Such a mysterious flower shot through the grass. Opened lumbago

Lumbago is a plant that has some strength. There is one legend associated with this plant. One of the archangels, in order to get rid of demons and evil spirits, shot an arrow and pierced the flower completely, and devilry was hiding behind him. Since then, it has been believed that whoever carries grass with him in a dream will have a demon and run away.

It should be placed in the house, dried in the corners, wealth and luck will accompany, and evil spirits will bypass such a house. Sleep grass, why was it called that, many people ask themselves this question?

General information about the plant lumbago

For most peoples of the world, sleep is associated with sleep. Maybe this is due to appearance the plant itself. Sleep grass is covered with delicate, soft hairs that bring to mind thoughts of sleep, relaxation and rest. There are legends that as soon as you put grass under your head, you will immediately fall asleep.

Dream grass, when it blooms, is covered with pleasant-to-the-touch fibers. And the inflorescences of the lumbago look like bells.

Previously, hunters, watching bears, came to the conclusion that lumbago has the ability to intoxicate and make you sleepy. The root especially has this property, which is why the second name sleep grass appeared.

Lumbago growing from seeds at home

Sleep grass is a fairly fast-growing spring flower. There are about 40 varieties of this plant. It lives mainly in subtropical and temperate climates.

The plant blooms in the second half of April and begins in early May. Their inflorescences are in the form of bells, gently purple. After the inflorescence, leaves begin to appear, and with their thick fibers they give a special appearance to the flower.

The villi on the flower save it from loss of moisture during drought and protect it from hypothermia. Therefore, it is resistant to spring weather changes. For its extraordinary beauty and unpretentiousness, many people plant dream grass in their area. Sowing is done only with seeds.

Common lumbago is a perennial, frost-resistant, and tolerates drought well. It reaches a height of up to 30 centimeters, and on one bush there are up to 50 inflorescences at the same time.

Common lumbago planting and care

A few months after flowering, the seeds of dream grass can already be sown. It is best to start growing sleep grass from seeds in March or April.

If possible, soak the seeds in the solution. succinic acid for a couple of hours. When propagating sleep grass by seeds, it must be sown either in greenhouses or covered containers.

In lumbago, care and cultivation must be done carefully; the seeds must be spread on the soil and pressed down a little. For good seedlings it is necessary to provide optimal temperature up to 26 degrees and high humidity.

Planting into separate containers should be done when approximately three leaves appear on the plant. But while the plant will take root after planting, top part it develops poorly. At the end of summer, dream grass seedlings can be planted in open ground in the garden.

If you store the seeds in the refrigerator, they remain good for up to five years. But it happens that the seeds do not want to wake up, then it is necessary to do stratification.

Stratification of lumbago seeds

In order for the seeds to germinate faster, you need to transfer them into layers with a moistened substrate, and for this, sawdust, peat or sand are suitable in a ratio of 1:3. We leave them in cool room with a temperature of about one degree for about a month.

Dream grass planting and care in the garden

The location on the site must be sunny with some shade. The soil must be fertilized with limestone or mineral fertilizers. Doesn't like stagnant moisture. It is necessary to plant at a distance of up to 50 cm from each other.

You need to feed them several times a season with phosphorus fertilizer. In the first years of life, it is better to cover it with leaves or straw in winter. It grows in one place without transplanting for up to 10 years.

The meadow lumbago has medicinal properties. The plant is used as antimicrobial agent. Reduces elevated arterial pressure, reduces tachycardia, increased heart rate and rapid breathing.

IN folk medicine dried grass is used for good night and calm nervous system. As tinctures externally, as a rub, they are used for back and joint pain, scabies, and fungal skin diseases.

Just picked fresh plant poisonous and upon contact with skin causes inflammation and burns of the skin, similar to thermal burns skin of the first second degree. Therefore, the herb should be used only in well-dried form.

Sleep herb tincture for treating joints

Grind the plant about 12 g and pour a glass of vodka. Let it sit for a week and then use it as a rub.

Its decoction can be added when bathing. To do this, grind the dry grass and add a liter of water and boil for five minutes. Add to the bath up to three times a week, course 15 days. Promotes good sleep.

And to take internally you need 10 g dried herb, pour into a glass cold water and leave for a day. Take a few tablespoons up to 4 times a day. Stabilizes blood pressure and tachycardia.

The Russian name “lumbago” is associated with a legend. Somehow the evil spirit began to hide behind the lumbago-grass. One of the archangels, in order to deal with the evil spirits once and for all, threw a thunder arrow and shot through the grass from top to bottom. Since then, the evil one has avoided the shot and does not come closer than 12 miles to him, and in an old herbal book on this occasion it is written: “Whoever carries grass with him, the devil runs away from that person, keep goods in the house, and build mansions at an angle.” put it down, you will live harmoniously.”

Another name - sleep-grass - was interpreted as a plant dream bringer. For many peoples, it is associated with the idea of sleep. Perhaps the very appearance of the plant, densely covered with soft hairs, fluffy to the touch, suggested a soft slumber, peace and rest. The Scandinavian epic “Edda” tells that as soon as the dream grass was placed under Brünnhilde’s head, she immediately fell asleep. The “Pechersk Patericon” (a Russian literary monument) tells how, during the all-night vigil, a demon walks around the temple and throws sleep-grass at the lazy monks. Whoever it hits immediately falls asleep.

The Latin name of the sleep herb Pulsatilla goes back to the concept of “push”: the plant sways in the wind, as if receiving pushes. In total, botanists counted 26 species of lumbago in the domestic flora. These are predominantly low herbs with large single flowers. They all bloom in early spring, usually before the leaves appear.

Description of the dream-grass plant

Sleep-grass or lumbago - perennial herbaceous plant with vertical dark brown rhizome. The stem is up to 20 cm high, unbranched, densely pubescent with soft hairs. The basal leaves are pinnately dissected, also shaggy with a large number of white hairs. Simultaneously with the leaves, a peduncle appears with a drooping large single lilac flower, similar to a small tulip. The perianth is simple, with six lobes, pubescent on the outside. There is also a pubescent bract at the base of the peduncle.

Blooms in April - May. It grows in pine forests, on open sandy hills, on dry slopes in the west of the European part of the country from the Leningrad to Nikolaev regions.
The grass of the lumbago contains anemonin and saponins. The extract from the leaves has a strong bactericidal and fungicidal effect. Used in veterinary medicine. Poisonous. In many areas it is actively destroyed by primrose collectors. Protected, listed in the Red Book.

Beneficial features

Contains protoanemonin, hepatrilobin glycoside, saponins, vitamin C, camphor, tannins, resins, etc.
It has a diuretic, expectorant, bactericidal, sedative and analgesic effect. Stimulates liver functions.

Lumbago, like no other herb of the buttercup family, is rich in protoanemonin, a caustic substance that has an extremely strong bactericidal and fungicidal effect. Saponins were found in the roots. The juice of this plant irritates the skin, causing discomfort.

Varieties

Open lumbago (P. patens). Plant from 10 to 50 cm tall. Young leaves are round-heart-shaped, heavily pubescent, appearing after the flowers bloom. The flowers of the lumbago, open when blooming, are widely bell-shaped, later open, star-shaped, erect. The open lumbago blooms in April-May for 20-25 days.

Turchaninov's lumbago (R. turczaninovii). Plants from 5 to 35 cm tall. The leaves of Turchaninov's lumbago are dissected into long and narrow, linear and sharp segments, and develop simultaneously with the flowers. The flowers of the plants are almost erect, half-open, blue-violet. Turchaninov's lumbago blooms in April-May.

Spring lumbago (R. vernalis). A plant up to 30 cm tall with a straight or slightly curved stem and leathery leaves that appear after flowering. The flowers of the spring lumbago are snow-white inside, with a slight purple tint on the outside, bloom in the second half of May and bloom for 20-25 days.

Multi-incision prostel (P. multifida). Plants up to 10-30 cm high. Basal leaves are located on long petioles, covered with soft, erect hairs, appear at the end of flowering or after it. The flowers of the multicut lumbago are blue-violet, initially widely bell-shaped, later wide open.

Meadow lumbago (P. pratensis). Plant up to 30 cm tall. The leaves of the meadow lumbago are strongly dissected into narrow lobes and appear during or after flowering. The flowers of the plants are lilac and violet. Meadow lumbago blooms in April for 25-30 days.

Common lumbago (P. vulgaris). Small plants up to 15-20 cm tall. The flowers of the common lumbago are blue and appear before the leaves, in April. The common lumbago has several very spectacular forms and varieties.

Crimean lumbago, or Haller's lumbago (R. halleri). Plants up to 30 cm high with densely pubescent stems. The flowers of the Crimean lumbago are all shades of purple, densely pubescent on the outside. Plants bloom in May for 25-30 days.

Yellow lumbago (P. flavescens). Plants up to 45-50 cm tall with a large basal rosette of leaves. All parts of the yellowing lumbago are densely covered with silver-gray hairs. The flowers of the plant are yellow.

Golden lumbago (R. aurea). The plant is up to 35-50 cm high. The leaves of the golden lumbago are pinnately dissected, lush green, on long petioles, covered with thick hairs, which is why they look fluffy. The flowers of the plants are wide open, golden yellow, and bloom in June.

Campanula lumbago (P. campanella). Plant height is up to 30-35 cm. The leaves of the bell-shaped plant are strongly dissected, the flowers are narrow-bell-shaped, blue-violet or violet, bloom in April-May.

Mountain lumbago (R. montana). Plant up to 20-30 cm tall with dark purple, almost black flowers. Mountain lumbago blooms in early May for 25-30 days.

Alpine lumbago (R. alpina). Plant up to 20 cm tall with white or yellow flowers. The petals of alpine lumbago flowers are slightly wavy and bent. The species blooms for a very long time.

Dream grass plant. Photo

Dream grass plant. Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie

Dream-grass. Photo: Denali National Park and Preserve

Application

It has been established that sleep herb can have antimicrobial and antimycotic effects. She has sedative effect, lowers blood pressure, slows heart rate and breathing. This plant is not used in official medicine.

In folk medicine, decoctions and infusions of sleep herbs are given for headaches, neuroses, hysterical fits, insomnia. Externally, an infusion of the herb is used for joint pain, pyoderma, fungal skin infections, and scabies. It is believed that a decoction of the herb in small doses helps with lung diseases and weakness of the anterior abdominal wall. For articular rheumatism, take a tincture of sleep herb internally, and rub it into the affected joints. In Chinese folk medicine, amoebic and bacterial dysentery are treated with infusion and dry extract of lumbago. Homeopaths use sleep herb as an effective venotonic.

The fresh plant is poisonous due to the content of anemonin, which causes inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes. Upon contact with skin, a reaction similar to a chemical burn occurs. I-II degrees. When taken orally, symptoms of damage to the mucous membrane of the stomach, intestines, and renal epithelium develop. The plant is not used during pregnancy, pyelo- and glomerulonephritis, gastritis and hepatitis.

Sleep-grass received this name among the people because of its pronounced hypnotic properties. Since ancient times, not only the Slavic peoples, but also the Mongols, Chinese, indigenous people of Siberia and North America. Not only the sedative, but also the antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and expectorant effects of the herb are known. It is important to remember that sleep-grass is poisonous plant. Uncontrolled use and self-medication can lead to overdose and poisoning. Even inhaling the vapors from fresh weed can be hazardous to your health. Dream grass is found in myths and legends different nations. In ancient times, it was used to prepare a magic potion.

Features of an open lumbago

In what regions can you find lumbago? Is harvesting grass allowed? What are the main indications and contraindications for use?

Habitat

Open lumbago, or sleep-grass, is found in Europe, especially in middle lane and southern regions. But it can also be seen in Northern Europe - Sweden and Finland. It also grows in Siberia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, Far East, in North America. Loves dry pine and mixed forests, open meadows and forest edges, sunny slopes, meadows and steppes.

Botanical characteristics

The shot is open. Botanical illustration by Jacob Sturm from the book "Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen", 1796.

What does dream grass look like? The average plant height is 15 cm, but at good conditions can reach 40 cm. In early spring, it shoots a stem (rarely two or three) from the rhizome. What's it like botanical description medicinal plant sleep-grass?

Perennial herbaceous plant.
The stem is erect, covered with thick soft hairs.
At the end of the stem there is a large bell-shaped flower of light purple color.
The flower has numerous yellow anthers (the upper part of the stamen).
The leaves are silvery, heavily pubescent, dissected.
Blooms in March-May depending on the area.
Reproduces only by seeds.

Is it possible to collect grass

The grass is listed in the Red Book of Russia. In particular, collecting the plant is prohibited in the Moscow, Ryazan, Lipetsk, Oryol, Tula, and Kaluga regions. In some regions, lumbago is becoming a rare plant. Belongs to a declining, vulnerable species. For example, at the end of the 19th century there were sixteen populations of the flower, today there are only nine. What is the reason for grass dying out? Collection for bouquets, mass procurement as medicinal raw materials, overgrowing of plant habitats with dense grass.

You can grow sleep grass in your garden both as a beautiful decorative flower and as a medicinal raw material. IN medicinal purposes use the entire above-ground part. Experienced herbalists do not recommend preparing any home remedies from fresh herbs. Fresh stems, leaves and flowers contain protoanemonin, a toxic substance. During drying, after about 3–4 months, it evaporates. But the raw materials are not lost medicinal properties, becomes less toxic.

Healing effect

Medicinal properties of sleep herb:

pain reliever;
astringent;
sedative;
relaxing;
hypnotic;
anti-inflammatory;
bactericidal;
diuretic;
choleretic;
expectorant;
enveloping;
wound healing.

Chemical composition:

saponins;
coumarins;
volatile substances (anemonin);
camphor;
tannins.

List of indications

What does sleep herb help with? For what diagnoses is it recommended to take the herb?

Functional disorders of the nervous system. Main indications: migraine, agitation, insomnia, irritability, hysteria, headache. The herb also improves emotional well-being, improves mood, and relieves attacks of melancholy and depression.
Respiratory system . An open lumbago gives antispasmodic and expectorant effect. It is prescribed for cough (bronchitis, bronchial asthma, whooping cough).
Benefit for women's health . The grass has a pronounced sedative effect, helps to calmly survive the premenopausal period. Makes it easier signs of PMS. Especially helps with cramping pain in the lower abdomen, headaches, unstable emotional state, tearfulness, irritability. Ancient herbalists describe that lumbago was previously given to women to stimulate labor and also relieve pain.
The cardiovascular system. It is less often mentioned that the plant lumbago is beneficial for cardiac disorders, stimulates cardiac activity, relieves vascular spasms, and lowers blood pressure.
External use. You can use rubs for joint diseases (rheumatism, gout, arthritis), treat wounds, eczema with strong infusions, fungal infections skin, burns. The herb acts as an anesthetic and antiseptic.

Some sources indicate that lumbago herb helps with cataracts and glaucoma caused by increased intraocular pressure. There is also information that the plant has antitumor properties and helps with cancer. It is also taken when benign tumors prostate gland in men.

What are the contraindications for lumbago? It is forbidden to take it for inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys, for pregnant women (may cause miscarriage), and for children. Fresh grass may cause severe allergies, burns upon contact with skin and mucous membranes. In case of overdose and long-term use possible poisoning with anemonin, as well as disorders of the nervous and digestive system. You should not take the medicine without consulting a doctor.

Features of use and recipes for preparing sleep-grass

What are the uses of sleep herb at home? In what dosage forms can it be taken orally or used externally?

Decoction

How to properly prepare a decoction from dry medicinal raw materials?

Preparation

Take 1-2 teaspoons of raw materials.
Pour a glass of cold water.
Boil for 1 minute.
Leave for 30 minutes.
Strain.

Average dosage - 1–2 tbsp. l. decoction 3 times a day (better after meals). It is recommended to take it to normalize sleep and psycho-emotional state.

It is important to follow the dosage and course of treatment prescribed by your doctor. In case of overdose, inflammation of the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys is possible. The hardest and dangerous consequence overdose or individual intolerance herbs - paralysis.

Infusion

Typically, the infusion is prepared for external use - washing wounds and skin, lotions and compresses. For extensive skin lesions, eczema, scabies, and joint pain, it is recommended to add it to medicinal baths.

Preparation

Take 1 tbsp. l. raw materials.
Pour a glass of boiling water.
Leave for 12 hours.
Strain.

Under the supervision of a physician, concentrated infusions (in small doses) can be taken orally.

Tincture

From lumbago (sleep grass) you can make alcohol tinctures. They are used internally and externally.

Preparation

Take 1 part of dry raw materials.
Pour 5 parts of 40% alcohol.
Leave for a week in a warm and dark place.
Strain.

Most often used for rubbing for rheumatic pain. Take 10 drops orally 2 times a day after meals, diluted with water.

Application in homeopathy

The sleep herb plant in homeopathy is used only in fresh. Homeopathic drops (Pulsatilla) are prepared from fresh stems and flowers. What are the indications for prescribing this drug?

Headaches, migraines.
Irregular periods.
Neuroses.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (despite contraindications in folk and traditional medicine).
Diseases of the kidneys and bladder.
Colds, inflammation of the throat, ears, respiratory diseases.
Gout and rheumatism.
Externally, the product is used to treat frostbite, eczema, and fungal infections.

Use in strict dosage and appropriate dilution under the supervision of a homeopathic physician. Refers to toxic drugs because of high content protoanemonin.

Open lumbago (sleep-grass) - sedative, depressant. It is most often prescribed for neuroses and insomnia. In addition, the plant acts as a mild analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and expectorant. It is used externally to treat wounds, burns and skin rashes, and is used for rubbing and compresses for joint diseases.

Dream grass is an extraordinary, charming plant that has been valued by people since ancient times not only for its visual attractiveness. The plant can charm with its amazing simplicity and beauty even in the photo, but sleep-grass has a number of useful and medicinal properties. It was believed that sleeping among the lumbago bells helps predict the future, and dried petals of the plant in everyday clothes can attract good luck and happy events in life. This article contains a description of the lumbago and the areas where sleep grass grows. Healing properties and contraindications when using lumbago to treat diseases.

Anemone open: botanical information

These amazing lilac-blue bells with pubescent stems are called sleep-grass or open lumbago. The plant belongs to the Ranunculaceae family, lumbago is listed in the Red Book in the territories of Russia and neighboring countries.

In nature, the growing area of lumbago is quite wide - graceful bells are found not only on our continent; sleep grass can often be found in North America, Central and South Asia. The plant inhabits wastelands, the edges of deciduous forests, prefers sod-podzolic soils, moss, and shrub thickets.

Sleep grass can be found all over the world

Lumbago is a low plant, the maximum height of the stem reaches 15 cm. Very often, decorative bells are used to decorate landscape compositions on alpine hills and rockeries. The plant is a perennial and dies off in the winter.

There are varieties with lilac, blue, purple, white and red flowers. The charming plant blooms for only a short time - amazing bells open their clear eyes in mid-spring (April-May).

The healing power of an open lumbago

Not all types of sleep grass have healing properties. Usually, for the treatment of diseases, raw materials of meadow and open lumbago are used, which are equally contain saponins, tannins, camphor compounds, resins, vitamin C.

Lumbago is used to treat urinary and respiratory systems; lumbago drugs help with suppression pain cardiac sphere, normalize liver function, have a pronounced bactericidal effect, used to treat fungal skin diseases. Sleep herbs are used to treat mental disorders And nervous diseases; glaucoma; migraine and whole line other diseases.

The plant is collected only during the flowering period

How to collect lumbago grass correctly

For cooking medicines when using plant materials of open lumbago, it is worth using grass that was prepared in compliance with the collection rules medicinal plants. Harvesting lumbago grass should be started only during the period when the plant is in the flowering period.

Attention! Fresh Juice lumbago causes severe burns, so when preparing raw materials it is worth protecting the skin of your hands, for which you need to stock up on durable gloves.

The grass is picked carefully, trying not to damage the perennial rhizome. Thin layer the leaves and stems of the lumbago are laid out on clean cotton cloth. The prepared raw materials are dried in the shade, constantly stirring the grass.

Attention! It is not allowed to use freshly harvested dry grass earlier than 3 months after drying.

Dry lumbago herb is stored in canvas or paper bags for no longer than 3 years.

How to properly prepare dosage forms from lumbago

Infusion: take 40 g of dry sleep-herb raw material per glass of boiling water, leave the composition for 40 minutes, then strain the infusion. Used to treat nervous diseases, glaucoma (treatment lasts 2-3 months), hypertension(take medications for no longer than 2 weeks). The use of the infusion should be distributed between meals 3 to 5 times a day, 1-3 tbsp. spoons at a time.

You can prepare the infusion of lumbago in another way: for 2 tsp. dry herbs, take 1 glass of chilled, pre-boiled water, leave for 12 hours. After filtering, the composition can be taken 50 ml up to 4 times a day.

Collection of dream grass

Prepared for external use special composition, which is used for lotions: for 1 tbsp. a spoonful of dry lumbago grass, you need to take a glass boiled water room temperature. Infuse the composition for about 12 hours, after which the infusion should be strained. Use for external use.

To treat joint pain, prepare an infusion of lumbago with vodka: 10 g of lumbago raw material is poured into 150 g of good vodka. The composition is infused for 5 days in a dark place, then it is filtered. You can rub the sore spots several times a day. Use for external use only.

Therapeutic baths with lumbago: boil 4 tbsp. spoons of dried herb in one liter of water, boil for 3 minutes. Allow to brew, after which the composition is filtered and poured into a bath, which is taken for a maximum of 20 minutes, no more than three times every 7 days. Healing procedures carry out up to 14 times in a row, after which you need to take a break.

Dream grass in the garden: video

Sleep-grass: photo

Anemone open: botanical information

Sleep grass can be found all over the world

There are varieties with lilac, blue, purple, white and red flowers. The charming plant blooms for only a short time - amazing bells open their clear eyes in mid-spring (April-May).

The healing power of an open lumbago

Not all types of sleep grass have healing properties. Usually, for the treatment of diseases, raw materials of meadow and open lumbago are used, which equally contain saponins, tannins, camphor compounds, resins, and vitamin C.

Lumbago is used to treat the urinary and respiratory systems; lumbago drugs help suppress pain in the heart, normalize liver function, have a pronounced bactericidal effect, and are used to treat fungal skin diseases. Sleep herbs are used to treat mental disorders and nervous diseases; glaucoma; migraine and a number of other diseases.

The plant is collected only during the flowering period

How to collect lumbago grass correctly

To prepare medicines using herbal raw materials, it is worth using herbs that have been prepared in compliance with the rules for collecting medicinal plants. Harvesting lumbago grass should be started only during the period when the plant is in the flowering period.

Attention! Fresh lumbago juice causes severe burns, so when preparing raw materials it is worth protecting the skin of your hands, for which you need to stock up on durable gloves.

The grass is picked carefully, trying not to damage the perennial rhizome. The leaves and stems of the lumbago are laid out in a thin layer on a clean cotton cloth. The prepared raw materials are dried in the shade, constantly stirring the grass.

Attention! It is not allowed to use freshly harvested dry grass earlier than 3 months after drying.

Dry lumbago herb is stored in canvas or paper bags for no longer than 3 years.

How to properly prepare dosage forms from lumbago

Infusion: take 40 g of dry sleep-herb raw material per glass of boiling water, leave the composition for 40 minutes, then strain the infusion. Used for the treatment of nervous diseases, glaucoma (treatment lasts 2-3 months), hypertension (taking medications for no longer than 2 weeks). The use of the infusion should be distributed between meals 3 to 5 times a day, 1-3 tbsp. spoons at a time.

Collection of dream grass

For external use, prepare a special composition, which is used for lotions: for 1 tbsp. a spoonful of dry lumbago grass, you need to take a glass of boiled water at room temperature. Infuse the composition for about 12 hours, after which the infusion should be strained. Use for external use.

Therapeutic baths with lumbago: boil 4 tbsp. spoons of dried herb in one liter of water, boil for 3 minutes. Allow to brew, after which the composition is filtered and poured into a bath, which is taken for a maximum of 20 minutes, no more than three times every 7 days. Treatment procedures are carried out up to 14 times in a row, after which it is necessary to take a break.