Bird cherry — well-known all the plant which received universal distribution in midlatitudes. Many think that its main function — decorative, forgetting or not knowing that this tree has the conventional medicinal properties.
Botanical description
Bird cherry ordinary, a bird cherry hand, a bird cherry bird's — names of the same bush or a tree belonging to family of pink plums of a sort.
In the habitat grows in Europe, Asia and North Africa. In a temperate climate took root across all territory of the globe. The plant well feels in those places where ground waters are superficially from a surface.
Whether you know? Earlier color of a bird cherry was used for prevention of unwanted pregnancy.
Can grow both in the form of a bush, and in the form of a tree up to 10 meters high. Has quite dense krone and bark of opaque gray color. Leaves — a simple form in the form of an ellipse, in length can reach more than 10 cm. The bird cherry at the end of spring beginning of summer white, sometimes pink, the flowers grouped in a brush blossoms. When blossoming exudes very strong characteristic smell.
About 1 cm in the diameter fructifies stone fruit of black color. Sweet fruits ripen in August. Can breed as a vegetative way, and by means of seeds. The plant blossoms every year, and here fruits will be born not so often.
Close biological relatives of a bird cherry are plum, a sloe, cherry, sweet cherry, almonds, an apricot, a peach, cherry plum.
Chemical composition
Are a part of a plant:
- tannins — up to 3% — in bark, more than 14% — in pulp;
- hydrocianic acid — up to 0.1% — in bark, in leaves — is twice less;
- acids of organic origin;
- vitamins — more than 19%;
- sugar — more than 4%;
- essential oil.
Stones contain glycosides, in particular, amigdalin, and in leaves — more than 0, 25% of vitamin C.
Application in traditional medicine
was widely used in traditional medicine. Some properties of a bird cherry thanks to which it is considered strong medicine:
- The tannins which are in berries fix intestines. Apply as antidiarrheal means.
- Thanks to pectin the intestines vermicular movement is normalized.
- Well affects elasticity and structure of walls of vessels.
- Has anti-inflammatory effect, promotes healing of wounds.
- Brings toxins, salts of heavy metals out of an organism and interferes with cholesterol absorption.
- Strengthens immunity.
- Cleans blood and improves its quality, has the strengthening effect on capillaries.
- Has spazmolitichesky and analgetic effect.
- Thanks to the ability to bring excess water out of an organism, reduces puffiness.
- Helps at tooth pain.
- Broth of bark of a tree is used for decrease in temperature and at sleep disorders, broth of berries — as bactericidal means, and broth of young growth (branches) — at skin problems.
- It is useful to male health as strengthens a blood-groove in coxofemoral and inguinal area.
- Plant juice well affects nervous system.
You should not forget that the plant possesses strong impact on an organism. It is very important to prepare means from a bird cherry correctly, observing proportions and in accuracy following the recipe.
Whether you know? Chloracetophenone — the tear substance rendering irritant action is applied by law enforcement agencies to dispersal of mass unauthorized congestions of people as non-lethal weapon, etc. Has the smell reminding a bird cherry during blossoming therefore the army code of this substance — bird cherry.
Useful properties of fruits
Fruits of a plant affect a stomach zakreplyayushche, possess antimicrobic action, supply an organism with vitamins, increase immunity, has beneficial influence on functions of intestines and male potency. Infusion of fruits of a plant is used for rinsing at a tonsillitis, stomatitis, for washing of eyes at conjunctivitis, in gynecology (syringing). Broth — excellent means at various problems of a GIT.
Prepare infusion for treatment of a stomach and intestines so: 20 g of dried fruits fill up in a thermos, fill in with two glasses of boiled water for the night. Means is ready for the next morning. It is necessary to use 1/2 glasses 3 times a day to food.
Spirit tincture is cooked thus: 150 g of fruits fill in 0.5 l of vodka, densely close and put to the dark place for 21 days. Tincture is excellent diarrhea medicine (7 drops) 3 times a day.
Read also about useful properties and application in traditional medicine of a dogrose, juniper, hawthorn, sea-buckthorn, an acacia, a magnolia vine.
Broth for prevention of flu, a SARS, cold and treatment of diarrhea:
- The tablespoon of dried fruits is made 1 glass of boiled water.
- Ware with broth is put on a water bath.
- 20 min. later broth remove, cool.
- In 1 hour filter means through a gauze.
To accept three times a day to food 1/2 glasses.
Useful properties of leaves and flowers
Leaves and flowers of a plant in traditional medicine were widely used even more, than its fruits. The advantage of means on the basis of leaves and flowers of a bird cherry consists in the following:
- infusion of leaves renders as well as fruits, the fixing action on a stomach;
- thanks to the high content of ascorbic acid effective use of infusion of leaves at avitaminosis;
- infusion of leaves and color helps at treatment of cough, problems with bronchial tubes, at cold;
- juice of leaves or compresses from them heal abscesses and helps at a furunkulyoza;
- rinsings by infusion of leaves — excellent prevention of tonsillitis, stomatitis and caries;
- infusion of bird cherry color — fine resolvent, with its help it is possible to bring down body temperature;
- it is known of use of infusion of leaves at treatment of tuberculosis.
Learn with what curative qualities leaves of cowberry, currant, a wild strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, a sea-buckthorn are rich.
Broth from bird cherry leaves: to fill in 30 g of the dried leaves with boiled water (300 ml). To weary on small fire 3 minutes then to remove from fire, to allow to cool down and filter. Infusion of bird cherry color: To fill in 15 g of dried color with 1 glass of boiled water and to insist within 20 minutes. Then infusion should be filtered.
Important! In a bird cherry stone the high content of toxic substances. It cannot be used inside together with fruits.
Useful properties of bark
Tincture of bark of a bird cherry is applied when it is necessary quickly to expel a disease from an organism, that is to propotet. Broth and tincture of bark of a bird cherry are applied also in the following cases:
- at catarrhal diseases, a SARS, temperature;
- at lumbago, rheumatism, gout, articulate pains;
- by means of infusion of bark it is possible to destroy louses (rubbing in);
- for calm of nerves.
With use in the medical purposes of bark of a plant it is necessary to be very careful. The fact is that derivatives of hydrocianic acid which is dangerous poison, most of all contains in tree bark.
Read also about advantage of bark of a buckthorn: from what helps how to make and accept.
At exacerbation of lumbago, sciatica, joint pains, plant bark tincture on alcohol will help. Train her thus: 1 tablespoon of the crushed bark to fill in 200 ml of alcohol (96%). To insist 2 weeks in the dark place then it is possible to do a pulverizing. To filter there is no need, to store without light access. Broth of bark is prepared so: by means of the blender small to grind plant bark (15 g). To fill in with 1 glass of boiled water and to cook 10 minutes on weak fire. To allow to infuse within 3 hours, then to filter.
Important! Leaves and bark of a bird cherry contain a large amount of alkaloids, their uncontrolled use can do harm to health. It is necessary to apply in the medical purposes these parts of a plant strictly according to the recipe.
How to choose
Depending on geographic latitude, fruits collect since the end of July prior to the beginning of fall. For preparation and the subsequent storage (if you want collected raw materials to be long stored and at the same time did not lose the useful properties), it is necessary to collect the whole fruits, in degree of a full maturity, but not overripe, without signs of damage.
Flowers and leaves collect earlier. When choosing pay attention that leaves were young, fresh, without withering traces. Their color and a form have to look naturally. Choose flowers also without signs of withering. That time for their preparation came, the strong characteristic smell demonstrates. Color has to look healthy, not be showered from inflorescences.
Whether you know? On ancient beliefs of the people of Veps, the bird cherry was considered as sacred, its fruits were forbidden to be cut off the metal tool, and branches could not be thrown into fire or to use for a cattle shoulder strap.
Application in cookery
Fruits of a bird cherry found the application in cookery. From them cook jam, jam, a stuffing for pies, alcoholic tinctures, kissel, kvass. Use fresh and dried fruits.
We advise to read about advantage and preparation of jam (crimson, kalinovy, from pine and fir cones, green walnuts) and also oat kissel.
Video: bird cherry jam
Do flour which is added to wheat flour of dried fruits. Fresh foliage can be a part of salads. The bird cherry ground with sugar besides that is fine cold and vitamin remedy, can become a remarkable stuffing for cakes and pies. It is possible to prepare for the winter juice from fruits. It is possible to drink or use as a basis for preparation of kissel or jelly in its winter. Flour from a bird cherry is used for preparation of bird cherry cake — the most popular delicacy which homeland is Siberia.
Video: bird cherry tincture
Preparation and storage
Color of a bird cherry should be collected in a dry clear weather, during blossoming. Collected flowers need to be spread out a thin layer to fabric. Dry them without access of direct sunshine.
Fruits for preparation need to be chosen as ripe, juicy which already passed a tartness stage. Fruits are put on a baking sheet, put in the oven warmed up to 40 °C. In 30 minutes temperature is increased to 60 °C. To ready fruits allow to cool down then they can be filled up in plastic bottles, densely to close and store up to 20-24 months.
It is possible to prepare young leaves of a plant. They are dried in the same way, as well as by flowers. Dry leaves and flowers store in fabric sacks in the dark cool place up to 12 months. Cora and young escapes are brought together in the early spring. It is necessary to choose healthy young bark and the same branches. They are cut and dried.
Important! With care it is necessary to treat the bouquets collected from flowers of a bird cherry. After the plant appears in the house, it begins to emit the hydrocianic acid which is strong toxin. For the normal healthy person its insignificant quantity is harmless, but can pose a threat for women in the early stages of pregnancy.
Contraindications
Besides above-mentioned useful qualities, the plant possesses also a number of contraindications to which it is necessary to pay attention:
- Individual intolerance and allergy.
- It is not necessary to use fruits and other parts of a plant to the people suffering from locks.
- Pregnancy and feeding.
- Children's age up to three years.
- It is impossible to use fruits at diabetes.
You should not forget that, despite the advantage recognized even as official science, the bird cherry contains a large amount of the substances constituting danger to our health. This plant as the real medicine — at the correct and moderate use brings benefit, and at unlimited or illiterate — is capable to do harm.