The botanists called him a loosestrife. loosestrife willow ( Lythrum salicaria) is a representative of the Derbennikov family.
This is a very beautiful perennial plant with a height of 50-100 cm, but larger specimens are also found, reaching a height of 150 cm.
The stem is straight, tetrahedral, the leaves are lanceolate with a heart-shaped base, sessile, opposite, sometimes collected in whorls of 3, the root is thick, woody.
The flowers are collected in long spike-shaped panicles of pink-lilac color, the fruit is an elongated-oval bivalve box. Blooms in June-August.
On the reverse side of the loosestrife leaves there are stomata through which excess moisture is removed from the plant, transparent drops resemble tears, it seems as if the plant is crying - hence its other name - plakun-grass.
And since the leaves of the loosestrife look like willow leaves, the plant received the specific name "willow".
Plakun-grass: legendary plant
The loosestrife is very widely distributed. It is found throughout the territory of Ukraine, in the European part of Russia, Europe, the Caucasus, in the temperate zone of Asia.
It grows singly and in thickets on the banks of rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, in damp places, ditches and ravines.
When we see thickets of flowering loosestrife in the meadows, we involuntarily admire the fabulous beauty of this place. Flowers, like torches, burn with a cold flame.
No wonder there is a legend that this plant grew from the tears of the Most Holy Theotokos shed during the agony of Jesus Christ. Therefore, in the "Pigeon Book" it is said about him: "plakun-grass is the mother of all herbs."
What kind of care is needed for plakun-grass?
The plant is moisture-loving. For abundant flowering, he needs sunny places or partial shade and nutritious, moist soil.
It has several garden forms with flowers of different shades of raspberry and pink. The loosestrife grows actively, forming loose curtains.
Winters without shelter.
Our advice:
In autumn, the stems should be cut short, and in spring the soil around the plant should be mulched.
How to propagate loosestrife?
Propagated by seeds and division of the bush. It can do without division and transplantation for several years.
When propagated by seeds, they are sown for seedlings in May, bloom in the same year.
Where is the best place to plant climbing grass?
The loosestrife is very decorative, it is planted near water bodies, on lawns, in discounts and mixborders.
When planted away from water in dry times, the plant needs watering.
The magical properties of plakun-grass
In ancient times, the plant was credited with mysterious magical powers. On the plakun-grass, healers and sorcerers conspired against evil spirits.
The root of plakun-grass was used for amulets, including cross-vest.
The use of plakun-grass in folk medicine
Grass (stems, leaves, flowers) and loosestrife rhizome are used for medicinal purposes.
Our advice:
Grass is harvested during flowering, and rhizomes - in the fall. The tops of the stems with flowers are cut with scissors and dried under a canopy in the open air.
Pounded fresh leaves are used to stop bleeding and in the treatment of wounds.
Healing properties of infusions and decoctions of plakun-grass
- infusions and decoctions of herbs are used for food poisoning, dysentery, diarrhea, chronic intestinal catarrh, as an analgesic for pain in the stomach and hemostatic for any bleeding, and they also wash wounds and ulcers with them;
- decoction is used for bathing young children, for convulsions, uterine bleeding, as a diuretic, sometimes taken orally for colds and nervous diseases;
- they drink a decoction or eat a root with bread, sour milk when bitten by rabid animals, when bitten by a snake;
- tincture of roots on vodka is drunk with stomach pains, colds, headaches;
- used for lotions for bruises;
- a decoction of the whole herb is drunk with noise in the head, epilepsy;
- herbal tea is effective for general weakness of the body and a painful feverish condition.
In the past, a decoction of plakuna, which has tannic properties, was used to impregnate fishing nets, which, after tanning, became strong and durable, the intense pink color of the flowers was used in the confectionery industry, and young shoots and leaves were used as an edible vegetable.
Contraindications
- The plant is non-toxic, but with great care should be used for gastrointestinal diseases with atonic, especially senile constipation.
- A contraindication may be high blood clotting and a tendency to thrombosis.
- With hypertension, you need to monitor the pressure, since loosestrife contributes to vasoconstriction.
The loosestrife is not included in the state pharmacopoeia, and there is no information about its use in official medicine.
Alexey KULIK
© Magazine "Ogorodnik"
Photo: depositphotos.com
In their legends miraculous properties were attributed to many plants, however, among the Slavs, plakun-grass, gap-grass and Perunov flower in the usual name of fern flower were considered truly magical herbs.
Plakun-grass This is a popular nickname for the loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.), which belongs to the loosestrife family. This is a perennial plant with a rhizome and clusters of lilac-pink flowers, grouped into inflorescences. In height, plakun-grass can grow up to 2 meters.
From the Greek language, the generic name of the plant can be translated as "spilled coagulated blood." It is believed that the loosestrife is able to stop the blood. The species name salix, translated as willow, was given to loosestrife for the similarity of its leaves to a tree.
The plant received the name “plakun-grass”, better known among the people, for two reasons - due to its structure and Slavic myth. In the integumentary tissues, the grass has special organs, with the help of which the loosestrife gets rid of excess moisture that comes from the ground. Therefore, the more humid and warmer the air, the more drops are released: they flow down the leaves and look like tears from the side.
According to the legend of the ancestors, plakun-grass was used in conspiracies against evil spirits: by making her cry, people gained wealth and power over the world of spirits, destroyed the spells of witches and cured diseases. A cross made of plakun-grass was put on people from whom demons were cast out. Also, loosestrife was placed on sleeping children and taken with them to the swamp to drive away unclean spirits. One of the conspiracies sounded like: “There is a grass named Plakun, it grows near rivers and lakes, it is high in hemp, the color of crimson ... Its flowers are like a torch, and in the morning it cries with bright tears.”
Some beliefs explain the magical power of grass as follows: the tears of the Virgin, who mourned the crucifixion of Jesus, falling to the ground, turned into plakun-grass. The Slavs believed that when collecting herbs for the feast of Ivan Kupala, it is imperative to pick plakun-herbs, as it enhances the magical properties of plants.
Collected plakun-grass early in the morning on Midsummer Day. It was necessary to remove all iron from oneself, otherwise the dug up grass root would not have magical powers. The collected grass was kept clean and fed to livestock.
The great Russian writer A.K. Tolstoy in his novel "Prince Silver" mentioned plakun-grass in the episode where the miller gave advice to Vyazemsky: “There is also Plakun-grass, cut a cross out of the root, and hang it around your neck, everyone will be afraid of you like fire.”
IN modern world loosestrife has found its application in medicine: it is used for gastritis, enterocolitis and dysentery. At home, the roots and, to a lesser extent, the herb are used to treat stomach pains, bleeding in the abdomen, cardiovascular diseases, and sometimes epilepsy and noises in the head. Grass powder is sprinkled on non-healing wounds for speedy healing.
Useful properties of plakuna
The chemical composition of the herb contains phenolcarboxylic acids, tannins, essential oil, resin, flavonoids, vitamins, there are traces of alkaloids. The roots contain saponins, and the flowers contain anthocyanins. Leaves, flowers and roots are harvested for medicinal purposes. The collection of the aerial part of the plant is carried out before flowering, it is advisable to dig up the roots in the fall. Raw materials are collected and dried in a well-ventilated area, stored in a dark, dry place for no more than a year.
Plakun-grass is a wonderful honey plant that attracts many bees and butterflies in July with its bright beautiful flowers. The honey collected from this herb is very fragrant, it has a slightly tart taste and rich color.
The use of plakuna
The plant is widely used in folk medicine as a hemostatic, anti-inflammatory and tonic. An infusion of flowers is recommended as an astringent for dysentery. Decoctions and infusions from the leaves are good for nervous disorders, catarrh of the stomach and intestines, hemorrhoids. A whole dry plant can be used for. Treatment with plakun-grass gives a positive result in uterine bleeding, gastritis, and a cold.
The plant also effectively helps with cardiovascular diseases and some skin (, dermatitis). To ensure quick and painless wound healing, gruel from fresh grass should be applied to the sore spot. With a painful feverish condition and general weakness of the body, herbal tea will be useful.
One of the most important medicinal properties plakuna is that the plant effectively counteracts cerebral edema when bitten by an encephalitic tick.
Plakuna infusion: to prepare an infusion, pour 10 g of dry grass into 250 ml of boiling water, leave for at least four hours, then strain through a very fine sieve. To improve the general condition of the body, it is recommended to drink the infusion 3 times a day, 25 mg each.
plakuna flower
Plakun-grass is famous for its beauty. Thickets of plants in natural conditions and in flower beds look extremely beautiful. The straight tall stem is densely dotted with purple or pink flowers, collected in decorative pyramidal inflorescences. The plant blooms from June to the end of September.
Plakuna flowers are widely used in folk medicine. They contain tannins, pectin, carotene and other bioactive compounds. Flower tea helps with headaches, decoctions and infusions with their addition are used for stomach and intestinal ulcers. Once the flowers of the plant were in demand in cooking as a food coloring.
Plakun willow
This perennial plant with a straight dark green stem reaches a height of 100 cm. Its leaves are opposite, elongated-pointed. Small beautiful flowers are collected in a dense spike-shaped panicle. The fruits are oblong double-winged capsules. Willow-leaved plakun blooms in June-August. This plant is widely distributed throughout almost the entire territory of the European part of Russia, in Belarus and Ukraine. Preparations from it are widely used in folk medicine.
Plakun willowy has a tonic, tonic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, analgesic, astringent and hemostatic properties. Decoctions and infusions from it help with chronic and enterocolitis, various nervous diseases, epilepsy, typhoid. Outwardly they are used for neurosis, varicose veins and venereal diseases. In the old days, it was believed that this herb is an antidote for the bites of snakes and rabid animals.
Contraindications to the use of plakuna
Plakun is not toxic. It is contraindicated to take its preparations only with high blood clotting and a tendency to thrombosis. Caution should also be exercised in the use of this herb for people suffering from gastrointestinal diseases, especially with atonic constipation. Plant preparations can constrict blood vessels, so hypertensive patients should be carefully monitored when using them.
He is God's grass, recruiter, grandfather's beard, lake linnet, girl's beauty - these and a dozen more names were given to this by popular rumor.
The beneficial properties of loosestrife are known in modern medicine, but the plant is not used in the pharmacological industry. Let's talk about the features of this plant in more detail.
Chemical composition
The grass has a fairly extensive set of chemical components: phenolcarboxylic, chlorogenic, n-coumaric, ellagic, gallic acids, anthocyanins, flavonoids.
As well as resins, essential oil, vitamin C, carotene, choline, pectin substances. Substances such as saponans are present in the roots. The seeds of the plant contain alkaloids and the glycoside lytrarin.
Useful properties from seeds to leaves
In plakun-grass there are many useful substances and vitamins, essential oils.
The roots contain tannins and saponins, the preparation of medicinal herbs begins in the fall. Flower panicles are rich in anthocyanins, they make preparations at the time when the peduncles bloom.
The loosestrife is known to herbalists for such medicinal properties as:
- antiseptic;
- hemostatic;
- restorative;
- wound healing;
- anti-inflammatory;
- soothing.
Important! It has been noticed that if you make a pillow stuffed with fresh hay from the leaves and flowers of loosestrife for sleep, then a person will sleep calmly and relaxed.
The use of medicinal properties
- dysentery and diarrhea;
- fever and chronic diseases of the stomach;
- intestinal disorders and gastralgia;
- colds and gastroptosis;
- exhaustion of the body and migraines;
- toxicoses and venereal diseases.
It is used as an effective first aid for rabies, encephalitis ticks or snake bites.
Plakun-grass is used in various compositions of herbal teas for general depression or chronic hysterical manifestations. The medicinal properties of fresh perennial leaves are an effective blood-stopping agent.
A leaf applied to a wound or cut stops bleeding after a while. If the damage to the skin is quite deep and extensive, it can be cured with the best result if the loosestrife leaves crushed into pulp are applied over the open wound.
Infusion is continued for 4-5 hours. It is advisable to strain the tincture before taking it. This amount of medicine is taken during the day, one third of the total amount of liquid at a time. Treatment with infusion of loosestrife is continued for 5 days.
Recipe #1 We prepare a decoction that can be used to treat skin ulcers or open wounds. One teaspoon of dry, crushed loosestrife roots is mixed with a glass of boiling water, the mixture is brought to a boil and simmered for 10 minutes.
The saucepan with the broth is left to cool for one hour. After complete cooling, swollen roots are removed from the broth. You can strain the medicine through gauze folded in several layers.
The prepared medicinal decoction is used to treat wounds (washing) several times a day. 
Recipe number 2 Infusion for migraine. The infusion is prepared as follows: one part of the dry crushed stem of the loosestrife is poured with 10 parts of medical alcohol, mixed thoroughly, tightly closed with a lid and placed in a dark place for infusion.
The time for insisting such an infusion varies from 5 to 6 weeks. Twice a week, the jar of tincture is shaken well.
Application of the finished infusion: half an hour before meals, take 30 milliliters of infusion. Since the tincture is based on alcohol, the finished medicine can be diluted with water in a ratio of one to three.
Important! Alcohol tincture not diluted with water can cause severe burns of the mucous membrane of the esophagus.
Recipe #3 Tincture used for diarrhea (diarrhea). Three tablespoons of dry crushed stems and leaves of plakun-grass are poured into a deep metal container, 200 milliliters of boiling water are added to it, and mixed.
Further preparation of the tincture takes place in a water bath for 20 minutes. The finished tincture is removed from the fire, covered with a lid and wrapped for a couple of hours for a greater concentration of the medicinal drink.
How to use the tincture: daily dose of medicine - 250 ml. This amount is divided into three approximately equal parts and taken 3 times a day. 
When using herbal medicinal infusion, the meal schedule is not taken into account, that is, you can drink the infusion before meals, after meals or during meals.
Recipe #4 In case of inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, such an infusion is prepared: 1 tablespoon of dry crushed flowers of loosestrife is poured with one glass of boiling water.
A cup of infusion is covered with a saucer on top and left for an hour. Ready infusion is filtered through a strainer or gauze, and taken three times before meals. At one time, one tablespoon of the medicine is used.
Healing infusion is taken within a week. If the patient's condition improves earlier, the tincture can be stopped.
The medicinal properties of loosestrife are not fully understood. Of course, this perennial has a lot of the advantages listed above, but it also has some contraindications. Not all people can be used for herbal medicine plakun-grass.
Let's take a closer look at the risk group. The plant is contraindicated in people prone to:
- rapid blood clotting;
- atherosclerosis;
- tendency to form blood clots;
- patients with chronic constipation (atonic or senile).
Important! For people suffering from constant high blood pressure, treatment with loosestrife is allowed only after a detailed consultation with the attending physician. The herb can increase the already high pressure (it contributes to the narrowing of arterial vessels) and raise it to critical.
Harvesting and storage of grass
Since the stems and roots of the loosestrife have healing power, tinctures and infusions are made from all these parts. Best time to harvest
Plakun-grass or loosestrife loosestrife is a perennial grass that grows on the banks of water bodies and on wet, marshy soils. The common people also use the name "rhubarb" from the word "roar". The grass has a hard straight stem up to two meters long, long narrow leaves similar to willow leaves (for which the loosestrife got the name "willow" and in Ukrainian - "verbal") and many inflorescences at the end of the stem. Plakun grass flowers are not only popular in landscape design for their beauty, but are also widely used in folk medicine. The densely arranged small flowers, ranging in color from pink and lilac to purple, attract bees and are considered good honey plants, bringing fragrant and slightly tart honey. Flowering begins in summer and continues until autumn. Plakun-grass propagates by seeds ripening in oblong boxes, as well as by transplanting twigs in spring or autumn into moist ground. If desired, you can use loosestrife as a houseplant.
The magical properties of plakun-grass
The plant received the name "plakun-grass" due to the method of getting rid of excess water that has settled on the plant as dew - drops flow down long leaves, like tears. According to a version close to religion, the grass began to grow from the tears of the Virgin, which were shed at the time when Jesus was suffering on the cross. Another legend tells that a young girl, mourning her fiancé, who died while searching for a treasure in order to ensure her a carefree future, turned into grass that weeps at dawn. Another legend tells that the Slavic goddess of beauty and love Lada, seeing how the people suffer, wept bitterly.
Her tears fell on the plakun-grass and rolled down to the ground. Since then, the grass continues to shed tears of the goddess, who was worried about people.
Despite the abundance of mythical and legendary explanations, there is also a scientific explanation why the plant "weeps". At high humidity, the plant removes moisture due to the presence of special stomata on the leaves.
The main magical properties of plakun-grass are:
- Impact on evil spirits. Some sources claim that the loosestrife makes evil spirits cry, while others insist that the grass gives the owner the opportunity not only to protect themselves from evil spirits, but also to subdue them.
- The pectoral cross, knitted from plakun-grass, according to beliefs, protects the owner from stab and bullet wounds, as well as from evil spirits, and also contributed to the expulsion of demons.
- Help in finding treasures. Going in search, treasure hunters always took with them a dried sprig of plakun-grass.
- The place where plakun-grass grows is clean from the manifestations of evil otherworldly forces. During the construction of the house, the craftsmen laid plakun-grass in the foundations at the corners of the house under construction.
Plakun-grass is credited with many magical properties. It is believed that parts of plakun-grass collected on the eve of Ivan Kupala's day have a special magical power. In addition to having magical properties of its own, the herb also enhances the properties of other herbs. Going to the collection, herbalists took with them the root of the loosestrife so that the collected herbs would acquire greater strength. It is necessary to dig up the roots of climbing grass without the use of metal parts in the tool. It is recommended to use a wooden or bone spatula for digging.
Medicinal properties of plakun-grass
For medicinal purposes, flowers, leaves and roots of the plant are used. The Latin name of the loosestrife Lythrum, which has Greek roots, meaning "spilled clotted blood", indicates its hemostatic properties.
In addition to stopping blood and increasing its coagulability, infusions of plakun-grass are used in the treatment of:
- Dysentery (due to the astringency of the herb decoction);
- Colds;
- fever;
- Nervous diseases (from mild depression to epilepsy and schizophrenia, using a decoction of flowers);
- Seizures;
- Insomnia (dried grass is placed under the pillow, or the pillow is stuffed with leaves instead of feathers);
- Rheumatism.
Also, an infusion of plakun-grass is used as an analgesic.
The use of loosestrife is contraindicated for the elderly and people with increased blood clotting. In this case, the risk of thrombosis increases.
The gruel of the crushed plant is applied to an open wound to speed up the healing process. Take an infusion of plakun-grass 2-3 times a day 20-30 minutes before meals. The infusion is prepared by pouring boiled water over dried herbs in the proportion of one tablespoon per glass of water. Infused from half an hour to an hour. Then it is carefully filtered and taken 1-2 tablespoons at a time.
komoka grass
Komoka grass also has magical properties, according to folk beliefs. She gathered during the days of Peter's Lent to fumigate the means by which fishermen and hunters get their own food.
For example:
- Fishing nets. The fumigation of the burnt grass with smoke promised a rich catch to the fishermen going out to sea.
- Hunting weapon. Fumigated guns gained additional accuracy during the hunt and the chances of a successful hunt increased.
- Hunting arrows. They were fumigated for the same purpose as hunting weapons.
While the smoke was enveloping objects, knowledgeable people said a four-line prayer to St. Peter, so that he would contribute to giving magical properties to fumigation.
Plakun grass: application
Plakun grass has always been revered as a herb with healing and magical properties. The people even call her “the mother of all herbs”, as a reminder that the pagan Slavic goddess wept maternally for the whole people. Plakun-grass was used both in magical affairs and in medical ones. They used it as a talisman against evil spirits, protecting loved ones from troubles and misfortunes.
Application:
- The tannic properties of the herb made it useful to fishermen as a means to prevent rotting of fishing gear.
- Also, the roots of plakun-grass are used for tanning leather.
- In the textile industry, loosestrife roots are used as a natural dye for brown fabrics.
- Beekeepers plant loosestrife to attract bees and to get a special flavor in honey.
And confectioners decorate their products with bright and fragrant flowers of plakun-grass.
Application in medicine: plakun-grass (video)
Shrouded in a veil of secrets and legends, the plant is still popular not only among traditional healers, healers and sorcerers, but also in industry, which, if it does not prove its magical properties, does not reduce its value as a source of special chemicals.