Useful properties of blackthorn (prickly plum) for humans

What is the turn

In appearance, the blackthorn is a shrub that can reach five meters in height. Some of its varieties are more like short trees. A distinctive feature is the presence of a large number of tenacious thorns, and they are located throughout the bush.

Like most shrubs, thorns bloom, this usually happens from April to May, the exact time depends on the region of growth. It is not difficult to recognize the flowering thorns, as the whole bush is covered with very beautiful white flowers. During the flowering period of this plant, bees actively collect pollen and nectar from it, for this reason, the blackthorn is referred to as honey plants.

The thorn leaves are oval in shape with teeth at the edges. The length of the leaves generally reaches about 5 centimeters. The wood of the thorn shrubs is quite strong and strong, has a reddish-brown tint. Various products are made from it.

Thorn grows mainly in the steppes, forest-steppe, as well as in felling areas and on the edges of forests. It also often grows near rivers and along roadsides, forming impenetrable barriers with its bushes. The roots are very long and penetrate deep into the ground, thereby strengthening the slopes and preventing landslides and mudflows. For this reason, these plants are often planted purposefully in areas where the soil is prone to erosion. In addition, the blackthorn is also used for decorative purposes, sometimes planted in the home landscape.

The territory of distribution of the plant starts from the western European part of the country and extends to the zone of Asia Minor, Ukraine, Tatarstan and Iran. Thorns can be found very high in the mountains, at an altitude of about 1600 m above sea level.

The thorn also has fruits, outwardly they are small berries with a diameter of only about 12 mm, rounded and dark blue in color.

What is the difference between a thorn and a plum

In the scientific community, there is a slightly different name, namely, prickly plum. If you take a look at this plant, you will understand why it is called that. The fact is that outwardly it really looks like a plum, only a little with other fruits and thorns. However, there are also fundamental differences between these related plants:

Firstly, unlike its relatives, the blackthorn is more resistant to frost, and in general is not particularly whimsical to external conditions. Thorn bushes do not require ideal growing conditions.

Secondly, plum and cherry plum are more home crops that are often grown by gardeners. Thorns are rarely found in the home garden. This is primarily due to the fact that blackthorn fruits are not very popular with people, they have a very tart and sour taste. Moreover, it is very difficult to collect such fruits due to the large number of thorns on the branches.

Thirdly, unlike again related crops, the blackthorn is grown more for technical purposes or generally grows in the wild.

The thorn also differs in the flowering process. In this case, it is covered with flowers somewhat later than other types of plum. Moreover, the flowers of the plant appear even earlier than the leaves. You can also enjoy ripe blackthorn fruits quite late, in late August or early September. It is during this period that the blackthorn bushes are covered with a large number of small blue berries about 1.5 cm long.The blackthorn bears fruit quite steadily and annually, and external conditions have little effect on this process. It is possible to find flowering and fruiting thorns even during periods of drought.

Blackthorn breeding methods

Shrub breeds seeds, dividing the bush and root cuttings. Seeds are preferably sown in autumn immediately after separation from the pulp.

For spring sowing correct long-term stratification will be required on average 160 days. To do this, the bone is washed from the pulp, placed in layers of moss and removed to a cold place with a temperature from 0 ° C to + 5 ° C.

A month before planting, the temperature is reduced to -1 ° C. The bones are kept in a slightly moist environment.

About the readiness of the bone for transplanting into the substrate can be judged by the cracks on the surface. For temporary development, you will need a container of at least 20-25 cm in diameter.

The optimal substrate for the development of blackthorn seedlings consists of:

• sod soil 40%;
• humus 20%;
• low-lying peat 20%;
• river sand 20%.

Further care of the seedling consists of regular watering, fertilizing once a month with minerals.

Seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place at the age of two. Pitted thorns will bear fruit in 4-5 years after planting.

Many gardeners prefer the seed propagation method. to obtain frost-resistant rootstocks for more capricious crops.

Plum variety Tern reproduces well by dividing the rhizome, seeds and root cuttings

Young shoots are separated from the mother plant in autumn, for this, the connecting root is cut. At the end of April, the separated shrub is transplanted to the intended site.

Plum variety Tern (thorn) reproduces well by dividing the rhizome... To do this, it is necessary to dig up the roots in the fall at a distance of 1 to 1.5 m from the trunk. A good planting material is a root with an average thickness of 1.5 cm and a length of 15 cm.

Until spring, the roots are stored in layers of wet sawdust or moss in a cool room, a basement is ideal.

At the end of April, cuttings are transplanted into soil (sand, peat 1: 3) under a film. They are placed at a distance of 5 cm vertically at a slight slope.

The upper ends should remain at a depth of 2 cm, after which the surface of the soil is mulched with sawdust. Root cuttings need to be provided with regular watering and 3-4 feeding per season, mainly with nitrogen fertilizers.

The next fall, the plant is transplanted into temporary soil., similar to when planting seeds and grows up to 1 m, after which they are transplanted into a personal plot.

Composition and calorie content

The calorie content of thorns, like most fruits, is low. There are only about 54 calories per 100 grams of the product. However, at the same time, thorn fruits are rich in various substances. They contain the following components:

• essential oil;
• fructose;
• organic acids;
• sucrose;
• various vitamins: A, PP, E, C, B1, B2;
• glucose;
• pectin;
• tannins;
• iron;
• aromatic substances;
• potassium;
• manganese;
• calcium;
• chromium;
• zinc;
• phosphorus;
• sodium;
• iodine;
• cobalt.

Due to the content of tannins in thorn fruits, they are rarely removed in August-September after ripening. This is due to the fact that at this time the plum of thorns is practically inedible. It is better to collect these fruits at a later period, after the first frost. From just one bush, you can collect up to 15 kilograms of fruit, while such a plum is very easy to transport, since it does not wrinkle or deteriorate.

Care: basic steps

The thorns bear fruit in the third year. The fruits are concentrated on the bouquet branches of the bush, the so-called. spurs. The requirements for keeping wild plums are as follows:

1. Watering. Moderate, rare. Seedlings are watered weekly, adult plants - once every 10-14 days.
2. Fertilizer. In the spring - nitrogen-containing fertilizer, organic matter, during the ovary for abundant fruiting - a phosphorus-potassium complex.Until September, fertile bushes can be supported with complex mineral fertilizing.
3. Formative pruning. In the third year, branches directed deep into the crown of the bush are removed, the shoots are shortened. Before the start of the growing season, dried, weak branches are cut off. With a bowl-shaped molding, the center of the bush is thinned out, leaving shoots around the circumference.
4. Rationing. Bushes prone to thickening are thinned out. Leave up to 6 branches, the rest are cut out.

   

5. Winter hardiness. The plant is frost-resistant to -40 ° C, hibernates without shelter. Bushes of hybrids in the northern regions are bent under the snow.

Advice! Grafting on blackthorn plums, cherry-plums, etc. increases the winter hardiness of crops, resistance to diseases.

Useful properties of blackthorn

General benefit

Most plants have some kind of additional benefits for the human body. The turn is no exception in this case. It is surprising that absolutely all parts of this shrub can be used for medicinal purposes - from leaves to roots.

Blackthorn fruit can be consumed both fresh and dried. And in fact, and in another version, they will have a lot of useful properties:

1. They make the functioning of the intestines easier and faster by improving the state of the microflora. The fruit can be used to combat flatulence.
2. They are able to cleanse the body of various toxic substances and toxins.
3. They are a means for getting rid of insomnia, as well as a mild sedative.
4. They fight well against shortness of breath and nausea.
5. They help to fight obesity due to the fact that thorny plum has a beneficial effect on metabolic processes, and is also a real fat burner.
6. They help to make the walls of blood vessels much stronger, thereby significantly reducing the risk of developing heart disease, as well as normalizing blood pressure, and reducing the amount of cholesterol in the blood.
7. They are able to accelerate the treatment of liver and kidney diseases.
8. Significantly increase the body's immune resistance.
9. They restore balance in the oral cavity, strengthen the gums and, as a result, reduce bleeding.

The flowers of the thorny plum are rarely consumed fresh. As a rule, they are collected, dried, and then stored in special jars in a cellar or in another dark place. Most often, decoctions and infusions are prepared from flowers, which also have a therapeutic effect:

1. They make the blood cleaner, rid the body of toxins.
2. They enhance pathogens and diuretics.
3. They help to remove various inflammations on the skin, relieve furunculosis, heal purulent formations.
4. Acts as a sedative for neuralgia.
5. They make the liver cleaner, normalize the functioning of the intestines.
6. They normalize metabolic processes.

The roots, shoots and bark of the plant also have many beneficial properties. One of the most common is a decrease in fever. Decoctions from them are often used in the fight against flu and colds. Also, such drugs can be used as an anti-inflammatory agent, both internally and externally.

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For women

One of the features of the thorn fruit is that most of the sugars in its composition are fructose, due to which the thorn is quite sweet when ripe. It is very similar to fructose, which is part of honey, thanks to which the fruits of the plant can become an excellent dessert for women who follow the figure, because their calorie content is completely low.

The thorn fruit contains a fairly large amount of anthocyanins, vitamin A, and carotene. Together, these substances constitute an agent for the prevention of breast cancer. It is recommended to regularly eat thorns to prevent this serious disease.In addition, it helps to increase the resistance of the walls of the small and large intestines, so that fewer harmful substances enter the body.

Decoctions based on various parts of thorns help to remove excess fluid and, as a result, eliminate puffiness in various parts of the body. This undoubtedly helps the woman to look beautiful and fresh. In addition, decoctions can be used in the fight against various urinary tract infections. They can be used to treat cystitis, as well as vaginitis and fungal growths on the vaginal mucosa. Decoctions are also often used for external use. Rubbing the skin of the face with a decoction of blackthorn regularly, you can eliminate various rashes and inflammations.

Blackthorn berries can relieve premenstrual symptoms for women, namely, eliminate soreness during menstruation.

It is not recommended to use thorns for women who have a personal intolerance to this plant or its fruits, as well as those who are prone to constipation.

For men

Tern brings considerable benefits to men's health:

1. The plant can be used as a diuretic.
2. Thorn is a good antiseptic and for this reason it is often used in the treatment of throat, lungs and bronchi for various diseases.
3. The fruits have a choleretic effect.
4. The plant is excellent at fighting diarrhea.

Blackthorn infusions and teas are useful for men with heart or blood pressure problems. As mentioned earlier, the plant is able to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, so that you can normalize the heart rate, as well as prevent many complications, heart attacks and strokes.

A decoction of prickly plum can also help to improve the functioning of the genitourinary system in men, in the prevention of inflammation of the prostate. This remedy is also suitable in the fight against a hangover, since a decoction of blackthorn is able to remove all toxic substances from the body and bring the water balance back to normal.

During pregnancy

Blackthorn berries reduce the risk of developing various nervous diseases, which is very important for pregnant women, because it is forbidden to be nervous in such a delicate position. This plant can be used as a natural and harmless sedative for the unborn child.

In addition, blackthorn berries are prized for their unique ability to relieve nausea during toxicosis.

When breastfeeding

Plum thorns can also be eaten when breastfeeding. Firstly, a large amount of vitamins will help a young mother to recover after childbirth and replenish the lost useful components. Secondly, blackthorn is good for the restoration and improvement of the skin, which will help to restore a healthy complexion, which is often absent after childbirth. Often, only mothers who have given birth experience digestive problems and suffer from constipation. In this case, the fruits of the blackthorn will help to normalize these processes and will not let the baby suffer from constipation. With the help of thorny plums, you can remove excess water from the body and get rid of puffiness, which is also very useful for young mothers.

Only women who have given birth often suffer from anemia, since a significant part of the iron is lost when carrying a child. Thorns contain iron, so you can even raise your hemoglobin levels.

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For kids

For children, blackthorn fruit is most commonly used as an astringent in cases of indigestion. It must be said that these berries have a rather strong effect and are able to stop even diarrhea in infectious diseases.

In addition, decoctions based on parts of thorns can be used as a means of fighting sore throats or when coughing up phlegm. In this case, it is necessary to gargle. A decoction of the thorn plant, taken internally, will help reduce fever during a cold.

Treatment of boils and acne will go much faster with the use of a decoction of thorns. Due to the rich chemical composition, thorn fruits are recommended to be given to children as a preventive measure. You can introduce this product into the diet of babies already at the age of one year. An exception is children who are constipated or have an intolerance to such berries.

When losing weight

Using blackthorn berries for weight loss is not only possible, but also necessary. First, as mentioned earlier, thorn helps to improve intestinal motility, as well as restore metabolic processes. Often it is these problems in the human body that lead to weight gain. Eliminating them, on the contrary, promotes weight loss. Moreover, blackthorn berries are a low-calorie product, while quite sweet in taste, which makes it possible to use it as a dessert during a diet. The benefits of the product have long been proven, blackthorn fruits are even included in the Pasternak diet menu.

Popular thorn varieties

Due to its beneficial properties, thorny thorn has attracted special attention of breeders who have developed a large number of hybrid varieties. The most popular hybrid blackthorn varieties:

• Yellow-fruited - it is distinguished by yellowish fruits with a pleasant, sweetish taste. This hybrid is a symbiosis of cherry plum with the classic thorn.
• Sweet-fruited TSKhA - characterized by a sweet-sour taste, a practical absence of the classic astringency.
• Fragrant - a hybrid created by crossing with the Toka plum. A four-meter tree with round, slightly flattened fruits. The berries have a light strawberry-apricot flavor. They are sweetish with a slight sourness, not tart.
• Garden - a two-meter shrub, fruiting with small globular berries, blue, black. The pulp is sweetish, pleasant.
• Cherry is a three-meter shrub with a lush, rounded crown. Berries of a deep purple hue, small. The berries are sour, tart.

Harm and contraindications

Like any other product, blackthorn can also harm the body, so you need to know when it should be used with caution:

1. It is not recommended to eat the fruits of prickly plums often and in large quantities, if there is an intolerance to these berries. In this case, it is better to abandon them altogether, or at least consult with a specialist beforehand.
2. You should not eat the fruits of plum keys in the presence of stomach ulcers, gastritis and any diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in an acute form. Such a drain can only intensify the development of the disease.
3. It is forbidden to eat the fruits of such a plum with an increased level of acidity in the stomach.
4. It is also not recommended to eat the fruits of thorns with a tendency to constipation, both for adults and children.
5. You should not eat thorns on an empty stomach, as they contain a considerable amount of acid. This, in turn, can irritate the stomach lining.

It is strictly forbidden to use plum seeds for food, since they accumulate the substance of amygdalin. In large quantities, it becomes a real poison, extremely toxic to the body. Actually, for the same reason, it is not recommended to store compotes and thorn jam with seeds for more than a year.

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How to collect and how to store the turn

If you do not grow thorns yourself, then you can find wild thickets of this plant on village estates, mountain slopes and near the forest. You can use and collect any parts of this plant, however, it is important to understand at what time it is best to harvest them.

The bark is best harvested at the very beginning of spring, even before the tree begins to bloom. Next, it must be dried for 3 weeks in the fresh air, and then dried to the end with the help of an oven.It is better to store the bark in special bags made of cotton or canvas. In this state, it can persist for three years.

It is better to dig up the roots of thorns in the autumn, prepare and store in the same way as the bark of a plant. Twigs, as well as young shoots, are best harvested in the first month of summer. After assembly, they also need to be dried and placed in a dark storage room.

Decoctions from roots and shoots can be drunk daily as regular tea. They have a good effect on the composition of the blood, and in general on the body. Such a measure can be a good prevention against many diseases.

Is it possible to freeze the turn

It is not only possible to freeze the turn, but also necessary. This is a great way to harvest the fruits of this plant for the winter. Even frozen, the thorn can be used for therapeutic purposes. Freezing is a safe type of fruit harvesting, almost all useful properties of the product will be preserved for a long time.

If you intend to use the blackthorn all winter, it is best to freeze it in portions so that you can take it out a little later. It is not recommended to freeze berries in one large container. It will not be possible to freeze it again, it will lose all its taste and useful qualities.

Is it possible to dry the thorn

Of course, you can dry the fruits of thorns. Such a measure will allow to prepare very useful berries for a long time, which can then be used to prepare decoctions, compotes, jelly, tinctures and tea.

The first time it is better to dry prickly plums in the fresh air. Then you can bring it to readiness in the oven or electric dryer. After the berries are dried, it is necessary to put them in dry bags and put them in a dark, dry place. A pantry or dry cellar can be an excellent option.

Selection of seedlings for planting

It is advisable to purchase planting material in specialized stores or from friends who breed the blackthorn. You can independently dig root shoots from wild-growing shrubs. The main thing is that its roots are developed and healthy, and there are no signs of diseases or defects on the bark. It is better to plant several seedlings in order to select the bush with the best harvest later.

Learn how to make plums blossom and bear fruit.

It is better to purchase or harvest planting material in the spring in order to immediately plant it in the soil, and not store it in a prikop. It is advisable to give preference to two-year-old seedlings.

What can be made from sloe: recipes

Blackthorn is a unique berry that can be used to make many wonderful blanks, as well as use it in the preparation of various dishes. Although this product is not often found in our cooking, there are still many recipes for various treats.

Jam

The jam made from prickly plum fruits turns out to be thick enough, so that it can be used in the future for making pies and buns. In addition, it turns out to be quite tasty, so it can be used to make buttered sandwiches. Jam is prepared very simply and quickly.

So, the first step is to prepare the sloe berries. To do this, rinse them, dry them, and then get rid of the seeds. It is worth noting that picking out the bones is not an easy task, so prepare for this in advance. After the berries are prepared, you need to weigh them in order to understand what their seedless mass is. Add sugar to the fruits in a one-to-one ratio. Mix all this well, and then leave the resulting mixture at room temperature for about 2-3 hours. Then put the workpiece in the refrigerator overnight or for the day.

After 12 hours, after the juice comes out of the thorns, the sugar will dissolve. Don't be alarmed when this happens. Then simply transfer the resulting mass into an enamel saucepan and put on medium heat. Bring the resulting mass to a boil and keep on the stove for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly.After that, the jam can be removed from the stove and left to cool.

As the jam cools completely, put it on the stove again and cook for another five minutes over the same heat. Next, simply pour the resulting delicacy into a jar and remove.

Jam

Thorn plum jam is also quite simple to prepare. The first step is to prepare the berry, namely, rinse it, dry it and remove all the tails. Next, transfer the berries to a saucepan, add a little water. Boil all this for three minutes, until the berries become soft.

At the next stage, rub the fruits through a sieve, thus avoiding seeds and skins getting into the jam. Add sugar to the resulting pulp in the same amount as the remaining mass of berries after grinding. Mix all this and put on high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the jam is thick enough. It is easy to check the density - drip jam on a plate, while the drop should not spread. The resulting hot jam must be poured into a jar and twisted.

Compote

To prepare compote, you will need about a kilogram of fruit, 200 grams of sugar, a little dried rose petals and 2.5 liters of water.

As always, first sort the berries, wash them. Then put all the ingredients in a jar and pour boiling water over it. Leave all this for 2 hours, then drain the liquid, boil it separately and pour it back into the jar with berries. Then it remains only to screw the jar with a lid very tightly and put it in a dark, dry place for storage.

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The juice

It is better to make juice from thorn fruits using a juicer. To begin with, take 2.5 kilograms of berries, wash them and remove the seeds. Then load the whole mass into a juicer, add 2.5 kilograms of sugar and wait until the machine processes it. Simply pour the resulting juice into a convenient container.

Wine

To make wine, you need 2.5 kilograms of berries, 1.5 kilograms of sugar, 3 liters of water and 100 grams of raisins. Cooking is carried out in several steps:

1. Prepare the sugar syrup.
2. Boil 2 liters of water, then add the washed berries to it and cook for 10 minutes. It is necessary to ensure that the peel on the fruit is cracked, then remove the pan and cool it.
3. Pour the contents of the saucepan into a fermentation vessel, add syrup, raisins. Place the container in a dark place for fermentation.
4. At the end of the fermentation process (this usually happens after a month), drain the liquid into a special container. If sugar is not enough to taste, you can add more.

Tkemali sauce

Blackthorn berries make an excellent sauce for meat dishes. To do this, in addition to a kilogram of berries, you will need the following ingredients: a bunch of fresh cilantro, 5 grams of marshmint, a little sugar, dry ground coriander, about 5 grams, 3 cloves of garlic, half hot pepper, salt, half a glass of water.

First of all, pour water into the washed berries, put on fire, stir and gradually heat. After 10 minutes add all dry spices. Chop the pepper, garlic and cilantro, preferably with a blender. Rub the fruits with spices through a sieve. Put the resulting mashed mass on the fire again and add chopped garlic and pepper to it. Boil this mass and add salt to taste, also a little sugar. At the very end, when the sauce is almost ready, add the herbs and mix thoroughly. Remove the resulting seasoning from the heat and pour into a convenient container.

Soaked thorn

This delicacy is very simple to prepare. You need to prepare a kilogram of thorn fruits, rinse them and put them in a jar. Next, prepare a syrup from a kilogram of sugar and 100 ml of water. Pour the syrup over the berries and add a sprig of mint there. Cover the resulting raw materials with a canvas napkin on top, and then put them in a warm, dry place for about a month and a half.

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