Lungwort sugar - a perennial evergreen shrub, a modest forest primrose, optimally combining decorative and medicinal properties, known since ancient times. Perhaps that is why such a plant is popularly called the “lung woman” - for the ability to help with respiratory ailments, from which Hildegard Bingenskaya, the famous herbalist who lived in the 11th century, was one of the first to treat people. Lungwort plant is called for the ability to give bees in large quantities of nectar.
Under natural conditions, sugar (or spotted) lunar moss forms chic green carpets with clearly visible silver spots on the leaves and beautiful purple-pink flowers. From this species, breeding science has bred a large number of cultivated varieties of Lungwort, including Cambridge Blue, Mrs. Moon, Sissinghurst White.
Medunitsa: photos and description
A unique flower that grows on the forest edges after snow has melted, firmly occupied its niche in personal plots and flower beds. Its early appearance, prolonged flowering (about 30 days) and decorative appearance, emphasized by neat leaves and beautiful flowers, made this modest but very attractive plant popular among flower growers.
Cultivated Medunitsa
Belonging to the Burawchikov family, the lunar shell reaches a height of 30 cm and is a rhizome bush, usually growing in groups. Lungwort leaf lanceolate, oval-wedge-shaped, completely pubescent.
Cultivated Medunitsa
How does sugar mungus bloom? This plant is a real find for early spring compositions, because it begins to delight with flowering when leaves have not yet appeared on the trees. Lungwort flowers are always paired, located in the apical part, in one inflorescence at the same time several different shades can be located: from pale pink to dark purple. This is due to the presence in the grass of plant pigments - anthocyanins, responsible for the color of the petals. The sight when sugar lunar blooms is truly bewitching. Pink-purple spots against the background of the green garden and spring flowers look original, charming and breathe freshness into the surrounding landscape.
Lungwort sugar: plant benefits
The advantage of sugar mackerel is exceptional shade tolerance, high frost resistance and a long growing season while maintaining decorative properties. In one place, a bush of a charming plant can grow incredibly long: about three decades.
It is recommended to plant sugar lungwort in shade or partial shade - it is in such conditions that the original pattern appears on its leaves to the maximum, and the flowers acquire a more saturated color. If it is not possible to place the flower in the shade, it can be planted under bushes and trees, thus providing partial protection from sunlight.
Care Features
Lungwort is a flower that does not require a special approach to soils and feels comfortable in any soil. The plant needs top dressing especially during the period of intensive leaf growth (tentatively in July).
Being a moisture-loving culture, the spotted honeyfish does not tolerate stagnation of water. Therefore, the plant should be watered regularly (especially during the formation of buds and flowering), but without frills. In order to avoid exposure of bushes and their loss of attractiveness, the plant needs to be planted every 3-4 years. Be sure to cut inflorescences at the end of flowering (this action is aimed at enhancing the growth of young shoots) and timely cut (do not break out) old dry leaves. The soil should be regularly weeded and extra shoots leading to thickening removed. It is advisable to mulch the soil, aimed at preventing the growth of weeds and maintaining the necessary moisture. For the winter, the Lungwort, the photo and description of which is of increasing interest to flower growers, needs shelter with peat or leaves.
Lungwort in the garden is a beautiful hardy plant that does not require a waste of time and energy and is able to please its flowering for a long period.
Methods of reproduction of Lungwort
Sugarbred breeds by seeds, division of a bush and rhizomes. The seed method is not very popular, since it is quite long-term (flowering of plants is observed 2-3 years after planting). In addition, young bushes may not retain the characteristics of the mother plant and differ significantly from them.
Division of the bush is a more popular method, preserving the purity of the variety. In early spring or after flowering (July-August), an adult plant needs to be divided into parts that are planted at a distance of 30 cm from each other, after pruning the roots. It is recommended to mulch the earth around young seedlings with humus.
Also, the plant can be propagated by dividing the rhizome. For this, at the end of summer, a small part of it is required to be separated from the main root with the obligatory presence of a renewal kidney. Planting is carried out at a 4-centimeter depth at a distance of about 20 cm between plants.
Diseases and Pests
Lungwort is a flower quite resistant to diseases and pests, however, stagnation of water and sharp temperature drops can cause the appearance of powdery mildew and rot. In this case, the affected plants must be removed and burned, and the remaining bushes treated with sulfur preparations. With excess moisture, the Lungwort can be affected by snails and slugs eating its leaves. The fight against them is carried out by agrotechnical methods (moderate watering, prevention of thickening of plantings, thorough tillage, removal of weeds) that impede the creation of a microclimate that is comfortable for such pests.
Lungwort in folk medicine
Lungwort sugar is a plant widely used in traditional medicine due to the content of a large number of useful vitamins, tannins, macro- and microelements, carotene. For medicinal purposes, the buds, leaves and roots of the plant are harvested. It is required to dry them in a well-ventilated room at a temperature of no more than + 40 C⁰. Ready-made materials are recommended to be stored in fabric or paper bags.
From this healing herb, decoctions and infusions with diuretic, antitussive, wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties are very effective. The leaf of such a plant attached to the wound will determine its speedy healing.
Lungwort sugar is used to treat diseases such as:
- bronchitis;
- bronchial asthma;
- tuberculosis;
- pleurisy;
- uterine bleeding;
- BPH;
- thrombophlebitis;
- pneumonia;
- laryngitis;
- cystitis;
- anorexia;
- pneumonia.