Wild plants come in different varieties. They can be found in the field, in the forest, and even in a summer cottage as weeds. These can be herbs, flowers, and cereals. Those who are interested in the nature of their native land know that they are not only beautiful, but can also bring great benefits to people. However, these representatives of the domestic flora can also be dangerous weeds, posing a serious threat to gardeners. Getting rid of these weeds is quite difficult.
Wild plants can be both enemies and friends of humans, so understanding them is very important, especially for those who live close to nature - in rural areas.
Wild plants: examples
One can give a great many examples of such representatives of the fauna. Among these plants there can be a variety of different ones. In general, they can be divided into three groups. The first group includes plants that bring neither benefit nor harm to humans. These are the majority. As a rule, they are used by animals and birds as pasture. The second group includes plants that benefit humans. And finally, the third group includes flowers and herbs, which it is advisable to avoid, since they only bring harm to a person.
The “harmful group” includes poisonous shrubs (for example, poisonous weed) and weeds that cause great harm to agriculture, drowning out beneficial plants (for example, wheatgrass or sow thistle) . The “useful” group includes the following:
In many wild plants there are “cultivated” doubles. As a rule, in this case they differ from each other in size and appearance. For example, wild sorrel differs from sorrel grown in the garden by being smaller in size and having a different leaf shape. In the same way, wild strawberries differ from their “cultivated” relatives, strawberries or Victoria, in the shape of the leaves, the size and taste of the berries.
Peculiarities
These representatives of the flora many interesting features. You can read about this in school textbooks on botany, as well as in special reference books. Among the most striking features are the following:
There are many poisonous plants among wild plants. posing a mortal danger to humans. One of the most dangerous is the poisonous vekh; it was even used in the old days as poison when they wanted to destroy an unwanted person. In order to avoid mortal danger, you need to know what poisonous plants look like. You can see their photographs on the Internet and in specialized literature. And children should firmly know that tearing them, much less putting them in their mouths, without the permission of adults is strictly prohibited.
This elementary rule of safe behavior in the forest and in the field must be strictly observed. Farmers who prepare their own feed for livestock must also be familiar with poisonous plants by sight. Among the wild ones there are herbs that are harmless to humans, but can cause serious food poisoning in pets.
Practical benefits
Among these plants there are many medicinal. Also, many wild plants are excellent food for small and large livestock. If you read about the benefits of these plants, you can learn a lot of interesting things. From time immemorial, many herbs in Rus' were considered medicinal, beneficial, and even nutritious: during the hungry years of crop failure, many herbs were eaten. Of course, among wild herbs and flowers there are many poisonous and harmful weeds. Therefore, it is very important not to confuse beneficial wild plants with harmful or “neutral” ones, which bring neither benefit nor harm.
For example, There are two types of wild sorrel: edible sorrel (small small leaves) and “horse” sorrel, which has no nutritional value and does not have a pleasant taste (a plant with a thick long stem and large leaves, shaped like edible wild sorrel). Many wild plants that have practical benefits are purposefully planted and grown by people. For example, clover can grow on its own, or it can be grown as feed for large and small livestock or as a honey plant for beekeeping.
Now there are few people who are well versed in the benefits of wild plants, with the exception of botanists. However, in old times in Rus' there were a lot of herbalists. They not only prepared medicines from them, but also attributed sacred or magical properties to some herbs. Practical knowledge about the benefits of wild plants was mixed with superstitions. Currently, the ancient science of herbs has turned into a practical branch of medicine - herbal medicine.
Modern herbalists no longer attribute to wild herbs magical properties, but they are used to make drugs that effectively treat many serious diseases, including oncology. Many people leading healthy image life, actively include edible roots in their daily diet. Their main advantage is that they contain powerful antioxidants that slow down the process of physiological aging.
Wild plants have played an important role in human life since ancient times. They may also be friends" and "enemies". Therefore, it is very important to know “by sight” both useful and poisonous. Useful wild plants are man’s first assistants in treatment, nutrition, and agriculture. To make the most of them beneficial features, you need to read specialized literature on botany, biology and the nature of your native land as often as possible.
A perennial herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family. It grows in the forest-steppe zones of the European part of Russia, in Western Siberia. It grows in damp places, along the banks of rivers and mountain streams, in thickets of bushes. Listed in the Red Book. Bad honey plant. There is no commercial honey from elecampane.
Published: March 18, 2018
Siberian hogweed, Puchka, Pikan - Heracléum sibíricum. Herbaceous plant of the Apiaceae family. Siberian hogweed, despite the name, is predominantly a European species, common throughout Central Russia. It is also distributed in Central Europe, Ciscaucasia and Western Siberia (in its southern part it reaches Altai). Found in Crimea, Kazakhstan (Dzhungar Alatau). It grows in damp places - in meadows, between bushes. It grows in meadows (especially flooded ones), along the banks of rivers and streams, forest edges, roadside meadows, and […]
Published: March 18, 2018
Ural ribbed plant - Pleurospermum uralense A two- or three-year herbaceous plant, a species of the genus Pleurospermum of the Umbrella family (Apiaceae). It grows in coniferous and birch-aspen forests, along their edges, in forest clearings, rarely in subalpine meadows, in ravines and near swamps. Secondary honey plant, produces up to 180 kg of honey per hectare.
Published: 28 Sep 2016
Belongs to the Umbrella family. Deadly poisonous biennial plant. It grows on forest edges, water meadows, limestone slopes, as a weed in crops and vegetable gardens, in fallow lands and wastelands, near housing, near roads and fences, in landfills, on the slopes of ravines, along railroad tracks. Bees visit hemlock well, taking nectar and pollen from it. Under certain conditions it gives a large number of nectar.
Published: 03 Aug 2016
Bog thistle belongs to the Asteraceae family. Perennial or biennial plant. Grows in damp meadows, swamps, swampy forests, and bushes. Its stem is completely covered with thorns. Grows in Siberia. Honey productivity per hectare is 250 - 300 kg. Sometimes it produces commercial honey.
Published: May 01, 2016
Weed plant. The species infests all types of crops and is found in fallows, orchards and orchards, as well as along roads, along ditches, and in fallow lands. Contains white milky juice. Strong honey plant and pollen plant. It releases nectar only in the morning, because... After lunch the flowers close. Intensive honey collection up to 380 kg per hectare. The honey crystallizes quickly and is dark amber in color. The pollen is dark yellow.
Published: May 01, 2016
A perennial herbaceous plant 30–90 cm high from the Asteraceae family. It grows in various meadows, clearings, meadow clearings, along roads in many regions of Russia. It is well visited by bees, which, under favorable weather conditions, collect a lot of nectar and pollen from it. Honey productivity in terms of continuous tracts is over 100 kg/ha. The pollen is yellow.
Published: April 28, 2016
Perennial honey-bearing herbaceous plant. Sandy cinnamon grows mainly on sandy soils, in dry copses, forest glades, hills, on fallow lands, rocky and sandy slopes everywhere. The hard scales of the inflorescence wrapper do not wither and do not lose color even when the inflorescences are cut off - hence the name of the plant immortelle.
Published: April 27, 2016
Herbaceous perennial plant from the Euphorbiaceae family. A good honey plant. Produces commercial honey. It grows in meadows, in light forests, along pebble and sandy river banks, along roadsides and in crops, especially on loamy soil. Acute milkweed displaces all plants that live in prairies and fields, shading them and taking away moisture and nutrients, as well as releasing […]
Published: Jan 27, 2016
An annual or biennial herbaceous weed plant of the aster family (Acteraceae) with an erect branched stem 30-80 cm high. The leaves are lanceolate-linear, the lower ones are petiolate. The flower baskets are solitary, at the ends of the branches they consist of dark blue marginal funnel-shaped and central purple tubular flowers, surrounded by hard scales of an ovoid involucre.
Published: 27 Nov 2015
Mediocre honey plant. It blooms in June - September, the fruits ripen in August - September. A perennial herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family. It grows on sandy and loamy fresh and moist soils, in meadows, forest clearings, forest edges, in bushes, less often as a weed in crops. Prefers soils of average fertility and drainage.
Published: 27 Nov 2015
A perennial herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family. It grows in the steppe and forest-steppe zones of the European part of Russia, in Western Siberia. It grows in damp places, along the banks of rivers and mountain streams, in tall grass meadows, forest clearings and edges, and in thickets of bushes. Bad honey plant. There is no commercial honey from elecampane.
It’s amazing how rich the nature of our latitudes is in wild herbs. Medicinal plants live widely in fields and meadows, in steppes and forests, on mountain slopes and in valleys. Many of them are well known to almost everyone, others are not so popular, but are also widely used in folk and official medicine. Below we will consider some wild herbs, their purpose and use by humans.
What herbs are: classification
Wild herbs are divided into several typologies:
- by life expectancy,
- as intended,
- by distribution.
Now let's look at each classification separately.
By life expectancy
According to their lifespan, wild herbs are divided into annual, biennial and perennial.
Here are examples of some of them:
- annuals - cinquefoil, as well as many others;
- biennials -, and others;
- perennials - field mint, burdock, and so on.
Did you know? The most common living creatures on planet Earth are plants. There are more than 370 thousand species.
By purpose
Herbs are also classified according to their human use. They are divided into spicy and medicinal. Already from the names of these categories it is clear what they are intended for and how they are used.
By distribution
The places where wild cereals grow allow us to divide them into those growing in forests, in the steppe and desert, in swamps and mountains, in meadows, orchards and orchards.
Photos, names, benefits of wild herbs
There are a huge variety of wild plants, and almost each of them can be found in the corresponding catalog or encyclopedia, with descriptions and photographs. 
We will also tell you about some of the herbs common in our territory, presenting their photos, brief descriptions and positive influence on human health.
Did you know? A coffee substitute is made from roasted dandelion roots, and young leaves are fermented or pickled in the cooking of some peoples, like cabbage. In addition, wine from dandelion flowers has long been produced in England.
Dandelion (in Latin - Taraxacum Officinale) has unique healing properties. It is rich in vitamins A and C, it also contains iron and calcium, and is a good detoxifier. The roots and leaves are rich in bitter glycosides, acids, oils, choline, asparagine. 
Dandelion is recognized as a plant that can have the following effects:
- choleretic,
- antipyretic,
- laxative,
- expectorant
- soothing,
- antispasmodic,
- mild sleeping pill.
Experimental chemical and pharmacological studies have proven that dandelion raw materials have antituberculosis, antiviral, fungicidal, anthelmintic, anticarcinogenic and antidiabetic properties.
In cooking, dandelion also has a well-deserved popularity: it is used to cook cabbage soup, prepare cutlets, make jam, and also prepare fortified spring salads. Dandelions are excellent honey plants: the honey collected from them is golden and aromatic, with a sharp aftertaste.
Video: beneficial properties of dandelion
St. John's wort (in Latin - Hypéricum perforatum) has beneficial ingredients that help a person maintain health. These are vitamin C, nicotinic acid, quercetin, rutin, carotene, sugars, saponins, hyperoside, tocopherol, phytoncides, essential oil, as well as bitter, tannin and resinous substances.
In pharmacology, St. John's wort is used to prepare a variety of drugs from it:
- antibacterial,
- antiseptic,
- painkillers,
- wound healing,
- antirheumatic,
- diuretics,
- choleretic,
- anthelmintic.
Important! St. John's wort has contraindications: it causes an increase in blood pressure, accelerates the elimination of antibiotics frombody, incompatible withantidepressants. In women who take oral contraceptives, it can reduce their effect. And men need to remember- with long-term use they may experience temporary impotence.
Recently, medical scientists conducted additional studies, during which it was found that St. John's wort has an antidepressant effect without side effects. This herb is also valuable because it is recommended by cosmetologists as an anti-aging, tonic, and antiseborrheic agent.
For a long time, healers used St. John's wort to heal:
- gynecological inflammations,
- haemorrhoids,
- headache,
- diseases of the liver and genitourinary system.
Chicory (in Latin - Cichórium) has a rich chemical composition, due to which it normalizes the functioning of many body systems.
This plant can:
- stimulate increased immunity,
- heal wounds and eczema,
- have an antitumor effect,
- tone the body,
- relieve fatigue
- cleanse blood vessels.
Chicory also has detoxifying properties: it is able to normalize metabolic processes and remove toxins. By consuming chicory, you can cleanse the kidneys and improve blood composition, speed up peristalsis, eliminate heartburn, and increase appetite. Drinks made from it can replace coffee. 
Chicory is also used as an anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and antibacterial agent for colds. Diabetics can also alleviate their condition by consuming this medicinal herb.
Stinging nettle (in Latin - Urtica urens) and stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) are two types of medicinal herbs that are used in both official and traditional medicine.
Nettle gained its popularity due to the following properties:
- diuretic,
- mild laxative,
- expectorant
- anticonvulsant,
- anti-inflammatory,
- antiseptic,
- painkiller,
- wound healing,
- blood purifier
- hemostatic.
Pregnant and lactating women use nettle to improve lactation and normalize iron levels in the blood. Its antidiabetic effect has also been proven. Traditional medicine uses nettle for:
- dysentery,
- cold,
- constipation,
- dropsy,
- diseases of the liver and bronchopulmonary system,
- hemorrhoids,
- rheumatism,
- gout,
- boils,
- acne and lichen lesions of the skin.
Burdock (Latin: Arctium) is widely used in both medicines; Mostly its root is used. The root system of burdock is most rich in the polysaccharide inulin (about 45%), it contains tannin and essential oils, mucus, fatty substances, bitterness, resins, mineral salts, ascorbic acid, and protein.
Burdock root is used as a diuretic, diaphoretic, analgesic and choleretic agent; it helps in the formation of pancreatic enzymes.
This plant also has the following effects:- laxative,
- antimicrobial,
- antiseptic,
- antiallergic,
- wound healing,
- antidiabetic.
Hogweed (in Latin - Heracléum) has long been known for its healing properties. It contains furocoumarins, which have a bactericidal effect, so anthelmintic drugs for animals are produced from it.
For humans, hogweed remedies are effective against psoriasis. The juice of the plant treats ulcers and purulent wounds, asthma and epilepsy. An anesthetic medicine for liver inflammation, as well as for jaundice, is prepared from the roots.
Hogweed is used in cooking, and it is also a complete fodder crop, which is combined with others and made from them into silage for livestock.
Hogweed contains trace elements, carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins, as well as tannins, chlorophyll, carotene, and essential oils. The flowers contain a lot of nectar, which the bees convert into excellent honey. 
Important! It is necessary to handle hogweed with care, since its juice, if it gets on open areas of the body, can cause severe allergic reactions and burns that turn into huge blisters.
Oregano
Oregano, or oregano (in Latin - Origanum vulgáre) contains flavonoids, phytoncides, bitterness, tannins, essential oil, thanks to which preparations based on it serve as anti-inflammatory and choleretic agents. Oregano is used to treat whooping cough and bronchitis, and is taken as a sedative and pain reliever.
Medicines from this herb:
- increase appetite,
- improve intestinal motility,
- produce a diuretic effect,
- relieve epileptic seizures,
- relieve cramps,
- normalize the menstrual cycle.
Field or meadow mint (in Latin - Mentha arvensis) contains menthol, which has mild anesthetic properties. It is also an ingredient in medications for blood vessels and the heart: Validol, Valocordin, Zelenin drops and others.
The beneficial properties of mint are very versatile:
- mint can enhance intestinal motility, promoting timely emptying, limit putrefactive processes and fermentation;
- Infusions are prepared from dried leaves, which are used for disorders nervous system and insomnia;
- mint helps relieve nausea, produces a choleretic effect, eliminates diarrhea;
- alcohol tincture and oil solution are used to reduce swelling and pain due to inflammation of the respiratory system;
- antimicrobial and gum-strengthening properties essential oil used for the production of toothpastes and powders, as well as infusions for rinsing the mouth.
Important! Mint should not be consumed by children under three years of age. Also, men of childbearing age should not get carried away with it, because it can reduce libido, and women who have problems conceiving, since this herb can aggravate the problem of infertility.
Tansy
Tansy (in Latin - Tanacetum vulgare) is known for having a powerful anthelmintic effect. It is also used to prepare a powder in the form of an insecticide against pests. Tansy contains alkaloids, essential oils, flavonoids, and tannins.
This plant is used for hepatitis to reduce the production of mucus that accumulates in bile. The herb has a positive effect on the muscle tone of the stomach and intestines, increasing secretion. 
An infusion of basket inflorescences can:
- increase the amplitude of heart contractions,
- eliminate hypotension,
- heal stomach and duodenal ulcers.
Traditional medicine uses tansy in the treatment of:
- enterobiasis,
- hypoacid gastritis,
- hepatitis A,
- colitis,
- ascariasis,
- cholecystitis.
Video: beneficial properties of tansy
Plantain (in Latin - Plantago). There are two types of plantain used in medicine: flea plantain and Indian plantain. These medicinal herbs contain a lot of ascorbic acid, phytoncides and carotene.
Alcoholic and aqueous leaf extracts of plantain are used to treat severe forms of stomach and duodenal ulcers. The juice is used to treat gastritis and enteritis; it is drunk for better digestion of food. Special research by phytochemists has proven that plantain leaves contain elements that affect cholesterol metabolism.
An infusion of leaves is used to remove sputum in the following cases:
- bronchitis,
- pulmonary tuberculosis,
- bronchial asthma,
- pleurisy,
- catarrh of the upper respiratory tract,
- whooping cough
Plantain is known as an antiseptic because it can:
- relieve inflammation
- heal wounds
- anesthetize,
- cleanse the blood.
Wormwood (in Latin - Artemísia absínthium) is used in gastroenterology. Its benefits are due to active ingredients such as absintin, anabsintin, flavonoids, thujone, pinene, cadinene, bisabolone, chamazulenogen, selinene.
Wormwood leaves are rich in phytoncides, alkaloids, capillin, ascorbic acid, provitamin A, malic and succinic acids, carotene and saponins. 
- The presence of galenic substances helps stimulate the reflex function of the pancreas and improves the functioning of the gallbladder.
- Terpenes relieve inflammation and are pacemakers.
- The essential oil released from the plant has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system.
- Saturated hydrocarbons found in grass have a bactericidal and fungicidal effect.
- Bitterness, which is also present, can stimulate appetite and normalize digestion.
Traditional medicine considers wormwood an excellent remedy for:
- insomnia,
- ascariasis,
- flatulence,
- obesity,
- migraine,
- enterocolitis,
- gastritis,
- kidney and liver diseases.
In combination with other herbs, wormwood is successfully used for:
- pulmonary tuberculosis,
- hypertension,
- fever,
- swelling,
- hemorrhoids.
Horsetail (in Latin - Equisetum arvense) is rich in flavonoids, derivatives of apigenin, quercetin, luteolin, silicic acid, as well as tannins.
Also present are oxalic, aconitic, linoleic, malic and ascorbic acids, fatty oils, alkaloids, calcium, carotene, iron, potassium, magnesium, copper and other substances. 
Thanks to the listed components, horsetail has the following properties:
- cleansing,
- anti-inflammatory,
- antimicrobial,
- anthelmintics,
- diuretics,
- antiseptic,
- detoxification.
In medicine and cosmetology, horsetail is used in the form of infusion, lotion and decoction. It is used when following fasting diets in the process of losing weight. Cooks use young horsetail shoots by boiling or frying them and adding them to omelets and casseroles, as well as as a filling for pancakes and pies.
Video: beneficial properties of horsetail
Quinoa (in Latin - Atriplex) is useful in the treatment of rheumatism, allows you to relieve emotional stress. Due to the large amount of rutin and potassium, it is used in cardiology and for atherosclerotic changes in blood vessels.
Did you know? Quinoa has long been used as food during war or crop failure: rye flour with ground quinoa seeds was used to make bread. Such bread, although not attractive in appearance or taste, still helped people survive in times of famine.
Preparations made from it are used to treat:
- chronic and acute diseases lower respiratory tract,
- stomach diseases,
- skin diseases,
- inflamed wounds.
The plant also serves as:
- anti-inflammatory,
- wound healing,
- cleansing
- diuretic,
- expectorant
- choleretic,
- sedative.
Vegetarians have appreciated quinoa because it contains a lot of protein: cabbage soup made from it, as well as cutlets, soups, purees and bread, allow you to stay full for a long time.
Video: beneficial properties of quinoa
Celandine (in Latin - Chelidonium) has many useful components: it contains up to twenty toxic substances that destroy pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoan microorganisms.
Beneficial effects of celandine:
- helps with cramps,
- relieves inflammatory processes,
- can relieve pain and calm,
- has antitumor and bactericidal effect,
- serves as a diuretic
- heals wounds,
- increases lactation in lactating women,
- Medicines from celandine cleanse the lymph from infections.
When using small doses of celandine:
- blood pressure decreases;
- cardiac activity slows down;
- neuroses, convulsions, paralysis, epilepsy disappear;
- the functioning of the pancreas is improved.
When using celandine in treatment, it is important to remember that you cannot independently exceed the dose of the prescribed amount of the drug, otherwise this will lead to dangerous side effects.
Important! You should start taking this herb with a minimum dose, gradually increasing it to the required dose.
When relaxing in nature or walking in the forest, we often have no idea how many edible wild herbs surround us. Even the so-called weeds, which gardeners do not hesitate to remove from their beds, sometimes surpass in value and benefit the cultivated plants that we grow so carefully and carefully.
Why are the beneficial properties of wild herbs so unique and even superior to the value of cultivated plants? The fact is that over many years of survival in natural conditions, wild plants have developed special mechanisms of resistance to adverse environmental factors, pests and diseases. This vitality and endurance is transferred to our body, strengthening and healing it.
Since ancient times, food wild plants have been present in the diet of our ancestors - nettle, quinoa, sorrel, wild garlic, chicory, burdock. For the diet of Siberians and residents of the north of the European part of Russia, these natural gifts are traditional today. During the siege of Leningrad, about 40 types of wild herbs were consumed, adding them to regular food or using them as independent vegetables.
Many wild plants are superior in nutritional value to cultivated ones. For example, nettle contains 8 times more vitamin C than kohlrabi cabbage, the carotene content in nettle is one and a half times higher than in parsley, and the protein content of quinoa is not inferior to spinach. Often the greens of edible wild plants have high medicinal activity, due to which they find their use in herbal medicine and folk medicine.
How can you use edible wild plants?
1. The easiest way is to add green edible herbs to salads. Suitable for this purpose nettle, quinoa, whine, dandelion, plantain, knotweed, cinquefoil, burdock, chickweed, lungwort, hogweed, sorrel, angelica. Wash the greens thoroughly in a container with salted water, rinse and dry on a towel. Some herbs will require additional processing, for example, dandelion is soaked for several hours in salted water to get rid of bitterness, and nettle must be rinsed with boiling water so that it loses its pungent properties.
2. Another affordable and very useful way consumption of wild plants in fresh, which has become increasingly popular lately, are green smoothies. They will saturate your body with fiber and chlorophyll, which are so rich in green plant leaves. Use the same wild herbs as for salads. Try different combinations of wild plants, garden herbs and various vegetables and sour fruits - you can create a new cocktail recipe every day!
3. Add wild herbs to first courses (soups, borscht, okroshka) and second courses (porridge, stews, cutlets, pancakes, pie fillings) 5-10 minutes before readiness. Nettle, dandelion, plantain, knotweed, cinquefoil, burdock, horsetail, quinoa, primrose, woodlice, fireweed, lungwort, hogweed, and angelica will be good for this purpose. Plants with a pronounced taste and aroma, such as tansy, shepherd's purse, and wormwood, are added in small quantities as seasonings.
4. Wild plants are indispensable for preparing herbal teas and other drinks (kvass, decoctions, juices, sbitney, etc.). Over the summer, you can prepare and dry a lot of useful herbs, from which in winter you can make tea mixtures with unique taste and aroma - nettle, fireweed (fireweed tea), wild raspberry leaves, linden blossom, meadow clover, chamomile, etc. are suitable for this purpose. oregano, yarrow, meadowsweet, motherwort. And from the roots of burdock and chicory you can prepare a useful analogue of a coffee drink.
5. The healing power of wild herbs will also be useful for external use - use them for skin and hair care, adding them to various masks and scrubs, and body baths. For example, any green smoothie is a ready-made mask for the face and hair.
Rules for collecting, storing and harvesting wild herbs.
- The collection of wild edible plants begins in early spring and continues until autumn. You can collect herbs away from roads, landfills, and cities in forested, ecologically favorable areas. It is best to collect in dry, clear weather, in the afternoon, when the plants are dry from dew. Carefully cut the herbs with a knife or scissors, being careful not to damage the root system. Collect only those plants that you know well, adhering to the same rule as when picking mushrooms: “If you're not sure, don't pick!”
- At what stage of development should useful wild plants be collected? It depends on the purpose of collection and the type of plant: if for greens, it is better before flowering, for drying and storage - during and after flowering, and for edible roots and tubers (for example, chicory, burdock, meadowsweet) it is better to dig up towards the end of summer or in the fall.
- The collected herbs should be sorted out to remove debris and insects, and rinsed thoroughly in cold water. It is advisable to consume them fresh on the day of collection; in extreme cases, they can be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than 2 days, wrapped in a wet cloth or paper, and on top in a plastic bag. Avoid direct contact between herbs and plastic packaging.
- To prepare healthy herbs for the winter, you can use two methods - drying and freezing. It is better to freeze juicy greens, intended for later addition to first and second courses. You can dry herbs and roots in the shade in the open air, or using a temperature-controlled dryer, not higher than 35-40ºС.
- It is best to store dried herbs in glass jars, tightly closed with lids, at room temperature, hidden from sunlight. In winter, dried herbs can be added to food and made into teas and herbal infusions.
And now - a little more about the most common wild plants.
Knotweed (knotweed) - fresh grass contains a large amount of protein (4.4%), fiber (5.3%), carotene, vitamin K, flavonoids, glycosides and trace elements. It is superior to kohlrabi in terms of vitamin C content.
Young stems and leaves can be used to make salads and soups, and dried for the winter.
Angelica officinalis (angelica) and angelica forest -Angelica officinalis leaves contain large amounts of protein, fat and fiber. All parts of the plant contain organic acids, essential oils, tannins and aromatic substances, but the roots contain much more of them. Angelica contains less aromatic substances and more protein.
IN medicinal purposes use rhizomes and roots of angelica officinalis, which are harvested in the fall in the first year of plant growth, and can be combined with angelica silica.
The more juicy angelica forest is used in cooking for preparing salads and soups, while angelica officinale is used only as a spicy and aromatic plant.
Fireweed angustifolia (fireweed) - contains 18.8% protein, 5.9% fat, 16.6% fiber, as well as a large amount of vitamin C, iron, manganese, copper and other trace elements. Young shoots and leaves of fireweed are used for salads, purees and cabbage soup, and fermented and the tops with young leaves dried in a special way - for preparing aromatic Koporye tea.
Stinging nettle - Almost all vitamins, many microelements, organic acids, as well as phytoncides and tannins are found in its leaves, and fatty oil is found in its seeds. There is 2.5 times more vitamin C in this plant than in lemons.
In spring, when the nettle is quite tender, young shoots with leaves are used for salads. The tops of shoots with leaves are suitable for making cabbage soup and puree until late autumn. Dried leaves can be added to various dishes and used for tea collections.
Quinoa and pigweed - these two herbs are very similar to each other both in appearance and in their medicinal properties. Quinoa and gooseberry leaves contain large amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E, carotene, essential oils and saponins.
Young leaves, shoots and inflorescences of both plants are eaten and used fresh, pickled, pickled and dried. Salads are prepared from fresh leaves; in addition, they are boiled and mashed. A special delicacy is the sweet-tasting flower balls of the common marigold.
Big burdock - in European countries and Japan this plant is cultivated as a vegetable.Dried burdock roots contain up to 69% carbohydrates (including about 45% inulin polysaccharide, useful in the treatment of diabetes), up to 12% protein, about 7% fiber, up to 0.8% fat-like substances, organic acids and tannins. A large amount of ascorbic acid, essential oils, mucus, and tannins were found in the leaves.
Burdock leaves and stems at a young age are suitable for salads. The roots are used for soups instead of potatoes, boiled, fried, pickled and baked. Flour from the dried roots mixed with cereal or grain flour is used to make flat cakes.
Moistwort (medium chickweed) -
brich in ascorbic acid, carotene, vitamin E, saponins, minerals, especially potassium. Improves the activity of the cardiovascular and central nervous systems, has a hemostatic and analgesic effect, and is useful for gastrointestinal diseases and various internal inflammatory processes.
Tender greens go into salads, soups and herbal teas.
Dandelion officinalis - The young leaves of this plant are rich in protein, carbohydrates, fat and calcium and by mid-summer contain 17.8% protein, 12.0% fiber, 6.4% fat. Dandelion roots accumulate up to 40% inulin by autumn.
Young dandelion leaves are kept for 30 minutes in cold salted water to remove bitterness, and are used to prepare salads, soups, marinades and seasonings, and roasted roots are used as a coffee substitute. One of the most valuable properties of this plant is considered to be its ability to have a tonic effect, eliminate feeling tired.
Shepherd's Purse- the leaves contain vitamin C (more than kohlrabi), carotene (more than carrots), as well as various organic acids, fatty and essential oils, tannins and other biologically active substances. A significant amount of oil was found in the seeds.
Young leaves are used as food for salads, soups and purees. Dried leaves and seeds are used as a spice.
Large plantain - Fresh plantain leaves contain 20% nitrogenous substances, 10% crude fiber, 0.5% fat, flavonoids, citric and oleic acids, seeds contain up to 44% mucilage, about 20% fatty oil.
Plantain leaves can be added to salads, soups and seasonings, and used in herbal teas. Unlike other herbs, this plant does not have a laxative effect on the stomach. Young leaves go well with sorrel, especially in soups made with young greens.
This is the name given to the life form of higher plants. Among them there are poisonous varieties and those that can be eaten. Tea is brewed from individual herbs and infusions are made for internal and external use. IN different types contain various beneficial substances (in the root or in the shoots), extracts of which are also used in perfumery, production cosmetics, household chemicals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Avran
(lat. Gratiola officinalis) is a poisonous herbaceous plant common in Central and Eastern Europe. There are many common names for avran: God's grace, grace, fever grass, horse tinder, moknets, deer grass, draciolia, bloodworm. The Russian-language name is of Turkic origin and translated means “to be sick.”
Aloe
(lat. Aloe- bitter) is a perennial plant with fleshy, sword-shaped leaves that form rosettes as they grow.
The name of the plant comes from the Arabic language, but in Russian there are several common nicknames for aloe - agave, rannik, sabur.
(lat. Althea Althaea officinalis
) is a perennial medicinal plant. The name of the herb comes from the Greek word Althaca, which means “heal” or “multi-beneficial.” In the Russian and Ukrainian languages, there are several popular names for marshmallow: marshmallow, mallow, kalachiki, rozha, wild rose, palyanitsya, dog, pasirnik, ruzha psyacha and others.
(lat. Pansies Viola tricolor
) is one of several popular names for a flower known scientifically as tricolor violet. In various Slavic countries and their regions, people call it in their own way: viola, three-flowered, Ivan-da-Marya, brothers, brother-and-sister, but the most common name is still Pansy.
(lat. Aster Aster - star) is a plant known for its huge number of species and variety of color palette. In science, annual varieties belong to the genus Callistephus chinensis (Callistephuschihensis). The Greek word "Callistephus" means "beautiful wreath". It is this type of flowers that has gained the greatest popularity, has become widespread and is known as garden.
or
Chinese aster Astragalus wooliflorum(lat. Astragálus dasiánthus) or Astragalus dense-flowered is a herbaceous perennial plant of the Legume family and the numerous genus Astragalus, which has almost 2000 species. Its name is believed to come from the Greek word " astragalos.
"
This was the name of a dice made from lamb ankles. The plant has many popular names -
cat's pea, Polish recount, centaury, Scythian grass of life
Ledum
For respiratory diseases, use wild rosemary herb in the form of infusions; it is also a diuretic, disinfectant and antiseptic. Oil from the wild rosemary plant is an ideal remedy for a runny nose., translated meaning “to entwine.” Its representatives belong to the Kutrovye family and are creeping herbs or subshrubs.
In the wild, the most commonly found common periwinkle is the small periwinkle, which has the following popular names: grave grass, cucumber, burial grass, brilliant green, ivy, khreshchatik, noyushka, wreath, cornflower, witches' violet.
Valerian
The most common version of the origin of the name is from Lat. “valere” – “to be healthy.” The valerian species system is diverse; many types of valerian, used both in official and folk medicine, have medicinal value.
cornflower Decoctions and infusions of cornflower are used for: inflammatory and chronic kidney diseases, inflammation of the urinary tract, edema, urolithiasis
, blepharitis, conjunctivitis, urethritis, cystitis, pyelitis, nephrosis, decreased vision, liver and biliary tract diseases. Helps resolve problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
Elecampane
Elecampane preparations improve expectoration of sputum, reduce intestinal secretory activity, normalize metabolism, stimulate bile formation, increase diuresis, and have antimicrobial and anthelmintic properties. Elecampane preparations are used internally for chronic and acute bronchitis, enterocolitis, functional diarrhea, colitis, chronic and acute pharyngitis, gingivitis, tracheitis, difficult-to-heal wounds, and periodontal disease.
St. John's wort
This plant was credited with the ability to drive away evil spirits.
St. John's wort protected against ghosts and witches, and the purple juice obtained by pressing flower buds was considered a charming remedy. For medicinal purposes, the herb St. John's wort is mainly used - leaves and young shoots. Blooming Sally
The name is associated with the role of the plant in the history of trade, in an era when “Russian tea” made from fireweed grass was one of the most exported products from Russia to the countries of Albion and Europe.
It gained fame after Queen Margaret of Navarre called this plant her favorite flower and ordered it to be grown in her garden. It has antispasmodic and anticonvulsant effects.
People believe that calendula helps with spleen disease, crushing stones in the bladder, with hypertension and cough, stomach cramps, cardiac neuroses, alveolar pyorrhea, burns, for the treatment of wounds, non-healing ulcers and fistulas.
Clover
This is a plant of the legume family. The flowers depend on the species and are red, pink or white. Herbalists have been using clover since ancient times as a source of calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamins A, B and C. In medicine, they use the leaves, stems and flowers, which are collected during flowering.
Hemp
It grows in Western Siberia, the Volga region, and Altai in the European part of Russia. Nowadays, this plant is cultivated in almost all countries.
Officially, the plant is allowed to be grown and consumed only in Colombia. In other states, cultivation, consumption, distribution or possession is criminally punishable.
Nettle
Distributed in Europe and Asia, Africa and Australia, and North America. It can be found in the CIS countries, India, China, Japan, the USA and Great Britain. A large amount of vitamins and nutrients makes nettle one of the most used plants in official and folk medicine, dietetics and cosmetology. The most commonly used plant is stinging nettle. Red brush (rhodiola)
In folk medicine, Rhodiola quadrupartum is prescribed for prostatitis, prostate adenoma and diseases of the genitourinary system.
The red brush is used in the complex treatment of neoplasms (tumors); as an adaptogen and as a means of rejuvenating the body.
To the main
Lavender is a subshrub, up to 60 cm high. It is widespread in India, Arabia, southern Europe, northern and eastern Africa, and even the Canary Islands. There are about 30 varieties of this shrub.
Lavender is widely used in cooking, household chemicals, production of soft and alcoholic drinks, toilet soap, deodorants, air fresheners, perfumes and cosmetics.
Burdock
Burdock originally appeared in the Mediterranean and then spread widely throughout the world. It grows, as a rule, in the southern regions, steppe zones, along river valleys and ravines. It is also often found under the walls of buildings, in parks, under fences, along the edges of gardens, as well as in forests with good humidity. Widely used in folk medicine. Most often the roots are consumed, less often the leaves with fruits.
Poppy
Different parts of the plant are used for different purposes. In cooking, only seeds are used - small, dark grains with a round shape. Poppy seeds are sprinkled on baked goods to give them more aroma and taste. Mix with powdered sugar to make the filling for buns and various sweet cakes.
Coltsfoot Perennial
, order Asteraceae (Asteraceae or Asteraceae).
This plant can be seen blooming in early spring. Coltsfoot is very common in Eurasian countries and North Africa. In North America, this plant has been grafted and is now also quite common. Mint Mint is a fragrant and healthy plant. It contains a large amount of essential oil - menthol. Used as
Tansy
folk remedy
against many diseases, as well as in cosmetology - it is added to shampoos, creams, lotions and other products.
The name itself comes from the Czech or Polish word “pizmo”, which means “musk”, that is, the smell is of organic origin. In fact, all plants of this species have a very strong, rich aroma, and the smell is emitted by every cell of this plant. Plantain Of the more than 200 species of this plant
highest value
A type of herbaceous annual plant. The stem grows up to 3 m high, straight, covered with hard hairs. The leaves are oval-heart-shaped, dark green, up to 40 cm long, covered with hard, short, pubescent hairs. Flowers have large diameters of 30-50 cm; during the day, young sunflowers turn towards the sun .
