Since time immemorial, lingonberries have been appreciated by people for their taste and medicinal properties, which are endowed not only with the fruits of this beautiful plant, but also with leaves. Huge areas of forest-steppe zones and taiga are occupied by useful shrubs. Its name comes from the word "bilberry", meaning "red".
Botanical Description
In the description of lingonberry ordinary, it is noted that it is an evergreen shrub and belongs to the Vereskov family. Lingonberry is rather stunted, its height rarely exceeds 25-30 cm. The root system is horizontal and creeping.
The leaves of the plant are leathery, matte, located on short petioles. Their length varies from 1 to 3 cm. The upper part of the leaves is dark green in color, the lower is lighter with brown spots.
The flowers of the bush are quite small, bell-shaped, collected in apical brushes. Like leaves, they are located on short petioles. Painted in a delicate white-pink color, have a pleasant aroma. Lingonberry blooms in late spring for about two weeks.
In the description of lingonberry it is indicated that the bright red fruits of the plant have the correct spherical shape and a characteristic bitter taste. Diameter reaches 8 mm. Ripe berries can be harvested in September or early October.
Useful properties of berries
Berries of the shrub have a whole list of useful and medicinal properties, which explains their high popularity. Lingonberry is included in the register of medicinal plants. In its chemical composition, you can find a huge number of vitamins, minerals, pectins and tannins, which have a positive effect on the human body.
The fruits of the shrub have a restorative effect, and will also be very useful for vitamin deficiency. Use them for constipation and problems with the gall bladder. Juice made on the basis of lingonberry berries is especially useful for people with poor eyesight and anemia. Its use helps to cope with dangerous bacteria located in the gastrointestinal tract.
The berries of the plant in combination with drug treatment have a positive effect on patients suffering from the following ailments:
- colds;
- high blood pressure;
- diabetes;
- rheumatism;
- cystitis;
- oncological diseases;
- digestion disorder;
- increased intracranial pressure and headaches.
In addition, lingonberry berries positively affect the condition of women during menopause. Their use helps to reduce the frequency of sweating attacks and avoid venous congestion.
Useful properties of leaves
In the description of lingonberries, the beneficial properties of not only berries, but also the leaves of the plant are noted. They also contain vitamins, some mineral and tannins, and organic acids.
Drugs and products made on the basis of the leaves of this shrub are used to enhance the effectiveness of antibiotics, stimulate the health of the immune system. The diuretic effect that they are endowed with allows you to use the properties of the plant in the fight against diseases such as urethritis, cystitis, and kidney stones.
Hot tea from lingonberry leaves has an antipyretic effect. And decoctions and infusions based on them will help with inflammation of the genitourinary system. For cosmetic purposes, the plant is used for hair loss and dandruff.
Care requirements
In the description of the lingonberry plant it is said that it is well suited for cultivation in garden plots. At the same time, its productivity is many times higher. From one hundred square meters, occupied by shrubs, you can get about 50 kg of fruits annually.
The plant is unpretentious and does not need special care. However, in the wild, its habitat is taiga and marshland, which implies the need for light sandy or peaty soil with high acidity.
In the description of lingonberry, it is noted that the shrub needs good illumination of the site, moderate moisture and soil acidity in the range of 3.0-5.0 pH. Groundwater should be no closer than 60-80 cm. The required care implies timely loosening of the soil, destruction of weeds and irrigation during dry periods.
The bush is propagated by daughter plants, cuttings and seeds. Young lingonberries are planted in early May, keeping a distance of about 30 cm between the seedlings. The young plant begins to harvest from 3 years of age.
Harvesting and harvesting leaves
Harvesting of lingonberry berries begins in dry weather from the end of July until the onset of frost. Experienced gardeners advise you not to rush to harvest, since the usefulness of the fruit directly depends on their degree of maturity. Berries can be frozen, dried or used to make jam and fruit drinks.
There are two suitable periods for harvesting leaves: early spring, before flowering, or October, when the berries are already fully ripe. Raw materials collected in the summer tend to blacken during drying.
It is recommended to pluck the leaves carefully, without breaking the shoots, which can injure the plant. After this procedure, lingonberries need about 5 years to recover before plucking can be repeated.
Torn leaves should be sorted, excluding damaged or blackened ones. In a warm, darkened place, it is necessary to lay a fabric on which the collected raw materials are laid out in a thin layer. If possible, you can use a dryer, but the temperature when drying the leaves should not exceed 40 ° C. Finished raw materials are suitable for use for 3 years.
Popular varieties
The plant has a wide variety of varieties, each of which has its own advantages. The most popular are several garden varieties of lingonberries, the description of which is given below.
Lingonberry Rubin
Late-ripening variety. The height of the bush varies between 15-30 cm. Small smooth leaves of the plant have an elliptical shape and are painted in dark green. Inflorescences, consisting of small bell-shaped flowers, are painted in a pale pink tint.
Flowering of this variety occurs in May-June. Berries ripen by the beginning of September. Rounded fruits are dark red and have a sweet and sour taste.
Ruby is a photophilous variety; it is recommended to plant it in well-drained soil. The first crop should be expected in 4 years. Well suited for the preparation of decoctions and infusions.
Lingonberry Coral
In the description of lingonberry Coral, it is noted that this plant reaches a height of 30 cm. It selects raw deciduous and coniferous forest plantations as its place of growth. Prefers peat bogs.
The berries of the shrub are very attractive against the background of green foliage due to the rich red color. Shrub inflorescences are represented by delicate white flowers of the correct form with a slight pink tint. The flowering period also falls in May-June.
The variety is suitable for cultivation on infertile acid soils. The most suitable substrate for planting in the garden is sand and peat. From one hundredths of a plot allocated for lingonberries of this variety, you can collect up to 60 kg of fresh berries.
Lingonberry Red Pearl
The homeland of this plant is Holland. In the description of lingonberries Red Perl, its early ripeness is noted. The bushes are notable for their wide crown, and they reach a height of 30 cm. The rounded leaves of a dark green hue are large in size.
The fruits of this sort of lingonberry are round, saturated burgundy, quite large and can reach 12 mm in diameter. The taste is noted for the presence of a small bitterness. Fruits twice a season. It is frost-resistant and can tolerate up to -25 ° .