At present, the Indian onion is becoming more and more popular as an ornamental plant, the medicinal properties of which have been known since ancient times, and today they are confirmed by scientific research. The correct name for Indian onions is poultry. This flower belongs to the asparagus family, it is found in the Mediterranean, and in Asia, and in South Africa, and in North America. It first appeared in the Soviet Union in 1961. This fact is documented, since it was at this time that the Leningrad Botanical Garden received planting material. Since then, many of the properties of this plant have been studied, but some of them have not yet been explained. That is why it must be used with caution.
Features of planting and growing
Indian bow (Ornithogalum caudatum) planted in the following earthen mixture: sand, coal, turf and leaf land. The plant thrives in plastic pots. He needs good lighting.
At the time of planting, the Indian onion is only half deep. If the bulb is large, it should only touch the ground slightly. The transplant does not harm the plant.
Keep an Indian bow on the northeastern and northern windows. The root system is powerful, so no fertilization is required. The transplant is performed once every few years. To do this, the children are simply separated from the mother plant and transplanted together with the roots into another pot.
With fungal diseases
To prepare the medicine, you will need juice from the leaves of Indian onions. It is thoroughly mixed with petroleum jelly in a ratio of 1: 3. For better mixing, you can preheat the petroleum jelly in a water bath.
The shelf life of the resulting ointment is no more than one week. The tool is used to treat nails and skin affected by the fungus. A bandage is left on top.
Indian onion care
Indian onions do not require careful maintenance. If you put it on the north window, it will grow very well. It is recommended to lightly shade the plant.
In the summer, watering is done often, the soil can dry out. Fertilizers can be used in different ways. In summer, you can see the leaves dry out slightly. There is nothing wrong, in the spring you can prune and onion growth will continue.
What is it?
Ornithogalum, Indian onion, poultry farm. It is a perennial plant from the asparagus family. South America is considered his homeland. It is known that ornithogalum was brought to the Soviet Union (Leningrad Botanical Institute) from Germany. Why, then, is the healing Indian onion? The name was given due to the association of the taste of the pungent milky sap of the plant with Indian hot spices. Geographical origin was nothing to do with it.
It is an ornamental plant with a stem that takes the shape of a bulb where it grows from the soil. Its leaves are long and flat, dark green in color with a yellow stripe in the center. As they grow, they change their location - they go down and curl at the tips. Healing Indian bow gives an arrow with white or cream-colored inflorescences.
This plant can be grown both in greenhouses and in residential premises, at home. The birdhouse is quite unpretentious - it feels great both on the windows and in the back of the room.Watering is needed moderately - as the top layer of the soil dries up. In summer, it is better to take the plant out into fresh air, in direct sunlight, or plant it in open ground.
Photo gallery
To stimulate hair growth
In this case, the juice of the leaves of Indian onions is mixed with water in a 1: 3 ratio. The resulting solution is rinsed hair, after which they are wrapped with a protective film. It is necessary to wrap the top with a towel, warm scarf or shawl - to create a "greenhouse effect". It enhances the action of the active components of the plant. After 40 minutes, the composition is thoroughly washed off the scalp and hair.
Reproduction methods
The birdhouse is propagated in different ways. There are three main ones:
- dividing the onion;
- separation of children from an adult bush;
- sowing seeds.
All of the presented methods deserve attention, but the separation of children is the most effective. The splitting process takes place in the autumn. Even if there are no roots on them, after 2 weeks each plant will have its own root system.
With angina
The drug is prepared with the following calculation: for one average leaf of the poultry farm - 10 parts of vodka. The greens of the plant are thoroughly crushed. Then the mass is placed in a glass container, tamped. From above it is poured with vodka.
The composition is insisted in a dark place for 2 weeks. When ready, it is filtered. Compresses are made with tincture, which are applied to the throat. The maximum treatment time here is 10 minutes. It is strictly forbidden to carry out more than two procedures in a row!
Healing properties
Indian onions differ in that absolutely all parts are useful in it. But this feature is characteristic only when the plant reaches 2 years or more. The maximum effect is observed during flowering, but the medicinal properties of Indian onions are preserved both in the leaves and in the bulb. After the arrows of the plant reach 20 cm, they should be broken off, as the nutrients from the bulb begin to leave. The mucus secreted by the arrows also has healing characteristics. The juice is colorless, odorless.
How to use the beneficial properties of the plant? There are several options:
- You can make a tincture from the Indian onion plant. It is used externally or internally. The tincture has a great effect on cardiac activity, gives strength. Method of application: 3 times a day half an hour before meals. Take 1 spoon of juice and dilute with 3 tablespoons of water.
- The medicinal properties of the poultry farm help even with chronic radiculitis. The method of application is very simple: take a piece of paper and rub it on the lower back. Then a woolen scarf is tied around it. The strongest burning sensation is usually observed. But after 10 minutes, the pain subsides.
- Indian onions are a good antiseptic. The substances contained in the leaves contribute to the flow of blood to the diseased parts of the body.
- You can use not only adult Indian onions, but also small onions, as well as their sprouts. Leaves are taken from a large bulb, they must be large. Pruning is good for plant development.
- It is worth highlighting the use of onion juice for the treatment of fungal skin diseases.
- To cure rheumatoid arthritis, you can take baths with pine needle and onion extracts. The extract is prepared as follows: take pine cones and branches, boil them for half an hour, wait 12 hours. Then pour half a glass of alcoholic tincture of Indian onions into the broth. One bath should contain one and a half liters of extract.
We also invite you to learn about the beneficial properties and rules of growing aconite by reading the corresponding article on our website.
Description and chemical composition
This plant reaches a height of 30-85 cm, it all depends on the conditions in which it is grown. Its bulbs are ovoid.In some countries, they are eaten fried, and sprouts are used in place of asparagus beans. The roots of the plant do not die off, just a process of their gradual replacement takes place.
The bulb of this plant is interesting in its own way and is sometimes also used for medicinal purposes. It looks like an ordinary onion, but differs from it in a beautiful green tint. The poultry bulb is also covered with husks, but it is not golden, but has a lighter brown, sometimes white tint. And she lives longer than ordinary onions (up to 30 years).
The leaves of the plant seem inconspicuous, although they are mainly used in folk medicine.
The birdhouse blooms very beautifully. Each flower resembles a star. It is interesting that in other languages the name of the plant emphasizes this similarity. So, in German it is milchsterne, that is, milk stars, and from English its name is translated as Bethlehem stars. The lush inflorescences of this plant are a bit like a hyacinth in shape. This inflorescence is covered with small flowers with delicate petals, and they open up from the bottom up, and it looks very beautiful, although in between flowering, Indian onions may even seem dull.
Indian bow
This flower is used in folk medicine as part of various remedies. In this case, both the leaves and the bulbs of the plant are used. The healing properties of Indian onions are due to their chemical composition. It includes glycosides, flavonoids, which have an antioxidant effect, and organic acids. It also contains alkaloids. First of all, it is colchicine. This compound has certain analgesic effects. This alkaloid is widely used in pharmaceuticals. The analgesic effect rendered by it has become the reason that on the basis of colchicine they make drugs for the treatment of gout. It is used in the treatment of amyloidosis (the so-called violation of protein metabolism).
Indian onion leaves contain glycoalkaloids (a type of saponins that are glycosides of nitrogen-containing steroid alkaloids). For plants, these substances are important in that they protect them from pathogens and increase their resistance to stress. Paradoxically, they are useful for people with the same properties. For medicinal purposes, it is important that they have a wide spectrum of action (hemolytic, antimicrobial, fungicidal). Saponins are antioxidants, meaning they have a rejuvenating effect. Finally, Indian onion leaves contain essential oils and other alkaloids.
Scientists have found that this plant contains phytoncides similar to those found in garlic. They have a pronounced disinfecting effect, but they irritate the skin and can cause burns.
Decorativeness of the plant
Many people know about the use of Indian onions as a medicine. In this case, the plant can also act as an ornamental culture.
Florists are interested in the plant and use it to decorate various compositions. Moreover, onions are also used in Feng Shui. It is believed that he is able to attract love and harmony to the family. Also, the tailed birdhouse contributes to career advancement, is a symbol of energy, curiosity.
With skin rashes
We have already examined the photos of Indian onions and the medicinal properties of the plant. I would like to tell you about its benefits in the fight against various skin rashes - acne, boils, pimples.
Here the leaves of the plant are finely crushed to a state of gruel. Then the composition is applied to the affected skin area, covered with a napkin on top. The procedure lasts no more than 5 minutes. As soon as an intense burning sensation appears, it must be stopped.
Tips & Tricks
- Despite all the benefits of the plant, there are a number of contraindications.So, juice in its pure form cannot be consumed, since it is poisonous.
- The plant has not yet been fully studied by medicine. However, there are many positive reviews from those people who have already been helped by onion remedies.
- Do not let the juice get into your eyes. If the trouble still occurs, the eyes are thoroughly washed with water and 2 drops of taufon are instilled. Then you need to wait 10 minutes.
- Preparations are made with rubber gloves, otherwise allergic reactions may occur.
- Intensive rubbing of the juice into the skin may cause burns. You can get rid of them with olive oil.
- If there is increased bleeding of the gums, the sap of the plant should not be used.
- Funds from the poultry farm are contraindicated for use in people with hemophilia.
Use in traditional medicine
If Indian onions are grown in the house, its use in traditional medicine is a topical issue. Indeed, in this case, an antiviral agent grows right on the windowsill, and a rather powerful one. The juice of this plant, leaves, even a bulb have healing properties. But you need to be especially careful with it, because it contains potentially dangerous substances; some housewives use this part of the plant to bait small rodents like rats.
May be poisonous to rodents
Homemade preparations based on Indian onions are ointments, decoctions and tinctures, but you can also use pure milky juice. Sometimes this plant is combined with various essential oils.
In folk medicine, plants are mainly used that have reached 2 years of age, since it is believed that only by this time they are gaining strength. If the Indian onion is grown for medicinal purposes from the very beginning, then its peduncles must be removed so that the concentration of these compounds reaches a maximum.
Indian onion is a perennial that has proven to be effective in treating various diseases, including:
- vascular pathologies (varicose veins, hemorrhoids);
- diseases of the spine and joints (osteochondrosis, arthrosis, radiculitis);
- diabetes mellitus and endocrine disorders;
- tumors of various origins and nature;
- papillomatosis and fungal diseases.
Poultry-based products help in the treatment of abscesses and boils. The leaves of the plant have an analgesic effect, so the broth is often used in the treatment of toothaches and migraines.
Indian onion tincture (video)
It will not be difficult to grow a poultry farm, it is unpretentious, planting is very simple. All parts of the plant are used for treatment. Juice gives the greatest effect. You must act carefully, otherwise there is a risk of burns or an allergic reaction. Be sure to dilute the juice. Reproduction takes place in 3 ways. The simplest of them is the separation of children. New plants quickly root and grow.
Onions are not a panacea: not forgetting about "safety measures"
Indian bow is able to cope with many ailments. But it is worth remembering that he may have contraindications, which have not yet been properly studied. Therefore, we pay attention to:
Growing Indian onions
- swelling, puffiness and other unpleasant symptoms on the skin in the case of rubbing milk. The procedures should be stopped, rinse the sore spot with water;
- allergic reactions associated with individual intolerance to plant components;
- own general well-being.
Only by listening to your body can you understand how the Indian onion acts on the disease. Understand and continue an easy and inexpensive treatment by using a medicinal plant as an alternative or supportive medical treatment option. It remains only to make an ointment or tincture - and rub into problem areas. And always be healthy!
Agrotechnics
Reproduction of Indian onions
There are three ways to propagate Indian onions:
- seeds;
- children;
- dividing an adult bulb.
Reproduction by bulbous babies is recognized as the simplest and most effective. After the plant has stopped blooming, up to two dozen children are formed on it. As they grow, they separate and tear the skin of the mother bulb. Initially, they may look like small bumps, but very soon they become like small sprouts. You can immediately plant them in moist soil, or you can wait until they take root in a pot with a mother bulb.
Read also: Onion-batun - description with photo; growing and care; benefit and harm; recipes
The propagation of Indian onions by seeds is also very common. Only in order to obtain seed that can give seedlings, the inflorescences must be pollinated. If the plant is grown as an ordinary indoor flower, then it is impossible to collect full-fledged seeds from it. Some hobbyists resort to artificial pollination techniques. To do this, gently touch all flowers with a brush, aged from one year and older. You can take the pot out to the balcony or outside for a warm period so that pollinating insects have access to it. As soon as the seed pod is completely dry, the seed can be collected from it and planted in open ground. The seeds are distinguished by good germination and produce a large number of small bulbs.
Less common is the way of dividing an adult bulb. They rarely resort to using it. To do this, the tuber is divided in half, planted in separate pots and two independent flowers are obtained.
Sowing Indian onions by seeds
Only seeds of pollinated onions are used for reproduction. They are sown in spring or summer. Previously, in order to activate, the inoculum is kept in the refrigerator for 4 months.
A universal fertile substrate is poured into the box. You can cook it yourself, using peat and perlite in equal proportions for this. Grooves are made and Indian onion seeds are sown to a depth of 1.5 cm. Sprinkle lightly on top with earth and water with a spray bottle. Seed germination takes a long time, within six months, and sometimes even 8 months. As soon as 3-4 leaves appear on the plants, they are transplanted into separate pots. The composition of the soil must include river or sea sand, leaf and sod land.
Planting young bulbs
You can grow Indian onions using the young bulbs formed after flowering. It is allowed to plant them not only in pots, but also in open ground. Only this method has certain features. The poultry farmer does not tolerate even a slight drop in temperature to negative values. Therefore, if in the spring the bulbs are planted in the garden, then in the fall they will still have to be moved indoors. There are no special problems with this, the plant tolerates transplantation very well.
Onions are transplanted into open ground
Planting bulbs in open ground is carried out when the threat of night frost has completely passed. Indian onions are not picky about the soil, but they do not tolerate too acidic soil or wetlands. You can plant it not only in a sunny place, but also in partial shade. In the fall, the bulbous bush, along with a lump of earth, is transplanted into a pot and brought into the room.
Indian onion care
Indian onion is recognized as one of the most unpretentious and undemanding plants. However, he still needs some care. The poultry garden does not tolerate excess moisture in the soil, therefore watering should be moderate. This is especially true for the winter period. Irrigation is carried out only when the topsoil is completely dry. The number of waterings begins to be reduced from the beginning of July, when the plant sheds foliage.
You can grow Indian onions both in a sunny and well-lit place, and in partial shade. Only he does not tolerate direct sunlight, which can cause burns on the leaves. In summer, when the air in the room is dry, the leaves of the poultry yard should be sprayed with warm water in the morning. The rest of the time, they are wiped with a damp cloth, thus eliminating dust that slows down the processes of photosynthesis.
Wipe clean with a damp cloth
Nature has decreed that the Indian onion cannot withstand low temperatures. The optimal mode for him is + 20 ° С. If the mark of the thermometer moves below this indicator, then the poultry farm drops the leaves or folds them.
From March to August, every month you need to feed Indian onions using an infusion of wood ash. You can prepare it using 1 tablespoon of ash per 1 liter of water. Infuse the resulting mixture for a week, stirring occasionally. Such fertilization can be alternated with complex mineral fertilizing. The use of a weak solution of potassium permanganate is also beneficial.
Attention! In winter, there is no need to fertilize and feed Indian onions.
In order for the flowering to be beautiful and lush, the poultry farm must be transplanted into a new land every couple of years. For this, a pot is used, the distance between the onion and the walls of which is no more than 2 cm. It is better to use ceramic dishes, since they have an impressive weight and are difficult to knock over to a powerful Indian bow.
Harvesting
Harvesting Indian onions consists in pruning the leaves, which will later be used to prepare medicinal infusions. Our ancestors also noticed that it is better to carry out this procedure on certain days. As a rule, all actions are performed with the growing moon at noon. It is believed that at this time the plant has the greatest healing power.
Many beliefs and legends are associated with Indian onions, therefore, harvesting often becomes similar to some kind of ceremony. For example, someone reads a prayer before cutting the leaves, someone washes their hands thoroughly the day before and heals the blade of a knife with which the leaves will be cut. Modern man is not inclined to believe in such sacraments, but some traditions are still preserved at the present time. The cut leaves are recommended to be used immediately for the preparation of the tincture. Drying raw materials is not worth it, since most of the beneficial properties will disappear.
Growing at home
Indian onions are adapted to indoor conditions. Flower care is simple and involves a minimum of operations. The plant needs moderate watering, reacts well to feeding, withstands transplanting.
Soil preparation
A substrate is prepared for planting. For this, river sand, leafy and sod land are mixed in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. Instead of soddy soil, it is allowed to use humus.
The plant is transplanted into a clay or ceramic pot. Such containers are quite heavy and do not tip over under a powerful plant. The walls of the pots allow air to pass through well, and excess moisture evaporates faster.
In addition to the holes in the pot itself, a drainage layer must be provided. Expanded clay or brick fragments are used as drainage. They are placed on the bottom of the container.
Care scheme
When grown at home, Indian onions need regular watering. Moisture is added after the top soil layer has dried. In July, after the leaves fall, the watering intensity is reduced. Plants tolerate drought for a period of 2-3 months.
The flower prefers bright lighting. At home, the flower is determined by the south, west or east window.
The flower tolerates heat better than cold snaps. Indoor conditions are comfortable for the plant. It is important not to allow the temperature to drop below +12 ° C. The plant is not left in a draft or cold windowsill.
If the air in the apartment is dry, the shoots of the flower turn yellow.The plant is sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle. Air humidity must be increased in summer, as well as in winter in a heated room.
Spraying is performed in the early morning. If the drops remain on the leaves, then the plant will burn when exposed to sunlight.
The root system needs access to oxygen. The soil in the pot is loosened regularly. It is best to do loosening after watering. Dust is removed from the leaves of the flower to improve the process of photosynthesis.
Since the plant bulb is actively developing, it needs a constant supply of nutrients. The soil does not contain all micro- and macroelements, so their lack is compensated for by top dressing.
Types of fertilizers for growing Indian onions at home:
- complex fertilizer for indoor plants;
- infusion of wood water containing 1 tbsp. l. substances per 1 liter of water;
- mullein solution in a ratio of 1:15;
- a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Top dressing is carried out from March to August. During this period, the plant grows green mass and releases inflorescences. The solutions are applied once a month by watering in the morning or evening. It is best to alternate the use of organic matter with mineral supplements.
Every 2 years, you need to change the soil and container in which the Indian onion grows. Over time, the plant increases the root system and aerial part, so it is transplanted into a larger pot.
A drainage layer of expanded clay is placed at the bottom of the container, then prepared soil is poured. For transplantation, they take soil of a similar composition, as in the reproduction of a flower.
The bulb is half buried in the soil, the rest should rise above the ground. The plant is watered abundantly.
Outdoor cultivation
In warm climates, if the air temperature does not drop below +12 ° C, Indian onions are planted in an open area.
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The flower is grown in a garden bed, illuminated by the sun. The plant feels good in partial shade under shrubs or trees, it is planted in neutral soil, humus or compost is added. During the season, the flower is watered moderately.
In the open field, more babies appear on the bulb for reproduction. Abundant and long flowering is also observed.
In the fall, the flower is dug up and stored in room conditions. In winter, it is grown as a houseplant, periodically watered and protected from the effects of cold air.
The plant can be provided with a dormant period. Then it is stored in a dark place, periodically the soil is sprayed. After transplanting into the ground in the spring, care for the flower is resumed. The flower is watered abundantly, which stimulates its awakening.
Photo of Indian onion growing in the open air:
When is it better to transplant
A transplant is necessary in several cases.
- The bulb grows rapidly. When she gets cramped in the pot, her growth slows down. The flower needs to pick up dishes that are larger in size.
- Sooner or later, the soil in which the onion grows becomes dense and straddles. Through it, water ceases to seep normally and oxygen to the roots ceases. Then a transplant into a new soil is urgently needed.
Despite the fact that the plant is poisonous, it has medicinal properties. Correctly prepared tinctures on alcohol or water perfectly heal wounds, relieve inflammation in the joints, and are used as a powerful antiseptic.
Today, Indian onions are in demand only in folk medicine, because they have not yet been included in the list of medicinal plants. This requires full-scale research and time. If you decide to use the poultry farm for treatment, be careful, careful and use proven recipes for external use.
Outdoor cultivation
Growing in open soil has certain characteristics. The plant cannot survive at temperatures below +10 ° C. Therefore, the poultry farm is grown in the spring, and by the autumn it must be moved to warmth.
Planting is best done in the last weeks of May, when there is no more night frost. You need to choose a well-lit place, but the plant will have to be shaded from direct sunlight.
The soil should be fertile and have low oxidation. After planting, the flower must be watered in moderation.
Description of appearance
At the base of the caudate poultry farm is a dense rounded bulb covered with dry yellowish scales, which can reach 10 cm in diameter. The plant is perennial. Its age can be found by the number of leaves (1 year - 1 leaf). Leaves are basal, linear, narrow. Reaching a great length (grow up to 60-100 cm), the leaves can bend in the middle - to lie down. Roots are numerous, white, cordlike.
Indian onion blooms in spring, as well as in November, December. The flowers are white, small (about 10 mm in diameter) with a longitudinal green stripe in the middle of each petal. Each such flower has six stamens and six petals. Flowers fade from bottom to top. A raceme inflorescence is formed on a peduncle arrow, which can reach one meter in length. In addition to the buds, thin green needles placed on a peduncle are clearly visible on the arrow. In indoor conditions, the poultry farm usually gives an arrow for 2-3 years of cultivation.
The fruit of the Indian onion is a capsule that contains flat black seeds. Artificial pollination is required for seed to appear on a flower grown on a windowsill.
Diseases and pests
The most common disease that often affects this type of onion is powdery mildew. To combat it, it is necessary to pollinate the plant with powdered sulfur, but this method is not suitable for an apartment. It is best to make a garlic infusion at home (pour 4 heads with 250 ml of water and leave for 24 hours). This liquid must be filtered and sprayed with the foliage of the poultry farm.
Of the pests, onions are most often affected:
To get rid of the spider mite, you need to rinse the Indian onion foliage with a solution of laundry soap. Next, wipe it with 96% rubbing alcohol.
Garlic infusion can save you from aphids. If the treatment with this liquid does not bring any results, it is necessary to resort to insecticides.
To combat the scale insect, paraffin oil and tobacco dust infusion are used. 20 g of tobacco dust must be infused in 400 ml of water for 48 hours. After that, the infusion is mixed with soapy water. The resulting liquid is sprayed onto the leaves.
Chemicals containing pyrethrum will help get rid of springtails. In addition, you can resort to the use of insecticides.
Tailed poultry breeding technology
Ornithogalum seeds.
The plant can be spread in three ways:
- seeds;
- dividing the tuber;
- children.
After the withering of the inflorescences, many small bulbs appear on the tuber. The number of new babies under the scales can range from two to twenty. The protuberances must be carefully separated. Unpretentious young delots can be planted directly into the soil without roots. After a few weeks, roots will appear on the bulbs. It is very important to keep the substrate moist.
Experienced gardeners recommend against forced separation. After ripening, the babies will independently tear the shell and separate from the mother tuber. Rooting occurs naturally. You can plant the poultry house after the formation of full-fledged roots.
Many babies can be obtained with the help of seeds. It is advisable to carry out the procedure in late spring or summer.
Germination of Indian onions.
High-quality seed is easy to prepare yourself. To do this, you should:
- Pollinate a two-year-old poultry farm at the time of flowering. It is convenient to carry out the procedure with a brush. In the open air, insects can carry out pollination. Therefore, it is recommended to put the flower pot on an open terrace.
- After the seed pod has dried, the seeds should be collected.
- It is desirable to use a mixture of peat and perlite as a container filler.
- You need to thoroughly moisten the soil.
- It is necessary to scatter quality seeds onto the surface of the substrate.
- From above, cover the pot with the plant with a plastic bag and tie it with an elastic band.
- Every day you will need to ventilate the seed for several hours.
- Diffused sunlight or a fluorescent lamp will help provide fast germination.
- After the first shoots appear, it is necessary to remove the protective polyethylene.
- Grown up shoots (at least 4 leaves) can be dived into separate containers.
Breeding of a poultry farm by children.
Indian onions can also be spread by dividing the onion. To do this, you should select a healthy tuber (about five centimeters) without signs of decay or damage. It is necessary to divide the poultry farm into two equal segments. It is necessary to shorten the roots slightly. The halves obtained should be left for several days in a well-ventilated area.
For planting, you need to prepare a wet soil mixture in a small container. Water the soil regularly. Young leaves will appear in a few weeks.
