The author of the text is MSc. Beata Romanowska
Weeds are undesirable for some, edible, ornamental and healing plants for others. Foresters of weeds include acacia and black cherry, which are ornamental plants in gardens.
PlantainPlantago maior is a perennial plant. It grows everywhere - in cities and the countryside, in fields, gardens, landfills, forest edges and water banks. Of the eight species of plantain growing in Poland, two are medicinal - lanceolate and ordinary.The infusion of leaves is drunk in inflammation of the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, in insufficient or no hydrochloric acid secretion, in chronic gastroenteritis. Leaf compresses support slow-healing wounds, and the juice has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties for bee, wasp and bumblebee stings. The flowers gathered in the ears bloom and bear fruit from May to September.
Polish knotweedPolygonum aviculare in Poland grows enormously in sandy and sunny places, in towns and villages, on roads, farmlands and wastelands.
It has thin shoots, extremely resistant to trampling and mechanical damage. This is due to the silica contained in the tissues.Like horsetail, this silica is water-soluble and easily digestible.Therefore, knotweed can be used to eliminate atherosclerosis, rheumatic diseases and to increase the body's immunity. In addition to silica, it also contains flavonoids, tannins, sugars, acids, mineral s alts, vitamins - A, C. The herb harvested at the beginning of flowering is used, when it contains the most active compounds.
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Skrzyp polny Equisetum arvense (Photo: Fotolia.com) |
HorsetailEquisetum arvense grows most preferably in soils rich in moisture. The medicinal raw material is vegetative above-ground shoots, harvested from mid-July to the end of August. Horsetail is an important source of silicon.This element is lost from the human body with age, it can lead to skin diseases, bone decalcification, and even neoplastic changes, which is why it is so important to supplement silicon deficiencies.Horsetail also cleans the body of chlorides through its diuretic effect.
Common TasznikCapsella bursa - pastoris, like nettle, grows best in places at the intersection of underground water veins, which are particularly unfavorable for people.Tasznik herb is used in medicine due to its numerous flavonoids, biogenic amines, tannins, mineral s alts, vitamins C and K. It is a raw material used in the treatment of bleeding.
NettleUrtica dioica grows on fertile, nitrogen-rich and moist soils. It is a medicinal herb used in rheumatic ailments, kidney diseases, in anemia, metabolic disorders caused by a lack of micronutrients, as well as in the onset of diabetes and as a general strengthening and increasing the body's defenses.Nettle leaves are harvested before flowering - then they have the most active substances. Roots are harvested in fall or early spring.
Although we treat the plant as a weed, it is irreplaceable in the garden - through chemical compounds released into the environment, it has a beneficial effect on plants growing in the vicinity, increases their yield and increases resistance to diseases and pests.Used (in the form of extracts and liquid manure) as a fertilizer, it affects the growth of plants and increases the amount of chlorophyll in their tissues, and when added to composts, it accelerates the decomposition of organic matter.
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Pokrzywarzywa Urtica dioica (Photo: Fotolia.com) |
Perz commonAgropyron repens. This persistent perennial weed with strong, even several meters long underground shoots (rhizomes) is also a medicinal plant with a wide phytotherapeutic application.Due to the high content of silicon, it regenerates the mucous membranes and skin, giving them elasticity.It has a diuretic effect, cleansing the body of toxins. It improves metabolism. It has valuable properties in lowering the level of fat in the liver and cholesterol in the blood.
White lightLamium album prefers fertile, humus-rich and moist soil. Luminaria blooms from spring to autumn, most intensively in May and June, with white flowers growing from the bottom of the stem to its top. It grows with runners, occupying large areas.
The medicinal raw material is flowers, more specifically the flower crowns, without a green cup.They are most often used in the form of a decoction (flowers with water are heated to a boil and boiled for 2-3 minutes) in inflammations of the mouth and upper respiratory tract and in general weakness of the body.
