Madder (Rubia) is a perennial flowering plant of the Madder family, which has about 80 varieties. These representatives of the flora are found in the southern part of Europe, in the tropical and middle latitudes of Asia, Africa and America. Among the numerous species forms of this family, the dye madder (Rubia tinctorum) is of particular interest to gardeners. Madder dye is grown for the purpose of producing red paint. The genus name means "red", which clearly demonstrates the properties of the plant. The people have long known the value of madder, so the perennial is popular in many gardens and suburban areas.
Description and characteristics of madder
Madder has a thick rhizome with a massive central root, the surface of which is covered with a layer of brown-red bark. The stems are quite fragile, highly branched and contain four edges. They rest on their edges on spiky needles with twisted ends and start growing closer to May. The leaf plates look like an ellipse and are tough to the touch. The leaves, painted in a pale green tone, have curved spines on both sides. Collecting several pieces on the stem, the plates form whorls. The size of the whorls does not exceed 10 cm. In some species the leaves are sessile, while in others they are petiolate.
The flowers resemble small yellow stars. A funnel-shaped corolla emerges from the center of the bud. Flowers form semi-umbrellas at the top. The opening of the buds occurs in early summer and lasts three months. Ripe fruits are called black drupes. Their length is about 9 mm. The ripening period lasts from August to November. The plant demonstrates the ability to bear fruit in the first year of life.
Growing madder
Planting madder outdoors
This perennial prefers regions with a warm, humid climate and places high demands on the composition of the soil. The root system is so developed that the rhizome can deepen by 35 cm.Consequently, a looser and more fertile soil is chosen for planting madder. This is the only way to achieve a decent harvest. Perfect for growing madder loam rich in humus and nutrients. The plant will develop better in areas where winter crops of grain, feed, vegetables were previously grown.
Before you start sowing madder, the soil is thoroughly plowed. Moreover, the depth to which it is necessary to lower the shovel should be equal to the width of the shovel blade. A couple of kilograms of organic fertilizer, for example, humus and compost, are applied per square meter of the plot. After that, the cultivation of the ridge is done.
The seeds are processed before being sent to the ground. To process 1 kg of seed, you need to take 2 g of Granosan. In the southern regions, perennial seeds can be sown directly into the soil, starting in mid-April. By this time, the soil has already warmed up well.The sowing depth should be at least 4 cm, and the width between individual rows should be 45 cm. Under favorable climatic conditions, the first shoots are expected to appear after 2-3 weeks. If the frost returns and the spring gets too cold, the seeds will be able to produce green shoots much later. Perhaps the germination process will drag on for another 30-40 days. The optimum temperature for the successful development of seeds is considered to be between 23 and 25 ºC.
The method of grafting is considered to be no less effective. Pieces of the rhizome are cut off as cuttings and planted in pre-dug furrows to a depth of 8 to 10 cm, keeping an interval between individual furrows of at least 10 cm. The furrows are covered with a layer of earth, tamped down and watered abundantly.
Madder care in the garden
As mentioned earlier, madder is capable of bearing fruit already in the first year of life. However, do not expect a large harvest. After two or three years, the bushes will bear fruit much better.
An important condition for proper care of madder is abundant watering and loosening of the soil, weeding and removal of weeds. During the season, the soil on the site is loosened 3-4 times, paying special attention to the aisles. Hand weeding is considered to be of better quality. With the arrival of autumn, madder is huddled, and in the spring, frozen ground leaves and shoots are cut off from the bushes. The soil is enriched with mineral fertilizers, for example, complexes consisting of nitrogen and phosphorus. For 1 sq.m. the area with plantings is applied about 3 g of fertilizer.
Collection and storage of madder
For medicinal purposes, the madder roots are prepared. They are dug out only from adult plants that have been growing in one place for 2-3 years. Harvesting is carried out in August or September at the end of fruiting. The underground parts are carefully removed from the ground, shaken off and evenly distributed in a thin layer on a newspaper sheet. Peeled roots cannot be washed, they are dried raw in a bright room where the sun is available. Traces of sand are scraped from slightly dried roots and sent to dry them in a dark ventilated room. Some people use an oven to dry the raw materials, but the setting should be set to 45 ºC or less. The prepared raw materials are stored in a clean glass jar under a lid. The roots are stored for about 2 years, then they lose their medicinal properties.
Types and varieties of madder with a photo
As cultivated inhabitants of the garden, gardeners prefer to breed the following species.
Madder (Rubia cordifolia)
Herbaceous perennial that lives in nature in the corners of Siberia, Primorsky Krai and the Amur region. Cultural plantings of this species of madder are widespread at the Cape of Good Hope or along the Nile coast. The plant is grown for industrial and medical purposes and is used in the production of dyeing synthetic materials.
Marena Georgian (Rubia iberica)
Grows in the Crimea and the Caucasus. Unlike the previous type, the bushes look much more massive. The leaf blades are pubescent and ovoid. The plant is found in Iran, Syria.
The other varieties of perennials are practically not cultivated.
Madder properties
Medicinal properties of madder
Madder roots contain lucidin, purpurin, free alizarin, haliosin, a number of organic and inorganic acids, pectin substances, sugars, calcium and potassium in the composition of salts. Galenic components were found in plant tissues, which are responsible for the excretion of urates, oxalates, phosphates and purify the body. These substances are an excellent diuretic, choleretic and antispasmodic agent.
In folk medicine, madder raw materials are used to treat kidney diseases, inflammatory processes occurring in the digestive organs, as well as for constipation, cystitis, gout and polyarthritis.
The herbal parts of madder effectively cure various bone diseases, for example, rickets, caries or tuberculosis.Tinctures are prescribed to drink for women experiencing problems with the menstrual cycle. The substances found in the tissues of the herb help to relieve inflammation of the spleen. The healing power and value of the plant is mentioned even in the writings of Hippocrates, Galen and many ancient healers who learned to use madder dye during their lifetime to treat diseases of the kidneys, liver and heal wounds.
In Tibet, folk healers worship the madder.
The main value of this herbaceous flowering representative of the flora is to dissolve and remove stones from the liver and kidneys. Through numerous studies, scientists have found that a 5% solution of dried madder powder has a positive effect on the kidney stone, loosening its structure. If the extract is used regularly for two weeks, the stone is destroyed and completely excreted from the body in the form of fine sand. Simply put, madder raw materials avoid surgery and heal much faster.
Contraindications
It is not recommended to use drugs made on the basis of madder for patients with glomerulonephritis, ulcers, gastritis and renal failure, since there is a possibility of rejection of the components by the body. Pregnant and breastfeeding children, young children should also refrain from taking raw materials. Overdose symptoms are irritation of the gastric mucosa, acute pain and inflammation of the urinary tract.
