The plant is a creeping shrub belonging to the genus of the evergreen heather family. In earlier editions, it may be called crowberry, shiksha, bear berry, black grass, bagovniki or pork blueberries. Almost all subspecies have edible fruits, but only one species lends itself to cultivation under natural conditions - black crowberry. Let's consider this plant in more detail.
Vodyanika black (shiksha): description
The stem of the water plant grows by about 20 cm and has quite long shoots that can reach one and a half meters, it all depends on the climate and soil. Each individual is a separate bush and grows as if "spots". One of the characteristic features of crowberry - branches, which can easily be called additional roots. The main stem has a dark brown color, but the young shoots are covered with small villi. The bush loves freedom, therefore it grows throughout life, while older shoots die off over time, but this is almost imperceptible thanks to new branches.
The conductor of nutrients is a mushroom, which, in turn, is connected directly to the rhizome. Leaves, whose length is from 2 to 8 mm, are elliptical in shape and grow in a certain sequence. Outwardly, the crowberry resembles needles, since the shape of the leaves has a slightly curved surface on the back. Life expectancy is about five years.
Inflorescences and flowering
The inflorescences themselves are not particularly attractive, since they have only three petals of pink, purple or pale red color. A rarity is the ovary (they have only the upper one), which has more than three inflorescences on one branch. Siberian shiksha (black water crowberry) begins to bloom approximately in late May - early June, while in the European part this period is shifted to late April - early May.
Black crowberry has the fruits of the color of the crow's wing. The name, most likely, was directly associated with the wonderful properties of berries, which have a weak diuretic effect.
Vodyanika black cultivation
In nature, this plant is found quite often, especially in areas of peat bogs and several other areas - Ivanovo, Tver and Smolensk. It is unlikely to grow shikshu in your own garden, as it grows poorly in such conditions and dies over time. If there is a need for its cultivation, then it is necessary to acquire a full-fledged cultural form, together with the rhizome and the fungus itself. The highly branched shrub, which reaches 50 cm in height, does not have berries on all branches, since it belongs to the category of dioecious plants.
By the way, berries that reach a diameter of a centimeter are tasteless, although most believe that they have a slightly sour taste. Such a plant needs a large amount of sunlight, while it cannot exist without mushrooms, which are a direct source of mineral elements and participate in photosynthesis. Black water vortex prefers peaty or sandy soils, while the earth should be loose and without strong compaction and any stagnation of water.
Each bush should be planted at a distance of at least half a meter from each other, but the depth should be no more than 35 cm (the neck itself is 4 cm). Do not forget about the drainage system, which should consist of sand and gravel and be at least 10 cm, while the soil mixture itself should be made of equal volumes of sand, peat and turf. Vodyanika black (shiksha) has a rather interesting chemical composition, since it includes such useful substances and trace elements:
Plant care
Still, the plant needs additional nutrition, but it should be carried out no more than once a season. Young shoots are mulched with the help of peat, the layer of which should be no more than 7 cm. It does not need additional shelter in the winter period. Pruning should consist solely in the form of cutting dry shoots. Weeding should be regular and only in the first few years of her life.
Germinating weeds will be suppressed by the plant after several years of independent life. If the plant is in a dry climate, frequent watering should be carried out, and only with standing water, not flowing.
Breeding
The plant propagates by individual layering, cuttings or seeds. You can try to plant wild bushes that were found in the nearest forest, but this method, although quite simple, in many cases remains ineffective. Many avid gardeners prune branches incorrectly, after which the plant begins to grow, but ceases to exist after a few years. The best way is to dig out the root system and the surrounding earth layer, after which an immediate landing should follow. Do not forget about sanitary pruning, as black crowberry can grow significantly, thereby ruining the rest of the crop.
Useful properties of the plant
In addition to the beneficial elements listed above, berries contain minerals and acids necessary for humans, which allows the body to function normally. Berry picking can begin at the end of July and continue until the beginning of spring. It is recommended to collect fruits in the morning in baskets or clean and dry buckets. Surviving winter berries are also useful because they do not lose their properties in low temperature conditions. Fresh fruits are recommended to be stored in sealed glass jars in a cool place.
In late autumn, only those berries are harvested that are intended for freezing, which is produced in bulk. The berries will feel great in plastic bags, which are also convenient to store in the freezer. Traditional medicine uses not only berries, but also foliage, young shoots. Raw materials must be cut off during the flowering period of the plant. Drying is very commonplace. So, the branches are folded in one layer onto a dry and clean cloth, after which they are sometimes mixed.
Areas of use
A small amount of juice made from the berries of waterweed will help calm the nervous system, in addition, it can relieve a severe headache and at the same time significantly improve metabolism. Some attribute to her marvelous properties: they say that shiksha helps in the treatment of a disease such as scurvy. Berries are used instead of potent diuretics. Infusions made from black crowberry can help with diarrhea and other disorders of the gastric tract. The broth is effective in various eye diseases. Alcohol infusion can help with paralysis and epilepsy. And the leaves are used as a healing remedy aimed at strengthening the roots of the hair.
Adding a small amount of grass to tea helps normalize kidney function. To heal the wounds, hold a sprig of water drop in warm water, then attach to the wound for several hours. In this case, the plant has a beneficial effect on the human central nervous system. Vodyanika black, or funnel, or shiksha, has no contraindications. An exception can only be personal intolerance to certain elements contained in the juice of this plant. It is not recommended to use the berry for future and nursing mothers. Before use, it will not be superfluous to get advice from a specialist.