Content
- 1 Description of the species
- 2 Composition and value of the plant
- 3 The healing properties of urban gravilate
- 4 What does it help with?
- 5 Application of urban gravilate
- 6 Features of reproduction
- 7 Rules for planting and care
- 8 Collection, preparation and storage of raw materials
- 9 Interesting facts about city gravity
- 10 Conclusion
Urban Gravilate is a medicinal plant with analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing effects. It is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and winter hardiness. This herb is easy to grow in your own area - it is useful not only for preparing raw materials for medicine, but also for decorating the garden.
Description of the species
Urban gravilate is a perennial flowering herbaceous plant from the Rosaceae family. It grows in height up to 40-60 cm. Close to the roots lies a rosette of several leaves of a rich green color, with beautiful jagged edges. The flowers are small, 5-petalled, reaching no more than 1.5 cm in diameter.
The rhizome of gravilat is powerful, thick, with a specific clove aroma. The stem is straight, covered with white hairs. The leaves are also pubescent. Urban gravilate (pictured) has light yellow flowers that look very beautiful against the background of the leaves of the plant.
Flowering is quite long: in natural conditions it lasts from May to mid-September
Distribution area
Urban gravilate is distributed throughout the Mediterranean region:
- in most European countries;
- in North Africa;
- in the Caucasus;
- in Turkey;
- in the countries of Central Asia.
On the territory of Russia, the culture also grows everywhere - in the European part of the country, in the southern regions, as well as in the North Caucasus and in the regions of Western Siberia.
Basically, gravilat prefers light forests. It can often be found along roads and even in garbage dumps. Among forests it chooses alder and spruce forests, and can grow on the edge. The presence of urban gravity in itself indicates good soil fertility. The plant is also often found in city parks, which is why it received the appropriate name.
Composition and value of the plant
The value of the herb is mainly associated with those substances that are part of the root tissues (all parts, including leaves and flowers, are used for treatment):
- tanning compounds;
- bitterness;
- resins;
- essential oil;
- ascorbic acid (vitamin C);
- carotene (precursor of vitamin A);
- glycoside gein;
- carbohydrates (sucrose, starch);
- catechin;
- organic acids (including gallic, chlorogenic, caffeic, ellagic).
The value of urban gravilate is due to the fact that the biologically active substances included in its composition have a complex effect on the human body. They inhibit inflammatory processes, which leads to reduced pain, improved blood circulation and other positive effects. Therefore, in folk medicine, the remedy is used to treat various diseases, as well as for general strengthening of the body.
The culture has an anti-inflammatory effect, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, prevents the development of allergic reactions and even protects the liver from the destructive effects of alcohol.
The healing properties of urban gravilate
Urban gravilate has long been known for its medicinal properties, so it is used as:
- anti-inflammatory;
- wound healing;
- hemostatic;
- astringent;
- tonic;
- painkiller.
It is known that urban gravilate is also used in veterinary medicine: this herb is given to cows in cases where blood appears in the urine.
Gravilate is characterized by a complex effect on the human body
Restrictions and contraindications
The use of the herb urban gravilate and drugs based on it is contraindicated in the following patients:
- with a tendency to thrombosis;
- suffering from thrombophlebitis;
- with low blood pressure;
- with constant constipation;
- those suffering from increased nervous excitability;
- pregnant and lactating women (at any stage);
- children under 12-14 years old.
In some cases (including in case of violation of the dosage and/or duration of the course), taking the herb urban gravilat leads to a number of side effects:
- heaviness in the stomach, bloating;
- flatulence (gas formation);
- loss of appetite;
- dehydration;
- problems with the liver and kidneys (especially in patients with chronic diseases of these organs).
If any of the described symptoms are observed, use of Gravilata Urban herb should be discontinued. Resuming the course is allowed only after consultation with a doctor.
What does it help with?
Dried vegetable raw materials of urban gravilat and preparations based on it are used to treat various diseases, including:
- cough, bronchitis;
- bronchial asthma;
- tuberculosis;
- pneumonia;
- kidney pathologies;
- gallbladder and liver diseases;
- haemorrhoids;
- gastritis;
- colitis;
- scurvy;
- infertility;
- muscular and joint rheumatism;
- inflammation of the oral cavity;
- bleeding gums;
- dermatitis;
- wounds and burns;
- allergy;
- rickets (in children);
- heart rhythm disturbances;
- nervous disorders.
Application of urban gravilate
Medicinal herbs are widely used not only for medical purposes, but also in cosmetology and cooking. Urban gravilate can decorate the garden, so it is used for cover planting on the site.
Decoctions and infusions are prepared from dried raw materials
In folk medicine
To treat the described diseases, an infusion or decoction of urban gravilate raw materials is used. Basic effective recipes:
- To prepare the infusion, 1 tsp. leaves are poured into a thermos and filled with a glass (200-250 ml) of boiling water. Leave for 1.5-2 hours. Then cool, filter and take two tablespoons 3-4 times a day.
- Decoction of leaves: 2 tsp. crushed urban gravilat raw materials are poured with 2.5 glasses of boiling water and placed in a water bath for half an hour (moderate heat, low boiling). Then cool, filter and take a tablespoon 3-4 times a day.
- Decoction of rhizomes: 1.5 teaspoons of raw materials are infused in a glass of boiling water, simmered for 30 minutes in a water bath. Then cool and filter, take a tablespoon 3-4 times a day.
A decoction of the rhizomes of urban gravilat is suitable not only for internal, but also for external use. They treat wounds, abrasions, dermatitis, applying compresses for several hours. This decoction can also be used to rinse the mouth and throat for inflammation, bleeding gums or cough.
They are sprinkled on wounds, abrasions and ulcers. Used for rinsing the mouth (pre-dissolve a few pinches of this powder in warm water).
In cosmetology
Urban Gravilate has a beneficial effect on the skin. It promotes rapid healing of wounds and ulcers. Therefore, compresses are prepared based on a decoction or infusion, which are applied to the affected area and changed several times a day. Also, based on rhizomes, cosmetics are made with an essential oil extract that has a pleasant clove aroma.
In cooking
Young leaves of urban gravilat have a delicate, interesting smell. Therefore, they are placed in crushed form in various salads, for example in vegetable salads:
- cucumbers;
- tomatoes;
- green onion;
- dill;
- Gravilata leaves.
The plant is edible, so it is even used in cooking.
Another option is a salad of sprigs of dill, parsley and gravilat (100 g each) mixed with salt and vegetable oil (or mayonnaise).
Gravilata leaves can be used as a flavoring agent for pureed soup.
The greens are chopped and added 10 minutes before the end of cooking, then allowed to brew for 20-30 minutes.
The rhizome has a pleasant clove aroma, so when crushed it is added as a seasoning to fish and meat dishes, put in tea and even in baking dough. Also, the rhizome of urban gravilate is often added to beer or kvass. They give drinks not only a pleasant taste, but also an interesting aroma.
At home
Since the roots of gravilat contain a lot of tannins, it is used for tanning leather. Black and red-brown dyes are also prepared from the rhizome - it is well suited for dyeing wool.
The plant is used as an insecticide. It has a detrimental effect on many insect pests, so a diluted decoction can be sprayed on the foliage of various plants (both for prevention and for destroying the colony). You can also prepare a regular water infusion from the rhizomes for this (kept for 4-5 days).
In landscape design
Urban gravilate goes well with various garden flowers:
- bells;
- different types of peonies;
- carnations;
- phlox.
The plant is used both to create flower arrangements and in single plantings.
Gravilat serves as a ground cover; it decorates remote corners of the garden.
The culture fits harmoniously into the design of flower beds, rockeries, alpine slides, compositions on lawns or on the banks of reservoirs
Dense planting of urban gravilat creates the effect of a green carpet
Features of reproduction
Urban gravilate can be propagated in the following ways:
- seeds;
- dividing the bush.
In the first case, the seeds are first kept for 3-5 days in the refrigerator, then planted in boxes (February - March) and grown like ordinary seedlings, and in May they are transferred to open ground. According to the experience of gardeners, gravilat grown from seeds blooms longer and more luxuriantly.
You can divide the bush at the age of five years (then once every 5-6 years). There is no need to dig it up completely - just separate several daughter rosettes with part of the root, plant them in a new place and water them well. This can be done in late spring or early summer.
Rules for planting and care
Urban gravilate is planted in mid-April (for most regions) or early September (for the south). The area is pre-cleaned, dug up and, if necessary, 50 g of mineral fertilizer is applied per 1 m2. Then the divisions are planted at a distance of no more than 20 cm.
Caring for urban gravitate is very simple:
- Watering - regular, preferably once a week, in drought - 2 times.
- Fertilize once a month (only 2-3 times per season) with complex mineral fertilizer (can be alternated with organic matter - droppings, humus).
- Loosening the soil.
- Removing dried flower stalks.
- Full pruning (at the root) at the end of September, mulching with spruce branches and leaves for the winter.
Collection, preparation and storage of raw materials
The rhizomes of urban gravilate are mainly harvested (late autumn), although the entire above-ground part is often also used (late May - early June). To obtain valuable roots, the grass is completely dug up.
Then they are shaken off the ground and washed thoroughly under running water. Dry outdoors or in a well-ventilated area for three days. After this, immediately dry at a temperature of 45 degrees (several hours).It is important that the gravilate raw material does not lose its clove aroma (especially for culinary purposes).
Can be stored in well-sealed jars at room temperature and low humidity. The grass is stored for a year after collection, and the roots are stored for up to 3 years.
Interesting facts about city gravity
Urban gravilate has been known for a long time in Europe, Russia, Turkey and North African countries. Initially, this plant was called “love-grass”. Some peoples were convinced that it would help cast a love spell on a loved one, so healers and sorcerers brewed potions based on roots and leaves.
Often, raw materials were added to special mixtures that were used in purification rituals. It was believed that the urban gravilat grass scattered throughout the area would be a kind of amulet that would protect against attacks by insects and animals. Gravilat was also known to Indian tribes. It is known that men from different tribes used the leaves to attract the attention of girls.
In the second half of the 20th century, American esotericist Scott Cunningham described several magical characteristics of this herb. He suggested that she has:
- male gender;
- patron planet Jupiter;
- element of fire.
The energy of the plant is associated with cleansing, as well as love spells.
Conclusion
Urban gravilate is one of the medicinal plants that is used not only in alternative medicine. The culture has found application in cosmetology, cooking and in everyday life. In addition, gravilate is also used to decorate the garden - in single plantings and flower arrangements. Any gardener can grow medicinal herbs on his or her property.
