Galinsoga small-flowered, which is popularly known as American grass, is an annual early weed belonging to the aster family. The place of origin of the plant is South America. It was from there that it came to Europe and spread throughout it. Most often, halinsogi thickets can be found on beds with perennials and next to irrigated trees. The fact is that the American grass, whose photo is located below, develops best in shaded places on loose soil. The plant differs from most other weeds in its high viability. Even if it is torn out, it releases a large number of aerial roots from its internodes, which again sprout over time. The first shoots can appear from March to June.
American grass reaches 70 cm in height. Its stem is erect and has many branches. Halinsogi leaves are attached with short petioles. From the very beginning of summer to late autumn, the plant blooms and bears fruit. As a rule, five (sometimes seven) female flowers of white or cream color grow on each of them. The tetrahedral achenes have a conical shape and are covered with hairs. Due to the white film flies and wind, the seeds are carried at decent distances. It should be noted that they differ in their ripening ability even in those plants that have been torn from the ground. The development of the halinsogi occurs throughout the growing season. Under favorable conditions, each of the plants can produce up to three hundred thousand seeds.
Despite the fact that it is a weed, American grass also has medicinal and nutritional properties (edible in the wild). Leaves have a mild grassy taste. Most often they are added to salads similarly to other types of greens. As for medical use, all parts of the halinsogi can be used here. It contains elements such as stigmasterol, rubber, caffeic acid, flavonoids and others. American grass in folk medicine is used to prepare a decoction, which is used for anemia, ascites and goiter. Tinctures of plant roots are recommended to drink during a fever. Among other things, lotions from this herb are considered to be wound healing.
Due to the fact that the plant is found in almost every area, as a rule, no one grows it specially. If such a need still exists, then this will not cause any problems. For planting a halinsogi, it is most advisable to use the seedling method, because its seeds germinate at different times. Young specimens are planted in rows at a distance of about 10 centimeters from each other. This is done only once, because in a year self-seeding will begin. The main thing is not to forget about weeding and removing excess plants that are less resilient in the initial stages of development.
Be that as it may, an American weed is harmful to cultivated plants. To combat it, it is necessary to observe crop rotation, perform timely autumn tillage and inter-row cultivation in plantings. In extreme cases, appropriate herbicides can be used to eliminate halinsogi.
