Cowberry is the evergreen plant representing small bush which is used in the medical purposes. Both berries, and bush leaves have useful properties. Cowberry grows in the crude coniferous, deciduous forests, is more rare - on peat bogs. However this berry can be parted and independently.
Useful properties of cowberry
Medicinal properties of cowberry are explained by its richest chemical composition. Berries contain ascorbic acid, vitamins A and E, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus. One more advantage of cowberry is the low content of glucose.
Cowberry has antibacterial effect. In the people also febrifuge is used as toning. Besides, berries are useful at dysentery, diabetes, gastritis, hypertension, jaundice, faulty operations of bodies of digestive tract, tuberculosis, internal bleedings.
Berries of cowberry help at avitaminosis. And both fresh, and dried fruits are effective. The cowberry juice used at therapy of diabetes, skin cancer, stomach diseases is very useful. It is applied and as all-strengthening both tonic at inflammations and colds. Cowberry decoction can be applied and as laxative at problems with intestines and stomach. Cowberry berries are rich with organic acids and sugar that allows to use them at gastritis and hypertensive diseases. Infusion from fruits is good at high temperatures, fever. Cowberry juice perfectly satisfies thirst, lowers arterial blood pressure, has the calming effect on nervous system. Cowberry fruits promote increase in sharpness and concentration of sight. For this reason their application is recommended to persons whose activity is connected with load of eyes. Curative properties also cowberry leaves have. Broth from them has diuretic and antiseptic effect. It is recommended to use it at osteochondrosis, arthritis, liver diseases. Broth is most useful at alkaline reaction therefore it is desirable to accept it in combination with mineral water. Cowberry broth in combination with St. John's wort is effective at enuresis, and in complex with bilberry is applied to treatment of typhus.
Cultivation of cowberry
At cultivation of cowberry it is important to create the conditions close to natural. It is desirable that the level of underground water did not exceed 30-40 cm. If there is risk of flooding by rains in the summer, it is better to take care of drainage previously. Cowberry does not transfer clay and loamy soils. Its cultivation is possible on peat bogs and sandy loams. In the first case the productivity will be almost twice higher. By preparation of the soil for landing of cowberry it is necessary to add coniferous sawdust in proportions to top layer of peat 5:1, 5:2. It is good if there is opportunity to add 2 parts of sand on 5 parts of peat. When landing cowberry it is not obligatory to introduce fertilizers to the soil, and here watering is simply necessary. It is necessary to plant seedling in superficial poles according to the scheme of 25х25 cm. The soil has to contain in the friable, cleared of weeds state. At hot and dry summer the watering is obligatory. Periodically berry bushes should be thinned out. Cowberry green and lignified shanks, but in most cases - office of elevated escapes together with pieces underground from maternal plant breeds. In case of reproduction by green shanks, the crop can be reaped for the 3-4th year.