Who is born, common bird cherry - a tree or a bush? This plant is familiar to the Russian people, it grows in almost every garden, many signs and beliefs are associated with it. For example, it is believed that if the buds on the bird cherry were opened, then the spring finally woke up, and the earth became warmer. Bird cherry blossoms with magnificent brushes of flowers - the time has come for the end of the capercaillie current, and the very first mosquitoes appear.
When the bird cherry blossoms, the air temperature drops, a temporary cooling sets in.
Often people ask: "Is bird cherry a tree or a bush?" A photo of the plant is presented below. We will try to find out the answer to this question in this article.
Many poets dedicated their poems to this amazing, fragrant plant during flowering. In addition to beauty and aromas that bring joy to people, bird cherry also has excellent healing properties. And what is the common bird cherry all the same: a tree or a bush?
general description
A characteristic feature of bird cherry is its white fluffy flowers. There are no pigments in their petals. Such a pure color gives them air. When examined under a microscope, the bird cherry petal can see many colorless, transparent cells that are separated by large empty spaces. Thanks to the air-filled intercellular spaces, the petals reflect sunlight and therefore appear so white.
Bird cherry - tree or shrub. The photo shows the diversity of the species. The growth of this plant varies from 2 to 10 meters.
The branches and trunk are covered with a black and gray matte bark, slightly cracking. Regular leaves are elliptical in shape, slightly wrinkled below, and dull on top. Typically, bird cherry blossoms in May. Collected in thick brushes (multi-flowered and drooping) snow-white.
Fruits - drupes are black, spherical, 7-8 mm in diameter, tasty, sweet, astringent. The bone of the fetus is rounded ovoid. They ripen in the month of July.
Healing properties, use
All parts of the plant are applicable for medicinal purposes. Any bird cherry (tree or shrub) incorporates volatile, killing various types of microbes, mold, fungi, horseflies, ticks, flies, mosquitoes, etc. These plant properties are used even in the treatment of ringworm and trichomoniasis.
The tannins available in bird cherry have an astringent effect, they are used mainly for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, especially for diarrhea.
The leaves of the plant can be brewed, like tea, and drunk in inflammatory processes of the bronchi and lungs. And fresh flowers after steam distillation (and the distillation itself) are good for eye lotions.
An infusion of bark has long been used as a diaphoretic for fever, rheumatism and colds.
Also, the fruits of bird cherry are used for cooking. The berries of bird cherry, scrolled through a meat grinder, as a filling for a pie, are good.
Spread
In Russia, bird cherry (tree or shrub) grows in the temperate zone: in Western and Eastern Siberia, in the European part and in the Far East.
The plant prefers rich soils, moist, with close occurrence of groundwater. Mostly bird cherry grows along the banks of reservoirs, in forests and groves by the river (in urems) and in shrubberies, along forest glades and in sands.
Bird cherry picking and harvesting
For healing, intact black, ripe and juicy fruits of bird cherry are collected, as well as leaves, bark and flowers. Any bird cherry is suitable for this - a tree or a bush. All this is harvested as it ripens (July-September).
The fruits are dried in good weather in the air or in the oven, oven, etc. at a temperature of about 50 ° C, with obligatory periodic stirring. Then everything is sifted through a sieve to get rid of garbage. When dried, the fruits of bird cherry have a sour-sweet taste.
The bark is dried in ovens, dryers and ovens. Flowers are in the shade in the air. Dried raw materials are stored in bags and boxes in a dry, ventilated area.
Shelf life: bark - 5 years, fruits - 2 years, and flowers - 1 year.
Pharmacological properties
Here is such a wonderful bird cherry. This is a tree or shrub (less commonly). In any case, its usefulness is undeniable.
Ripened fruits have excellent bactericidal, astringent, vitamin, anti-inflammatory and general strengthening properties. They normalize the work of the intestines and stomach.
Leaves are rich in vitamins, act as a bonding agent for diarrhea. The bark has antipyretic, diaphoretic and diuretic effects.
Flowers are used as a wound healing, anti-inflammatory and phytoncidal agent.
Decoction of fruits
The fruits that bird cherry has (tree or shrub), when taken as a food, as noted above, can stop diarrhea.
A reliable and effective remedy for this ailment is a decoction prepared as follows. Pour 2 tbsp. tablespoons of raw materials with 2 cups boiling water, then boiled in an enamel bowl for about 15 minutes. Then the solution cools, filtered through cheesecloth, squeezed out, its volume is brought to the original with the help of the required amount of boiled water. The drug is taken half a cup before meals three times a day. And it is stored no more than 2 days in the refrigerator.
Several medicinal prescriptions
It doesn’t matter if bird cherry is a tree or a bush. It is important that this plant benefits in solving many health problems. Healers recommend such recipes:
- A decoction of bird cherry bark: 200 ml of boiling water is brewed 10 g of bark and boils for 10 minutes over low heat. Infused for 2 hours and filtered. It is used as a diaphoretic for 1 tsp. before eating with colds, fever, cough, rheumatism, cystitis and gout.
- Infusion with fruits of bird cherry: brewed 20 g of fruit in boiling water (0.5 l), infused for 12 hours in a thermos. It is used 3 times a day in 100 ml for colitis, diarrhea and gastritis.
- Decoction of bird cherry leaves: brewed in 200 ml of boiled water, 20 grams of leaves, boiled for 5 minutes on low heat and filtered. It is used 4 times a day, 50 ml each for gastritis, diarrhea, colitis, for tuberculosis, bronchitis and for coughing.
- Leaves can be applied to bruises and abscesses. They also rinse the mouth with a tool, which is useful for decaying teeth, and is used for furunculosis.
- Infusion of flowers: 10 grams of flowers are brewed in 200 ml of boiled hot water and infused for 10 minutes. The filtered solution is washed wounds and ulcers, lotions are made.
It should be noted that the effect of bird cherry is most felt in spring, during its flowering period.
