Cornflower is one of the unpretentious flowering plants. These flowers are considered a weed plant among grain growers, and flower growers love it for its exquisite shape and aroma. One of the main advantages is the medicinal properties of blue petals, with which many diseases are treated.
In gardens, blue or real cornflower is most often grown, its decorative forms are represented by various colors. Among them there are many varieties with white, pink, red, blue, blue in color and double and semi-double inflorescences. Another large-flowered hybrid garden form belongs to the musky, fragrant cornflower.
Description of blue cornflower
This type is the most common. Its flowers can be seen in almost all regions of Russia. The cornflower is known as a frequent visitor to the fields, infesting grain crops. Plant with a height of 20 to 90 cm with an erect, branched dryish and bluish stem. Leaves are linear and rarely located along the stem. At the ends of the branches there are single inflorescences-baskets. A plant from the Aster family.
Growing and caring for blue cornflower
The blue cornflower is grown as an annual or biennial. It propagates easily by sowing seeds in the ground in autumn or spring. After germination, 15-20 cm are left between the plants. Cornflower prefers sunny places, unpretentious to soils, although it blooms better on neutral soil. In the shade and on damp soils, it will not grow and bloom.
Cornflowers bloom 2-2.5 months after germination and bloom for a long time. Plants are extremely frost and drought tolerant. Even at an air temperature of 10 ° C, they are not damaged by frost and continue to bloom. Cornflowers give abundant self-seeding, which is important to consider when sowing. Flowers respond well to fertilization. The cultivation technique of musk cornflower is similar to the cultivation of blue cornflower.
Cornflowers are grown for cutting. Blue and musky cornflowers go well with ornamental grasses, poppies, escholzia and are used in planting Moorish lawns. All cornflowers are used in mixborders, ridges, on rocky hills.
Useful properties of blue cornflower
Cornflower is an ancient medicinal plant. For treatment, inflorescences-baskets are used, or rather, edge petals, which are cut off from the baskets. Cornflower is used as a mild diuretic. The petals contain substances that have an anti-inflammatory effect on important organs such as the kidneys and urinary tract. Therefore, blue cornflower can often be found in various diuretic herbal preparations used in the treatment of urolithiasis, cystitis, urethritis, bladder and other diseases. Cornflower for renal and cardiovascular edema.
Flowers (petals) are used in folk medicine in the treatment of gastrointestinal ailments in combination with other herbs, and are also taken for colds, coughs, palpitations, and constipation. The choleretic effect of infusion, decoction and alcohol extract was also established.
Most of all, the petals of blue cornflowers are known as a medicine for the treatment of conjunctivitis, for some eye ailments, and for eye fatigue. The medicinal properties of cornflower seeds in the fight against warts are also known. To do this, the seeds are crushed and applied to the warts. The crushed leaves of the plant also have anti-inflammatory effects. They are applied to small wounds, which promotes faster healing.
How to make an infusion of blue cornflower
An aqueous infusion of petals is prepared as follows: a teaspoon of raw materials is poured into 200-250 ml of boiling water, infused for 30 minutes and drunk 3 times a day, 1 / 3-1 / 4 cup. Infusion washed wounds, eyes and make lotions.
