What plants are similar to Ivan tea. Description and names of flowers similar to fireweed. Ivan tea salad

This is a perennial root shoot herbaceous plant of the Fireweed family. Its scientific name is Fireweed angustifolia, and is popularly called fireweed, mother plant, weeping flower, fire flower, fireman, willow grass, sage grass, etc. Our ancestors knew the healing properties of the plant and used it for the treatment and prevention of various diseases. It can replace the use of drugs and drugs and have a positive effect on the human body. In the 13th century, in the village of Koporye in the St. Petersburg province, monks began to prepare and produce tea, which later became known as “Koporye.” It was appreciated not only in Russia, but also in Europe (England, Germany, France).

Ivan tea: types and varieties

There are more than 14 plant species, the most widespread are:

• Broadleaf fireweed - it is found mainly in the North, growing on rocky soil, in the mountains and among stones. Withstands low temperatures, blooms with purple-pink flowers (sometimes white). Used as food by Eskimos and for making tea. Used as an anesthetic and for poisoning.
• Caucasian - grows in the South Caucasus, Adygea and Stavropol Territory. The plant is not tall (up to half a meter), with a creeping stem and purple flowers. Used mainly as an ornamental plant.
• Colchis - found in the Caucasus region, forming meadow thickets. It grows up to 40 cm tall and has bright pink flowers. Used as an ornamental plant and for making tea.
• Ivan angustifolia tea has found wide application in both scientific and folk medicine.

What does Ivan-tea angustifolia look like?

Description: the plant reaches two meters in height. The stem has long and narrow greenish leaves. The flowers are collected in a cluster at the top of the stem and have a lilac color. In place of each flower, fruits appear that look like beans. They ripen, open and the seeds of Ivan tea with downy plumage fly out.

Where does it grow in Russia? – the plant is found in almost all regions of the country. Prefers forest glades, clearings, edges, dried peat bogs and wastelands. Loves dry sandy soil and is not afraid of low temperatures.

Ivan tea: how to collect and dry

When to collect Ivan tea? – the plant blooms in June and blooms until September. It is necessary to collect the plant for harvesting for the winter when the cluster of flowers has bloomed halfway. Choose dry weather and cut off the upper part (stems, flowers and leaves), retreating 10-20 cm from the soil. Ivan tea root is not harvested, since it is used extremely rarely in treatment. Choose healthy plants without damage and away from sources of pollution (enterprises, roads, landfills). You can harvest very young shoots in the spring; they make excellent Koporye tea.

How to dry a plant? – the collected material is dried in a well-ventilated and dark place, spread out in a small layer and periodically turning over. Dried raw materials are stored for 3 years.

What are the benefits of Ivan tea?

The chemical composition of the plant is determined by the content of the following beneficial substances:

• Vitamin C;
• B vitamins;
• Tannins;
• Micro and macroelements (iron, copper, manganese, phosphorus, calcium, potassium);
• Organic acids;
• Pectin;
• Gallic acid;
• Slime;
• tannin;
• Fatty and essential oils;
• Plant fibers;
• Flavonoids.

Ivan-tea herb: medicinal properties and contraindications

The benefits of Ivan tea for the human body are important; it has the following therapeutic effects:

• Anti-inflammatory;
• Antispasmodic;
• Calming;
• Painkillers;
• Antiseptic;
• Diuretics;
• Choleretic.

Contraindications: with excessive and prolonged use, problems with the gastrointestinal tract may occur. It is not recommended to use Ivan tea for people prone to increased blood clots. During long-term treatment, you should take a short break to avoid addiction and side effects such as rashes and diarrhea.

Ivan-tea - indications for use

Treatment with Ivan tea is effective for the following diseases:

• Nervous disorders;
• Causeless headaches;
• Sleep disturbances, insomnia;
• Atherosclerosis;
• Blood diseases (anemia, anemia);
• Eye diseases (conjunctivitis);
• Diseases of the upper respiratory tract (laryngitis, rhinitis, sinusitis);
• Inflammation of the genitourinary system and ureter (cystitis, prostatitis, adenoma);
• Skin ailments (dermatitis, rashes, skin inflammation);
• Diseases of the intestines, liver, stomach (gastritis, enterocolitis);
• Female disorders (menopause, menopause, menstrual irregularities);
• Various poisonings;
• Problems with immunity.

Characteristics of the plant Ivan-tea

Each part of the plant contains many useful substances:

• Stems - contain vitamin C (vitamin content is higher than in oranges), B vitamins, nicotinic and folic acid, which helps activate the brain, metabolic processes, and digestion.
• Ivan tea leaves contain a considerable amount of mucus, which has an enveloping effect, and tannin, which has an anti-inflammatory effect. The plant fibers contained in the leaves have a positive effect on the functioning of the stomach and intestines.
• Flowers and leaves contain a large amount of iron. It increases hemoglobin, normalizes the nervous and digestive systems. Macro and microelements help the functioning of the heart and muscles, support bone structure, and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Ivan tea root – contains proteins, tannins, starch, polysaccharides, cobalt.

Health benefits and harms: the plant has a healing and healing effect on the body and is indicated for both adults and children.

What diseases does it help with - its anti-inflammatory and enveloping properties will help alleviate the condition of stomach diseases (ulcers, gastritis, enterocolitis). It has a sedative effect, normalizes intestinal microflora, cures flatulence and diarrhea. Stimulates the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and metabolic processes. Cures heartburn, dysbiosis, normalizes stool.

The antiseptic property of the plant helps with skin diseases such as dermatitis, eczema, alleviates psoriasis, and is used to treat infectious diseases.

The calming property will help improve your mental state, cure nervous agitation, headaches, and insomnia.

The analgesic property alleviates allergic reactions and skin lesions.

The plant has a tonquilizing effect, like valerian.

Frees the body from waste products, increases vitality, gives vigor and improves mood.

The plant is non-toxic and, if used correctly, will not cause harm to health.

Fermentation of Ivan tea at home

To prepare fermented Ivan tea, you need to grind the dried raw materials (leaves and flowers) by hand and place them in a container, which is covered with a cloth moistened with water. Keep at room temperature for 1.5 days, during which time the raw material ferments and acquires a dark green color and floral aroma, then it is dried in the oven at a temperature of at least 80 degrees. Take it out, leave it for 30 days and the fermented tea is ready. The raw material is a powdery mass from which Koporye tea is brewed.

How to brew Ivan tea correctly

You need to know the methods of use and brewing rules in order to preserve the beneficial properties of the plant. Proper Ivan tea is prepared in two ways:

• The first is to place a teaspoon of crushed raw materials in a glass of boiling water, steam it for half an hour and drink it throughout the day.
• The second is to place a tablespoon of fresh raw materials in a glass of boiling water and keep it in a water bath for half an hour. Strain the infused tea and drink throughout the day.

How to drink Ivan tea? – properly brewed tea retains the healing properties of the plant well. It is advisable to consume it freshly prepared and slightly cooled. It is not recommended to add sweeteners; it has a pleasant taste and aroma.

How to prepare Ivan tea

Ivan tea is consumed at home in the form of infusions, decoctions, alcoholic tinctures and teas.

Infusion - for its preparation 20 g. dry raw materials are placed in a container with a glass of boiling water, infused for half an hour, filtered and drunk in two doses. Ivan tea infusion has a beneficial effect on the circulatory system, normalizes blood composition, and increases hemoglobin.

Decoction - a tablespoon of crushed raw materials is placed in a glass of boiling water and infused over low heat for 20 minutes. Strain and consume in 2 doses per day. Cures stomach and intestinal disorders, alleviates gastritis and stomach ulcers.

Alcohol tincture - take 500 ml. vodka and add 50 g. crushed flowers. Keep in a dark place for two weeks and filter. Should be taken one tablespoon 3 times a day. It will help with inflammation of the genitourinary system (cystitis, inflammation of the kidneys, ovaries). Ivan tea tincture is effective for prostatitis.

Tea - place a dessert spoon of raw materials in a container with 250 ml. boiling water and leave for half an hour. It is advisable to consume it warm during the day. Tea calms, helps normalize heart rate and blood pressure, relaxes, and improves sleep.

Does Ivan tea increase or decrease blood pressure? – the plant has a calming effect on the nervous system and mental state of a person. Normalizes heart function and heart rhythm, restores and strengthens blood vessels, has a diuretic effect and relieves the body of excess fluid. All these properties help normalize the activity of the body and all its organs, which in turn can stabilize blood pressure: lower it when blood pressure is high and increase it when blood pressure is low.

Ivan-tea for children - at what age can Ivan-tea be used? The use of the plant by children is not recommended until they reach 2 years of age. In the future, with the permission of the pediatrician, children can be given Koporye tea to drink in an amount of no more than 100 ml. in a day. Drinking this tea will help calm the child’s nervous system, activate the body’s defenses against infectious and colds, and strengthen the immune system.

Useful properties for women

Ivan angustifolia tea has a positive effect in the treatment of female diseases (menstrual pain, menopause, endometriosis, cystitis, fibroids, thrush). Has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the thyroid gland and endocrine system. It has a rejuvenating effect on the body and skin, thanks to the content of proline in the plant, which synthesizes collagen and makes the skin healthy and elastic, smoothes out fine wrinkles, helps maintain youth longer and is less susceptible to age-related changes. Thanks to the presence of flavonoids, the elasticity of blood vessels is maintained and the aging process of the skin is delayed.

Rejuvenating and anti-inflammatory mask - will help maintain youthful and healthy skin. Recipe: you need to take 2 tablespoons of dry herbs, previously infused with vodka, add half a teaspoon of salt and oatmeal. Mix and apply to face, leave for 15 minutes and remove any residue with a cotton pad.

Ivan tea for weight loss - glutamic acid, which is part of the plant, normalizes redox and metabolic processes, cleanses of waste and toxins, which helps maintain a slim figure. Normalizes the functioning of the stomach and intestines. By adding thyme to the drink, weight loss processes are accelerated, excess fluid is released, swelling is removed and appearance improves.

Is Ivan tea suitable for nursing mothers and pregnant women? – as prescribed by a doctor, the plant can be included in the diet of women during pregnancy and nursing mothers. It will help speed up lactation during breastfeeding, increase the amount of milk and improve its beneficial properties.

Contraindications of Ivan tea for women - the plant has practically no contraindications for use. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should take medications in consultation with their doctor.

Therapeutic effects of Ivan tea and contraindications for men

The plant includes many vitamins, flavonoids, minerals, and alkaloids, which is beneficial for the male health system.

Ivan tea contains amino acids that can maintain health and youth for men. So isoleucine builds muscle mass and increases endurance, and is very useful for athletes during heavy physical exertion. Alanine normalizes carbohydrate metabolism and maintains normal prostate function, which helps to have a full sex life and improves potency. Activates blood circulation in the genitourinary system, increases erection. Can relieve hangover after alcohol abuse, cleanse the body and reduce cravings for alcohol.

Ivan tea for potency - the plant supports normal physical and sexual functions of the body. Effective for the treatment and prevention of inflammation of the prostate gland and prostate. Activates the production of hormones and testosterone, enhances sexual activity.

Contraindications – when used correctly, there are no side effects. Ivan tea can be drunk for a long time (up to 2 months or more), but in courses of 2 weeks, then take a short break and repeat the treatment.

Finished medicinal products

Ivan tea extract - widely used in cosmetology, has an antibacterial and healing effect. The drug also has diuretic properties, improves blood structure, increases hemoglobin, and stimulates sexual activity in men. Price for 125 ml. - 300 rubles.

Tincture of fireweed angustifolia will cure nervous disorders, stomach diseases and ulcers, sore throat, migraine, and relieve inflammation of the genitourinary system. Ivan tea tincture will help with prostatitis and adenoma. You can purchase a 100 ml bottle. for 160 rubles.

Ivan tea is granulated - it is obtained by grinding after fermentation. Tea in granules has a smaller volume and faster brewing. Can be purchased in an assortment in combination with other herbs. Price per 100 gr. about 160 rubles.

Dried flowers of Ivan tea - from the raw materials you can prepare infusions and decoctions. Fireweed drinks have all the beneficial effects inherent in the plant. Cost 100 gr. is about 300 rubles.

Ivan-tea Koporsky is a large-leaf tea for brewing a drink; it has a tart and sweet taste, tones and activates all the vital processes of the body. Average price 100 gr. – 390 rubles.

Ivan-tea green - included fermented narrow-leaved fireweed and green tea. The drink protonates the body, increases immunity, normalizes digestion, relieves inflammation, nervous irritation, improves falling asleep and quality of sleep.

Black Ivan tea with rose hips is a vitamin drink that has a wonderful herbal aroma and a pleasant taste of Indian black tea and rose hips. You can buy a pack of 100 grams for 350 rubles.

Ivan tea with mint leaves is a drink with the taste of fireweed leaves and mint. It is recommended to use it to improve the health of the body, stimulate the immune system, and improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The price of 75 grams of raw materials is about 200 rubles.

Ivan tea in bags is a herbal tea for convenient brewing and tea drinking. It replenishes the body with useful substances, microelements and vitamins. A package of 30 filter bags costs 80 rubles.

What does Ivan tea help with: folk recipes

Ivan tea for prostatitis – 30 g. Place the crushed raw materials in a container with a glass of boiling water, leave in a water bath for 1 hour, then add liquid to the original volume. Strain and consume throughout the day. The infusion prevents the growth of adenoma and helps with impotence.

Plant for nervous diseases – 20 g. Place crushed raw materials in 220 ml. boiling water, let it brew and consume in three doses a day. Ivan tea will help relieve fatigue, irritability, and normalize sleep.

Ivan tea for gastritis - crushed raw materials in the amount of 40g. brewed with boiling water in the amount of one glass, kept in a water bath for half an hour and taken 50 ml. three to four times a day.

Ivan tea for pancreatitis - steam crushed raw materials in the amount of a tablespoon 220 ml. boiling water, let it brew and take throughout the day.

Ivan tea for diabetes - the medicinal properties of the plant are useful for diabetics. After the recommendation of the attending physician, it is taken for the treatment of various types of diabetes. To do this, prepare a decoction of 20 grams of raw materials and 0.3 liters of boiling water, leave for half an hour and drink in three doses, you can add honey. Helps normalize metabolism and metabolism, has a stimulating effect on the endocrine system, and lowers blood sugar. By adding chamomile flowers, dandelion and blueberry leaves to the decoction, you can increase its effectiveness in the treatment of diabetes.

Ivan tea for colds - use a collection of fermented Ivan tea, berries and raspberry leaves. The ingredients are taken in equal quantities and brewed like regular tea. Used to relieve symptoms of the disease and increase the body's immune forces.

How to use Ivan tea in combination with other plants:

• Ivan tea with thyme (thyme) – combined use will enhance the antidepressant effect, improve mood and sleep. The diuretic effect will help remove excess fluid, reduce swelling and reduce weight.
• Ivan tea with mint – mint tea with fireweed will calm the nervous system, improve well-being and mood, and speed up the process of falling asleep. The collection will have an anti-inflammatory effect for bronchitis and tonsillitis, a choleretic and antibacterial effect for diseases of the stomach and liver.
• Ivan tea with ginger will help cope with colds and infectious diseases, relieve inflammation, warm the body, and increase its resistance. The collection will also have a fat-burning effect and help with weight loss.
• Clover, Ivan-tea - the collection has antitoxic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Will help with bronchitis, asthma, headaches, colds. A decoction of plants, taken in equal quantities, is used as a general tonic.

Ivan tea can be called a real gift from nature, because a healing drink that improves health is prepared from this plant, which is also called fireweed.

Ivan tea grows in all regions of our country. In this case, the plant does not grow alone, but forms quite extensive thickets in the form of a flower carpet.

To make healthy tea from fireweed, you should know in advance what this perennial looks like. And since the collection is carried out during the flowering period, it is especially important to be able to recognize fireweed flowers.

Height This herbaceous plant can reach two meters, but most often in nature there are specimens of fireweed with a height of 0.5 to 1.5 meters. Ivan tea has a rather thick rhizome with a dense brown-yellow skin. Buds quickly appear on it, so the plant is propagated by parts of the root planted in the garden plot.

Stem Ivan tea is straight, it has a rounded shape and is densely covered with leaves that have short petioles. The leaves of this plant are long - from 4 to 12 cm in length. Their shape is lanceolate and the ends are pointed. The edges of the leaves can be either whole or with small teeth. The color of the leaves above is dark green, and their lower surface is often bluish-green, although reddish and pink (less often) shades are also found.

Flowers Ivan tea has a diameter of approximately 3 centimeters. Their color is lilac-red or pale pink, although there are also plants with white flowers. These large flowers are collected in inflorescences-brushes, the length of which reaches up to 40 centimeters. Fireweed begins to bloom in the second half of summer. Flowering lasts about a month.

Fireweed is a herbaceous perennial in the Fireweed family. Among the people, it is more popular under the names fireweed, Kuril tea, pussy willow, wild hemp, fireman, down jacket. The plant is common in the temperate climates of Eurasia and North America. You can meet it on forest edges and sunny glades. Fireweed is a truly versatile plant. With its flowers, it turns the area into a solid pink cloud for almost 2 months, which allows the bees to collect nectar for healing and very tasty honey. You can talk about the medicinal properties of fireweed for a very long time and still not consider each one. These qualities make fireweed a simply irreplaceable plant on the site.

Botanical description

Fireweed is a perennial, less often annual, herbaceous plant 40-150 cm high. The rhizome grows greatly in depth and width. It forms new growth points and numerous side shoots. The highly branched stems are bare or densely pubescent. On them, successive leaves grow close to each other up to the very top. They sit tightly on the stem or have short petioles.

Oval or linear leaf blades are pointed at the end. Their length is 4-12 cm and width 7-20 mm. Along the edge of the dark green or bluish-blue leaf are small teeth. The reverse side is often covered with purple-red short hair.

In July, flowers bloom, collected in loose panicles at the top of the stem. They are stored for 30-50 days. Small regular corollas consist of 8 petals arranged in 2 rows. They have a round or square shape. The petals are painted white, pink or crimson. The diameter of the flower is 25-30 mm. Flowering is accompanied by a strong honey aroma.

In August-September, the fruits ripen - fluffy curved seed pods, similar to pods. The tiny, oblong seed with a smooth surface has long, thin hairs that resemble a tuft. Ripe fruits open and the wind carries the seeds over long distances.

Types of fireweed

In total, more than 220 plant species have been registered in the fireweed genus. Many of them are found only in the wild; the following varieties are most often grown in culture.

Fireweed angustifolia (fireweed). A herbaceous perennial 50-150 cm high, it has strong creeping roots that form a large number of shoots. The erect stem is weakly branched. It is densely covered with lanceolate sessile leaves. The foliage grows alternately and is randomly scattered along the stem, so it is difficult to trace a single helical line. The dark green or bluish leaves grow 4-12 cm in length and 0.7-2 cm in width. The edges of the leaves are covered with small bluish glands, which on the lower surface acquire a purple-red or pink tint. In mid-July, bisexual flowers up to 3 cm in diameter bloom. They are collected in a loose brush 10-45 cm long at the top of the shoot. Flowers with soft, pale pink or white obovate petals last until late summer. By September, the fruits ripen - fluffy curved achenes with small oblong seeds.

The plant, 0.5-1.5 m high, is distinguished by thick roots and erect branched stems. On the entire surface of the shoot there is a perpendicular glandular pile. The opposite petiolate leaves are oval or lanceolate in shape and covered with teeth on the sides. Their surface is also pubescent on both sides. Flowers bloom singly in the axils of the upper leaves. The calyx is in the form of a cut bell with a diameter of 2-2.5 cm and consists of lilac, purple or dark pink obovate petals. There is a ring of stamens around the pistil. After pollination, a seed capsule 4-10 cm long, similar to an open pod, ripens.

The plant is the most winter-hardy. It is found in the Arctic and subarctic zones. Shoots 50-70 cm long are covered with broadly oval or spear-shaped leaves with a pointed edge. The length of the leaf is 10 cm. The stem and edges of the leaves are colored mauve and covered with short hair. Flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences. They consist of dark pink wide petals. The diameter of the corolla reaches 3-5 cm.

The grass, 3-15 cm high, has thread-like roots and erect, unbranched stems with a smooth surface. They grow opposite, bare, broadly lanceolate leaves and small pinkish flowers.

Low-growing mountain grasses with lodging stems 10-90 cm high are densely pubescent. The shoots form a continuous carpet on the ground. Blue-green arched leaves grow oppositely. In June-August, pink, white or red flowers bloom in the shape of a wide-open bell.

Reproduction methods

Ivan tea is propagated by seed and vegetative methods. The seeds are chosen fresh. In March, seedlings are pre-grown from them. To do this, prepare boxes with loose, fertile soil. A mixture of sand, peat and leaf humus is suitable. Small seeds are distributed on the surface, lightly pressed with a ruler and sprayed. The box is covered with transparent material and placed in a well-lit place with a temperature of +18...+25°C. Shoots appear in 4-6 days. Seedlings with 2 true leaves are planted in separate pots. Planting in open ground, depending on the region, is carried out in May-June, when constant warm weather sets in. Before planting, seedlings are hardened off outside for a week. It should be planted on a cloudy day or with light rain so that the seedlings are not damaged by the hot sun. In mid-summer, the length of the sprouts will reach 10-12 cm. Flowering will occur the next year.

For vegetative propagation, the rhizome division method is used. It is better to do this in early spring. A large plant is dug up on your own plot or forest clearing. It must be remembered that horizontal shoots can be located 1.5 m from the main shoot. The dug root is carefully cleared of soil and the stolons are separated. Each division must have at least one growing point. The cut site is treated with ash and the cutting is immediately planted in moist soil.

Rules of care

Fireweed is considered an unpretentious plant. It develops well with virtually no care. For planting, you should choose open sunny places or slight shade. To prevent tall stems from breaking from the wind, fireweed is planted along fences or walls of houses. Its creeping rhizome behaves quite aggressively and needs to be limited. To do this, the planting site is limited to slate or plastic sheets dug into the ground to a depth of 1 m.

The soil for planting should be loose and moderately fertile. It is recommended to add ash to it in advance. Fireweed grows very well in former fires, so gardeners often first make a fire on the site.

The plant needs regular watering. In the absence of precipitation and on hot days, it is irrigated twice a week. It is advisable to do this in the evening so that the sun does not burn the leaves and flowers through drops of water.

Plants do not need regular feeding. Only on depleted soils in the spring do you add the mineral complex once. It is recommended to loosen the soil at the roots monthly for better aeration. Young plants need to be protected from weeds. In the future, weeds will no longer bother the gardener.

In autumn, the ground part is cut to a height of 15 cm. In anticipation of snowless, frosty winters, the soil above the roots is covered with dry leaves or spruce branches, but fireweed overwinters well even without shelter.

Composition and medicinal properties of Ivan tea

The foliage, flowers and roots of fireweed are used in folk medicine as a medicine. The ground part is harvested during flowering. Immediately after the dew disappears, it is cut off, dried in the shade in the open air, and then crushed and stored in fabric bags for a year. The roots are dug in September. They are thoroughly washed and dried.

Ivan tea is rich in the following active substances:

• tannins;
• carbohydrates;
• flavonoids;
• pectin;
• trace elements (iron, manganese, copper);
• macroelements (potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium);
• vitamins.

As the name suggests, the medicine is prepared as a decoction. It is water extracts that contain the greatest amount of useful substances. Fireweed has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, astringent, sedative, antipyretic, hypnotic, vascular-strengthening and analgesic properties.

It is not necessary to take it as a medicine, in courses. Some people simply replace their usual tea and coffee with this decoction. This drug strengthens the body and helps fight colds and nervous disorders. Even doctors recommend drinking fireweed for anemia, cholecystitis, hepatitis, cystitis, influenza, acute respiratory infections, gout, hypertension and cardioneurosis.

The drink is very popular among men and for good reason. It is used to prevent prostatitis, prostate adenoma, infertility, impotence and other sexual disorders.

Many people drink fireweed in any quantity without consequences, but for those who are prone to allergies, the first dose should be taken with caution. Also, people with increased blood clotting, pregnant and lactating women, and children under 6 years of age should not abuse the drink.

Where else is fireweed used?

Fireweed is often used in cooking. Dried leaves are added to meat dishes, salads and soups as an aromatic seasoning. Fresh young grass, like nettles, is added to borscht and other soups.

Thickets of fireweed near the apiary are irreplaceable. The plant is a good honey plant. Over the summer, bees will collect 400-800 kg of nectar from 1 hectare. Fireweed honey is very healthy, it is rich in active substances and vitamins. Eating it is recommended to strengthen the immune system, combat nervous breakdowns and insomnia. Freshly collected honey is liquid and greenish-yellow in color. After a few weeks, the product crystallizes and becomes similar to whipped cream. Its aroma is very delicate, and its taste is pleasant and soft.

When decorating a garden, fireweed is planted in groups near the border, in the background of a flower garden, in a rock garden, as well as on the high banks of fresh water bodies. The roots strengthen the soil well in ravines and embankments. Candle-like inflorescences form an airy pink haze over the thickets. The plant can be combined with umbelliferous flowers to achieve geometric variety.

Those who collected fireweed (fireweed) in the spring noticed that there are several other plants with which it can be confused. Once flowering begins, fireweed is much easier to detect and recognize. And before flowering, some herbs are so similar that only a good acquaintance with fireweed prevents them from being confused.

One such similar plant is the Canadian goldenrod, the subject of this study. Goldenrod has leaves with a noticeable tooth along the edge, the leaf itself is yellower, the stem is more curved and thinner than fireweed. There are also other, much less noticeable differences. We had a question: what if, by chance, a few goldenrod leaves get in with the fireweed? Moreover, goldenrod has recently become more and more numerous and is already beginning to crowd out many other species, including fireweed. Therefore, we decided to take a closer look at this new plant neighbor.

I first noticed goldenrod more than ten years ago. Near the area of ​​the city where I live, there is a large field where cars remove snow and dirt from the streets in winter. As you know, sand and salt are often added to roads during icy conditions, so the soil in the field was not very pleasant for many plants and usually nothing grew there except a rare birch tree. But that year the whole field sprang up with tall grass and beautiful golden flowers. I had never seen such a plant before, so I examined it carefully: very beautiful scatterings of flowers, a mediocre-looking leaf and trunk, gigantic growth and a carrot-like smell of crushed leaves.

In the ten years that have passed since our first acquaintance, goldenrod has ceased to be rare, and now we all know it. In addition, goldenrod has already been declared persona nongrata, a foreign aggressor and an environmental problem not only in China and many other countries, but also in Belarus.

The genus of goldenrods (in Latin Solidago, from solidus - solid, persistent and ago - from do, “making healthy”) has many species, and our new neighbor comes from North America, particularly Canada. It was introduced as a garden plant to Europe back in the 19th century, but became widespread at the end of the 20th. Goldenrod slowly and quietly made its way out of botanical gardens, front gardens and flower beds into the wild. It is very undemanding to soil and watering and tolerates severe frosts well. Goldenrod produces a huge number of small seeds and is carried by the wind (like fireweed) over vast distances. Especially if the soil is sandy, permeable, and the place is sunny, then goldenrod forms continuous thickets from a meter to two meters high. During flowering, it looks very beautiful: fields filled with a golden glow, swaying in the wind. Goldenrod sometimes remains standing and shining with its silvery top until spring.

Our region knows another such invader - Sosnovsky Hogweed, which was bred specifically for feeding livestock, and then abandoned because of its properties that are poisonous to the skin. And the hogweed sedately took over vast spaces. Now it is found everywhere in the European part of Russia.

Unlike hogweed, goldenrod is not poisonous, and can even be used to treat certain diseases and strengthen the immune system. Goldenrod is mainly used either as an external remedy to treat cuts and wounds, or as an internal remedy to treat the urinary tract and improve immunity in this area. Also known are such areas of its application as the treatment of prostatitis, the prevention of cancer, anti-aging effects, and liver diseases. Recently, scientists from the National Academy of the Republic of Belarus discovered that the goldenrod rhizome contains large quantities of inhibitor proteins that inhibit fungi and bacteria from many diseases of humans, animals and plants.

Despite these positive qualities, few pharmaceutical companies are involved in collecting the plant and making anything from it. This plant has not yet found any other useful use. That is why it is spreading more and more. In China they have even declared war on goldenrod and are spraying it with Roundups on a large scale. But I personally don't think it will have a positive effect. You can't choke out all the goldenrod, and the remaining plants will quickly disperse and the goldenrod will take over again. Now, if they learned to make gasoline from goldenrod, then people would displace it very quickly. For now, we can only watch its expansion.

For producers of fireweed, goldenrod fever threatens to reduce wild fireweed. Now this problem is acutely affecting Belarus, where in many places goldenrod has already replaced fireweed. And later, when goldenrod spreads even more and reaches Siberia, the problem of displacing fireweed will also affect other producers of this tasty drink. It's just a matter of time. Therefore, the only good solution for us seems to be the cultural cultivation of fireweed. This will solve the goldenrod problem of displacing wild fireweed. This will also make it possible to grow more fireweed tea in a smaller area and with lower harvesting costs. Such fireweed can be certified as grown in environmentally friendly conditions.

WHERE TO BUY IVAN-TEA IN ST. PETERSBURG

But what to do if the best areas for fireweed are already occupied by goldenrod? How can goldenrod survive from such lands? There are several ways to do this. One of them is the use of roundups - chemical substances absorbed by plants through the leaves and inhibiting their vital functions. Such substances are usually not stored in the soil and are safe for further cultivation (at least the manufacturer writes this on their packaging). The Chinese are fighting goldenrod with these roundups. Despite the effectiveness of this approach, it seems to us that this method is not entirely environmentally friendly and humane. We prefer to simply pull the goldenrod bushes out of the ground (the goldenrod root can be pulled out without too much trouble) and burn the roots and stem in the spring. This produces ash that is useful for fireweed. Small plants obtained from seeds can be weeded and effective microorganisms like Baikal EM-1 can be used to rot them.

Goldenrod is a non-poisonous plant, and it’s okay if a couple of its leaves get into the raw material when harvesting fireweed. However, the fact remains that it occupies larger and larger areas and loves to grow where fireweed has grown for centuries. We see that after some time more and more producers of fireweed tea will grow it agriculturally. And we are already starting to do this today.