The world famous medicinal plant is echinacea. The grass has excellent healing properties, has a therapeutic effect, increasing human immunity, as evidenced by pharmacological studies. If the disease begins, thirty drops of tincture will destroy it in the vine.
The most common is Echinacea purpurea. This herbaceous perennial plant, which belongs to the family Asteraceae, reaches a height of 120 cm. The grass is very beautiful, purple-purple inflorescences in the form of large baskets are located on its stems. The birthplace of the plant is the eastern part of the USA.
Echinacea purpurea herb contains beneficial amino acids and essential oils. Phytosterols, betaine, echinacoside glycoside were found in the roots. The main active substances that have an immunostimulating effect are polysaccharides.
The plant has antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Echinacea herb promotes the elimination of radionuclides in the body, inhibits the reproduction and growth of streptococci, staphylococci, Escherichia coli, viruses, herpes, influenza, stomatitis.
Echinacea preparations are used for septic and infectious diseases, abscesses and carbuncles, burns of various degrees.
With the help of the plant, heals people who have undergone radiation exposure and provide rehabilitation after prolonged use of antibiotics.
Today, echinacea is used to produce tinctures and other medications that do not have side effects: immunorm, immunal (drops and tablets), plates and lozenges.
However, one should not treat echinacea only as a medicinal plant. After all, this is a beautiful flower that blooms in August and delights for 1.5 ... 2 months. Flowers-baskets reach a diameter of 12 centimeters, have a convex central part and hard reed reddish-brown or dark red petals. After the petals fade and fall, the baskets turn into balls, which are covered with hard bristles. Because of this property, the plant bears its name, which means “hedgehog-like” in Latin.
The plant can be grown independently in the flower garden. In order for the Echinacea grass to develop well, it must be planted in loose nutrient soil. The plant is very fond of the sun. Planted seeds give long seedlings from 10 days to a month, although they do not need stratification. Since the seedlings need humidity and heat, it is better to plant them in the greenhouse, and the seedlings that have already appeared should be transferred to the flower garden. The first year of development gives a rosette of leaves with a diameter of up to 25 centimeters.
Echinacea - a grass resistant to drought, however, it is necessary to water it. The annual compost top dressing will also benefit the plant. The flower tolerates cold well and can winter without shelter, but can disappear in snowless winters. Eninacea begins to bloom regularly from the second year of life.
Propagation of the grass is done not only by seeds, but also by cuttings. Shrubs are transplanted, unlike other perennial plants that divide in August, only in the spring, until the leaves are fully developed.
In addition to the fact that Echinacea grass planted on a flower bed will please the eye, it is possible to make a medicinal product from it by insisting the plant in alcohol.
The resulting medicine can be used as a restorative, as well as for the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with metabolic disorders (liver disease, diabetes mellitus), exposure to the body of various toxins contained in food and the environment (pesticides, heavy metals, insecticides) .