Content
- 1 What does budra grass look like?
- 2 The healing properties of ivy budra
- 3 Uses of Dog Nip
- 4 The magical properties of ivy budra
- 5 Planting and caring for budra
- 6 Growing and caring for ivy bud
- 7 Pests and diseases
- 8 How to get rid of ivy bud on the site
- 9 When and how to collect budra for medicinal purposes
- 10 Conclusion
Ivy budra (Glechomahederacea) is a species belonging to the genus Budra from the family Lamiaceae (Lamiaceae). On a site, grass can be a valuable ground cover plant or a malicious weed. Sometimes it is grown in special beds or flower beds with medicinal crops, but more often it is harvested during weeding or while caring for the main plantings.
The culture has other names that differ from those accepted in botany - Budra Ivy. Budra Creeping, Dogmint, Magpie, they are widespread everywhere. Breast grass or Opukhova grass, Blyushchik, Garuchka are less known, or are used in a separate region.
What does budra grass look like?
Budra ivy is a perennial herbaceous plant with leaves that overwinter under the snow and remain green until spring. It got its name thanks to its creeping and quickly rooting shoots. Just like ivy, budra, in suitable conditions, colonizes large areas over several years and displaces plants competing for water and nutrients. It covers not only the ground with a thick carpet, but also fallen tree trunks.
The ivy-shaped budra rises no more than 15 cm above the ground surface, and only during flowering. The tetrahedral, slightly pubescent shoots are located in a horizontal area and are capable of taking root at each node. The stems are 15-20 cm long, rarely 50 cm, strongly branched and slightly raised at the ends.
The leaves are opposite, that is, they come from one node, and are arranged in pairs, symmetrically to each other, which is clearly visible in any photo of the ivy budra grass. Their shape resembles a heart or a kidney, the edge is crenate with rounded teeth, the veins are clearly defined. The size does not exceed 3 cm, the color is green, the petioles are of medium length.
Thin fibrous roots are easily torn. But this has little effect on the general condition of the plant. Each node, touching the ground with sufficient moisture, takes root without separating from the mother bush, supplying it with water and nutrients.
Budra ivy goes through two growth spurts of leaves and shoots per season. The first begins early in the spring and subsides as buds begin to form. After flowering, the above-ground part again enters the phase of active development. It stops only with the onset of frost.
Where does budra grow?
The ivy-shaped budra grass grows almost throughout Eurasia in zones with a temperate climate, right up to the Far East. It is not available only in some areas of the Trans-Urals. The crop came to North America along with settlers; in the central and adjacent states of the United States it is considered a harmful weed.
Budra ivy grows in meadows, forests and bushes, along river banks, in personal plots, neglected vegetable gardens and farm fields. Dognip makes its way even through the asphalt of megacities, colonizing abandoned lawns, areas near fences and along roadsides. For the crop, the main thing is that there is at least some fertile soil and periodic watering.
When and how does ivy budra bloom?
The flowers of budra are small, bisexual, tubular, 1-2.2 cm long, located in the middle or at the tops of the shoots. The corolla is two-lipped, violet-blue or bluish-lilac, the throat is often white, with dark strokes and specks. The upper part of the flower is short, split in two. The lower one is protruding, consists of four segments, with a bright purple spot in the middle. The structure of the dogmint flower is clearly visible in the photo.
The buds are collected in the axils of the leaves, 2-4 pieces each. They open soon after the beginning of the growing season - in April-May. Flowering is long-lasting, sometimes lasting until August. The fruits of dog mint are nuts, the seeds ripen in July-August.
What is the scent of dog mint?
The smell appears if you damage or rub the leaf with your fingers. Sharp and specific, not everyone likes it. To be more precise, few people would call the aroma of ivy budra pleasant. It resembles a mixture of mint and sage.
Peculiarities of budra reproduction
The plant easily propagates by self-seeding and takes root in the nodes as soon as they come into contact with the ground. You can dilute dog mint yourself:
- layering;
- dividing the bush;
- planting green cuttings directly into the ground in the spring or immediately after flowering;
- sowing seeds at the beginning of the season or before winter.
For rooting to be successful, it is enough to water the planting regularly. Cuttings will take root better in a slightly shaded place. Once new leaves appear, the dognip plant can be replanted.
The healing properties of ivy budra
The medicinal properties of dog mint are due to the large number of beneficial substances contained in the above-ground part of the plant:
Name | Maximum content |
tannins | 7,5% |
essential oils | 0,6 |
free amino acids: methionine cysteine serine |
0,29% 0,12% 0,06% |
ascorbic acid | 32 mg% |
choline | 8.2 mg% |
In addition, the plant contains caffeic and rosin acids and gum. Budra contains 35 microelements, the main of which are:
- phosphorus;
- manganese;
- titanium;
- copper;
- zinc.
What diseases does budra help with?
In Western Europe and America, dognip is recognized as official medicine and is used to treat:
- bronchial asthma;
- skin diseases;
- liver, including hepatitis;
- thyroid gland;
- pneumonia;
- gallbladder;
- urolithiasis.
In the post-Soviet space, you can find dognip as part of imported medical preparations, brought privately, or dietary supplements. Officially, the hanging budra plant in Russia is not classified as medicinal.
Uses of Dog Nip
Although ivy budra is better known to herbalists and landscape designers, nevertheless, the culture has found application in other areas. It was not ignored by culinary specialists and winemakers, esotericists and cosmetologists.
In folk medicine
Domestic medicine does not study the medicinal properties and contraindications of budra herb, but the culture is well known to folk healers. It’s not for nothing that they call her a forty-unemployed woman. Healers include the herb in their preparations and use it independently to combat many diseases. Dog mint is considered a remedy for:
- expectorant;
- diuretic;
- antiparasitic;
- gastric;
- relieving inflammation;
- antisclerotic;
- lowers blood sugar;
- choleretic;
- painkillers;
- antitumor.
Traditional medicine treats chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract and prostatic hyperplasia accompanied by sputum production with the help of ivy bud. For wounds, skin problems, gout, lotions and baths are recommended.
Recipes for decoctions and infusions with ivy budra
The entire aerial part of dog mint is used for medicinal purposes. Sometimes the juice is squeezed out of the grass and, for example, 1-2 drops are dropped into the nose for headaches. But more often decoctions and infusions are prepared from budra:
- For diseases of the liver, gastrointestinal tract, and upper respiratory tract, crush a teaspoon of fresh dog mint herb and pour a glass of boiling water. Leave until the liquid cools down. Strain. Take 1/4 cup warm 2 to 4 times a day.
- For the same diseases, as well as tuberculosis and cystitis, an infusion of dried budra herb will help. A tablespoon of crushed raw materials is poured with 3 cups of boiling water. Leave for 60 minutes. Take 2 hours before meals, 2 tbsp. l. no more than 4 times a day.
- A decoction of dry budra herb will help in the treatment of goiter, liver and bile ducts, and lung diseases. A teaspoon of raw material is poured into a glass of boiling water and heated for 15 minutes in a water bath. Leave for 45 minutes. Warm, strained broth is taken before meals, a quarter glass no more than 4 times a day.
- For diseases of the liver, bladder and bronchial asthma, you can use an infusion of budra with alcohol (40%) or vodka. Dry grass and alcohol are mixed in a glass container 1:10, kept in a dark place for 10 days. Take 15 drops before meals three times a day.
- Suppuration, rashes, dermatoses, boils will help to cure lotions and washing the affected areas of the skin with a decoction of budra. Bring a tablespoon of dog mint to a boil with a glass of water. Wrap up and leave to cool.
- Expectorant collection. Chopped fresh or dry herbs are mixed in equal parts: budra, cocklebur, hoofed grass. Throw a tablespoon of the mixture into a glass of hot water and bring to a boil. Keep on fire for 3 minutes, leave for half an hour. Drink 3 times a day after meals.
- Scabies mites are a very unpleasant skin parasite. You can get rid of it if you rub a strong tincture of budra with vinegar into the affected areas 2 times a day.
- For pneumonia, a collection of dog mint, poplar buds and elderberry flowers in a 2:2:1 ratio will help. 5 tablespoons of the mixture are poured with 3 cups of boiling water. Infuse, strain, drink throughout the day.
- Pharyngitis can be cured if 1 tsp. Pour a glass of boiling water over the flowering budra and leave. Use for inhalation or hot rinsing.
Tincture for bud for cancer
Dog mint cannot be used as a stand-alone remedy for cancer. The patient must undergo full medical treatment. As an adjuvant, the herb should only be taken after consultation with a doctor. Tannins and other substances contained in ivy bud can block or change the effect of medications.
The plant is not recognized by official medicine, so the doctor is unlikely to include it in the healing process. You can use budra yourself only if there is no direct ban on it.
Traditional medicine believes that dognip can alleviate conditions of leukemia and liver cancer. There are two ways to take the herb:
- Decoction. It is prepared in a water bath in the same way as for the treatment of goiter, liver and pulmonary diseases: 1 tsp. dry budra grass is poured with a glass of boiling water and kept in a water bath for 15 minutes. Leave for an hour, drink warm before meals 3-4 times a day.
- Dog mint infused for 10 days in 40% alcohol (1:10) is taken 3 times a day, 12-20 drops, diluted with a small amount of water.
Restrictions and contraindications
Budra ivy, the medicinal properties of which are undoubted, is a moderately poisonous plant. Here we can recall Paracelsus, who argued that the difference between medicine and poison lies in the dosage.For example, there is much less pulegone toxic to the liver in ivy bud than in peppermint and pennyroyal, which are considered quite safe.
Essential oils and bitters can have an irritating effect on the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract. Infusions and decoctions of dog mint should not be used uncontrolled or exceed the recommended doses. It is not recommended for people with ulcers to drink them on an empty stomach.
The first sign of budra ivy poisoning is increased salivation and sweating. Then cardiac activity and blood clotting may be impaired, and pulmonary edema may occur.
Among the direct contraindications of budra:
- low acidity;
- tendency to form blood clots;
- age up to 3 years;
- pregnancy and lactation;
- renal or liver failure.
In cooking
Sometimes fresh young leaves of budra ivy are added to salads. Here you need to know when to stop and not make grass the main ingredient.
Dog mint is used in brewing and to flavor kvass. In addition to adding additional bitterness and aroma, the herb helps increase the shelf life of drinks.
As a spicy and aromatic additive to meat and barbecue marinades, budra not only improves the taste of the finished dish. It promotes the absorption of fats.
In landscape design
Herbaceous plant for open ground, ivy-shaped budra, in landscape design is more represented by the decorative variety with white-edged leaves Variegata. Unlike the mother form, the variety is not so undemanding to growing conditions.In a sunny location and poor watering, especially in the south, the foliage of the budra burns out, and it is difficult to maintain its decorative appearance.
There is a less common Russian variety, Golden October, which is less capricious than Variegata. Many people like it much better in appearance. Dogmint leaves are covered with irregular yellow spots. Their color, as can be seen in the photo of Golden October budra ivy, is especially intense in the fall.
Dogmint is used as a ground cover plant. In large areas it fills the voids between trees and shrubs. Variegated forms of ivy budra are planted in irrigated flower beds and ridges.
Where else is dognip used?
In cosmetology, ivy budra is used in masks and ointments for acne or other skin rashes. In phoniatry, plants are sometimes used to treat an incessant cough.
In the garden, dogmint is used to sod tree trunks. In strawberry plants, plants protect each other from pests with their secretions. There are other advantages:
- ivy bud does not allow the berries to fall on the soil;
- The strawberries protect the dognip from the bright sun.
The magical properties of ivy budra
Dognip is called witch grass. It is believed that it frees you from curses, love spells and any other dark influences. Esotericists claim that the plant cleanses and restores the human aura.
But dark magicians also use ivy budra. The herb can unite people, broken connections, and the powers of sorcerers during sorcery. This property is used for their own purposes by both evil and good forces.
Planting and caring for budra
Species ivy-shaped budra as a herbaceous plant for open ground requires very little care. The Variegata variety will cause a little more trouble. Golden October is rare, but according to reviews it is as unpretentious as a wild plant.
Dogmint takes root well, no matter how it was planted - from a container, with bare roots, seeds or cuttings. It is important to water the bud regularly at first, and choose soil that is at least somewhat fertile.
The offspring of the species dogmint planted in the spring will quickly grow in all directions, and by the fall they will cover a significant area. With the Variegata variety this will not happen so quickly; it needs to be provided with moderate regular watering.
Ivy budra is planted in the sun or partial shade. No particular precision is required when placing dognip - in less than a season it will spread in all directions. The thicker the bushes are planted, the faster the ground needs to be covered.
Growing and caring for ivy bud
Dog mint does not require fertilizing, being content with what it got when caring for neighboring plants. Only shoots that have spread greatly or have lost their decorative effect due to drying out are pruned. Budra does not require shelter for the winter.
Weeding and mulching of the soil are not carried out. Dognip, a year after planting or even at the end of the first season, will spread so much that it can protect the roots of large plants from overheating and loss of moisture.
Being a malicious weed itself, budra does not allow it to grow and “survives” from competitors’ sites. So you need to keep an eye on small ornamental plants with a shallow root system - they will not be able to withstand independent competition with a dog plant.
Possible problems during cultivation
Ivy budra is a plant that is resistant to external influences, which is much easier to plant on the site than to later remove it from there. There is only one problem with species dognip - it cannot be completely destroyed.
Budra grows worst of all in poor, sandy and constantly wet or dry areas. The white-edged form needs more light and water than the species dogmint.
Excessive watering will cause all parts of the plant to rot. In the south, without irrigation in the hot summer, the roots cannot obtain enough moisture, for which reason the leaves of the bud dry out.
Pests and diseases
Dog mint gets sick and is affected by pests only in exceptional cases. Overmoistening causes the roots and stems of budra to rot. When kept dry, in addition to wilted leaves, spider mites appear on the plant.
How to get rid of ivy bud on the site
Dognip is a weed that can be difficult to get rid of. But it must be removed from the garden. If you leave budra on an area where farm animals graze, they can get poisoned and even die.
To combat budra:
- In the spring, soil treatment with herbicides is used; on lawns and pastures, selective action preparations, for example, Lintur, can be used;
- the beds are mulched with non-woven materials, straw or mown grass;
- carry out weeding.
Dognip does not like regular mowing. This way, if not completely removing it from the site, then significantly reducing the contaminated area and stopping further spread.
When and how to collect budra for medicinal purposes
Unlike other medicinal herbs, dognip can be harvested throughout the growing season. The aerial parts – leaves, shoots, flowers – have healing powers.
The most beneficial substances are contained in ivy budra, which was collected in hot, dry weather. The shoots of the plant are lifted and trimmed with a knife or scissors.
How to properly dry and store dog mint
It is impossible to dry budra under a hot roof or in another room adapted for quickly removing moisture from plants or products. The essential oils contained in dog nip evaporate at temperatures above 30 °C.
The ivy budra is spread in a thin layer on white paper (newspaper cannot be taken). Leave in the shade with good ventilation. As soon as the top layer dries, the grass is carefully turned over to the other side. Do not stir or stir dog nip.
Dry herbs can be stored at room temperature in sealed jars or cardboard boxes for no more than 1 year.
Conclusion
Many people know ivy budra as a malicious weed. But it is also a ground cover and medicinal plant, a flavoring for kvass or beer, and a seasoning for meat. Before removing dognip from an area, you need to think about whether it might have a use.
