The geranium family, which includes numerous varieties of plants from Asia and Europe, pelargonium from Africa, has long attracted the attention of people. Not only decorative room geranium was popular, the useful properties of flowers with lace or curly dissected foliage and flowers of various shapes and colors, fragrant and odorless, were known even in Ancient Greece.
Already in those days, many types of geraniums were considered medicinal crops. From their stems, roots, flowers, decoctions, tinctures were made, oil was obtained. Different types of geraniums are grown in summer cottages and at home. Today we will talk about the beneficial properties of room geranium. Photos posted in this article will help you appreciate the beauty of this unpretentious plant. In addition, you will learn how to prepare drugs based on it.
Geranium indoor: description
More recently, these beautiful flowering bushes could be seen in almost every home. Then they were pushed aside by luxurious exotic indoor plants (orchids, unusual cacti, palm trees). And only true connoisseurs of geraniums continue to grow it on their windowsills. All types of indoor plants are divided into two groups:
- blooming, having very beautiful flowers;
- fragrant, in which the flowers are inconspicuous, and the leaves exude a pleasant aroma.
Geranium root, as a rule, branched, only in some varieties it is rod. The stalk can be creeping (ampelous plants) or erect. Leaves are often dissected, less often pinnate, covered with small thin hairs. Color can be different - monophonic, zonal. Colors - shades of green of varying intensity, with a red, grayish or blue tint.
Flowers make up inflorescences, each consisting of five or more rounded petals of white, pink, red, and purple hues. In some species, they have bright contrasting spots. Geranium blooms with proper care almost all year round. This requires that the plant receives a lot of light and nutrients.
Types of geraniums
Today, botanists know almost 400 species of wild representatives of the geranium family. The range of these plants is quite wide: from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic, from India to the north of Europe. Almost all species have a rich biochemical composition, including hybrids and indoor pelargoniums. Several native varieties of plants are used in folk medicine.
The most popular types of indoor geranium
- Geranium is zonal. The most common species, numbering almost 70 thousand varieties. Whole leaves with dark circles of varying intensity. The flowers are bright pink or white, simple in form, terry or semi-double.
- Conjacular. This species has long lashes that adorn smooth leaves hanging down. The flower looks great in hanging flowerpots.
- Royal. Shrub reaching a height of half a meter. Leaves can be either plain, or with dark spots or stripes. The flowers are large, simple or double. The colors are very diverse: plain, with colored spots, borders.
- Fragrant geranium. Low bushes with inconspicuous flowers. The leaves emit the smells of needles, ginger, lemon balm, pineapple, lemon and other plants. The flowers are usually purple or pink. You need to pinch the bush regularly to form a beautiful crown.
On the lemon variety related to fragrant geraniums, you need to focus your attention, as many gardeners would like to see this plant in their collection. This is a branched bush with a well-developed nodular rhizome. The leaves are palm-lobed, carved. They are covered with thin fibers that exude a fragrance when touched.
Flowers are collected in small umbrellas of white and pink color. In addition to the aroma and beautiful shape, herbalists are well aware of the beneficial properties of lemon geranium. It greatly alleviates the symptoms of many diseases:
- otitis media;
- epilepsy;
- acute respiratory infections;
- inflammation of the nasopharynx;
- headaches.
Lemon geranium is an antiseptic, has a wound healing and hemostatic property. In addition, it is used as an excellent deodorizing agent. Lemon geranium is used in cooking. For example, in the preparation of various drinks, sweets, sweet syrups.
An active study of the beneficial properties and contraindications of geraniums began at the end of the 19th century. Scientists were interested in the popularity of this plant among the poor who used the plant for medicinal purposes. Today, folk healers and homeopaths highly value the healing properties of geranium, its high activity to the pathogenic flora, regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties.
Chemical composition
For the preparation of medicines based on geraniums, the roots of the plant are used, as well as the aerial part. It is in them that a huge amount of useful substances is concentrated. The main value of this plant is geraniol - an aromatic alcohol that is part of geranium oil. In addition, the composition of the plant includes:
- fructose and glucose;
- saponins;
- flavonoids;
- tannins, the content of which reaches 4%;
- catechins;
- compounds with antiviral and antibacterial properties;
- vitamins K and C;
- carotene;
- alkaloids;
- macro- and microelements;
- anthocyanins.
For medical purposes, most often used fragrant geranium, blood red and meadow.
Geranium flower: useful properties
Geranium has powerful anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral and hemostatic properties. Preparations based on this plant are able to calm, affect human performance, increase resistance to stress, and fight insomnia.
The healing properties of geranium include:
- prevention of edema;
- pain and heat reduction;
- beneficial effect on inflammatory processes on the mucous membranes and skin;
- lowering blood pressure.
The plant normalizes the work of the heart and blood vessels, the gastrointestinal tract and the liver, and the genitourinary sphere. Traditional healers use the plant to treat radiculitis and osteochondrosis.
Geranium oil
The beneficial properties of geranium oil were appreciated by dermatologists and cosmetologists. This substance has a pronounced anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and regenerative property. Thanks to them, geranium oil is successfully used for pustular skin diseases, treatment of acne, cellulite and many other cosmetic problems. The mild disinfecting effect and the ability of geraniums to influence cell regeneration allow the plant to be used to treat such a serious disease as psoriasis.
Today, geranium oil is used in the treatment of eczema, difficult to treat, severe burns, the effects of frostbite. Geranium oil is effective for migraines, menstrual irregularities. We will talk more about the help that geranium provides to women.
Geranium for women
Beauticians are sure that this female plant is geranium. The beneficial properties of the plant help eliminate age-related changes. The easiest and most effective way to improve skin color and tone, get rid of wrinkles is to wipe your face daily with a piece of ice from the juice of geranium leaves in the morning.
Pelargonium is no less useful for improving the structure of hair, eliminating dandruff and itching, and preventing their loss. A decoction of geranium makes the strands elastic and shiny. To prepare it, 50 g of dry crushed raw materials should be poured into 500 ml of water and simmered over low heat for five minutes. After that, leave the broth for an hour in a sealed container. Use it three times a week to rinse your hair. The course of treatment is three weeks.
Mask for aging skin
Mix 20 drops of geranium oil with peach pulp (1 pc.) And fat cream (25 ml). Spread the mixture evenly over your face and décolleté. After half an hour, rinse off the mask with water. The procedure must be repeated twice a week.
Acne
To combat acne, you need to prepare a mask of 15 drops of geranium oil, 20 drops of calendula tincture and 20 g of green clay. Apply a thin layer on steamed skin.
Useful properties of geranium for home
Experts believe that this beautiful, unpretentious indoor plant has a powerful positive energy that helps strengthen family relationships, for lonely people to find their soul mate.
The ivy geranium perfectly cleans the air, destroys staph bacteria, microbes, eliminates unpleasant odors. Mosquitoes, flies, moths cannot tolerate the aroma of geranium.
It is believed that pink geraniums are a symbol of a happy and strong marriage. Esoterics use geranium as a powerful amulet against love spells. White geranium helps couples get rid of infertility, it must be placed in the bedroom. Pelargonium blood-red protects the inhabitants of the house from quarrels and scandals. Its aroma relieves stress, helps to relax, relieves irritability and fatigue. The aroma of geraniums attracts financial well-being to the house: for this you should choose plants with red flowers. But in this case, you need to carefully care for the flower - if it becomes sick or wilts, you can not avoid a financial collapse. You can grease the wallet with geranium essential oil or carry dried leaves in it.
Medicines
We said that the beneficial properties of geraniums improve the condition of patients with many diseases. An interesting fact that you may not have known about. When the first signs of a cold appear, wrap the big toes with fresh leaves of geranium. Leave such a compress overnight. In the morning you will feel a surge of strength, the disease will recede.
Geranium juice
Three times a day, instill in each nasal passage three drops of juice from the flowers of geraniums. The same remedy is used for conjunctivitis, but in this case, 1 drop is instilled into each eye. The use of juice is effective for various bleeding - nasal, hemorrhoidal, uterine.
Fresh leaves
The beneficial properties of geraniums have been successfully used in the treatment of hypertension, heart failure, poor blood flow. And this happens in a rather unusual way - fix a fresh leaf of the plant on your wrist for half an hour. In crushed form, they should be applied to the back with radiculitis and osteochondrosis. With otitis media, it is enough to put a leaf of geranium in the sore ear.
Tincture
For nervous and heart diseases, insomnia, you can take 3 ml of alcohol tincture in the morning and evening, diluting them with a small amount of water. To prepare this medicine, it is necessary to grind 30 g of inflorescences and leaves of geraniums, put them in a jar of dark glass and pour alcohol (100 ml). The composition is infused for three days.
Decoction
A decoction of geranium roots, according to herbalists, helps to remove kidney stones, reduce high blood pressure. To prepare it you will need:
- 6 g of crushed dry roots;
- 250 ml of water.
Quarter an hour simmer this composition over low heat. Leave the medicine under the closed lid for an hour, strain, add boiled water to the initial volume. Divide the received portion of the product into four equal servings and take them during the day before meals.
Compress
An anesthetic compress is easy to prepare. Grind 15 fresh leaves of geranium, add camphor alcohol (50 ml) and rye flour (50 g). Distribute the mass on the affected area, insulate and leave overnight.
Contraindications
It has many useful properties of geraniums. There are few contraindications to its use for medicinal purposes. Nevertheless, they should be taken into account, especially if you have a predisposition to allergic reactions or it comes to treating babies.
An allergic reaction to geranium oil and its aroma in some people is manifested by respiratory symptoms: runny nose, sore eyes, sore throat, cough. The beneficial properties of geraniums will not have the expected effect if the condition worsens due to allergies.
As for the treatment of children, all means based on geranium, which are intended for oral administration, must be taken only with the permission of the pediatrician. External use, as a rule, is limited only by individual intolerance. These requirements include:
- to patients with gastrointestinal problems during exacerbation;
- pregnant and lactating mothers;
- people of advanced age;
- in the presence of thrombophlebitis and varicose veins.
We presented you a common indoor flower - geranium. The beneficial properties of this plant will have a positive effect in the treatment only if the formulation and dosage are followed.