Honeysuckle
Useful properties and use of edible honeysuckle
Botanical characteristics of edible honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is a perennial shrub, reaching a height of 60–100 cm. The leaves of the plant are 2–3 cm long, on short petioles, linear-oblong, pubescent with hairs. The top side of the leaf is bright, the bottom is pale. In the second half of May, when the leaves have not yet fully developed, numerous flowers with a funnel-like corolla appear. In June-July, the shrub bears fruit, the stems are elongated, 9–12 cm long, pleasant to the taste. They make an excellent jam. Edible honeysuckle grows in Eastern Siberia, the Far East, Korea, China, Japan. The territory of honeysuckle is tundra, river valleys, areas of floodplain forests, the plant loves moisture and therefore spreads on coastal sands, on the outskirts of swamps.
Useful properties of honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is used to treat many diseases, harvesting leaves, berries, stems and flowers as raw materials. The buds of the plant are rich in starch. The essential oil, which contains the terpenoids linalyl acetate, linalool, etc., is found in fruits. Also, the fruits are distinguished by the presence of carbolic compounds: acetaldehyde, propanal, diacetyl, hexanal, salicylic aldehyde, and a number of other substances that have an immunocorrective effect, stimulating lipid metabolism and enzymatic processes.
Esters found in honeysuckle are regulators of biological and physiological systems of the body, among them are: ethyl formate, octyl acetate, ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, isoamyl valerate, ethyl enanthate, ethyl benzyl acetate, benzyl butyrate. In addition, honeysuckle contains alcohols: ethanol, isobutanol, isopentanol, hexanol, heptanol, decanol, octanol, nonanol. Of the fatty acids, isobutyric, enangic, capric, lauric are found in the plant.
Betaine has a beneficial effect on the body: it normalizes disruptions in the body caused by a lack of vitamin B12. Folic acid, vitamins C and B6, R are essential for the growth and development of the circulatory and immune systems. Tannins have an anti-inflammatory effect. Organic substances from the group of flavnoids - catechins, unique antioxidants - have antibacterial properties. There are plant pigments in honeysuckle - glycosides, which are dyes. Leukoanthocyanins have an antitumor effect.
Application of honeysuckle
As a medicine, honeysuckle is very popular in Transbaikalia. A decoction of the branches is an excellent medicine with a diuretic effect for ascites and edema due to various reasons. Therefore, the fruits of honeysuckle are recommended for hypertension and a decrease in heart rate, which lead to a violation of sinus rhythm. The plant is shown to be used in diabetes mellitus.
Taking honeysuckle for obesity, thanks to betaine, you can reduce blood cholesterol. In the spring, with vitamin deficiencies, it is useful to drink decoctions of honeysuckle. Colds go away without complications, if during this period you use medicinal honeysuckle in the form of decoctions or infusions.
Honeysuckle infusion: 3 tablespoons of crushed dry leaves should be boiled for 3-4 minutes in 200 ml of water, cooled, insisted for 2 hours, filtered and used as a gargle for sore throat.
A decoction of the leaves can be taken internally or applied externally - this is an excellent antiseptic drug, it helps well with sore throat and gum disease. If you apply crushed leaves to areas affected by wounds, they will heal much faster. The laxative effect of the plant allows you to normalize the stool, get rid of constipation. The inhabitants of Kamchatka use the fruits of honeysuckle as a general tonic, with their help they treat the stomach and liver.
Dried fruits contain natural antibiotics, so their use is useful in the harsh climatic conditions of the North. Honeysuckle juice is of great value, it is especially effective for skin diseases. Fresh juice should be consumed daily, 1 tablespoon 3 times a day to cleanse the skin, it should be used until complete recovery.
Edible honeysuckle
A decoction of honeysuckle flowers in folk medicine is used to treat headaches, eliminate dizziness. Delicious jam is made from berries, juice is used to make compotes. The inhabitants of Siberia and the Altai Territory have long known about the healing properties of the plant and successfully use its leaves, stems and berries for decoctions, infusions. A powder is made from the leaves, which acts as an antiseptic; they can be sprinkled with ulcers and purulent wounds on the surface of the skin, while their rapid healing is observed. Wounds are washed with the juice of a medicinal bush and some types of dermatitis are treated.
The best varieties of edible honeysuckle
The best varieties of edible honeysuckle are:
1. "Nymph" - differs in fusiform berries, large, with a bumpy surface and bluish-blue bloom. Each fruit weighs about 1.16 g. It has a sweet taste, pleasant aroma.
2. "Amphora" - bluish-blue fruits, no aroma, resembling a jug in appearance, berries weight 1.05 g. Taste sweet and sour.
3. "Bazhovskaya" - has large fruits weighing 1.2 g. Differs in sweet taste and delicate aroma. A short bush gives a stable harvest, frost-resistant.
4. "Long-fruited" - with large violet-blue fruits with a waxy bloom, weighing 1.16 g. The shape of the berries is cylindrical, slightly compressed from the sides. It is famous for its dessert, sweet and sour taste.
5. "Morena" - fruits are elongated, pitcher-like, blue-blue, there is a strong wax bloom. The mass of each berry is 1.7 g. The taste is sweet and sour, the aroma is weak.
6. "Leningradsky Giant" - the largest-fruited variety. Slightly spreading tall shrub is highly winter hardiness. Elongated, flat, bumpy blue berries are covered with a beautiful bluish bloom.
7. "Sweet" gives sweet, aromatic, but not very large berries with a waxy coating, regular cylindrical shape. This is the newest variety with high yields.
8. "Violet" is endowed with large berries, slightly curved, pointed, bluish-blue, slightly covered with a waxy bloom. Weight 1.14 g. Taste sweet and sour.
9. "Cubic Zirconia" is an unusually beautiful bush, resistant to frost, bears large fruits weighing 1-1.5 g, sweet and sour taste.
Edible red honeysuckle
Edible red honeysuckle is an incredibly beautiful shrub that amateur gardeners are happy to grow. But the plant is not only pleasing to the eye, but also helps to maintain health. It is a tall, branched shrub with dense foliage and tolerates cold winters and dry summers well. If the winter is not harsh, then the plant remains green until spring. The bush is decorated with medium-sized fruits of light red color. They are paired, half fused in the upper part, heart-shaped. Some fruits contain small seeds.
Honeysuckle with red fruits looks appetizing, they have a pleasant bittersweet taste. This species grows on the Okhotsk coast and Kamchatka, you can find it in the north of Primorye and in the Lower Amur region. Japan is considered the homeland of the shrub. the plant perfectly takes root on accumulations of loose detrital deposits and on forest edges. For rheumatism, a decoction of honeysuckle sprigs is added to the bath. The bark of the plant is able to stimulate the appetite.
Recipe for decoction of honeysuckle: 15 g of chopped dried bark must be poured with 1 glass of water, simmer for 6–7 minutes, leave for 1–2 hours, drain. It is recommended to drink the remedy 2 tablespoons 3 times a day before meals.
Planting and growing honeysuckle
In home gardens, alleys and near gazebos, you can often see magnificent shrubs of honeysuckle of various types, they are incredibly beautiful ornamental plants that delight the eye in early May with flowers, and then - from the middle of summer - oblong berries, which come in different colors. Honeysuckle is a sun-loving plant and should be planted in areas protected from the wind. It grows well on any soil, but it is desirable that they consist of turf, humus or peat and sand. The plant loves moisture.
It is necessary to plant honeysuckle in autumn or in April - long before the beginning of flowering. Honeysuckle is pollinated by bumblebees, bees and wasps. Cross-pollination is ensured provided that two or more different plant varieties are growing on the site. You can also apply vegetative and seed propagation. Before planting honeysuckle bushes, it is necessary to add organic fertilizers, superphosphate and potassium salt to the soil. In addition, it is necessary to constantly loosen the soil and weed it, removing weeds. The crown of the bush after 6–8 years becomes too thick, in order to avoid this trouble, the root shoots are cleared.
Edible honeysuckle "Cinderella"
Edible honeysuckle "Cinderella" is a variety of early ripening, it was registered in 1983. The plant is resistant to frost and various diseases, begins to bear fruit in the third year of life, during the season it is possible to harvest up to 20 c / ha. This variety is propagated by seedlings. The bush has a dense crown and small size, 0.6 m high. The shoots of the plant are straight, thin, light green.
The berries are large, almost black, with a blue bloom, a pleasant sweetish-sour taste, with a delicate strawberry aroma. Fruits 1.7 cm long have an oval shape, thin skin, smooth surface. Large black berries are covered with a bluish bloom. Honeysuckle is a real storehouse of vitamins and biologically active substances. The fruits contain vitamin P (anthocyanin and catechin). A wonderful variety of edible honeysuckle "Cinderella" allows you to get real pleasure from the soft, sweet, strawberry taste of fresh berries.
In folk medicine, for edema and dropsy, a decoction of honeysuckle acts as a diuretic. For colitis, bark and juice are indispensable natural medicines. Outwardly, it is useful as a decoction for burns, wounds and sore throats. Honeysuckle branches have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Infusion of branches and bark can wash the eyes, treat polyarthritis and rheumatism.
Infusion of honeysuckle leaves: pour 2 tablespoons of honeysuckle leaves with 1 cup boiling water, insist and strain. Apply the infusion externally 2-3 times a day.
Honeysuckle edible "Nymph"
A slightly sprawling bush with dense branches grows up to 1.8 m in height. It has bluish-blue, waxy bloom, large fruits, up to 3 cm long. The shape of the berries resembles a wide spindle, sometimes slightly curved, the surface is bumpy. From one bush, you can collect up to 1.3 kg of sweet and sour fruits with a piquant aroma and tart taste. There is a great way to grow a plant - cuttings. Cutting and planting of cuttings is carried out in the evening: at this time the most minimal evaporation of moisture.
A year after planting, the first berries appear. It has been proven that by consuming the fruits of honeysuckle, you can get rid of heavy metals. Honeysuckle berries are recommended for disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. They contribute to the rapid recovery of strength after illness, physical labor and mental fatigue. Honeysuckle is useful for high blood pressure to lower fever. By regularly eating a handful of fruits, you can provide the body with a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals.
Edible Honeysuckle "Blue Spindle"
The Blue Spindle honeysuckle variety allows you to experience the sweet taste of large berries that ripen quite early. It is necessary to constantly monitor that the fruits do not fall. Most often, the honeysuckle berries of this variety are used in cooking, they are used to prepare jelly, jelly and jam. For traditional medicine, the plant is also of interest. Honeysuckle leaves "Blue Spindle" are used in the form of decoctions, they are enriched with magnesium, which is very useful for hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis. Psoriasis and eczema are well treated with honeysuckle. If there is a need to replenish the body with vitamins, honeysuckle berries are the first helper.
Infusion of honeysuckle berries: 50 g of gray berries are placed in a thermos, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water, leave for 2-3 hours. Take the composition half an hour before meals, 50-100 ml up to three times a day. The infusion is indicated for high blood pressure, anemia, gastritis of the stomach, colitis.
Edible honeysuckle "Leningrad giant"
The honeysuckle variety "Leningradsky Giant" gives a very high yield. The shrub has sweet berries that ripen in June and are characterized by a pleasant, sweet taste and content of vitamins and nutrients. Traditional medicine recommends using the healing properties of bark, leaves and berries for various tumors, premature aging, edema, exhaustion and loss of appetite.
There is a rapid recovery of patients suffering from inflammation of the kidneys and liver. The plant removes heavy metals and radioactive elements. As a means to relieve fever and remove toxins from the body, an infusion of honeysuckle flowers is used. They are dried outdoors under a canopy and stored in a dry place.
Infusion of honeysuckle flowers: 1 teaspoon of dried honeysuckle flowers must be poured with a glass of boiling water, insist, drain. One tablespoon is enough for taking three times a day. The remedy perfectly relieves stomach pains.
Honeysuckle edible "Dingo"
Honeysuckle berries of this variety are able to increase gastric secretion, improve digestion. They have astringent, tonic properties. The berries contain sugars, multivitamins, ascorbic acid. taking honeysuckle in the form of decoctions and infusions normalizes stool and eliminates constipation. By consuming berries and plant juice, you can forget what colds are. Phosphorus, calcium, sodium, potassium, zinc and other elements, getting into the body, become reliable protection against malfunctions in various systems and organs.
Berry juice contains hydrocyanic acid, which is effective against lichens. Vitamin C, with its antioxidant and chelating properties, has an excellent effect on the condition of the skin in case of skin diseases.
Contraindications to the use of honeysuckle
The plant has practically no contraindications, but if you use products made from leaves, stems and berries, without much compliance with recipes, you can get allergic reactions, muscle spasms and diarrhea in children.
The author of the article: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna | Phytotherapist
Education: Diploma in "General Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the Pirogov University (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Peoples' Friendship University of Moscow (2008).
