A perennial with round glossy leaves, bergenia is an unpretentious plant. It is often called “bergenia”, “Mongolian tea”, “elephant ears”. Behind each of these words lies some morphological feature or method of use. Only the name of the genus Bergenia owes its origin to the 18th century German naturalist Karl August von Bergen. Bergenia and the entire Bergenia genus belong to the saxifrage family. With their modest beauty, these plants ennoble the garden and are valued for their food and medicinal properties. What uses do berenia have, how to grow and care for them - more on that later in the article.
Meet: bergenia - a plant from Central and Southeast Asia
Representatives of the Saxifraga family are species that are undemanding to growing conditions. The ecological plasticity of plants belonging to the genus Bergenia (Badan) is striking. Different species and cultivars are adapted to life under tree canopies. In gardens and on rocky peaks you can also find unpretentious bergenia. Application in landscaping and landscape design this ground cover plant differs in variety. Used for planting in rocky gardens, rock gardens, on the banks of reservoirs, in parterres and mixborders.
Bergenia has long attracted attention for its importance in alternative medicine in Altai and Tibet. Tanning and coloring properties are used in leather and dyeing crafts. The rhizome of bergenia is eaten, the overwintered dark leaves are brewed and drunk. The drink is called differently in Russia and abroad: Mongolian, Chigir, Siberian or Altai tea.
Species composition
Only about a dozen representatives of the Badan genus have been found in nature. The plant, whose Latin name is Bergenia crassifolia, served source material for selection. Other species have also been introduced into cultivation, for example, heart-leaved bergenia (B. cordifolia), purple bergenia (B. purpurascens). The height of these plants ranges from 15 to 60 cm, medium-sized and low - no higher than 30 cm. There are double flowers, hybrids with large bell-shaped corollas and brightly colored autumn leaves. The varieties obtained through the selection of natural species are united by the name “Hybrid bergenia” (B. x hybrida hort).
Underground organs. Rhizome
Massive underground part- a noticeable feature of the structure of plants living in difficult environmental conditions. The same feature is characteristic of most species of the Badan genus. The plant survives in winter thanks to the reserve nutrients in an underground stem hundreds of centimeters long. The rhizome is covered with brown skin on top, its core is light pink, darkening in air due to its starch content. The underground shoot of bergenia lies shallow from the surface of the substrate. If beregeniya is grown in regions with frosty, snowless winters, then shelters are used during the cold season.
Bergenia leaves
There are types of bergenia with rounded leaf blades with a diameter of about 3-6 cm, with wavy or smooth edges. Such plants are typical for highlands, where it is cold and the air is thin. Usually the leaf sizes are much larger, for example, in some species and varieties they reach 20-30 cm in length and about the same in diameter. The top of the plates are matte or glossy, covered with pubescence or smooth. The leaves are green during the growing season.
Variegated varieties of bergenia accumulate carotenoids and anthocyanins, thanks to which they turn yellow, bronze, red, and purple. Landscape designers and gardeners value bergenia precisely for such magnificent shades of foliage and bright colors of corollas. Species in which the leaves acquire a bronze-brown and black color after wintering are also used. They are used to prepare substitute tea. The ability of individual cultivars to tolerate low temperatures can be determined by the structure of the leaves. Winter-hardy varieties usually do not have cilia along the edge of the green plate.
Bergenia inflorescences
grassy aboveground part grows from a long creeping rhizome. The plant throws out leafless arrows from March to May (depending on the climate zone). The length of peduncles in tall species and varieties reaches 40-60 cm. At the top, bell-shaped corollas of regular shape, collected in a panicle, bloom with a diameter of about 1-2 cm. The color of the petals is pink, lilac, red, burgundy, violet.
Each panicle inflorescence is formed by about 50-120 flowers. After the petals fall, new green leaves grow; They reach especially large sizes in certain varieties obtained from natural look Bergenia thickleaf. Planting and caring for flowering and decorative foliage cultivars are somewhat different. For the first ones you need sunny areas, shady places are suitable for the second.
The color range of new bergenia varieties is becoming more and more diverse. There are cultivars with white corollas, with transitions between red and pink coloring of living “glasses” of simple or terry shape. Thanks to remontant varieties and cultivars with for different periods flowering in the garden, you can create clumps that preserve for a long time decorative look.
Growing bergenia
The soil in the area where bergenia is grown should be moist, rich in humus, neutral or slightly alkaline (pH - from 6.0 to 7.5). In the autumn in September or October for planting, sections with roots and leaves about 10 cm long are cut from the rhizome. You can choose planting material when they prepare healing incense. The beneficial properties of the plant attract the attention of many Russian gardeners and flower growers.
The greatest difficulty is caused by planting bergenia. It is carried out in the fall or spring, for which they dig a hole of sufficient depth. First, place the roots in it, pour in water and cover 2/3 with soil. They tamp down a little so that the roots come into contact with the soil, then water and add more soil. When planting several plants, leave a distance of 40 cm between them. The first summer is the most difficult period for bergenia; the ground part almost does not increase in size. The plant will bloom in full force only after three years.
Bergenia care
Bergenia requires regular watering, but without stagnant water. Every spring you should add humus or compost around the clumps and clear them of dried flower stalks. In autumn you can also add it under bushes. organic fertilizers. Full feeding will be required mineral fertilizer before and after flowering.
In late autumn, fallen bergenia leaves are sprinkled; care in the spring consists of collecting this rotted mass after the snow melts. Some bergenia cultivars of European selection are characterized by low winter hardiness. Such varieties must be covered during the first frost. Another important detail for flower growers and gardeners is that bergenia is resistant to pests and diseases.
Propagation of bergenia
Dividing a bush is simple and easy way vegetative propagation of bergenia. The plant should not be replanted frequently; rhizomes and bergenia root perfectly colonize the same corner of the garden or flower garden. Typically, clumps are thinned out once every 5 years. In case of excessively rapid growth and thickening, the bushes can be divided for replanting after 1-3 years. To make breeding easier, bergenias are replanted not only from bushes dug in the garden, but also from those grown in pots. In frosty areas, containers must be placed in the basement or covered with soil for the winter.
The medicinal plant bergenia can be propagated by seeds. They are smooth, almost black, about 2 mm long. These grains are sown in May-June. If you plan to grow seedlings, stratification will be required. To do this, the seeds are placed in a bag and sprinkled with a moist nutrient substrate and kept in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. In the open air, sowing in the soil is carried out in early spring. Germination outside lasts 2-6 weeks at temperatures from 15 to 21 °C. If the seedlings are obtained in indoor mini-greenhouses, then the young plants are transferred to open spaces after frost. In cold regions, areas that are well heated by the sun all day long are chosen for bergenia.
Use of bergenia leaves
From the ground part darkened after wintering medicinal plant Healing decoctions, infusions, extracts are prepared, brewed and drunk as tea. Bergenia leaves contain tannins and phytoncides. The above-ground organs of the plant are also rich in arbutin, a free hydroquinone. Mongolian or Chigir tea from the leaves of bergenia is consumed as a pleasant tonic drink. Decoctions and infusions are used to treat diseases of the thyroid gland and urinary system. Medicinal incense can be used in combination with the herb St. John's wort.
Beneficial properties of the rhizome of the bergenia plant
Planting and caring for bergenia clumps are simple; underground shoots provide material for vegetative propagation and harvesting as medicinal raw materials. Bergenia rhizome contains bergenin glycoside, up to 20-30% tannins, sugary and starchy compounds. For medicinal purposes, raw materials are harvested during the summer months. After collection, the rhizome is washed, cut into pieces, and dried. Then, by air drying under canopies or in special dryers, the water content in the raw materials is brought to minimum values. In this form, the medicinal rhizomes of the bergenia plant can be stored for 4 years. The beneficial properties for the human body lie in the bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, analgesic effects of its drugs.
Use of bergenia rhizome powder
Active substances obtained from the underground stem of bergenia help strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Bergenia has a healing effect for diseases of the gums and digestive tract; helps with heavy menstruation, has cosmetic value.
- non-infectious disorders of digestion and absorption in the intestine;
- inflammation of the throat, oral cavity;
- headache;
- fever.
External use of crushed bergenia rhizome prevents inflammation of small wounds, cuts, and improves the condition of the cervix with erosive lesions. Use a solution of powder for rinsing for stomatitis. If the rhizomes are well soaked, then they can be eaten and used in dishes.
Bright inflorescences of bergenia against the background of large succulent leaves are a decoration different types flower beds. Many owners of vegetable gardens and orchards give bergenia a place in their beds with medicinal and herbs. Curtains of evergreen plants resist weather anomalies and retain their decorative appearance from spring to late autumn. Various cultivars of Bergenia look good among trees and shrubs in mixborders, front gardens, and look great in rockeries, on alpine roller coaster. The leaves and rhizomes of bergenia - thick-leaved, heart-leaved and others - have many beneficial properties. Plants deserve wider distribution and use in different regions Russia and the CIS.
Bergenia or thick-leaved bergenia is one of the most beautiful plants, with the help of which gardeners and simply aesthetes improve their garden plots and front gardens. Florists also value this plant, primarily for its extraordinary beauty and excellent preservation.
In addition, bergenia is a good honey plant. But perhaps most of all, the flower is valued for its healing properties, which help cure many ailments. Medicines from the plant are often used in veterinary practice. Otherwise, bergenia is called early flower, saxifrage, Siberian tea.
Botanical description
Bergenia is a perennial herbaceous medicinal plant that can reach a height of seventy centimeters. Bergenia has a creeping, creeping, fleshy, thick, horizontally located, branched dark brown rhizome, leafless, thick, pink-red stem, up to seventy centimeters high.
The plant is endowed with large dark green, basal, shiny, round-heart-shaped or oval shape leaves located on long petioles and regular shape, soft, white, pinkish or purple five-membered flowers. Bergenia fruits are dry ellipsoidal capsules with two diverging lobes. The seeds are small, oblong, black in color.
The plant begins to bloom at the beginning of the summer period - in June, and the fruits begin to ripen at the end of summer. The plant loves to grow on rocky slopes, in deciduous and coniferous forests, on screes and rocks. Bergenia is not a whimsical plant, shade-tolerant and exceptionally winter-hardy.
How are plant materials prepared?
In alternative medicine, mainly bergenia root and leaves are used. It is recommended to harvest rhizomes at the beginning of the summer. Collection must be done manually. Next, the roots are cleaned of impurities and soil and washed under running water. If the roots are large, they must be cut, preferably lengthwise.
Next stage- drying of raw materials. You can dry the roots outdoors, under a canopy. As a last resort, drying is allowed in a well-ventilated room or in the attic. But the most best option– use of special dryers. It is very important to adhere to the temperature regime - a maximum of forty degrees.
Properly dried bergenia root will break easily and have a strong astringent taste. It is recommended to store prepared raw materials in cardboard or paper boxes in a well-ventilated, dry room. Storage duration is four years, no more.
As for harvesting leaves, only three-year-old, blackened ones are suitable for medical purposes. They are collected in the spring after the snow melts, dried under open air and placed in paper bags for further storage. The shelf life of raw materials is one year.
Chemical composition, pharmacological properties
This herbaceous perennial contains significant amounts of:
- arbutin;
- hydroquinone;
- ellagic and gallic acids;
- carbohydrates;
- vitamins;
- tannins;
- flavonoids;
- catechins;
- minerals;
- essential oils;
- dextrin;
- sugars;
- starch;
- bergenina;
- resinous substances.
Medicines based on bergenia have anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, antimicrobial, wound-healing, antitumor, immunomodulatory, adaptogenic, anti-stress, antispasmodic, antipyretic and cardiac stimulating effects.
- moderate decrease in blood pressure;
- strengthening vascular walls
- increased heart rate;
- elimination of bleeding;
- relief and elimination of headaches and migraines;
- treatment of whooping cough, tuberculosis, rheumatism, stomatitis, tonsillitis, dermatoses, gastritis, endemic goiter, hemorrhoids, laryngitis, fever, rheumatoid arthritis, uterine fibroids, erosions, pneumonia.
Bergenia in alternative medicine recipes
Preparation of herbal infusion
Brew three tablespoons of dried leaves and flowers of the plant with three milliliters of boiled water, simmer in a water bath for half an hour, and cool. Take fifteen milliliters of medication four times a day. The product helps to significantly improve immunity.
Periodontal disease, stomatitis: treatment with infusion
Take twenty grams of dried and crushed roots of the plant and brew the raw material with 400 ml of boiled water. Leave for half an hour, filter. Use the product as a mouth rinse. The same infusion can be used for douching for gynecological ailments.
Dysentery: therapy with bergenia
Brew three tablespoons of finely chopped, dried rhizomes with 300 milliliters of boiled water, leave for about two hours. Strain and drink ten grams medicinal product four times a day. The treatment course is three weeks.
Preparation of a healing remedy
Pour 30 grams of chopped, dried bergenia roots with water and bring to a boil. Leave the product to simmer over low heat for half an hour. Cool, filter, drink 50 ml of the medicine four times a day as an anti-inflammatory, astringent, blood purifier. The medicine helps treat colitis, enterocolitis, tuberculosis, gastrointestinal ailments, pneumonia, furunculosis, tonsillitis, rheumatism.
Treatment of rhinitis
Combine bergenia with elecampane and St. John's wort. Grind all ingredients and mix well. Brew 20 g of vegetable mixture with 300 ml of boiling water. Simmer the product for thirty minutes, and then leave the medicine to brew for a couple of hours. Take 50 ml of the medicine twice a day, preferably warm. If desired, you can add sea buckthorn oil to the infusion, just a few drops.
Bergenia in the treatment of fever, endemic goiter
Brew dried, finely chopped leaves, preferably old and blackened ones, in 500 ml of boiled water. Place the product on the stove and simmer over low heat for about half an hour. Drink the medicine as tea four times a day.
Preparation of a hemostatic decoction
Combine bergenia with cinquefoil rhizome, snakeweed, burnet roots, and licorice. Grind all the plants and brew thirty grams of raw material with 400 milliliters of boiled water. Boil the product for thirty minutes. Don't forget to stir the mixture. Strain and drink half a glass of the broth six times a day.
Bergenia in the treatment of duodenitis
Mix crushed bergenia root with calendula, flax seeds, calamus and oak bark. Pour ten grams of raw material with 500 ml of boiling water. Let the product infuse for four hours. Take 50 ml of the medicine five times a day. The treatment course for duodenitis should be fourteen days.
Mar-6-2017
What is bergenia
Today more and more more people resort to the help of herbal medicine, and therefore the amazing plant - bergenia thickleaf.
Bergenia crassifolia (Bergenia Crassifolia) is perennial plant, a representative of the Saxifraga family. Other names for this plant: “thick-leaved saxifrage” or “Mongolian tea”. The name Bergenia is given to the plant in honor of the German botanist Carl August von Bergen.
The height of thick-leaved bergenia can reach 60 cm. Its rhizome is creeping and aboveground. It is very thick and has a large number of adventitious roots.
Bergenia leaves are shiny, round and leathery. They can reach 35 cm in length, and are collected in a rosette at the roots.
In autumn and early spring, bergenia leaves acquire a characteristic reddish-lilac hue. The plant keeps most of them green throughout the cold period.
Bergenia blooms in spring, in April and May, for 50 days. Bergenia flowers are bell-shaped, pink, with a slight lilac tint. They reach 1 cm in diameter and are collected in paniculate inflorescences, each of which does not exceed 15 cm in length. Bergenia seeds fully ripen only in July and August. They can be stored for 2 years.
There are two varieties of bergenia: “Hidenuspe” and “Purpurea”.
The plant of the first grade reaches a height of 60 cm. Its flowers are pale pink in color, do not exceed 1 cm in diameter and are collected in inflorescences 20 cm long. “Hidenuspe” blooms for 50 days, starting from the second half of April.
"Purpurea" - this plant sometimes reaches 50 cm in height. Its flowers are purple-red in color and grow up to 1 cm in diameter. Each inflorescence does not exceed 15 cm in length. "Purpurea" blooms for 40–50 days, starting at the end of May.
Bergenia thick-leaved is shade-tolerant and winter-hardy. It grows well in shady, semi-shady and well-lit areas.
Under straight lines sun rays this plant does not feel very comfortable, and therefore grows less densely than in shaded places.
Frequent transplants of bergenia are contraindicated, as they lead to depletion of the plant and, as a result, to various diseases.
If during cultural cultivation bergenia is supposed to be planted on rocky soil, it is recommended to use the northern, northwestern and northeastern sides of the site for this purpose. Bergenia grows best in well-drained, nutritious and light soils. This plant is extremely unpretentious, but it is not recommended to grow it in heavy and damp soils.
In Russia, thick-leaved bergenia is used both as a medicinal and ornamental plant because it is distinguished by its beautiful appearance and a pleasant aroma.
Where is it found?
On the territory of Russia, thick-leaved bergenia grows wild in Western and Eastern Siberia and Central Asia. There are 10 known species of bergenia, growing mainly in alpine meadows and rocky slopes of the mountains of Central Asia.
Medicinal raw materials
The roots and old, half-rotten, blackened, black-brown leaves that have been on the plant for at least three years have healing properties. During this time, under the influence of the sun and moisture, they undergo fermentation, lose some of their tannins and acquire a pleasant aroma.
Raw materials are harvested throughout the summer (until the end of the growing season). The rhizomes are cleared of soil and small roots, cut into pieces (10-15 cm long) and dried for about three weeks at a temperature of 45 ° C until air-dry. Before drying, the rhizomes are dried. Dried rhizomes are used as medicinal raw materials for the production of liquid extract. In the spring, dry leaves that have overwintered for at least one year are also harvested. The shelf life of raw materials is up to 5 years.
Chemical composition of bergenia
The leaves of bergenia thick-leaved contain up to 23% tannids, and its rhizomes contain up to 27%. In addition, 25-27% of tannins, phenolic compounds, phenol carbonic acids, a coumarin derivative - beregnin, as well as isocoumarins, catechins, starch, sugars, and mineral salts were found in the rhizomes. The leaves contain gallic acid, coumarins, flavonoids, vitamin C, carotene and arbutin, as well as 2-4% free hydroquinone.
A distinctive feature of bergenia is the presence in all its parts, from rhizomes to flowers, of a large amount of tannins. In terms of their content, bergenia occupies one of the leading places among plants. In rhizomes, for example, they contain up to 20-25%, and in leaves – 10-20%. It was also found in all parts of the plant a large number of arbutin glycoside, which has a disinfectant effect, in terms of its content, bergenia is also considered the richest plant in the world. In addition, it contains phytoncides, vitamins, and microelements.
The healing properties of bergenia
Bergenia is used for the following diseases:
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- poisoning;
- botulism;
- intestinal infections;
- diarrhea;
- enterocolitis;
- after radiation and chemotherapy;
- inflammation and bleeding of gums;
- stomatitis;
- gingivitis;
- periodontal disease;
- dysfunctional uterine bleeding;
- heavy menstruation against the background of an inflammatory process;
- postpartum hemorrhage;
- bleeding after abortion due to inflammation;
- endometritis;
- salpingitis;
- oophoritis;
- adnexitis;
- myoma;
- fibroids;
- endometriosis;
- adenomyosis;
- haemorrhoids;
- bleeding from hemorrhoids;
- colpitis;
- cervical erosion;
- thrush.
Preparations made on the basis of bergenia have an astringent, bactericidal, wound-healing, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and hemostatic effect. They help strengthen the walls of blood vessels, remove harmful substances from the body, lower blood pressure, strengthen the immune system, and improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Half-rotten leaves and roots of bergenia have healing properties.
Bergenia thickleaf is used for dental diseases, colitis, diseases of the throat, reproductive organs, gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea, dysentery, blood diseases (leukemia), heavy menstruation, fevers, trichomoniasis, headaches, peptic ulcers, bleeding, pain, sore throat, stomatitis , hematomas and cancer.
In Tibetan medicine, bergenia stems are used to treat pulmonary tuberculosis, acute respiratory infections, and influenza; preparations from leaves - kidney diseases; roots - gastrointestinal diseases, pneumonia, articular rheumatism, and also as an antipyretic.
Mongolian tea, also called bergenia chagir, has long been used in folk medicine in Siberia and Mongolia.
This tea is an excellent preventive remedy for low immunity and age-related changes in the body.
In Siberian folk medicine, an infusion of bergenia rhizomes and roots is used for gastrointestinal diseases, diseases of the throat and oral cavity, as well as for fevers and headaches. Externally, the powder of rhizomes and roots is used to heal wounds and as an anti-inflammatory agent.
IN official medicine Bergenia preparations are used internally for non-infectious colitis and enterocolitis and externally for rinsing in diseases of the oral cavity, and in gynecological practice for the treatment of cervical erosion.
Bergenia contraindications
Contraindications when using bergenia:
- Constipation. This is a controversial contraindication and depends on the state of the body at the moment: if constipation is combined with exacerbation of hemorrhoids, then yes, using bergenia internally is not advisable. But externally, for the treatment of hemorrhoids, it is mandatory.
- Tachycardia. As a stimulant, it slightly increases your heart rate. This effect is individual for each organism, depending on its condition. But it is very valuable for bradycardia, slow pulse, less than 60 beats per minute.
- Increased blood clotting. As a drug that stops bleeding, it increases the risk of blood clots.
- Hypertension. Very useful for hypotensive people, because it slightly increases blood pressure. For hypertensive patients, you can also drink bergenia tea, but not during an exacerbation. When treating chronic diseases with tinctures and extracts of bergenia, it is necessary to constantly monitor pressure readings.
In addition, it should be remembered that treatment medicinal herbs requires compliance:
Dosage forms from bergenia
The dry dosage form of bergenia is powder. It is made from the roots. First they are dried, then crushed and ground in a mortar or coffee grinder.
Another powder is prepared from black overwintered bergenia leaves. They are collected, washed, then dried and crushed. You can also make smaller tea leaves from bergenia. To do this, the leaves are washed, soaked in cold water during the day, then passed through a meat grinder and dried. When ground, bergenia brews much stronger.
How to brew incense
Liquid dosage forms are prepared as an extract or decoction. To prepare the extract you need to take 3 tbsp. l. chopped bergenia rhizome, pour 1 cup of boiling water, evaporate by half and strain while hot.
To prepare the decoction, take 1 tbsp. l. chopped rhizomes, pour 1 glass of hot water, boil over low heat for 30 minutes, cool for 10 minutes at room temperature and strain.
Bergenia treatment:
Badan for pressure
IN for preventive purposes You can eat preparations prepared using bergenia.
Recipe No. 1
Fruit and vegetable cocktail. Mix 1 tablespoon each of crushed bergenia leaves, lemon zest, horseradish and carrots, add 100 g of honey and 1 liter of light beer. Mix everything thoroughly, strain and pour the resulting substance into glass vessel. Take the drink every 2–2.5 hours after meals, 3 times a day, 1 teaspoon. Treatment should last 45 days. If necessary, repeat the course.
Recipe No. 2
Medicinal infusion of bergenia and cranberry. Take 1 glass of beet and carrot juice, 1 tablespoon of squeezed leaves and stems of bergenia, 1 glass of cranberry juice and 0.2 cups of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of honey and 0.5 cups of medical alcohol. Beat everything thoroughly with a mixer, strain and cool. The resulting infusion should be infused in a cool, dark place for 3 days. The mixture needs to be shaken from time to time. Take it before meals 3 times a day, 1 tablespoon. The course of treatment must be carried out for 1.5–2 months.
Bergenia for cough
Infusion with incense for bronchitis:
First, prepare a decoction of bergenia root.
- Bergenia (roots) 10 g
- Water 100 ml
Boil for a quarter of an hour, filter, take 30 drops up to 4 times a day for bronchitis.
For better coughing, incense decoction is enhanced with herbal infusions:
- Peppermint 15 g per glass
- Elecampane (roots) 15 g per glass
- Coltsfoot 15 g per glass
The herbs are infused, filtered and mixed together with a decoction of bergenia.
Take 1/3 cup 3 times a day.
Bergenia for diarrhea
Tea made from the leaves of the plant serves good remedy for indigestion, as bergenia strengthens. But in combination with other herbs, this property of bergenia weakens. Therefore, for dysentery it is used in the form of a decoction. Take 1 tbsp. l. crushed leaves, pour a glass of water, simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, strain and take 2 tbsp. l. 3 times a day before meals.
Bergenia for hemorrhoids
For hemorrhoids, take equal amounts of rhizomes of bergenia, cinquefoil erecta and calamus. Chop the plants, 1 tbsp. l. pour 1 cup of boiling water over the mixture, heat in a water bath for 15 minutes and leave for 30 minutes. Then strain and take 3 tbsp. l. 4 times a day 20 minutes before meals.
Yulia Nikolaeva, “Calendula, aloe and bergenia are healers for all diseases.”
Saxifraga, early flower, bergenia, Mongolian tea, Chagir tea, bergenia - all these are names of one plant. It reaches a height of 30-70 cm and prefers places sheltered from the wind and can grow under a thick layer of snow. You can meet it in Siberia, China and Mongolia.
The bergenia plant is often used in folk medicine, as its medicinal properties can cope with a number of symptoms of various diseases. The raw materials for medicine are all parts of the plant - rhizomes, flowers, seeds, leaves.
Did you know? Bergenia is named after the German botanist Carl August von Bergen. In Latin the name sounds like Bergenia.
Useful properties of bergenia and its composition
Bergenia has medicinal properties, and its use for treatment is possible thanks to useful composition. The plant has the following properties:
Active ingredients of bergenia: - tannins;
- gallic acid;
- bergenin glycoside;
- arbutin;
- dextrin;
- polyphenols;
- minerals: calcium, potassium, magnesium, copper, manganese, cobalt, aluminum, vanadium, barium, nickel, selenium, strontium, gum, tannins, resins, zinc, essential oils;
- ascorbic acid and vitamins.
The older the plant, the more tannins there are in the rhizome. Flour is made from them, the rhizomes can be fried, boiled, and eaten.
How to prepare bergenia
To prepare bergenia, you need to choose the right time. Different parts of the plant have different optimal time for this.
Bergenia leaf has popular medicinal properties. But they have these qualities only old leaves that overwintered under the snow.
The optimal period for harvesting bergenia leaves is autumn and spring. The collected leaves are washed, dried and stored in a box or paper bag. The optimal temperature for drying bergenia leaves is 60 degrees.
Bergenia roots It is customary to harvest at the beginning of summer. They need to be dug up and washed. cold water, dry and spread on cloth or paper. For drying, large bergenia roots can be cut into smaller pieces.
1 kg of dried bergenia roots will yield only 250 g of raw material. Signs of a properly dried root are that it does not bend and breaks well. A light pink or yellow center should be visible at the break.
Both leaves and roots of bergenia can be stored for no more than 4 years.
Did you know? In the past, entire villages harvested bergenia roots and leaves, which were then used for tanning leather and dyeing fabrics.
Use of bergenia in folk medicine
Badan thanks to its useful qualities popular in folk medicine. Its properties have a beneficial effect on the body in many diseases.
Polyphenols and arbutin contained in the plant have high antioxidant activity. Arbutin also protects body cells from destruction.
Bergenin in bergenia provides beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract and prevents the accumulation of fat in the body.
has a hemostatic, astringent, antimicrobial effect. It is able to moderately lower blood pressure, slightly lower body temperature and slightly increase heart rate.
The so-called Altai tea copes well with relieving physical and moral fatigue and has a general strengthening effect on the body.
In case of intestinal disorders, rheumatism, arthrosis and arthritis, kidney diseases, and treatment of goiter, bergenia tea is also used.
Important! It is necessary to take into account all the effects that consuming bergenia has. Even if the effect is stated to be negligible, for some it may be quite strong.
Bergenia also has external uses. In powder form, they are sprinkled on wounds and bleeding ulcers. For bruises, you can make a compress that will speed up the resorption of the hematoma.
Also in folk medicine, the use of bergenia is practiced for neoplasms of various localizations.
Decoctions and infusions are widely used. The decoction is used to treat hemorrhoids. In this case, it is necessary to take sitz baths, the temperature of which should not exceed 38 degrees. You can sit in the bath with a decoction of bergenia for up to 20 minutes, and the course is no more than 15 baths.
I use incense decoctions t for gargling, making lotions and douching. Douching is used to treat colpitis and uterine erosion. Take 2 tablespoons orally after meals three times a day. The throat is gargled for inflammatory diseases of this organ. The decoction is also used to treat dysentery (possibly in combination with antibiotics).
Important! Using bergenia for a long time can cause constipation. If you have constipation, taking bergenia is not recommended.
Bergenia is used for diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, dysentery, and severe purulent bronchitis. It helps cope with infectious diseases thanks to its powerful antibacterial properties.
Remedies from bergenia can be taken to improve well-being and gain strength in old age, to strengthen the immune system, and when performance weakens. Also used in cosmetology - for the face and scalp.
Bergenia recipes
There are many recipes for how to prepare bergenia to get the maximum benefit from consuming this plant. It is taken as an independent medicine, as well as in combination with other herbs. In some cases, drug treatment and incense intake are combined.
Mongolian (Altai) tea. If you brew dry leaves of the bergenia plant that have overwintered under the snow, you will get the so-called Mongolian tea. You need to take 2 tablespoons of crushed dry leaves and pour 1 liter of boiling water over them.
It will take longer to brew bergenia tea than to brew regular black tea. This is due to the thickness of the leaves - in bergenia it is thicker than in tea leaves. After 15-20 minutes of brewing, the tea needs to be strained.
Bergenia powder and extract. Extract medicinal properties You can use bergenia root by grinding it into powder. This powder can be used in dry form and can also be used to prepare an extract.
To do this, pour a few tablespoons of dried crushed bergenia roots into 1 cup of boiling water and cook the resulting mixture in a sealed container until half of the liquid has evaporated. The extract is taken several times a day, 27 drops.
Among the various perennial healing herbs, bergenia occupies a special place. The plant has a lot of beneficial properties for the body. It is widely used to treat many diseases, and medicines are also made from the roots of the culture.
Bergenia is an evergreen herbaceous crop, which is familiar to many under the name thick-leaved Saxifraga. The plant has a rather long horizontal creeping root, covered with many young shoots that can absorb water well. Sometimes the fleshy rhizome reaches more than two meters in length. Closer to the surface, the root system branches out to the sides.
The stem of Saxifraga thickleaf is red in color, without leaves, the plant height is from twenty to seventy centimeters. Dark green, large, wide, oval-shaped leaves are gathered at the root into a dense rosette. The edges are solid with small, barely noticeable teeth. The length of the leaf sometimes reaches thirty-five centimeters, and the width – thirty. By autumn, the foliage of the bergenia turns fiery red.
Bergenia usually blooms in May, but some early varieties plants bloom in April. On the usually still growing reddish peduncles, small five-membered flowers immediately bloom, which are collected in paniculate corymbose inflorescences. The bare bell-shaped calyx is divided to the middle into five oval parts, rounded towards the top. The petals are rounded with numerous veins. Flowers are pink, lilac-red or white. The stamens are much longer than the calyx itself.
At the end of July, the plant produces small black seeds. The fruit is an ellipsoidal dry capsule. Bergenia grows naturally in forests or on rocky slopes. The most common plant is in Kazakhstan, in the northern part of Mongolia, in the Urals, in Siberia, in the Khabarovsk Territory and Primorye.
Flower growers grow the plant to decorate flower beds. The culture is unpretentious and grows well on dried soils in shaded areas. Propagated by seeds or by dividing the bush in the fall.
Bergenia roots contain arbutin, which is a good natural antioxidant. Root system plants enriched with:
- glucose;
- tannins;
- ascorbic acid;
- isocoumarin bergenin;
- starch;
- polyphenols.
The root of an adult plant contains up to twenty-seven percent tannins. This part of the crop also contains sugar.
Bergenia leaves contain up to thirty-five percent of a mixture of pyrocatechol and pyrogallic tannids. The above-ground part of the plant contains the largest amount of arbutin; in addition, the leaves contain:
- gallic acid;
- vitamin C;
- carotene;
- flavonoids;
- manganese;
- iron;
- copper;
- coumarins;
- tannins.
In addition, the plant contains essential oils and resins.
All parts of the plant are endowed with beneficial properties. Roots, leaves, flowers and even seeds are used in medicinal purposes. In general, the plant has many healing effects:
- antibacterial;
- diuretic;
- anti-inflammatory;
- healing;
- immunomodulatory;
- anti-stress;
- antipyretic;
- antitumor.
The leaves of the herbaceous plant are used as an antimicrobial and hemostatic agent. Preparations are made from the root system that are used to treat stomatitis, cervical erosion and uterine bleeding. Infusions and decoctions of bergenia are used to treat various ailments:
- pulmonary tuberculosis;
- diarrhea;
- throat diseases;
- headache;
- rheumatism;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- high blood pressure;
- kidney diseases;
- pneumonia.
I use this medicinal plant in the complex treatment of dysentery, cancer and respiratory infections. In pharmacies you can buy various drugs that contain bergenia. The dried root of the plant and the herb itself are also sold separately. A powder is made from the rhizomes, which is used to sprinkle on skin wounds, and apply compresses for bruises and hematomas.
Bergenia root is an excellent remedy for many gynecological problems. It is used to treat thrush, fibroids and cervical erosion. Decoctions and infusions from the rhizome are effective for heavy menstruation and various inflammatory processes of the pelvic organs in women.
To prevent bleeding, it is recommended to take a decoction. To prepare it, you need to pour three tablespoons of crushed rhizome into a glass of boiling water and cook for twenty-five minutes over low heat. You need to drink the remedy one sip several times a day.
Douching with a decoction of grass roots is considered especially useful. To do this, the brewed liquid is diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio. Using this procedure, inflammatory processes in the appendages, fibroids and cervical erosion are treated. For cystitis, an infusion of dried leaves and roots of bergenia is prepared for douching.
In cosmetology, the rhizome of the herbaceous plant is used for acne, seborrheic dermatitis and to eliminate the problems of oily facial skin. Products based on bergenia have an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect on the skin. For these purposes, a tincture of bergenia root in alcohol is often used. It's quite simple to prepare:
- chop the bergenia rhizome;
- pour one tablespoon of raw material with half a glass of alcohol;
- put in dark place for six days.
Anti-inflammatory lotions are made from the finished infusion. It is applied to the face twice a week for fifteen minutes, after which it is washed off clean water. In addition, a decoction from the plant perfectly improves blood circulation. skin scalp and is used as a remedy for dandruff and to strengthen hair follicles.
Bergenia as a medicinal crop contains many valuable elements, but there are still some contraindications to its use:
- not recommended for people with tachycardia;
- prohibited for patients prone to chronic constipation;
- Not possible if you have increased blood clotting.
Decoctions or infusions of bergenia can significantly reduce blood pressure. Also, herbal treatment is not used in case of individual intolerance to the plant.
A healing drink has long been prepared from the leaves of the plant in China, Mongolia and Siberia. In this regard, such herbal tea is often called Chigir or Mongolian. It has a rich cedar aroma and a dark brown hue.
To prepare it, they usually use dry bergenia leaves that have overwintered under the snow, which are saturated the largest number tannins and other elements beneficial to the body. Tea is brewed in ceramic dishes. To properly brew a medicinal drink you need:
- grind a spoonful of dried leaves;
- pour half a liter of boiling water;
- leave for twenty minutes.
The finished tea has an astringent, pleasant taste and brings great benefits to the body:
- strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
- has anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, tonic and antipyretic effects;
- reduces high blood pressure;
- helps in the treatment of pneumonia;
- treats various gynecological ailments;
- helps cope with diarrhea;
- relieves the effects of stress.
Saturated with vitamin C and various other equally valuable substances, bergenia tea is used for colds, as well as for rinsing the mouth during various inflammatory processes. Honey and lemon are used to improve the taste of the drink.
Mongolian tea is useful in treating bacterial infections in the intestines. In addition, it is used for overall health of the body and increase immune defense. But still, when using the drink for healing purposes, you should always remember all the contraindications to the use of a medicinal plant. It is best to use herbal remedies under the supervision of a physician.
Since ancient times, residents of Siberia have used dark brown bergenia root not only for tinctures and other medicinal drinks, but also prepared side dishes from it and added it to various dishes.
The valuable qualities of the plant are widely used in folk medicine. Infusions and decoctions are prepared from the roots and green parts of the plant, which help heal many ailments:
- Decoction. To prepare a medicinal potion, you need to pour two tablespoons of dry crushed roots of the plant with half a liter of water and cook for half an hour over low heat in a closed container. Afterwards, strain the broth and cool. The finished healing drink is diluted with two glasses of water and taken three times a day, fifteen minutes before meals, two large spoons.
- Infusion. Place a spoonful of dry rhizomes and bergenia leaves in a glass of boiling water and leave to brew for a couple of hours. Take two spoons several times a day.
- Extract. Add two tablespoons of dried herbaceous rhizomes to two hundred milligrams of boiling water and cook over low heat with the lid closed until half of the liquid remains. The strained extract is drunk three times a day, thirty drops each.
Such mixtures are successfully used as folk remedies for the treatment of various diseases:
- Stomatitis. Twenty milliliters of the extract are diluted in a glass of water and used to rinse the mouth. The procedure must be done several times a day.
- Rheumatism. To treat the disease, use an infusion of bergenia roots. One tablespoon of the healing potion should be taken four times a day.
- Haemorrhoids. It is recommended to use the decoction for warm sitz baths. Time spent water procedure should not exceed twenty at a bath temperature of up to thirty-eight degrees. The course of treatment consists of two weeks.
- Diarrhea. For stomach upsets, use an infusion of bergenia roots. They drink it for two weeks, thirty milligrams three times a day.
- To strengthen the immune system. To increase the body's defenses, take tea or a chilled decoction of the leaves and flowers of the plant. You need to consume it before meals, two tablespoons four times a day.
A decoction of bergenia rhizomes is applied to wounds as a means of promoting healing.
Preparation and storage of medicinal raw materials
The roots and leaves of the plant are mainly used for medicinal purposes. The preparation of medicinal parts of bergenia is carried out separately:
They are dug out of the ground after the crop blooms at the end of the first month of summer. The rhizomes are cleaned, washed and cut into small pieces. Dry under a canopy on the street or in special dryers at a temperature of no more than thirty degrees, since at high temperatures a significant part of the useful components is lost. Usually horses dry out before the desired state within a month. Store finished raw materials in dry, sealed containers. Properly dried roots retain their valuable properties for three years.
In the above-ground part of the plant, the accumulation of useful elements occurs as the plant matures. Therefore, the most valuable are the leaves that have overwintered on the crop for more than three winters. They are often dark brown in color with a loose structure and have a pleasant rich aroma. The leaves are dried under a canopy, spread on paper or wooden pallet a small layer. The finished medicinal product is stored in dry paper bags or glass jars in dark places without access to moisture. The period of conservation of deciduous mass is no more than three years.
Use healing power Bergenia can be consumed at any time of the year, following all the rules for the preparation and storage of raw materials. Before using a plant as a medicinal product, you should always first review all restrictions on use, and it is better to consult with your doctor.
Bergenia, medicinal properties: video