrella, or Celery, belong to the class of Dicotyledons. Usually these are perennial grasses, less often small shrubs and trees are found. In total, there are more than 3 thousand species and more than 300 genera of these herbs, which are distributed throughout the earth's surface.

Umbelliferae usually prefer a temperate or subtropical climate, so a large number of them grow in Europe, Asia and America. Also, these perennials grow in tropical countries, but mainly in mountainous areas.

Did you know? Scientists believe that plants not only know how to feel and remember, but are also endowed with intelligence. They also know how to communicate with each other and even with other living beings. The researchers also claim that plants are good at distinguishing colors and can tremble with fear.

The stems of the described plants are hollow, with simple alternate dissected leaves, flowers are usually small or small, regular shapes and both sexes. It is the flowers that distinguish this family of herbs, since they have easily recognizable heads, or umbrellas.

The color of the flowers is usually white, but sometimes delicate pink, pale yellow and blue are found. All aboveground and underground parts are distinguished by the content of essential oils and resins.

What the root system does

As mentioned above, the root is the main part of the plant that provides nutrition and growth. From the roots, water and nutrients move upward to the stems and leaves. To properly care for a particular plant, you need to know its features and growing conditions. If you properly water and feed trees, shrubs, garden plants and flowers, success in growing is guaranteed.

The mangrove tree has roots called stilted roots. They absorb moisture from the atmosphere and are able to resist breaking waves.

Buttercup

The name sounds gentle, even touching, but this plant is only externally a flower (yes, yellow, beautiful). Berries start after contact.

BUTTERCUP's poisonous buttercup juice causes severe skin irritation - with itching and blisters. Once in the mouth and nose, the pollen of the flower provokes coughing and spasms of the larynx.

So collecting buttercup bouquets and smelling them is absolutely not worth it.

How to properly water fruit trees and shrubs, depending on the root system

The vital activity of plants directly depends on watering. Young plants especially need watering, which need to be watered once a week, except on rainy days. Water deficiency can be detrimental to the appearance and health of plants. Ultimately, they may die.

When planting, it is necessary to take into account how close the groundwater is located in the ground - a shallow occurrence will destroy the roots, they can rot.

There are three types of irrigation - sprinkler irrigation, root irrigation and soil irrigation. When choosing watering, you need to take into account many factors - climatic conditions, weather, plant characteristics, soil.

Plants with a rod system can extract water deep underground. The fibrous one does not have such an opportunity. In addition, garden plants such as carrots and beets have a rod system and a powerful root that stores food and moisture in case of drought.

What you need to do to strengthen the root system of a plant

Since the root system plays a large role in the life of plants, it is important to monitor its correct development. There are many ways for roots to grow and develop. They are subdivided into phytohormones - extract from plants, humates - extract from humus, improved by additives. and natural - folk remedies.

Popular among gardeners - root, kornerost, heteroauxin, pollen, ovosil.

Epin - has a positive effect on all parts of the plant.

Folk remedies are also widely used to strengthen the roots of plants. This is honey, yeast, aloe.

There is a close relationship between the root system and part of the aboveground plant. Optimal root nutrition leads to the development of a successful plant.

Eastern swerbiga: description, useful properties, application

Eastern swerbiga is a forage melliferous crop with unique characteristics and properties. This is a perennial, less often two-year, plant of the cabbage family, many of its popular names are known: jaundice, chicken doze, wild radish, redwood, field horseradish or field mustard, fierce. It has a bitter taste. It can be distinguished by the appearance of a straight, at first not branched, juicy, tender, with soft short warts, which then turn into coarse nodules, a coarse, rough, branched and rather strong stem, reaching one and a half meters in height. The upper leaves of the sverbig are lanceolate, the base of the middle ones looks like a spear, and the lower leaves are ply-shaped. Its flowers have a strong attractive scent and bright yellow color, attract bees, and are honey-bearing. Sverbige is characterized by winter hardiness, it begins to grow early, and bloom in May, continues the flowering process in June and July, increasing its productivity every year.

Chemical composition

The chemical composition of the oriental sverbigu makes it a biologically valuable plant. What is missing in its young greenery:

• 26% protein
• 16% fiber
• 10% fatty oil
• proteins,
• extractive substances, not containing nitrogen,
• essential oils.

Salted sverbigi paste, which can be stored for six months, contains 16% vitamin C, and freshly picked herbs contain all 58%.
Eastern sverbig seeds contain from 10 to 30% fatty oil, which includes various acids: 52% linolenic, almost 24% linoleic, 13% - oleic, 4% - palmitic, almost 4% - arachinic, 2% - stearic, 1 % - palmitoleic. In its aerial parts, sverbyga contains rutin, glucosinolates, and flavonoids.

Scientists engaged in the study of this culture have found in one of its dry kilograms of iron (214 mg), copper (8 mg), manganese (27 mg), titanium (50 mg), molybdenum (almost 6 mg), boron ( 20 mg) as well as nickel. Naturally, the greens contain much more of all these trace elements. All this composition says only one thing: the eastern sverbiga is extremely useful and valuable for living organisms.

What is useful

Eastern swerbiga is an extremely useful plant not only for people, but also for animals. It is highly valued in medicine and is used for the purpose of general strengthening of the body, relieving inflammation, destroying worms and preventing scurvy. It is an excellent culinary product as a dressing for first courses, an important component of salads, seasoning for fish and meat.

In many countries, it is grown as a special valuable animal feed, because it is a rather unpretentious early growing crop that can be put into excellent and high-quality silage due to the high sugar capacity in the sverbig.

Livestock can also graze on fresh aftermath. Birds and other animals eat this plant with great pleasure, significantly saving their owners' money on the purchase of vitamin supplements that complement the main diet, because the sverbig contains almost all the necessary nutrients and minerals.

Although this crop is so rich in nutrients, it is still inferior as livestock feed to legumes and grains. In Germany, it has long been cultivated as the best animal feed. In agriculture, cultivating oriental sverbig is a very profitable business, because it multiplies in huge quantities on completely different soils, without being exposed to any pests and diseases.

And an even better harvest can be achieved if at least a little mineral fertilizer is applied to the land where the crop will grow, for example, one kilogram of nitrogen fertilizers will make it possible to get up to 18 kg of dry sverbig, which is about 120 kg of green mass.

The perennial not quite traditional oriental sverbigu, containing a high level of proteins, simply needs to be grown along with more familiar crops, because its introduction into the animal's diet makes it possible to enrich its body, and, accordingly, the human body, with the necessary microelements.

The content of useful fiber and the necessary protein in it is close to that of alfalfa, and the content of units intended as best as possible for feeding livestock is the highest among all plants used for this purpose. Also, the eastern sverbiga is a wonderful honey plant. Thanks to the beautiful bright flowers, the attractive smell and the long flowering time of up to fifty days, the bees always flock with pleasure to the sverbig. This happens most actively in the early morning, but also throughout the day, regardless of the weather. The honey is delicious and very healthy.

Where grows

The very light-loving oriental sverbiga grows in fields, valleys, meadows, in open areas of the forest, in steppe zones, near roads.

It spread in Ukraine, in many regions of Russia, in Siberia, today the area of ​​its distribution has covered almost all of Europe (France, England, Germany and other countries), part of Northeast China, some eastern regions of Canada (discovered in 1944) and the United States (discovered in 1958).It has grown significantly in the Urals, grows there in many places as a weed, as well as in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Scientists suggest that the original location of the eastern sverbigi is the Armenian Highlands. Its bright yellow inflorescences look beautiful and attractive against any background.

Collection and procurement of raw materials

For medical purposes, the eastern sverbigu is used completely. Leaves are harvested in the spring; when it blooms - flowers and grass; autumn is the best time to dig up roots; the seeds are harvested as they form. Only the roots of first-year plants are suitable for collection, they, like seeds, can be preserved for three years, leaves and grass are saved for no more than one year.

Important! Eastern swerbiga, easily multiplying, can quickly form significant thickets.

Traditional medicine recipes

Eastern Sverbiga has excellent medicinal properties. The possibilities of using it for medical purposes are wide enough. First of all, it is used as an antihelminthic and anti-scurvy agent. It also has anti-inflammatory and tonic properties. Funds based on sverbigi are recommended to be taken in case of anemia, scurvy, lack of vitamins, feeling of weakness, decreased immunity, high sugar levels, metabolic disorders, polyneuritis, atherosclerosis, poor appetite, melanoma, periodontal disease and other diseases. They help even with radiation injury.

Tap root plants

In plants with a rod system, the root consists of a rod-root and lateral roots extending from it.

These plants adapt to getting water from the depths of the earth. The main root of some plants can extend into the ground for several tens of meters. In arid regions or in conditions when there is little rainfall, the plants are characterized by a pivotal root system. For example, carrots have a thick main root in which they store moisture and nutrients in preparation for what may be a rainless summer. Beets, radishes, radishes, parsley root - the root system is the same. This adaptation of the roots increases the plant's chances of survival. Carrots can be planted in winter, they survive due to their thick roots.

Pine

Cypress

The benefits and harms of plants

Some of the representatives of the umbrella can be of great benefit, and some can harm the body. These plants are often used in the treatment of various diseases and are prized for their high content of essential oils such as anise, coriander or fennel.

Important! Although plants are poisonous, they are included in some medications for their medicinal properties. But unauthorized use of food or treatment with them is strictly prohibited, it can be life-threatening!

Many of them have antispasmodic and antiseptic properties, are part of not only medicinal, but also tonic preparations, help cleanse and increase the body's resistance.

Of course, there are also quite dangerous herbs of the family, the careless use of which threatens not only poisoning the body, but also other sad consequences. The most poisonous are hemlock, coquine and milestones.

Poisonous plants are also: buttercup anemone, blue poppy meconopsis, larkspur, arisema, carissa, toadflax, raven eye, belladonna, soft bedstraw and red elderberry.