Elecampane (Inula) or nine-force is a perennial herb from the Asteraceae or Asteraceae family. It grows in all corners of the world: Europe, Asia, and even in hot Africa. Elecampane in different places is referred to as a wild sunflower, Oman, astonishing, doubting, goldenrod, forest adonis, bear's ear. A distinctive feature of the plant are bright yellow flowers with large, whole leaves.
Traditional healers from different countries collected the medicinal herb elecampane together with the roots, and with its help they helped people to cope with many ailments. Botanists count the total number of varieties in different ways - the figure is approximate and ranges between 100 and 200. The most popular among gardeners is the grass elecampane (Inula helenium), it is often grown in summer cottages.
Description of the herb
Elecampane is most often a long-growing, cold-resistant herb in the form of a medium-sized shrub. Certain types of elecampane are capable of reaching heights of up to 1.5 meters. The buds on the stem are bright yellow in color, resembling small baskets with a brownish color inside. The roots of elecampane are short and thickened, brown in color. The leaf is dense and elongated, with small denticles along the edges; petiole and elliptical forms are also found. The fruit of the plant looks like a cylinder, with a ribbed and hollow achene, which is usually dark in color with a small tuft. The seeds are usually large, without a fly.
Growing elecampane from seeds
It is recommended to plant elecampane seeds after May 15, or at the end of November. If the seeds were purchased from a store, then carefully read the date on the package. They can be stored for no more than 4 years. As a rule, before sowing, it is advised to mix the seeds with sand in a 1: 1 ratio. About 150-200 pieces will be needed per meter of plot in 1 row. The grooves should not be deeper than 3 cm, and the distance between the rows should be at least half a meter, otherwise the root of the plant will not have enough room for growth. When filling the seeds of elecampane with soil, do not press down strongly, let the air penetrate deep into it.
When planting elecampane seeds, leave a distance of at least half a meter between the holes, since you will not have to re-plant.
After 2 weeks, the first shoots will appear, and when the height reaches 5 cm, they should be planted 12-15 cm apart. After the seedlings have developed into strong bushes, the transplanting process should be repeated so that the root system can develop well.
There is a second way to reproduce and grow elecampane - by dividing the rhizome. To do this, you need to take the root of an adult shrub and divide it. It is better to do this in the spring or as soon as the bud fades. A bud of renewal should remain on the rhizome of the plant, and the aerial part should be carefully removed.Rinse the root thoroughly under a stream of cool water, and plant it in the ground at a depth of at least 6 cm, and after digging in, be sure to moisten the soil.
Planting and caring for an elecampane
When you are tempted to decorate your garden with bright elecampane bushes, start by choosing the right planting site. The soil should be fertile and moist, easily accessible to direct sunlight, which is vital for the long-term flowering of this plant. If it is heavy, be sure to thin it with sand and sawdust.
Before sowing the grass, dig up at least 30-40 cm, and add humus or complex fertilizer to the ground. Remember that the soil for growing elecampane should not be swampy, since the root can rot, and too acidic soil is diluted with lime. The preparation stage is completed by leveling and compaction of the soil surface, while weeds are necessarily removed.
Planting and caring for elecampane is not difficult, but if you want to achieve decorative beauty and prolong flowering, you must follow some rules. The soil should be moist and watered as needed to keep the rhizome from rotting or drying out. In rainy weather, it is enough to water the garden once a week; on dry days, this should be done in the morning and in the evening.
Before watering the elecampane around the bush, the land must be well loosened, and carefully removed from the weeds. You will often have to weed only in the first year of the elecampane's life, and when the grass takes root, the weeds will cease to be a threat. This also applies to watering, since then the roots will go deep into the ground, they will begin to extract moisture on their own and feed the entire bush with it.
If you grow a high variety of elecampane, then remember about the support to which the trunk of the plant should be tied so that it does not lean to the ground.
Do not forget about the need for fertilizers - complete mixtures containing potassium and nitrogen, and ordinary diluted manure are also suitable. Preparation for the winter period is not difficult - you only need to cut off the upper part of the plant, and if desired, the soil is mulched. When spring comes, this beautiful perennial will again release new shoots that will bloom by mid-summer.
Collection and storage
The next year, after planting the elecampane in open ground, the roots, along with the adventitious roots, can already be removed. The bush is cut almost to the base, and carefully dug out with a pitchfork to avoid damaging it. Then the root is washed with clean water, and divided into pieces, no larger than 20 cm. They should be dried at a temperature of 28-30 ° C, while often turning over. After complete drying, parts of the rhizome are stored in a glass jar or linen cloth in a dry room. The total shelf life of elecampane should not exceed 3 years.
The roots are harvested in the fall after collecting seeds or in early spring, but the stems and buds should be cut off in the summer, during flowering. Elecampane leaves accumulate the greatest amount of nutrients, and the baskets do not crumble when dried.
Types and varieties of elecampane with photo
Sword-leaved elecampane (Inula ensifolia)
The grass grows both on the mountain slopes of the Caucasus and on the plains of Europe. Low bushes have thin, but rather strong stems, which diverge to the top in separate shoots. Small yellow flowers are not more than 40 mm in diameter, and the plant itself does not exceed 0.2 m. The leaves are elongated with small teeth along the edge. It is considered wild, but it also has an ornamental variety that gets along well with any Astrov family, and is unpretentious in care.
Elecampane magnificent (Inula magnifica)
This type is most often found as decorative. It got its name because of its large size, it reaches more than 1.5 m in height. The powerful stem holds the lower basal leaves of an oblong elliptical shape, and the upper ones are sessile and small. Buds on yellow stems reach 15 cm in circumference.In the wild, elecampane magnificent is found only in the mountainous areas of the Caucasus, as it loves moist and fertile soil.
Elecampane root-headed (Inula rhizocephala)
This unusual perennial is also known as stemless. Its rhizome emerges to the surface in the form of a rosette, from which elongated elongated leaves covered with fine hairs extend further. The buds are located tightly to each other, and do not reach more than 5 cm in diameter, they are yellow, brown and brown, and in appearance they resemble daisies. In the wild, the grass grows in the highlands of the Caucasus and Europe.
Elecampane high (Inula helenium)
In addition to Europe and Asia, this species can also be found in Africa. The powerful roots of the grass find water deep underground and can remain viable for a long time. A thick rhizome of a dark brown color, elongated broad sessile leaves extend from it. Of these, the stems diverge to the sides, and form a shrub that can reach 2.5 meters in height. The flowers are yellow or golden orange with a brown center, which is why the plant is often referred to as a sunflower.
Eastern elecampane (Inula orientalis)
The wild species is found on the shores of the lakes of the Caucasus, in Central Asia and in the forests of Eastern Siberia. Eastern elecampane herb is used as a medicine, and not for decorative purposes. Inflorescences have a dark yellow color, its stem is upright, with long leaves, narrowed towards the edge. It reaches a height of 70 cm, and the buds bloom from July to early autumn. This variety is not so dependent on sunlight and is able to grow even in partial shade.
Elecampane British (Inula britannica)
Moisture-loving perennial grass that can be observed on the shores of lakes and rivers in the Caucasus, Europe and Asia. It has a thin rhizome and a straight stem, covered with fine fibers, like wool. Sharp, long leaves encircle it and curl towards the base. Usually does not grow above 60 cm. Bright yellow buds 3-5 cm in diameter - bloom until early August.
Elecampane Royle (Inula royleana)
Wild perennial is found at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains, or in meadows and forests of Siberia and Europe. Has a powerful root with a pungent spicy aroma. Most often it is a bush in the form of a cylinder 25-30 cm high, but can reach 60 cm. The stem is straight, at the base of a reddish tint, the leaves are elongated, usually smooth from above, and covered with fine thick pile from below. Inflorescences are solitary yellow, with a darker middle. The Himalayas are considered the homeland.
Properties and application of elecampane
The most useful part of elecampane is the root and rhizome of the plant. They contain inulin, resins, gums, polysaccharides and traces of alkaloids. From the essential oil of elecampane, mixtures of bicyclic sesquiterpene lactones or gelenins are isolated in the form of crystals. They are widely used in pharmacology for any diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Natural saccharides inulin and inulenin are a powerful source of energy and can positively influence immune processes.
In addition to essential oil, elecampane herb contains ascorbic acid and alantopicrin. On the basis of the plant, tablets alanton and alantolactone are made, with their help, stomach ulcers and diseases of the duodenum are treated. Elecampane has antimicrobial, expectorant and diuretic effects. It is able to relieve inflammation, stimulates a weak menstrual cycle and has a diaphoretic effect on a sick body.
Healing properties
Elecampane leaves are applied to fresh wounds and deep scratches. Decoctions, tinctures, ointments, gels and tablets are made from perennials. The herb is an anthelmintic, used in the treatment of scabies. The plant perfectly regulates metabolic processes in the body, normalizes the function of the liver and kidneys. Treats respiratory diseases such as cough and bronchitis. Elecampane can be taken as a vitamin to improve the functioning of all internal organs. Lotions from a decoction of the herb help with chronic diseases of bones and joints.
For the healing of abscesses, boils and lacerations, alcohol tinctures from elecampane grass are used. Recipe:
- Pour 3 tablespoons of crushed rhizomes with 0.5 liters of diluted alcohol (can be replaced with high-quality vodka).
- Place the tincture container in a dry, dark place for 2 weeks. This mixture should be taken every 8 hours, 20 drops per half a glass of water.
Decoctions from elecampane are effective for wet coughs, inflammatory processes, heart disease, weakened immunity and diabetes mellitus.
- The root should be crushed and poured into an enamel bowl in the amount of 4 tablespoons.
- Then pour 1 liter of hot water over it and simmer for another 7 minutes.
- Cool, strain and take 2 tablespoons in the morning and evening.
With all the medicinal properties of elecampane, the herb is also used in the food industry as a spice.
Contraindications
Medicines from elecampane increase blood circulation, therefore it is not recommended to take during pregnancy and during breastfeeding. At low blood pressure, it is a threat to hypotensive patients. Children and adolescents should not be given medications without the permission of a pediatrician. Unpredictable elecampane for people with heart disease and serious vascular disease. When taking elecampane for the first time, an allergic reaction may occur, so you should not do this without prior consultation.
