Woodlouse is an annual herb of the Chickweed genus, Cloveaceae family. Also known as common chickweed, midge, woodlice, woodlice, hernia grass, canary or bird grass, and runner.
Other names are also possible, because woodlice is very common.
Latin name Stellaria media.
Chickweed grass is called chickweed, biting weed, bird grass, and runner
Annual, ground cover plant, no more than 10 cm in height.
The leaves of the biting midge are oval-shaped, pointed at the ends
Woodlice flowers are white and resemble stars.
Woodlice seeds are semicircular, located in a “box”
There are about 120 species of chickweed. In Russia alone, there are several dozen varieties of them.
Let's look at the most common ones.
Despite its medicinal properties and culinary use, it is considered a weed. It is difficult to fight; one plant alone produces 15,000 seeds, which can sprout in 5 years.
Chickweed is used both in cooking and in medicine, but it is a weed
Chickweed bunge has an external difference and grows mainly in high mountain areas, but is used in cooking and medicine
Chickweed grows in areas with damp soil and is used medicinally
Oak chickweed grows in forests on peat bogs and is easily recognized by its heart-shaped leaves.
Chickweed has rough, sharp leaves and large flowers, used as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent
Chickweed grows near bodies of water; all its parts except the root are used to treat heart disease, hyperthyroidism, and abscesses.
Woodlice loves moist or well-moistened soil, so it most often grows on damp forest roads, forest edges, clearings, near streams, rivers, and weedy places. Can be found near housing and vegetable gardens.
On the planet it mainly grows in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. It is found almost throughout the entire territory of the Russian Federation.
Woodlice loves moist soils and, like a weed, spreads quickly
All above-ground parts of the plant are used.
For harvesting grass:
Midge forms a lush carpet on the ground, but since it is an aggressive weed, it crowds out other plants
Nutritional value per 100 g. woodlice herbs:
In addition, it affects the body as follows:
Woodlice herb is useful for strengthening the immune system, blood vessels, it is a good laxative and even a rejuvenating agent
In addition to the herb itself, woodlice juice is actively used for medicinal purposes for various problems with the liver, stomach, kidneys, lungs, thyroid gland, and oncology.
It is used for diseases such as colitis, pleurisy, asthma, stomach ulcers, gastritis, arthritis, rheumatism, osteochondrosis, hemorrhoids, gout, bronchitis, epilepsy.
Regular use improves blood composition, increases hemoglobin, and is recommended for anemia and anemia. Cleanses capillaries and blood vessels, improves complexion. Stops external and internal bleeding, hemoptysis.
Stimulates lactation, but should be taken with caution, because allergic rashes are possible, incl. at the baby's. Helps with mastopathy.
Midlingweed juice is not only taken orally, but also used externally.
Gauze moistened with juice can be applied to skin inflammation, rashes, swelling, and ulcers.
Taking the juice daily helps with migraines, relieves fatigue and irritability, and improves memory. An excellent remedy for vitamin deficiency.
If it is not possible to use fresh juice every time, then it can be pasteurized. To do this, filter the juice and heat it to 90-95 C. Do not boil! Pour into a baked glass jar. In a closed jar, the juice will be stored for up to 3 days.
Cut potatoes (4 pcs.) into small cubes, add 1 liter of water and put on fire. Using vegetable oil, lightly fry the onions and carrots in a frying pan and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then add sautéed vegetables and finely chopped medium chickweed (100 gr.) to boiling water and potatoes.
A few minutes before readiness, add chopped parsley and dill (a small bunch). Salt to taste. When serving, season with sour cream, you can add more black herbs directly from the plate.
For 100g of chickweed: 100g of beet tops, a small bunch of dill, parsley and green onions, 1 red onion, hard-boiled 2-3 eggs, sour cream. Grind all ingredients, mix, salt, add sour cream.
1 carrot, 1-2 cloves of garlic, a bunch of woodlice, sour cream or olive oil. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater, crush the garlic, finely chop the wood lice. Mix everything, add salt, season with butter or sour cream.
Fresh woodlice, green onions, 1 hard-boiled egg, sour cream. Chop the ingredients, mix, salt and season with sour cream. For piquancy, you can add green garlic feathers.
For 1 medium toast, 25-30g of butter and woodlice, a couple of cloves of garlic, parsley for decoration. Spread the bread with butter. Chop woodlice and garlic, mix and place on bread. Top with parsley leaves.
Peel and chop 2 tangerines and 2 medium apples. Place everything in a blender, incl. 2 tbsp. water and a handful of chickweed. Turn on high speed for 2-3 minutes. Pour the cocktail into glasses.
250g woodlice, 50g horseradish, honey, 2 liters of water. Grind the ingredients well. Pour water and leave for 4 hours. Strain. At the end add honey to taste.
For the preparation of medicinal infusions, decoctions and poultices, all parts of wood lice, except the root, are used, mainly in fresh form. There is a wide range of medicinal properties of woodlice.
Woodlice is used to treat the following diseases:
Also, thanks to its medicinal properties, woodlice will cure:
2 tbsp. Pour boiling water over the chickweed (1 tbsp), put on low heat and hold for no more than 10 minutes. Infuse for half an hour, then strain. Take 50 ml 3 times a day before meals.
This decoction is also suitable for those who have menstrual irregularities, delays or severe menstrual pain. The course of treatment begins 1 week before menstruation. Drink 2 times a day before meals.
Pour 1 tbsp of boiling water over a glass. herbs. Infuse for about half an hour in an enamel bowl. Strain. If necessary, add water to restore the original volume. Take 50 ml 4 times a day shortly before meals.
Steam the herb and apply as a compress.
Pour boiling water (1-1.5 tbsp) over fresh leaves of medium chickweed (1.5 tbsp). Leave for about an hour, then strain. Take half a glass before meals 4-5 times a day. This recipe is suitable for hypertension.
1 tbsp pour 300 ml of clean water. Leave for 14 days in a dark place. Take diluted before meals (20 drops per 1 cup of water).
Squeeze out the juice. Wash your eyes 2 times a day.
Make a lotion from the woodlice decoction and apply to the affected area for 15-20 minutes. You can do this procedure several times a day.
0.5 tsp woodlice juice and 0.5 tsp. consume honey daily before meals 3 times a day.
Eating chickweed, pure or in juice, promotes weight loss
Face masks with chickweed rejuvenate, decoctions and compresses soften and make the skin elastic
Chickweed grass is an excellent honey plant; it is also good for poultry feed and is used as a wool dye.
They reproduce both by seeds and vegetatively. It is preferable to sow before winter or in the first half of spring. Seedlings are planted at a distance of 4-5 cm from each other in open ground (after 2 picks).
They prefer well-moistened soil, slightly acidic and fertilized. They love sunny places.
Chickweed grass can be grown at home in a pot
It is very difficult to get rid of chickweed. She is very erect, does not get sick, and is not affected by pests. Even immature seeds can germinate. And it produces 2-3 generations per season.
Therefore, it is very important not to introduce the weed into your area in the first place. You should weed not only in the beds, but also near the house and behind the fence. The grass should be pulled out with the entire bush along with the roots. Weeded woodlice should not be placed on the ground: the seeds may fall off or pieces of stems will remain, which quickly and easily take root. It is better to collect grass immediately in a bucket or other container with sides.
You can get rid of woodlice by weeding before the plant blooms, or with chemicals in the fall, when the harvest is harvested.
Picked chickweed can be dried or fed to poultry. If you take it to a compost heap, it must rot for at least 3 years, otherwise there is a risk of introducing the weed back into the beds.
If the weed has already dropped its seeds, you should wait until they germinate. Then they are cut off with a hoe.
A more radical method is herbicides. The land is cultivated only after the entire harvest has been harvested. The substance completely decomposes, usually within 2 weeks, so it will not harm crops next season.
Woodlice reacts very sensitively to all changes in humidity and air temperature. This is where the folk superstition came from: if the woodlice has not bloomed its flowers in the morning, it means it will rain.
And in the old days, magicians believed that in order for a wish to come true, you need to eat 7 woodlice petals at dawn.
The medicinal properties of woodlice herb are known not only in Rus', but also in many European countries. The herb is especially popular in Germany - here it is used to treat coughs due to pneumonia, bronchitis and tuberculosis, kidney inflammation, as well as non-healing wounds. In China, for example, it is an anesthetic medicine that relieves spasms in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. And in Mexico it is a folk remedy for malignant tumors. Woodlice, also known as chickweed, was previously widely used in cooking. This was the first “green” that was used to support a weakened body after a long winter. It was used to make salads, add it to soups, and prepare fortified drinks. In addition, chickweed was given to domestic animals as a fortified supplement.
What is this herb? Where to look for it in nature? How did she deserve such “honor” in folk medicine? For what diseases is it effective and does it have any contraindications?
Chickweed. 
Starwort is rigid-leaved, or lanceolate. 
Chickweed Bunge.
About 50 species of this plant are found on the territory of Russia (some sources give a different figure - 200 species). Chickweed, or chickweed, is the most common and valuable species, which is most often used as a medicinal raw material. What other varieties are known in folk medicine?
For farmers, woodlice is a spring, annual weed that is difficult to control manually. The plant emerges in early spring and develops quickly. If it is not weeded out in time, it forms a beautiful but harmful carpet for useful seeds. Carrots, which take a long time to sprout, suffer most from chickweed. Woodlice loves moisture and often settles in vegetable beds with abundant watering. After weeding, it is not recommended to leave the weed in the beds; it is removed so that the seeds do not fall off (there can be about 10 thousand or more of them in one plant). Seeds can lie in the soil for several years and germinate safely every spring. Also, an uprooted plant will take root again if it comes into contact with damp soil.
However, some varieties of this grass are grown as an ornamental plant for their elegant flowers and continuous, beautiful carpet. It decorates flower beds and rock gardens.
Where does woodlice grow? The plant loves a temperate climate and takes root well in northern regions. Some varieties can be found in high mountain subtropics. Most of the species are found throughout the European part of Russia, some take root in the Far East and Siberia. Woodlice feels good in dark places and moist soils. It grows near homes, in vegetable gardens and summer cottages. In the wild, its favorite places are damp glades and forest roads.
Chickweed is medium. Botanical illustration from the book “Bilder ur Nordens Flora” by K. A. M. Lindmann, 1917-1926. 
This is an annual herbaceous plant. Its peculiarity is the formation of loose turf (carpets). The root system is weak, shallow, branched. The stems are thin, low (up to 10 cm), but at the same time they branch well and grow, covering the ground. The leaves are dark green; the petioles have hairs with which the plant absorbs moisture. Hence the name (due to the great love for water) - woodlice. The inflorescences of the plant are loose, few-flowered. The flowers are snow-white, small, star-shaped. It begins to bloom in May, blooms all summer, even in late autumn you can see delicate white stars on the green carpet.
There is another version of the origin of the name. A folk sign says: if the flowers of a plant have not opened in the morning after sunrise, it means it will rain. The woodlice plant responds to changes in humidity and air temperature. Gardeners jokingly call her the “rain predictor.”
It is preferable to collect grass in the spring, from the moment of flowering until the end of May. Collect the entire above-ground part of the plant, except for the roots. There are useful substances in the stems, leaves, and flowers. Dry, laying out in a thin layer, under a canopy. Do not allow sun exposure to raw materials. Dry grass is easily crushed by hand, after which it is packaged in linen bags. It can also be transferred to glass or porcelain dishes. Shelf life - 1 year.
It is important to remember: grass can accumulate heavy metals and other harmful substances from the air and soil. Therefore, it is so important to choose an environmentally friendly place to collect it.
What substances are included in woodlice?
What are the beneficial properties of chickweed herb?
With such a wide pharmacological effect, woodlice in folk medicine, as well as in traditional medical practice, is used for many diagnoses and symptoms as an independent remedy and in complex treatment.
You can find information about the antitumor properties of woodlice and its use for cancer. There is no scientific evidence for this. However, the herb can be useful at the stage of recovery of the body in combination with other remedies.
Woodlice has few contraindications. It should not be taken if you have an individual intolerance, as well as with low blood pressure and during exacerbation of chronic diseases. Consultation with a doctor in this situation is strictly required. The side effects of this plant have been poorly studied. However, it is known that it contains a lot of saponins, which accelerate the breakdown of red blood cells and are toxic. The instructions do not indicate use in pregnant women and children. This issue must be resolved individually with your doctor.
Treatment with woodlice grass does not always lead to the expected positive result. This remedy is often used with other herbs to enhance the healing effect. It is also important to know how to properly brew and ingest your herb.
Chickweed tea can be taken in its pure form, using fresh, crushed leaves or dry raw materials. But most often it is prescribed as a cough mixture.
Preparation of cough mixture
Drink warm, 2 glasses a day.
The use of woodlice herb can be useful in the form of a decoction. It is used for various purposes: for colds, coughs, joint pain, as an anti-inflammatory, diuretic, secretory, tonic. Externally used for washing wounds, douching, lotions, baths and compresses. Used for stomatitis, periodontal disease, gingivitis. The eyes are also washed with the decoction. Some herbalists indicate that the product can be dripped into the eyes for cataracts (due to diabetes), corneal clouding, and inflammatory processes. It is not worth risking your health, the product can be harmful: an acute allergic reaction of the mucous membrane to the grass is possible. Consultation with an ophthalmologist is necessary.
How to prepare a decoction
Take ¼ cup orally 3-4 times a day (preferably before meals).
How to prepare a bath decoction
Effective medicinal alcohol tinctures are obtained from chickweed. They are most often prescribed orally for all of the above-listed diagnoses in the list of indications. It especially helps with gastrointestinal diseases, relieves spasms and pain in the intestines. However, for stomach ulcers and all acute forms of diseases of the digestive system, you should definitely consult a doctor before starting treatment. The herb increases secretion, which can lead to the opposite effect.
How to prepare the tincture
The infusion is prepared and used according to the same principle as the decoction. But it infuses longer, as a result of which it contains a high concentration of useful substances. It is often used externally as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent.
How to prepare an infusion
Take in the same dosage as the decoction.
Juice from chickweed is recommended for increasing immunity, hematopoiesis, cleansing the body and losing weight, lowering sugar and cholesterol levels. They treat diseases of the thyroid gland, liver, kidneys, heart, as well as hemorrhoids, constipation, migraines and other ailments. In pure and diluted form, it is used externally for the skin: it is used to treat purulent wounds, burns, and bedsores. It must be remembered that fresh juice can cause diarrhea and indigestion. It should not be taken without a doctor’s prescription and in large portions - 1 tsp. three times a day. It is recommended to dilute it with water and honey. Although you can find the opposite information: drink 100 ml of juice three times a day.
Juicing
It looks and tastes like cucumber juice (but not for everyone!). To improve the taste and increase shelf life, honey and lemon juice are added to the composition.
In cosmetology, decoctions, infusions, and fresh juice are used to treat the skin.
Stellaria media is a popular remedy in homeopathy. Tinctures are prepared from fresh raw materials, and granules are prepared from dry extracts. The dose and course of treatment are prescribed by a homeopathic doctor after a face-to-face consultation. Most often, this drug is recommended for rheumatism, gout, psoriasis, migraines, fatigue, irritability, drowsiness, acute pain in the joints and spine, liver diseases, constipation.
The herb woodlice is effective for inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system, digestion, and urinary system. It is used in endocrinology, dermatology and cosmetology. Thanks to the complex of vitamins and microelements, it is valued as a remedy for vitamin deficiency, anemia and scurvy.
Instructions for use:
Chickweed is an annual herbaceous plant, preparations from which have an immunostimulating, anti-inflammatory, regenerating and wound-healing effect.
Chickwort (wood louse, woodlice, biting midge, canary grass, heart grass, hernia grass) belongs to plants of the Chickweed genus of the Clove family.
The medicinal raw material is the aerial part of the plant. 100 g of herb contains:
Other useful biologically active substances: vitamin K, trace elements (iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, chlorine, selenium, cobalt, silicon), essential oils, aliphatic alcohols, triterpene saponins, tannins, lipids, organic acids, sinapic acid, alkaloids, wax, flavonoids (vitexin, saponaretin).
Thanks to the biologically active substances included in the composition of chickweed, the plant has an immunostimulating, anti-inflammatory, regenerating, wound-healing effect, and less pronounced - laxative, choleretic and diuretic.
Other useful properties:
Chickweed is not included in the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation. It is also not used by official medicine. However, the plant is widely used in folk medicine and homeopathy.
Herbalists recommend using the juice of the plant, as well as preparing various decoctions, infusions and oil extracts (as a wound-healing, analgesic, hypotensive, antiseptic, expectorant, antihistamine, tonic, antihypoxic and diuretic). Homeopaths use woodlice to prepare healing essences (as a tonic, hemostatic, laxative, diuretic and hemostatic agent).
In Belarus, chickweed is traditionally used to treat hemorrhoids, bleeding, hemoptysis, hypovitaminosis, and vomiting with blood. In Karelia, the above-ground part of the plant is brewed for skin diseases, heart pathologies, diseases of the lungs, liver, kidneys, and also as a diuretic, laxative and hemostatic agent. The Nanais prepare baths from fresh woodlice greens that relieve swelling of the legs.
The plant can be used not only for therapy, but also for the prevention of diseases such as cystitis, hyperthyroidism, osteochondrosis, atherosclerosis, anemia, cirrhosis, scurvy, and eye diseases. In such cases, it is possible to use not only decoctions, tinctures and infusions, but also woodlice juice.
Syn: woodlice, woodlice, biting midge, heart grass, canary grass, hernia grass.
Chickweed or chickweed is an annual herbaceous plant with medicinal properties. Despite the fact that chickweed is a generally recognized weed that all farmers, gardeners and floriculture enthusiasts are trying to fight, it has benefits for humans.
Ask the experts a question
Chickweed or chickweed is not included in the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation and is not used by official medicine. However, it has found wide application in homeopathy and traditional medicine. Herbalists recommend using the juice of the plant, as well as preparing infusions, decoctions and oil extracts for treatment. Homeopaths use freshly harvested chickweed to make a healing essence.
Chickweed has moderate anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, choleretic, antiscorbutic, coronary-dilating and hypotensive effects. In homeopathy it is used as a hemostatic, diuretic, laxative, hemostatic and tonic. It can also be used to enhance lactation and treat vitamin deficiency.
Herbs and chickweed flowers in the form of decoctions, infusions and tinctures are used to treat diseases of the heart and blood vessels, in particular hypertension, angina pectoris, vegetative-vascular dystonia, and coronary heart disease. Woodlice is also useful for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, for example, gastritis, enteritis, colitis, enterocolitis, diarrhea and colic. Treatment with chickweed is also practiced for diseases of the gallbladder and liver, lungs, urinary tract, thyroid gland and oral cavity.
Tincture of chickweed is useful for edema of cardiac and renal origin, neurasthenia, epilepsy, nervous attacks, convulsions, infectious-inflammatory and respiratory diseases, hypovitaminosis, immunodeficiency, scurvy and anemia. External use of decoctions and infusions of chickweed, or chickweed, is indicated for skin diseases, such as rashes of various origins, scrofula, pustular rashes, boils, acne. The healing properties of chickweed also appear in the treatment of abrasions and cuts.
Compresses with woodlice can be made for joint diseases, sprains, myositis, arthritis, rheumatism, radiculitis, mastopathy and swelling of the legs.
Contraindications and side effects
Chickweed is contraindicated for pregnant women and children, hypotensive patients, as well as people prone to allergic reactions.
Due to the high content of vitamin C and carotene, chickweed grass is used raw and boiled for preparing salads and other dishes, as well as as a seasoning for main courses.
In beekeeping, due to its long flowering period, chickweed is a good honey plant.
In livestock farming, chickweed is a forage plant. It is added to food for pigs, chickens, geese and turkeys.
Chickweed (lat. Stellaria media) belongs to plants of the genus Stellaria (lat. Stellaria) of the Clove family (lat. Caryophyllaceae). The genus Stellaria (lat. Stellaria) has about 100 species, 51 of which are found in Russia. In central Russia there are from 9 to 11 species. The most famous representatives of the genus Chickweed (lat. Stellaria) are middle chickweed (lat. Stellaria media), grass chickweed (lat. Stellaria graminea), lanceolate chickweed (lat. Stellaria holostea), long-leaved chickweed (lat. Stellaria longifolia), swamp chickweed ( lat. Stellaria palustris), thick-leaved chickweed (lat. Stellaria crassifolia), forest chickweed (lat. Stellaria nemorum) and others.
Chickweed is an annual herbaceous plant with a tap root and a creeping cylindrical branched stem, reaching a height of 10-30 cm. The leaves of chickweed are opposite, ovate, pointed, measuring up to 2 cm in both length and width. The lower leaves are located on petioles, the upper ones are sessile. Small white flowers, similar to stars, have long pedicels and five bipartite petals. Sepals reach 4 mm in length. The corolla is shorter than the calyx, and sometimes is completely absent. Average chickweed has three to five stamens, the color of the stamens is red-violet or purple-red. In some cases, their number can reach ten pieces. The plant blooms from May to September, the fruits ripen in August-September. Due to the long flowering period (from May to September) it is a famous honey plant. The fruits of chickweed are capsules with numerous kidney-shaped or round brown seeds. One plant produces up to 15 thousand seeds that can sprout within 2-5 years. Because of this, chickweed is considered a malicious weed among gardeners.
Chickweed, or chickweed, is famous for its unique ability to predict the onset of rain, as it is very susceptible to fluctuations in humidity and air temperature. If the corolla of the flower has not risen and opened before nine o’clock in the morning, then rain should be expected during the day.
In Russia, chickweed is found in vegetable gardens and fields, in weedy places, on forest edges, along the banks of rivers and other bodies of water. Prefers moist, fertile soil. Frost-resistant.
Additionally, chickweed grows naturally in Asia, Europe, and North America. Widely distributed in the lower mountain zones, as well as in the steppe and forest-steppe zones.
Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.
Chickweed is harvested during the flowering period. The medicinal raw material is the aerial part of the plant. The grass and chickweed flowers, cleared of impurities, are laid out in a 3-5 centimeter layer on paper or fabric. The place should be shaded, ventilated, but protected from direct sunlight and rain. Also, medium chickweed can be dried in a dryer at a temperature not exceeding 40-50 degrees. When dried for a long time at high temperatures, the plant loses its healing properties. The dried herb should be chopped and placed in canvas bags, glass jars or paper bags. You can store average chickweed for no more than one year.
Chickweed or chickweed contains 23 mg of carotene (per 100 g of grass), 114 mg of vitamin C, 44 mg of vitamin E, vitamin K, as well as trace elements such as magnesium, copper, potassium, chlorine, cobalt, selenium, silicon and iron. In addition, the plant contains tannins, triterpene saponins, sinapic acid, aliphatic alcohols, organic acids, alkaloids, lipids, flavonoids (saponaretin, vitexin), wax and essential oils.
Thanks to the vitamins and other components it contains, chickweed or chickweed has an anti-inflammatory, immunostimulating, wound-healing and regenerating effect. It is also a mild laxative, choleretic and diuretic.
It is believed that due to the presence of flavonoids and vitamins C and E, woodlice has a coronary dilation and hypotensive effect. It also has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart, increasing blood flow to it. This property makes it possible to use chickweed to relieve attacks of angina.
Vitamin K, which is part of woodlice, regulates blood clotting, so the plant can be used as a hemostatic and hemostatic agent. Chickweed can also be used to enhance lactation.
The beneficial properties of chickweed are also known in folk medicine, where chickweed is used as an analgesic, wound-healing, antiseptic, antihistamine, expectorant, tonic, hypotensive, antihistamine, diuretic and antihypoxic.
In Belarus, chickweed is traditionally used for hemorrhoids, bleeding, hemoptysis, hypovitaminosis, and vomiting with blood. In Karelia, the grass and flowers of the plant are brewed for heart pathologies, kidney, liver, kidney, lung, skin diseases, and also as a diuretic, laxative and hemostatic agent. The Nanais use fresh green wood lice to prepare baths that relieve swelling of the legs. Also popularly, chickweed is used for coughs and hernias. The antitumor properties of the plant are also known, due to which woodlice can be used in complex therapy of various neoplasms.
1. Abrikosov Kh. N. Chickweed / Dictionary-reference book for beekeepers / Compiled by N. F. Fedosov. - M.: Selkhozgiz, 1955
2. Chickweed / Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron in 86 volumes - St. Petersburg, 1890-1907
3. Strizhev A.V. Calendar of Russian nature. - M.: Moscow. worker, 1981
Chickweed is a flowering plant from the carnation family. It stands out among other crops with a huge number of species. There are more than 200 of them. Chickweed grows all over the planet, but depending on the climate and soil characteristics, it changes the shape of the flowers, the color of the leaves and other characteristics.
This beautiful and delicate flower has several names and can be perennial or annual. Prefers cool climates, high mountain plateaus. Mountain areas of the subtropics and tropics hide unusual glades of blooming chickweed. Certain varieties began to be cultivated by gardeners and decorated their garden plots along with other ornamental plants.
Most A common type of flowers, woodlice (wood lice) has weak stems. They stretch along the surface, clinging to any nearby herbs and plants.
The stem can rise or lie on the ground, fastening occurs due to the hairs located on the skin of the chickweed.
The shape of the leaves is round, pointed at the top. The leaves are decorated with cilia at the base. The upper leaves differ from the lower ones in the way they are secured.
The plant loves moist, fertile soil.
The Latin name of the species is Stellaria media (stellaria). In everyday life the species is called woodlice. The plant is part of the weed family, it fills the ridges, scatters seeds, and spoils the mood of the owners. Stellaria has a huge number of healing properties, which are unknown to many who like to work in the garden. Average chickweed is an annual variety. Description of special characteristics:
Woodlouse has unique abilities. She predicts the arrival of rain and an increase in humidity. Folk omens say that if the flowers on a woodlice have not opened before 9 a.m., you can expect rain. The bloom attracts bees because it produces honey buds.
Latin name: Stellaria nemorum. The herb is called owl potion. Unlike other types of grass, it is perennial and has a strong root that goes deep into the soil. The stems stand straight and reach a height of 60 cm. All branches and stems are pubescent. The leaves are decorated with eyelashes. The leaf shape is hearts. The flowers of the forest chickweed variety are not voluminous, but single. The fruits look like an elongated box, the doors of which open into 8-10 parts. In folk recipes, the herb is used against skin diseases and oncology. The plant has poisonous properties, therefore not used in tinctures and decoctions. Only surface treatment and lotion composition are allowed.
Latin name Stellaria graminea. Perennial grass. The stem branches and beautifully covers the ground. The tetrahedral stems rise above the ground to a height of 40 cm. The leaves are sharp and somewhat rough to the touch. Small white inflorescences cover the stem, forming large, numerous blooms. Healers' recipes use stems, leaves and flowers. Poisonous variety of Stelaria cereal. Therefore, all recipes are created for external treatment. Cannot be used internally. Helps with disorders in the female reproductive system. Another purpose of the herb is strengthening in adulthood, maintaining the activity of the blood flow of elderly patients.
Stellaria bungeana is the Latin name for the Bunge species. Perennial stellaria has a thin root and grows up to 50 cm in length. The description of the species does not differ from the main traditional one, but there are also features inherent only to this species. It is found in Siberia, the Far East, and the European territory of the eastern regions. The plant is an excellent honey plant.
In folk recipes, products based on flowers have various indications:
Chickweed Bunge has several broad spectrum healing effects:
The Bunge variety in the composition of medicines reduces the amount of sugar (fresh grass), eliminates the manifestations of stomatitis (dry mixture).
The bogweed bush is similar in appearance to other varieties of grass, but stands out in the shape of its leaves. They are short, up to 15.cm, elongated and reveal the beauty of the flowers. Small white petals are separated by green, bright and thin sepals. In medicine, properties for treating skin lesions have been identified.
The variety is used for food, adding as a component to salads and seasonings. Certain dishes help eliminate signs of developing scurvy and anemia.
The herb is taken for baths, which become a preventive measure for the health of the whole body. There is evidence of the effect of woodlice baths on the skin; they rejuvenate and strengthen. Compresses are made from the herb; for this, the woodlice is steamed. Externally, woodlice provides a healing effect for the following diseases:
The plant Chickweed is used in homeopathic preparations.
Its surface parts contain many useful microelements:
In addition, the plant is enriched with vitamin C, A, E, K, calcium, iodine and potassium salts.
To prepare medicinal material, only the upper ground part needs to be prepared. The plant is harvested during abundant flowering, which is approximately mid-summer. A special place is prepared for drying. This could be a table installed on the veranda under a canopy. The grass should not be exposed to rain or direct sunlight. In addition, the raw materials must be ventilated, but not weathered. During drying, the grass becomes fine, almost powdery in consistency. It is placed in containers Several storage options are suitable:
Woodlice is used against so many pathologies that it is impossible to list them all. Recipes depend on the people and the area where the herb is collected.
In Belarus, herbal-based remedies are prepared against hemorrhoids, to stop bleeding, and hypovitaminosis. In Karelia they are creating compounds for the treatment of heart pathologies and liver diseases. Remove skin damage and enhance the functioning of the genitourinary system. Nanais treat swelling of the legs with woodlice.
The grass is ground and applied in the form of porridge to the diseased areas. Tie with a bandage or cloth.
A handful of herbs is scalded with boiling water and left for 6 hours in a warm place or in a steam bath. Take 100 g with meals.
Fill the jar 2/3 full with grass, fill it to the top with vodka, and leave it in a dark place for a month. There is no need to shake the container. After 3 weeks, the herb is squeezed out and used for external wiping or as a compress.
The smaller the woodlice leaves are, the more useful substances it contains. To treat the thyroid gland, special raw materials are prepared from small leaves.
Helps against pathologies affecting the thyroid gland. Making juice is easy. Take an ordinary household device and squeeze out a healing drink. Before placing the herb in the juicer, collect it, wash it under running water and shake it to remove excess moisture. Then the herb is left on the table for a few minutes. When the moisture is released, you can begin to process the grass.
Recipe for creating a healing liquid:
The pulp obtained after grinding is placed in cheesecloth and the juice is squeezed out. You can store the healing drink during the day in a cool place. Drink a teaspoon at the beginning of the day. The juice is always made fresh.
Together with woodlice they take motherwort and rose hips. All components must be the same quantity. Making juice is similar to creating a pure woodlice solution. The result of use is an improvement in the condition of the endocrine system. In some medical sources you can find advice on an effective complex. Juices are alternated every other day.
There are no serious restrictions on the herb. It is not recommended to use the recipes for people with low blood pressure, as chickweed lowers it even more.
The genus chickweed will help get rid of the unpleasant symptoms of various diseases.
A flower bush will not take up much space in your garden plot and will not take up time to care for. Useful herbs will help strengthen the body, maintain youth and activity.
