Snakehead( Dracocepbalum moldavica)

Valuable honey is also known as "Turkish Melissa".In the wild it occurs in Siberia, Europe, Central Asia and China.

Description

An annual plant that has a green, red-violet tinge erect stalk to 70-120 cm in height. Leaves lanceolate, dark green, petiolate with serrate margin. Pale purple flowers form loose, racemose apical inflorescences. The flowering and, accordingly, the ripening of the seeds is stretched and begins with the lower flowers of the inflorescence in July-August. Seeds are small, oblong-oval, ribbed, dark brown, almost black to 3 mm in length and 1.5-1.8 mm in diameter.

Composition

Contains essential oil, citrate, geraniol, linalool and other ingredients.

Growing

Preferred for sunny areas, humus, nutrient soils, sufficient water, but without overmoistening. To obtain a good crop, fertilization with compost or herbaceous humus is recommended. Sowing is carried out in the spring in a row. It is possible to grow in tubs.

Collection

Blooming or half-dissolved grass is harvested in June. Dried and stored in a glass container, like lemon balm.

Medicinal properties of

In folk medicine, the infusion of a snake-head is used to stimulate appetite, with rapid heartbeat, neuralgia, colds, as a rinse with toothache. Purely washed fresh crushed leaves are applied to accelerate the healing of pustular wounds.

Application of

Tea is an excellent remedy for strengthening the nervous system, with disorders of the stomach and intestines that have arisen on nerves, with headaches and insomnia, to regulate the digestive process, as an additive for baths that relieve tension. Essential oil is used in the perfume and cosmetics industry. Leaves and flowers in fresh and dried form are used in cooking as a spice for flavoring salads, first and second dishes, when preserving tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables. The snakehead can enter into a spicy mixture, replacing the black and fragrant pepper.