Cornflower plant description. Cornflower field - a flower with healing properties

In the article we discuss blue cornflower. You will learn what a flower looks like, where it grows and what healing properties it has. We will tell you how to treat cornflower viral diseases, diseases of the eyes and genitourinary system. Following our advice, you will learn how to prepare medicinal infusions and decoctions based on cornflower.

Blue cornflower (cornflower sowing) is a herbaceous one-year or two-year-old representative of the Aster family (lat. Asteraceae) or Compositae (lat. Compositae). The Latin name is Centaurea cyanus. The plant is known as blueflower, blavat, bluish, hairy.

What does it look like

The appearance of cornflower blue. The tap root has many processes. The rhizome grows to a depth of 15–20 cm.

Cornflower blue has an upright rough stem. A thin branched shoot reaches a height of 1 meter.

The leaves are alternate, narrow and elongated, petiolate below, linear-lanceolate above. The leaf plate is completely covered with fluffy hairs.

This compound species has solitary blue or lilac-purple flowers. The diameter of the flower basket is up to 3 cm. Each flower is wrapped on the outside with membranous brown leaves. Cornflower blooms in June - July.

flower formulas:

• funnel-shaped marginal - CHO-∞L (6−9)T0P0;
• internal tubular - *Ch0-∞L (5)T (5)P (2).

The fruit of the cornflower is a flat oblong achene, no more than 4.5 mm long. The plant bears fruit in August.

Where does it grow

Cornflower blue grows almost throughout Europe, Australia, America, Central Asia, the Caucasus and Siberia. Weed flower is unpretentious to growing conditions. It is found in fields, meadows and even in the mountains.

For more information about blue cornflower, see the following video:

Marginal funnel-shaped flowers

For medicinal purposes, marginal funnel-shaped flowers without baskets are often used. These asexual flowers reach no more than 2 cm in length.

Chemical composition

Cornflower blue contains:

• glycosides;
• vitamin C;
• essential oil;
• flavonols;
• carotene;
• copper;
• zinc;
• selenium;
• saponins;
• tannins.

Medicinal properties

Blue cornflower flowers can be bought at a pharmacy. Cornflower blue has antipyretic, antimicrobial, choleretic and diuretic effects. The plant is effective in urolithiasis, diseases of the liver and pancreas.

Cornflower relieves muscle spasms of internal organs, relaxing it. The plant improves appetite and normalizes digestion.

Alcohol tincture has a pronounced hypotensive and vasodilating effect.

The tool strengthens blood vessels and improves their patency.

Cornflower is used to heal and anesthetize wounds. An infusion based on the plant is used to treat eye diseases.

How to collect

The collection of medicinal raw materials begins during the flowering period. Collect mainly marginal flowers without baskets.

Dry raw materials in the shade at a temperature of not more than 50 degrees. Periodically, the flowers are gently stirred. The yield of dry raw materials is 20%.

Flowers are stored in a dark, ventilated place to protect from direct sunlight, otherwise the raw material loses its medicinal properties. Shelf life is one year.

How to apply

On the basis of cornflower at home, infusions and decoctions are made. In the pharmacy you can buy a diuretic collection No. 1, which includes cornflower. Consider useful recipes for medicines that you can prepare yourself.

Eye tincture

Cornflower infusion is used to treat eye diseases. The tool relieves eye fatigue, has a disinfectant and anti-inflammatory effect.

Ingredients:

1. Cornflower blue - 6 gr.
2. Water - 400 ml.

How to cook: Pour boiling water over dried flowers, cover with a lid and let it brew for half an hour. Strain the cooled infusion through a sieve or gauze.

How to use: Dip a cotton pad or soft cloth into the product, apply lotion to the eyes for 10-15 minutes. For conjunctivitis, repeat the procedure up to 8 times a day.

Result: The remedy relieves irritation, swelling and redness of the eyes. Effectively copes with conjunctivitis and blepharitis.

Decoction for the face

Cornflower has a beneficial effect on the skin. In addition to wound healing properties, the plant has a tonic and firming effect on the epidermis. It is added to cosmetics for skin care: creams, lotions, masks.

Ingredients:

1. Cornflower blue - 10 gr.
2. Water - 100 ml.
3. Honey - 10 ml.

How to cook: Fill the flowers with water, put on a slow fire, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Cool the broth, strain through cheesecloth, add honey and mix.

How to use: Wash your face with hot water to open up your pores. Apply the mask on the face and neck for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with water.

Result: The tool prevents the appearance of wrinkles and makes existing ones less noticeable. Regular use of cornflower for the face makes the skin firmer and more elastic.

Diuretic infusion (diuretic)

Cornflower blue exhibits an active diuretic effect, relieves edema caused by kidney disease and disruption of the cardiovascular system. Infusions are used for urolithiasis.

Ingredients:

1. Cornflower blue - 15 gr.
2. Bearberry leaves - 45 gr.
3. Juniper berries - 15 gr.
4. Water - 200 gr.

How to cook: Combine the dry ingredients, mix, take 1 tablespoon of the mixture and pour boiling water over it. Steep for 15-20 minutes, then strain.

How to use: Take 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day.

Result: The infusion relieves inflammation, eliminates discomfort and swelling. With urolithiasis, the remedy helps to remove sand and small stones.

Infusion with SARS

Infusion of blue cornflower strengthens the immune system and helps to cope with colds more easily. It is used to treat influenza and SARS.

Ingredients:

1. Cornflower blue - 20 gr.
2. Water - 200 ml.
3. Honey - 10 ml.

How to cook: Pour boiling water over dry flowers, cover, wrap with a towel, let it brew for 2 hours. Strain the cooled infusion through cheesecloth and mix with honey.

How to use: Take the remedy half an hour before meals, 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

Result: The infusion eliminates cold symptoms. The tool has antipyretic, antimicrobial and analgesic effects.

Cornflower during pregnancy

Cornflower blue contains toxic cyanic components, so it is contraindicated for use during pregnancy and lactation. The coumarins that make up the plant reduce blood clotting, so cornflower is contraindicated for use during bleeding, including during pregnancy.

Contraindications

Contraindications to the use of blue cornflower:

• uterine bleeding;
• prolonged painful menstruation;
• period of pregnancy and lactation.

Cornflower blue is not suitable for long-term use. If you need a long-term use of plant-based products, you should take breaks of 2 weeks between courses. Before using medicines based on cornflower, you should consult with a specialist.

Classification

Blue cornflower belongs to the genus Cornflower (lat. Centaurea cyanus), the Aster family (lat. Asteraceae) or Compositae (lat. Compositae). The plant belongs to the order Asteraceae (lat. Asterales), class Dicotyledonous (lat. Dicotyledones), Flowering department (lat. Magnoliophyta).

Varieties

The genus Vasilek unites 734 species of herbaceous plants. The most famous of them:

• cornflower sprawling;
• cornflower garden;
• cornflower Gerbera;
• blue cornflower;
• mountain cornflower;
• upland cornflower;
• meadow cornflower;
• American cornflower;
• Russian cornflower.

Cornflower meadow infographics

Photo of meadow cornflower, its useful properties and application
Cornflower meadow infographic

What to remember

1. Cornflower blue is widely used in folk medicine and cosmetology.
2. Plant-based products have anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antipyretic and disinfectant effects.
3. The plant contains toxic substances, so before using it is necessary to consult a specialist.

Passing by fields with ripening oats, rye or wheat, you can see islands of bright blue flowers. These are cornflowers that grow like weeds in the field.

In this article, we will describe in detail the beneficial and medicinal properties of cornflower, tell you if there are any contraindications for its use, and also give a botanical description of the flower and consider its main types.

How did the plant get its name?

The cornflower got its name from the name of the centaur Chiron, a mythological creature who used various herbs to treat the sick. But according to another, more native version for us, the name of the plant was given in honor of St. Basil the Great, who loved flowers.

And since the names of wild flowers in ancient times were associated with various rituals and symbols, the cornflower was considered a symbol of purity, goodness and holiness. When these plants bloom, looking at this splendor, you remember these symbols.

Vasiki were used in ancient ritual ceremonies, they decorated icons with them and wove them into wreaths that girls wore on the Trinity.

What do cornflowers look like

This plant with blue flowers has a pleasant smell. There are also varieties with flowers of white, yellow and even pink. The plant belongs to the Asteraceae or Compositae family.

Cornflower stems are erect, can grow from 60 centimeters to 1 meter 50 centimeters in height, depending on the type of plant.

The structure of the inflorescence is complex, it consists of middle and marginal petals, which differ in shape and color and form a spherical basket. These petals are called tubular or tubular-funnel.

There are about 500 types of cornflowers. They differ from each other:

• original in shape leaves - from carved to smooth at the edges;
• stems of various heights and shapes - there are also creeping stems;
• the colors of the inflorescences - so varied and delicate that they can only be admired;
• root systems - with a short or long stem, or a thick rhizome.

In the middle zone of our country, a cornflower is common - a hair with bright blue flowers, a plant whose life expectancy is 1-2 years. It is this flower that is called the field cornflower. Unlike the Phrygian and rough cornflower, the field grows not in meadows and forest glades, but in the fields.

This species differs from the above in that its flowers are not pink or red-purple, but bright blue with a pleasant and strong smell. Maybe it was because of the smell and the most beautiful shape of the flower that magical properties were attributed to the cornflower field. A wild flower grows up to 80 centimeters. Flowers bloom in July, they are collected in an inflorescence that looks like a basket.

Medicinal properties and contraindications

What, besides beauty, attracts these openwork, airy stars, the decoration of any glade? It turns out that since ancient times, cornflowers have been considered a medicinal plant.

Cornflower field is one of the popular medicinal plants. Despite the fact that it is recognized as slightly toxic, it contains many substances that are beneficial to human health.

It has the following medicinal properties:

• sweatshops;
• choleretic;
• diuretic;
• strengthening.

Useful information: to enhance the choleretic, diuretic and bactericidal properties of cornflower, it is introduced into the composition of herbal preparations.

Cornflower field, as an antispasmodic and choleretic agent, helps with diseases:

• biliary tract;
• hepatitis;
• liver;
• cholecystitis.

Possessing diuretic properties, cornflower flowers can relieve edema of renal and cardiac origin. As a diuretic, they are used for:

• diseases of the urinary tract and kidneys;
• cystitis;
• jade;
• nephrosonephritis.

Note: cornflowers, like chamomile, have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, and are used as an anesthetic.

In addition, this plant is used for the manufacture of cosmetics, infusions from it are used to treat gynecological patients and in practical medicine. And even for weight loss, you can use field cornflower in the form of an infusion, as it removes excess moisture from the body and helps burn fat.

Beauticians use the plant to relieve puffiness, to soften the skin of the neck and face, and even to remove blackheads and pimples. And with hair loss, cornflower infusion performs real miracles. Miracles can also be called how the powder from cornflower seeds acts on warts.

When using cornflower for medicinal purposes, remember:

• do not forget to consult a doctor before use;
• use only the flower itself, not the entire plant;
• you can not use cornflowers during pregnancy;
• preparations from this plant are toxic, so it is imperative to pay attention to the dose and duration of administration.

See video about the medicinal properties of cornflower:

Approximately 500 species grow in Europe, Asia, North Africa and America. Usually, when it comes to a cornflower plant, a blue flower immediately appears, despite the fact that they are still yellow, pink, purple, and so on. In the Russian Federation, they are called differently - a commotion, a ringing grass, a bean plant, hairs, a blue flower.

General information

In ornamental gardening, it is customary to classify cornflowers according to several criteria. The first divides the representatives of the genus into annuals and perennials.

The annuals, in particular, include the well-known blue cornflower (aka field cornflower, blue cornflower, garden cornflower), which created among the masses the association of cornflower with blue. Among the cornflowers of this species, there are also biennial plants.

For a long time, their blue flowers, lost in rye crops, have attracted the attention of flower growers, even taking into account the fact that they, in fact, are weeds. Their beauty is so pronounced that already in the distant 16th century the plant was cultivated. In the natural environment, the color of the funnel-shaped marginal flowers is bright blue, while among the varieties there are a variety of colors - pink, red and others.

In addition, terry and semi-double variety forms have been bred, which differ in the number of widely tubular flowers. Cornflower terry also has a wide color range - there are bright blue, purple, dark purple and other varieties. Blue cornflower blooms from the beginning of summer until the arrival of frost. The plant is generally not demanding in care.

In British firms (and the British are ardent supporters of simplicity and natural closeness in everything related to flowers), you can choose almost any variety that meets personal requirements and preferences. Also, blue cornflowers are an integral component of the seed mixture of the Mauritanian lawn.

Types of cornflowers

- more often one-, sometimes two-year-old, growing in the eastern Mediterranean. Shoots are branched, crowned with single light yellow baskets. Flowering lasts from June to September.

Refers to biennial plants. Its shoots are strongly branched. The main interest in this species is riveted by flowers of a rather rare, as for cornflowers, color - white. They form small baskets at the ends of branches.

For perennial cornflowers, undemanding and almost complete immunity to diseases are characteristic. To understand how best to use them in your flower garden, you need to know that they are divided into 2 groups:

Cornflowers, which have a tap root or a short rhizome. They tend to form dense bushes and grow slowly.

• These include Russian cornflower (light yellow inflorescences up to 7 cm in diameter, flowering period - July-August, in demand in mixed flower beds, as an element of the 2nd plan),

• Bleached cornflower (one of the most beautiful, with spectacular bright pink flowers and beautiful foliage, is used in England to make mixborders),

• meadow cornflower (inflorescences are bright purple, up to 4 cm in diameter, shoots are straight branched lilac, the flowering period is from mid-summer to cold weather),

• phrygian cornflower (blooms from July with purple-pink corymbose baskets for one and a half months),

• grungy cornflower (with spherical single baskets, purplish-purple at the edge, lighter in the middle zone, blooming from July to August and being second only to blue cornflower in terms of melliferous properties),

• cornflower Taliyeva (the rarest species listed in the Red Book and found only in the European part of Russia, the shade of flowers is creamy yellowish, flowering occurs in mid-summer).

And cornflowers that form root shoots or horizontal rhizomes. They actively grow with the formation of clumps and thickets.

• These include mountain cornflower , characterized by a stable decorative effect throughout the season and a special beauty during flowering from June to August. In 6-centimeter inflorescences, the baskets are blue, to be more precise, violet-blue with a deep tint. Like blue cornflower, this species has long been used in culture (since the middle of the 16th century).

Cornflower planting and care

Cornflower in its natural environment prefers open fields. He is not afraid of the cold, and he loves the light very much, so you need to choose a well-lit place for growing. This applies to both the annual blue cornflower and perennials, the more sun there is on the site, the better, and even extreme heat in this case is more suitable than partial shade.

First of all, foliage needs a lot of light, which should receive it evenly throughout the volume, and therefore, in mixed-type compositions, blue cornflower (and some others) should be placed in the foreground (even taking into account varietal differences in height), and thickened plantings should be placed in the foreground. for the most part they don't fit.

In addition, for comfortable development, these plants need a certain space, equal to approximately half a meter between specimens of medium and high varieties. With such a distance, mutual dimming is practically excluded.

For the most part, cornflowers are very drought tolerant, including, of course, the popular blue variety, which can endure even long periods in parched soil.

But this applies to a lesser extent to the rarer annual cornflowers (for example, meadow cornflowers), for which light soil moisture is important.

The bodyak is also a member of the Aster family and has medicinal properties. It is grown when planting and caring in open ground without much hassle, but you should be careful because it is a weed. You can find recommendations for growing and removing this plant in this article.

Soil for cornflowers

A lush and long flowering period is ensured by planting cornflower on high-quality soil, pre-treated and medium-nutrient.

Numerous and most dimensional flowers are obtained where the land is fertile, not oversaturated with humus, drained and neutral in terms of indicators. Calcareous or acidic soils are not favorable for cultivation, just like compacted, too dry, crumbly, rocky.

For this part of the care, it should only be noted that the earth needs to be systematically weeded and slightly loosened when the cornflower is still young, and mulching allows you not to carry out even these minimal procedures.

Cornflower transplant

Transplantation of perennial cornflowers is carried out from August 10 to 30. The specimen selected for this should be dug up, cut off at a height of 10 cm from the root, and the root system should be washed with water.

If division is necessary, divide with a sharpened knife into a couple of divisions, including several daughter buds. Before planting, the soil is flavored with compost, scattering fertilizer with a 5-centimeter layer.

Cornflower fertilizer

On fertile soils, cornflowers do not need top dressing, moreover, they can adversely affect development if there is an oversupply. Mineral nutrient mixtures are applied only at the initial stage of flowering, and only in a small amount equal to half of the dose indicated on the package.

Under no circumstances should these procedures be systematized, even when grown for cutting. Repeated non-concentrated top dressing is allowed if there are problems with flowering, manifested in a sharp reduction in the number of flowers or a delay in the second wave.

pruning cornflowers

Giving cornflower aesthetics and sophistication comes down to pruning faded flowers. If you forget about this, next year a not very pleasant surprise is possible in the form of cornflowers that have grown everywhere. Pruning is carried out by following one of the 2 proven methods - high and low.

The first involves cutting the stems under the inflorescences, and the second - the whole thing with a remainder of about 10 cm. The upper trim (high) is safer and allows you to get a neater and more fluffy bush, avoiding the danger of getting a bald spot in the flower garden.

Cornflower seed cultivation

Reproduction of cornflowers is carried out by sowing seeds or by cuttings. If the cornflower is biennial or perennial, both methods will work, while the annual can only be propagated by seeds.

Sowing seeds of annual cornflowers is carried out in early spring, perennial - in the autumn, after which they will have a great winter under cover of snow. Roots / cuttings of perennial forms are divided from the last days of August to the first of September.

Diseases and pests

Cornflowers are not attacked by pests and practically do not get sick. In those rare cases when their health deteriorates, the cause must be sought in care (more specifically, in excess soil moisture). Having noticed darkening in the form of spots on a blue cornflower, it is necessary to take measures to eliminate the disease known as fusarium .

Fundazol treatment, spraying plants with cow dung infused for 3 days (1: 1 with water), sprinkling leaves and stalks with ash help to get rid of it. The treatment of perennial species looks different - the affected areas are cut and burned, thereby preventing the recurrence of the disease.

Cornflower blue medicinal properties

The marginal cornflower flowers contain glycosides, flavonoids, vitamins, mineral salts, coloring and other compounds. Medicines, which include blue cornflower, are used as diaphoretic, antipyretic, diuretic and antimicrobial agents.

Its choleretic, relaxing, wound healing and analgesic effects are also expressed. With its help, they relieve spasms of smooth muscles of internal organs, improve appetite and digestion in general.

Infusion of cornflower

An infusion prepared from the flowers is effective against inflammation and microbes in the treatment of conjunctivitis, night blindness and blepharitis. To prepare it, you need to take 1 teaspoon of cornflower flowers and pour boiling water (200 ml).

Before you start using it, you need to let it brew for 1 hour and strain. Take in a volume of 50 ml 3-4 times a day 20 minutes before meals.

Cornflower tincture on vodka

For hepatitis and diseases of the bile ducts, a tincture of flowers is used. For 30 grams of the upper parts of the cornflower, you will need 300 milliliters of high-quality vodka (diluted medical alcohol is also suitable).

The tincture should be in the dark for at least 15 days, while it needs to be shaken every day. In finished form, it is taken 30 drops before meals.

Cornflower decoction

In cases of problems with urination associated with inflammation in the kidneys, they are treated with a decoction of cornflower petals.

It is prepared as follows: two tablespoons of vegetable raw materials are poured into 250 ml of water brought to a boil and boiled for 10 minutes. You can take a tablespoon up to 6 times a day.

This wonderful flower cornflower grows on the territory of Russia and belongs to the genus of grasses of the Compositae family. Two varieties are especially widespread: blue and meadow.

This delicate flower is always present in the fields planted with grain crops - it grows not only from the edge of the field, but also between ears of wheat and rye. According to the researchers, a small number of these plants significantly contributes to the improvement of the quality of the grain crop.

It is a biennial plant, easily propagated by self-seeding and grows up to 80 cm tall. Came to Russia along with the seeds of wheat and other grains. Cornflower leaves growing from below are different from the upper leaves. From below they are petiolate and pinnately lobed; towards the top they become linear and sessile.

Flowers are located at the top and arranged in baskets. The inflorescences in the basket, located on the edge, are barren and have the shape of an oversized funnel. The flowers located in the center of the basket are bisexual and form oblong gray seeds with a tail. With the help of this tail and wind, the seeds are perfectly dispersed around the mother bush.

The flowering time of cornflower is the first half of summer. The flower is highly prolific, up to 6,000 thousand seeds grow on one bush.

Varieties of cornflower

In nature, there are a large number of different varieties of this flower. They differ primarily in the shape of the flower basket, in color and in the height of the stem. We describe those species that are most common.

He is also called by us voloshka, patchwork and cyanosis. It grows with straight stems, the height of which is 80 cm. The flowers are blue or azure, arranged in rare baskets, blooming from early summer until the first frost.

The leaves are gray-green in color, rough to the touch, the lower ones have petioles, but the higher the leaves are located on the stem, the more they change their shape to lily.

White

These are very short, barely reaching 25 cm with beautiful double flowers, picked up in elastic baskets with a diameter of about 4 cm. This is the rarest type of flower inscribed in the Red Book.

Mountain

It is a plant with a creeping rhizome with a tall stem that grows up to 80 cm in height. Leaf plates are gray-green in color, elongated. The outermost funnel-shaped flowers are bright blue or light blue, the middle ones are purple-lilac. Flowers with a diameter of 7 cm.

Yellow

Flower growing up to one meter tall. Flowers of a beautiful yellow color are collected in baskets with a diameter of 5 cm. The stems of the plant are straight and thick, so they retain their decorative appearance even after a strong wind.

Cornflower large-headed

This species looks like a shrub, as its stems reach 120 cm. In addition, it has very large inflorescences from 7 cm in diameter. Blooms in July and until the end of summer.

Oriental

It is a wild flower, reaching a height of 120 cm, the leaves grow on long petioles and with yellow flower heads.

Lugovoi

This flower has a straight stem that grows up to one meter in height. Flowers are collected in purple baskets. It grows throughout the European part of the mainland up to the Urals, it can be found in meadows and fields, it grows even along highways.

Musky

This species has a beautiful aroma and comes from the Caucasus. It is mainly grown as a cut flower, as it is very branched and blooms profusely, growing up to 80 cm. The leaves are green, and large baskets of flowers of various colors grow at the ends of the stems: white, yellow, lilac and purple. It propagates by self-sowing and it is not picky about the soil.

bleached

It grows up to 60 cm. This is one of the beautiful species with green leaves, and the leaves located at the bottom of the bush are white. It blooms with bright pink flowers from early June to early autumn.

Spreading

This is a very spreading plant, whose height varies from 17 to 65 cm. there are a lot of baskets, but they are small, no more than 6 mm. width. Flowers, as usual, are grouped in white and pink baskets.

Florists love this flower very much, because, like it, it has a very long flowering period and does not require much care for it. And therefore, gardeners often use it to decorate flower beds in their areas. It grows very quickly and does not need much care.

It grows without a transplant for up to 10 years, while it blooms beautifully and richly and grows well. It can be used in creating flower beds or in the design of garden paths.

Planting and plant care

You can plant this unpretentious plant in the spring, when the soil temperature reaches 15 degrees. This comes when buds bloom on birch trees, this is the third decade of April - the beginning of May. Since this is an unpretentious flower, you can not even plant it in prepared soil.

The soil is dug up before planting and small depressions are made. Root segments or small seedlings grown from seeds lie in them. The rhizome must be straightened so that there are no broken roots, and the growth point is on the surface. The most important thing is that there is a small distance between the holes with planted plants for the proper formation of a bush.

After planting a bush, it is easy to squeeze the earth with your hands to get rid of voids in the soil. If there are no voids, then the flower will take root easier.

And do not forget that the cornflower loves sunlight, therefore, the plots are selected without a shadow, since the flower will not bloom in it.

Cornflower breeding

As already mentioned, you can propagate by root cuttings. To do this, carefully dig out an old bush and, depending on its size, divide it into two or four parts with a shovel. And already these parts are seated in prepared recesses in the ground. All this can already be done at the end of April. Flowering after such a transplant will begin next summer.

Also, the flower reproduces well with the help of seeds. Moreover, this reproduction occurs by self-seeding. The grown bushes can be planted in the place where the owner of the flower garden considers it the best.

And do not forget about watering after transplantation, if you water it every three days, then the bush will take root faster in a new place and grow faster.

All care comes down to watering and weed control. To stimulate abundant flowering, it is necessary to cut off the buds that have already faded.

It is almost not attacked by pests, but very rarely a spider mite attacks in a drought without watering. If a tick is found, cut off the obviously affected leaves of the plant and treat with actellik. This drug has a wide spectrum of action against many pests.

Useful properties of cornflower

Folk healers use only flowers located on the edge of the basket. These flowers contain:

• flavonoids;
• bitter glycoses;
• carotene;
• ascorbic acid;
• coloring substances.

They begin to stock up on flowers when they are fully bloomed and only by hand, so as not to pluck the flowers located inside. Since they are not used in the treatment and preparation of various medicines. And sometimes they even worsen the medicinal properties of the prepared medicine.

It is necessary to dry the inflorescences by spreading them out in a thin layer in the shade, since the sun's rays can spoil the quality of the prepared products. After drying, the flowers are kept in complete darkness. These flowers, even after drying, do not lose their color and have a bitter taste.

Cornflower blue application

It is usually used either tea from the petals, or various decoctions, consisting of extreme flowers. This is all used for bladder ailments, spasms, and dropsy.

It is also the main component of decoctions that cure diseases such as:

• disorders of the nervous system;
• headache;
• skin irritation;
• helps with fever.

Flower tincture

Blue cornflower tincture is not difficult to prepare. 1 teaspoon of dried flowers pour 200 gr. boiling water and let it brew for 20 minutes. Take this tincture of 50 gr. 30 minutes before meals.

Hair Growth Rinse

To do this, take a tablespoon of inflorescences and pour 200 gr. boiling water by adding immediately to the tincture 200 gr. vinegar. When everything has cooled down, use it to rinse your hair. This operation is done twice a week for a month - it greatly increases hair growth.

In the treatment of the urinary system

Take three servings of cornflower and angelica rhizomes, add four parts of juniper fruit. Add 200 gr. to a tablespoon of the mixture. boiling water. Insist for 20 minutes and take orally 3 times a day, 50 gr. store the tincture only in the refrigerator and no more than two days.

Decoction for washing the inflamed cornea of ​​​​the eye

One teaspoon of the flower is mixed with one teaspoon of eyebright and poured into 200 gr. boiling water. Boil for three minutes on low heat, let it brew for 20 minutes, strain well through cotton wool or cheesecloth, folded in six layers. Bury this infusion 4 times a day.

diuretic tea recipe

To prepare such tea, it is taken in equal parts of the herb: cornflowers, licorice, bearberry. Boil everything in boiling water and let it brew for an hour.

Contraindications

The flower is dangerous only for those people who have individual intolerance. The plant itself is considered slightly poisonous. These beautiful flowers are contraindicated:

• pregnant women;
• nursing mothers;
• children.

All infusions made on the basis of this plant increase uterine bleeding. And you can not take medicinal herbs without a doctor's prescription.

The use of cornflower in cooking

In cooking, flowers and seeds of the plant are used. They are used in the manufacture of first courses, various sauces and gravy. It is also added to various black tea blends.

Cornflower in cosmetology

Since this plant has anti-inflammatory properties, lotions are made from it to care for normal and oily skin. Also, these tinctures have a matting effect and a calming effect.

Extracts and extracts from the flower are added to shampoos, and after applying such a shampoo, hair growth is activated, having a calming effect on the scalp.

Hair loss tincture

Dried flowers are steamed with a sufficient amount of boiling water and allowed to brew for about half an hour. Then filter and apply daily for 30 days.

Cornflower legends

There are many legends about this delicate flower, and one Greek legend says that heavy ears of rye asked the blue sky for help to maintain their ears. Since under the weight of the grain they bend strongly and do not see the blue sky. The sky replied that it would go down so low that they would see it and granted the request of the rye.

And when after a while it returned to its place, then a part of this beautiful sky remained on the earth and after a while turned into wonderful heavenly flowers - cornflowers. And since long ago, when the grain ripens and bends down to the ground, they see these beautiful flowers.

There is also a Roman legend about the young faun Cyanus, he very often used blue in his clothes. In the prime of life, he suddenly left this sublunar world and was found in a grain field. The goddess Flora, whom the young man idolized when he was still alive, turned him into this beautiful and delicate flower.

Some Almost Forgotten Facts About the Beautiful Flower

• Germans have a special fondness for blue flowers. Queen Louise in exile collected cornflowers and wove them into wreaths. When she put on the woven first wreath on the head of her daughter Charlotte, she felt with her soul that everything would be fine with them. Subsequently, her daughter ascended the throne, becoming the Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna;
• In Sweden, these flowers are on the country's coat of arms;
• It is believed that this plant has not only medicinal properties, but also magical powers. A bouquet of flowers, presented to a loved one, will serve as a talisman for the family and remain faithful to the spouses.

The most unpretentious flowers

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Weed herbaceous plant blue cornflower is a member of the Compositae family and has medicinal properties. It can almost always be found in fields sown with rye, wheat, flax, potatoes and other crops, on roadsides, along forest belts. In addition to spontaneous propagation, cornflowers are also grown specifically for decorative purposes and the manufacture of medicines.

The main plant material used in folk medicine are blue cornflower flowers. They are not very large, painted blue or blue, appear in late spring and persist until the end of autumn. For some diseases, the seeds of the plant, which ripen by the end of summer, are also used for medicinal purposes.

Botanical description

Blue cornflower flowers, according to the description of the botanical characteristics of the plant, are collected in single baskets, the diameter of which does not exceed 3 cm. They have a common wrapper formed by membranous brown leaves with a tiled arrangement. Small flowers in a basket are divided into two types: marginal and internal. The flowers, located at the edges of the pedicel, are blue in color, funnel-shaped and asexual. The inner flowers are bright and deep blue-violet, tubular and bisexual.

The fruits of the blue cornflower are an achene of an ashen or gray-yellow color of an obovate shape. It has a smooth shiny surface. At one end there is a red crest of stiff bristly hairs, the length of which is slightly less than the length of the fetus itself (2.5 - 4 mm).

The stem is erect, branched and can reach 1 m, but usually its height is no more than 80 cm. The arrangement of leaves on the stem is consistent. They have a narrow and elongated shape, in the upper part of the stem they are solid, and at the bottom they are lobed. The stem and leaves are covered with fine cobweb hairs. The plant has a very developed root system, represented by a thin tap root.

Healing properties of the plant

Folk recipes based on blue cornflower are effective in the treatment of many diseases, due to the wide range of pharmacological activity of the compounds found in its composition. Among them:

• glycosides (anthocyanins);
• tannins;
• flavonoids;
• vitamins (ascorbic acid, beta-carotene);
• essential oils;
• minerals (potassium, magnesium, copper, iron, calcium);
• alkaloids;
• organic acids, etc.

Important: The quantitative composition in the plant of certain compounds that have a biological effect may differ depending on the place of its growth.

Folk remedies from blue cornflower have healing properties and have the following effect on the body:

• antipyretic and anti-inflammatory;
• painkiller;
• relaxing and antispasmodic;
• diaphoretic and diuretic;
• wound healing and regenerating;
• antioxidant;
• choleretic;
• antimicrobial.

Blue cornflower as a medicinal plant is taken as part of a complex treatment of colds, diseases of the urinary system (cystitis, nephritis, urethritis, urolithiasis), to relieve edema resulting from disorders in the cardiovascular system or kidneys. Its reception helps to cleanse the body of harmful and toxic substances, remove excess fluid and burn fat.

The choleretic effect of cornflower flowers improves digestion and the digestive tract. They are used for diseases of the biliary tract, liver, jaundice, helminthic invasions, as well as to improve appetite as part of herbal preparations or by themselves.

Means from the flowers and seeds of the plant are used externally for diseases of the skin, joints and eyes (blepharitis, conjunctivitis, fatigue, impaired twilight vision).

The beneficial properties of blue cornflower are also used for cosmetic purposes. Means based on it improve the condition and appearance of the skin in the eye area, on the face and neck, strengthen hair and prevent hair loss.

Ways to use cornflower

In folk medicine, marginal flowers or, less commonly, cornflower seeds are used for medicinal purposes. The collection and preparation of raw materials is carried out in the summer. First, the flower baskets are completely cut off, and then only the marginal flowers are carefully pulled out of them with their hands. The raw material obtained in this way is laid out on paper in a layer up to 2 cm in height and dried in a dark, ventilated place. Dried flowers are placed in glass jars or cloth bags and used as needed. Shelf life is a maximum of two years in a dry, dark place.

Important: When cornflower flowers come into contact with the sun's rays during the drying process, they gradually lose their color and a significant part of their healing properties. Such raw materials become unsuitable for medicinal purposes.

Blue cornflower flowers have been used in folk medicine as a separate remedy in the form of decoctions, infusions and tinctures, and as part of herbal preparations prescribed for the treatment of diseases of the urinary system, digestive tract, and hypertension.

Infusion of flowers

Cornflower infusion has antibacterial, choleretic and diuretic effects. It is prepared according to the following technology:

1. Flowers in the amount of 1 tbsp. l. placed in a small saucepan (enamelled) and pour a glass of boiling water.
2. The pan is covered with a lid and placed in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
3. The resulting infusion is gradually cooled to room temperature.
4. The flowers are filtered, squeezed.
5. Boiled water is added to the solution in such an amount that the total volume is 200 ml.

Take the resulting remedy 20 ml in the morning, afternoon and evening. It can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days.

Decoction of flowers

A decoction of cornflower flowers is used for inflammatory eye diseases and for colds accompanied by a cough. Saponins, which are part of the flowers, have an expectorant effect, therefore, they facilitate the discharge of sputum.

To obtain a decoction 1 tsp. carefully crushed flowers pour 0.25 liters of boiling water and boil for 4–5 minutes. Then the agent is infused for 1 hour, filtered and taken for laryngitis, tonsillitis or bronchitis, 40 ml several times a day.

Alcoholic tincture of flowers

1. Dried raw materials are mixed in a ratio of 1 to 10 with alcohol or vodka.
2. Tightly close the container with the resulting mixture and infuse for 14 days, shaking daily.
3. Drink 20-30 drops at a time with water.

Outdoor use

As an external agent, blue cornflower flowers have been used for skin irritation, rashes, diathesis, allergic dermatosis, and boils. From the decoction of the plant, compresses, lotions are made, or simply wipe the affected areas on the skin.

In the form of lotions, cornflower is used for eye diseases. To receive funds 1 tbsp. l. flowers pour 0.4 l of boiling water, insist 1 hour, cool and filter. With conjunctivitis, such lotions are used up to 8 times a day.

Recommendation: To relieve fatigue and improve body tone, you can take a bath with cornflower flowers. Preliminarily, half a glass of flowers, together with baskets, is poured with 0.5 liters of boiling water and the mixture is left to infuse for half an hour. The mixture is then filtered and added to a bath of about 37°C water.

In case of baldness, it is recommended to rub warm, freshly prepared infusion of flowers into the hair roots, as well as the scalp. A good effect with such a problem has a remedy prepared from 1 tbsp. l. flowers of the plant, 250 ml of boiling water and 250 ml of table 9% vinegar. The mixture is insisted for half an hour, filtered and rubbed into the hair roots.

If you add 20 ml of alcohol or vodka to the infusion, you get a lotion that can be used to treat oily skin. For the preparation of infusion in this case, both dry and freshly picked flowers are used.

The use of cornflower seeds

Blue cornflower seeds are an effective remedy in the fight against warts. They are dried and applied to neoplasms. Also, they, along with crushed leaves of the plant, can be used in the form of compresses to speed up wound healing.

Important: Folk remedies with cornflower can be used for treatment only after consulting a doctor, as they have some contraindications, including pregnancy, uterine bleeding, individual intolerance, etc.

All materials on the site are presented for informational purposes only. Before using any means, consultation with a doctor is MANDATORY!