Content
The princely berry is very tasty, but it is extremely rare in stores and in the wild. To understand why Knyazhenika is such a deficiency and why it is useful, you need to study its features, as well as see photos and find out how Knyazhenika grows.
What is this “princely” berry and where does it grow?
Knyazhenika is a herbaceous perennial plant, growing on average only 30 cm above the ground. The leaves of the plant are trifoliate green, the flowers are dark pink, medium in size, with five petals on each, and they open from the beginning of May until July.
The berry grows throughout the Northern Hemisphere in cold climates - in swamps, tundras, fields and forests. This is partly due to its narrow distribution; the plant is unsuitable for hot and even temperate climates.
The second name of the princely berry is Arctic raspberry. But this plant is also found under other names, the prince is called mamura and polyanika, as well as khokhlushka.
What does the prince berry look like?
The main value of the plant is its fruits. In the photo of what the princess looks like, you can see small cluster-type drupes with a red, dark purple with a bluish bloom or a cherry tint. Externally, the berry is similar to a raspberry, but its shape is usually less clear and the color is more complex.
What kind of princely berry are there?
Despite its rarity, the prince berry exists in a wide variety of species and varieties. There are several main varieties of the plant.
- Wild berry or princely berry. It is this type of plant that can be found in northern forests, clearings and swamps. The wild grass rises low above the ground, dies off every year for the winter, and in the middle or end of summer it bears red, tasty fruits, but in very small quantities, since the wild princess blooms much more abundantly than it bears fruit.
- Garden Princess. A plant artificially adapted for cultural cultivation in the middle zone and even in the southern regions. Despite the fact that the garden plant takes root well in warm climates, the yield of such berries remains very low; even from several bushes it will not be possible to collect fruits in buckets.
- Hybrid princess. A species artificially bred by crossing common and star-shaped princelings. In appearance, the perennial plant differs little from the princess, which can be found in the forests and swamps of the northern part of Eurasia.But at the same time, the hybrid berry grows faster, its fruiting is slightly more abundant, and the fruits have a uniform red tint.
- Varietal princess. Numerous varieties of cultivated plants, of which there are about 40, are of greatest interest to gardeners. This kind of princess is best adapted for cultivation in order to obtain a bountiful harvest. The Swedish varieties “Sofia”, “Anna”, “Beata”, “Linda”, as well as the Finnish “Pima”, “Susanna” and “Astra” are especially famous. Varietal berries retain the taste of real wild Arctic raspberries, but appear on the bushes in much larger quantities, and, moreover, the fruits ripen earlier than usual.
Where does the princeberry berry grow in Russia?
In Russia, the berry can be found mainly in the northern and arctic latitudes, and it is there that the most voluminous fruit harvests are harvested. Knyazhenika is found in Siberia and the Far East; it can also be seen in the Novgorod, Vologda, Arkhangelsk and Tver regions. However, reviews of princely berries indicate that every year in these regions there are fewer and fewer Arctic raspberries.
The plant can be seen in Russia mainly in damp meadows and swampy lowlands, near peat bogs and in dense coniferous and mixed forests. The berry is often found in the tundra. But you shouldn’t look for it in dry areas exposed to sunlight; in such conditions, perennial grass does not take root.
When the prince matures
Arctic raspberry bushes are usually harvested twice or three times over a short period from July to August; the berries of the plant ripen unevenly. Productivity 1 sq. m. averages no more than 200 g of fruit, and the further north the plant grows, the more berries you can collect from it.
How is the princess useful?
The rare Russian berry knyazheniku is eaten not only for pleasure; the fruits of the plant have healing properties. Arctic raspberry:
- strengthens the body's immune resistance and helps fight colds;
- has an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effect;
- serves as an effective diuretic and decongestant;
- helps cope with vitamin deficiency;
- is a good addition to dietary nutrition;
- reduces pain from rheumatism and gout;
- has a beneficial effect on bronchitis and pneumonia;
- relieves unpleasant symptoms of urolithiasis;
- increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood.
It is also recommended to take princely for diarrhea; the berry helps improve intestinal function. Drinks based on Arctic raspberries quench your thirst well in the summer heat.
What does princesses taste like?
Arctic raspberries are especially valued for their unique, inimitable taste. In the small berries you can distinguish the shade of strawberry and pineapple - the fruits of the northern plant are sweet and juicy, but at the same time they have a very pleasant light sourness.
Composition and calorie content of princely berries
Arctic raspberries contain quite a lot of useful substances - they explain the numerous valuable properties of the fruit. In particular, the composition includes:
- organic acids - malic and citric;
- vitamin C;
- natural plant sugars;
- tannins;
- essential oil.
From a nutrient point of view, the composition of Arctic raspberries is represented entirely by carbohydrates. And the calorie content of the berry is very low - only 26 kcal per 100 g of fresh fruit.
The use of berries and leaves of the princess in folk medicine
The princely plant is used to treat many ailments. Traditional medicine offers simple but very effective recipes based on the use of Arctic raspberries.
- Fresh juice from the fruits of the princess has a good effect at temperature. To obtain it, you need to chop and squeeze a sufficient amount of berries through cheesecloth, and then dilute the juice with a small amount of water to reduce its concentration. You need to drink the juice lukewarm; the drink can be taken up to 3 times per glass per day.
- For weakened immunity and intestinal sluggishness, an infusion of Arctic raspberries helps well. About 3 large spoons of fruit are poured into 400 ml of boiling water, and then infused for an hour. You need to take the medicine three times a day on an empty stomach in the amount of half a glass. Knyazhenika will help replenish vitamin deficiencies, and also speed up metabolism and have a cleansing effect on the body.
- For gastritis and intestinal colitis, you can take a tincture of arctic raspberry leaves and berries. It is prepared like this: pour 3 large spoons of dried fruits and leaves into a glass of boiling water, cover the container with a lid and leave for 2 hours. The finished product is filtered and drunk only 50 ml three times a day, and this should be done on a full stomach.
- You can make an aromatic and healthy tea from arctic raspberry leaves; it will help with colds, bronchitis, nervous disorders and insomnia, and also strengthen the immune system.To create tea, you need to pour boiling water over 1 large spoon of dried leaves, then close the lid and leave for an hour. The finished tea should be strained through a strainer and drunk in the same way as a regular drink, warm.
For sore throat and other inflammatory diseases of the throat, you can prepare an infusion for gargling based on princess. Pour the dried fruits into a glass of hot water and leave for only 15 minutes, and then gargle with the prepared solution up to 5 times a day.
The ripening period for Arctic raspberries is July and August. It is at this time that it is customary to collect not only the fruits, but also the leaves of the plant. The berries are carefully removed from the branches, and it is recommended to do this together with the stalk, so as not to crush the delicate fruit.
Raw materials are processed for long-term storage mainly by drying. The leaves of the plant are dried in the fresh air in the shade, turning over from time to time. As for the berries, they can be dried either in the sun, which will take about a week, or in the oven at temperatures up to 60 ° C with the door open.
Application in cosmetology
The vitamins and organic acids in the northern berry make it not only a valuable medicinal raw material, but also a useful cosmetic product. As part of homemade masks, Arctic raspberries help to take care of the cleanliness of facial skin, get rid of acne and irritation, and tighten fine wrinkles.
For example, this berry-based mask is popular:
- a handful of fresh fruits are washed and then crushed to a pulp in a blender or ground with a mortar;
- the gruel is mixed with a small amount of cottage cheese and low-fat sour cream;
- The resulting yogurt mixture is distributed over washed facial skin for a quarter of an hour.
It is advisable to make a mask twice or thrice a week, in this case the princess will help make the skin more elastic, eliminate irritation and cleanse pores, and tighten the oval of the face.
Arctic raspberries can be used to care not only for the face, but also for the entire body. In combination with oatmeal flakes, princely powder can turn into a gentle, nourishing scrub that improves the smoothness and tenderness of the skin.
Restrictions and contraindications
Like any product, along with its benefits, the delicious northern berry can cause harm. Arctic raspberries have contraindications, which include:
- stomach ulcer - a high content of organic acids in berries can negatively affect the condition of the mucous membranes;
- increased secretion of gastric juice and gastritis - Arctic raspberries provoke the production of hydrochloric acid, and this can worsen health;
- pancreatitis in a state of exacerbation - with inflammation of the pancreas, princely, like any berry, is strictly contraindicated due to its irritating effect.
Also, you should not eat northern berries if you have an individual intolerance to the product. The daily portion of arctic raspberries should not exceed 100 g; excessive quantities of princely raspberries will cause harm to health.
Interesting facts about the prince
A photo of the princess berry and a description of where it grows are of great interest. But it’s even more interesting to learn a few facts about this rare northern berry.
- If you believe the encyclopedic dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron, then in the 19th century not only Arctic raspberries, but also red currants were called “princely”. However, there is nothing in common between these berries; they differ greatly in appearance, growing area and taste.
- The ordinary wild-growing princess is highly popular not only in Russia. It is also treated with respect in foreign northern countries. This berry is featured on the official flower emblem of Norrbotten, a province located in the far northern region of Sweden.
- Knyazhenika holds the official title of “the best northern berry.” This is exactly what this plant is called in the Soviet reference book “Wild-growing useful plants of the USSR”, published in 1976.
- According to legends, people recognized the high value of princes back in ancient times. In Rus', this rare, tasty berry was mined specifically for the table of princes and other noble persons; in fact, this is precisely what determines the name of the northern berry.
- During the reign of the Romanovs, knyazhenika was also a special delicacy - it was served mainly in the houses of the nobility, and then only on the most solemn occasions. On holidays, the tasty and aromatic fruits of the northern plant were consumed in the noble houses of Denmark, Sweden and other northern countries.
Some sources claim that the northern tribes of ancient Rus' paid tribute to the princes with berries, and such payment was perceived by tax collectors as completely normal.
Conclusion
Prince berry is a rare but very tasty natural delicacy that grows in the northernmost regions. Since the princeling does not grow everywhere and bears little fruit, its value further increases, and many breeders are still actively working to improve the cultural qualities of Arctic raspberries.
