As a medicinal plant, balsam is widely known in the Urals and Siberia under the name "Vanka wet".

He is also called "Impatient" in Central Asia and the Caucasus. The plant received all these names because of its characteristics. First, ripe balsam fruits crack, scattering seeds on the sides, at the slightest touch. Hence - "touchy" and "balsam", which is translated from Latin as "impatient". Secondly, droplets of whitish liquid appear along the edges of the balsam leaf, for which he was nicknamed "Vanka wet".

There are several varieties and varieties of this plant. In Russia, it was grown as an indoor flower; nowadays balsam is very popular among gardeners. There are only about 400 such ornamental species known. But those that grow only in forest zones with a temperate climate - only eight species. And it is forest balsam that belongs to the category of medicinal herbs, although it is a poisonous plant that is used for healing purposes, but they do it with caution.

You can meet balsam in a forest area on the banks of a stream or river, as well as in ravines, where the ground is wet and darkened. It has alternate ovoid oblong leaves, the edges of which are coarsely toothed. Inflorescences are yellow in the form of a brush, have a spur. Moreover, the flowers themselves are irregular in shape, five-petal, of which four grow together in pairs.

The stems and leaves of forest balsam have a fleshy, juicy, rich green color. The fruit of the "touch-me-not" is an oblong box with five curling leaves.

The healing properties of balsam

This plant contains a large amount of ascorbic acid, but only during the flowering period. In addition, the stems and leaves of the plant contain alkaloids, acids, glycosides, flavonoids and tannins.

"Impatient" is an excellent wound healing and anti-inflammatory agent for external use. For washing wounds, including purulent ones, as well as ulcers and hemorrhoidal cones, a decoction of balsam is used. The broth is prepared at the rate of one tablespoon per glass of boiling water, when the broth cools down, a gauze swab is moistened in it, which is then applied to the inflamed surface.

Freshly squeezed juice from balsam leaves is also great for healing wounds and soothing pain, but should be used with great care.

The main medicinal properties of balsam, for which it is so valued in folk medicine, is a beneficial effect on the kidneys and the entire urinary system.... Balsam has proven to be excellent in the treatment of kidney and bladder stones. The substances contained in it grind stones into sand, and smoothly remove them. In addition, the plant contains compounds that help remove excess fluid from the body.

Take the infusion and decoction of this herb should be strictly dosed, remembering that it is poisonous. In order to prepare the infusion, one teaspoon of balsam leaves and stems is taken, poured with a glass of boiling water, and infused for 20 minutes in a warm place. Take an infusion of balsam no more than one tablespoon at a time, and no more than two tablespoons per day.

In addition to urolithiasis, balsam is used to treat gout and rheumatism: baths are used with the addition of a concentrated decoction, and one tablespoon of the herb infusion is taken orally after meals.

Contraindications

Balsam, as a poisonous plant, has a number of contraindications.

Firstly, preparations from this plant should not be taken by pregnant and lactating women, as well as children under 14 years old. Secondly, digestive diseases are contraindicated, balsam can irritate the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. In case of an overdose, balsam causes poisoning.

Sincerely,

(the Balsamin family) belongs to a large genus, which is called the Impatient. It has over 500 plant species. The gardening "career" of these plants developed with varying success: there was a time when they were admired and then undeservedly forgotten.

Today, the attention of gardeners and flower lovers is again riveted to them. Yellow, purple, crimson, long flowering are the main distinguishing features of these plants.

Spreading

Impatiens from the Himalayas. It was brought in as an ornamental plant. Prefers moist shady areas, grows along the banks of rivers and lakes. The plant in natural conditions grows most often in tropical Africa and Asia, some representatives of the genus - in America and Europe.

In our country, almost everywhere you can find common touchy with small or large yellow flowers, as well as glandular, in which we will talk about them in this article.

Name

The name of the genus Impatiens consists of two Latin words: im, which means "no", and patiens, which translates as "to endure", "to endure." Thus, the name of the genus means "a plant that does not tolerate being touched." It comes from the property of this plant to respond to the slightest touch.

Common touchy

Herbaceous up to 80 cm high with an erect juicy stem and a fibrous, branched root. Leaves are petiolate, alternate, with large denticles along the edge, oval.

The flowers are drooping, irregular, with a spur, usually collected in a cluster. The fruit is an oblong capsule. During ripening, when touched, it cracks and forcefully throws out the seeds contained inside. Common touch-me-not blooms from the second half of June to the end of September. Prefers damp shaded areas, forms impassable thickets.

The chemical composition of this plant is still not well understood. It is known for certain that during the flowering of touch-me-not contains 68.5% vitamin C.

Application of touch-sensitive common

The plant is used only by traditional healers. The herb infusion is taken as an anti-inflammatory and diuretic for diseases of the bladder, kidneys, edema, and kidney stones. In addition, it is also used as an emetic. Infusion of herbs washed wounds, ulcers. Infusion baths have a good effect on joint pain. Crushed leaves are applied to bruises, hemorrhoids.

Common touch-me-not has long been successfully used by traditional healers. For medicinal use, the plant is cut whole during flowering. Raw materials are dried by laying them out in the shade or in a well-ventilated area. Touch-me-not is used for external and internal bleeding, for stones in the bladder and kidneys.

Preparation of infusion

Two tablespoons (tablespoons) of crushed raw materials, brew 500 ml of boiling water in a thermos. Leave it to infuse for five hours. After this time, strain. Take the product warm. During the day, you need to drink 200 ml of the product in equal shares. Impatiens act on the uterus, causing its intense contraction with heavy bleeding. In addition, this infusion is recommended for the treatment of bleeding from the bladder and rectum. It is used externally to treat ulcers, wounds, hemorrhoids.

Common touch-me-not is a melliferous, medicinal, dyeing and poisonous plant. Self-medication should not be carried away, even if someone from your acquaintances advises you to "drink weed."

Impatiens glandular: description

This is also an annual. Grows up to two meters. Stems are straight, with internodes, often transparent, juicy, filled with juice. Leaves are alternate, elliptical, whole. The plate is shiny and delicate. Their length is 10 cm, the edges are serrated.

The second name of the plant is ferrous balsam (ferruginous balsam). The stem of the plant is thick, strongly branched, knotty, juicy. Leaves are ovate-lanceolate, can reach 12 cm in length. They are serrated along the edge, with winged petioles. At the top of the stem, they gather in whorls.

Wine-red, white, pink flowers of this type of touch-me-not are large, simple, collected in umbrella-shaped brushes of 10-14 pieces. The petals are 3-3.5 cm long. The flowers have a delicate and delicate odor, pollinated by various insects, but most often by bumblebees.

The touchy glandular has interesting features. Its leaves, during flowering at the edges, emit drops of sweet and aromatic juice, which forms sugar crystals upon evaporation. They attract ants. Peduncles lengthen significantly during flowering and hide, as if under an umbrella, under the leaves, protecting the flowers from rain.

The diameter of the flower (with enough heat and moisture) is 3 cm. In dry years, the touch-me-not glandular is covered with small flowers, albeit in large quantities. They are more closed, but when the seeds from these flowers get into a fertile environment, they give beautiful large, well-developed flowers.

The fruit is an oblong multi-seeded succulent box, which consists of five valves. During maturation, the joints of the valves become weak, and the capsule is constantly in tension. If you slightly shake the stem or slightly touch the box, it immediately breaks with a crack, and the dark brown seeds are scattered with force to a distance of up to two meters. Many new plants grow from them every year. The seeds are spread over long distances by birds and animals. They do not lose their germination for eight years.

Touch-me-not and magic

In ancient times, it was believed that the touchy glandular is capable of magically opening locks, with one touch to destroy the prison bolts. It was believed that the flower can break gold and silver, iron and copper into small pieces. Thieves who found a touchy one made an incision in the palm, inserted grass into it, and then healed the wound. From the touch of such a hand, the locks supposedly fell from the doors.

People believed that everyone who just carried this plant in their pocket was reliably protected from any bullet. This herb, thrown into the forge of the enemy, deprived him of the opportunity to forge iron. But not every touch-up possessed magical properties, but only the one that was obtained with the observance of special rituals.

It was necessary to find a hollow, in which a woodpecker made a nest, and at the same time there were already chicks in it. Then it was necessary to wait for the mother bird to fly away, and then close the nest tightly. Seeing that the nest is closed, the bird will certainly bring a stalk of touch-me-not. From his light touch, the hollow will open. At this moment, the observing person should have screamed loudly for the frightened bird to drop the grass.

Breeding in the garden

Glandular touch-me-not is the largest plant of its kind. It is rarely bred in rural front gardens, as it gives abundant self-seeding, often "runs" over the fence and forms solid thickets of succulent stems. And gardeners and country house owners love balsams. They look great in curbs, ridges, or as a central element of a flower bed.

The touch-me-not can become a perennial plant. If you grew it in the garden or on the balcony, cut off the stalk and grow the flower in the room during the winter. The only drawback of this procedure is leaf fall in low light conditions.

The best place to plant the touchy is in a garden, in a well-ventilated, fairly sunny area with a soil rich in organic matter. Gardeners need to know that touchy ones take out a lot of nitrogen from it, and therefore grow rather quickly. On poor soils, they almost never reach their maximum size. Especially they do not like thickening balsams: the plants become stunted, and flowering ends very quickly.

In medicine, this type is not used. Gardeners need to be careful when handling this plant. The fact is that the touch-sensitive glandular is poisonous. And one more piece of advice. You should not plant this plant if there are small children in the family.

A plant. Representative of the genus Impatiens. From the Latin language, it translates as impatient (Impatiens).

In a year, it can reach a height of 120 cm. A branchy plant with bright flowers. Flowering begins in early summer and lasts all three summer months. In August, flowering ends, fruits appear in the form of five-leafed bolls.

When opening the capsules, these valves are twisted in spirals, and small dark brown seeds are thrown to the ground. The radius of the seed ejection reaches up to 2 meters.

Wild balsam is rarely grown in gardens, since it is inferior in its appearance to its fellows, of which there are more than 400. The breeders did a good job and brought out the most diverse beauty varieties.

However, wild-growing balsam is widely used in herbal medicine. It has a complex chemical composition, the properties of which are not fully understood by scientists. For a long time, people have noticed that the plant helps in the treatment of various diseases.

Attention! Wild balsam is poisonous, especially during flowering. If you decide to plant it in your garden, take all precautions, especially if there are children!

This plant was brought to European countries at the end of the 16th century. His homeland is Africa, namely the tropical forests located on the eastern shores of the continent.

But, it is found in other countries as well:

• in the East Indies;
• in Central Asia;
• in Ukraine;
• in England.

At first, of course, decorative varieties were brought, and later wild balsam was also brought.

In Russia, he took root well. He was even given the Russian name "Vanka wet". This is due to the fact that when there is high humidity (rain, foggy weather), droplets of a transparent liquid released by the flower appear on the edges of the leaves. It is very common in Siberia, namely in its western and eastern parts.

The appearance and features of the plant

Wild balsam is a rather fragile plant. The roots are fibrous. The foliage is lush, bright green. The leaves are large, egg-shaped, and can grow up to 10 cm in length. Have jagged edges. The trunk is darker, knobby. Many branches grow from the trunk.

The flowers are usually medium in size, bright pink in color, not velvety. They are not in the correct shape. An elongated spur is formed at the tip of the flower. Flowers are located on loose inflorescences hanging down.

In order to distinguish wild balsam from their fellows, special knowledge is not needed. Its features are as follows:

• First, it usually grows in the wild.
• Secondly, the level of its beauty is an order of magnitude lower than that of indoor and garden balsams.
• Thirdly, the plant bush seems to shine through. This is especially well observed if direct sunlight falls on it.
• Fourth, they only bloom in shades of pink.
• Fifth, only a wild plant has medicinal properties. With its help, many diseases are treated, for example, ulcers, hemorrhoids, attacks of rheumatism. The fleshy leaves are rich in flavonoids and alkaloids, as well as ascorbic acids.

Photo

Below you can see a photo of a wild plant.

Where and how to plant it?

Wild balsam lives in the forest, especially on the banks of reservoirs and on wet edges. He is not very much in demand among gardeners. Nevertheless, this is not a weed, and if you decide to plant it for medicinal (or for other purposes) in your personal plot, then you should observe the following rules:

1. you need to plant it in a shaded place (under a tree, or under a house, on the west side);
2. this must be done in early spring, after frost (young plants will die at zero temperature);
3. it is important to maintain a distance between them of at least 35 centimeters so that the bushes develop normally, no matter how they are, they are lovers of wild free nature;
4. you can feed the seedlings after planting, but not immediately. It is better to do this after 10 days.

On a note! Plant it near a water source as it needs to be watered frequently.

There are two ways to plant flowers, which we will talk about below.

For this you need:

Bushes

This method requires:

1. Dig up young plants, 10-15 cm high in the forest. It is important to carefully dig up together with the ground, so as not to damage the roots too much.
2. In this case, pruning of the central root is at your discretion, depending on how badly the roots were damaged during digging and transportation.
3. Dig a hole 15-20 cm deep, water abundantly.
4. Plant the bushes neatly, pull dry earth on top. This will keep the moisture inside longer.
5. To increase the likelihood that the bushes will be accepted, you can bring the land from the place where the plant was dug directly and mix it with the ground in your garden plot. This is necessary to exclude a sharp change in the quality of the soil in which the bush grew before and after transplantation.

Lighting and location

As noted above, balsam should be planted in the shade.

Note! Direct sunlight negatively affects this flower. The leaves are severely burned and dry out.

It is also important that the soil is constantly moist.

Soil requirements

This plant is generally not whimsical to the composition of the soil. For balsam, the soil should be loose and not acidic.

To plant it, you can mix sand, leafy soil, compost, humus.

Wild balsam is not particularly whimsical to care for. The only important thing is to water it regularly and weed the soil so that the top layer of the earth is loose and provides oxygen to the roots.

Watering on hot days is necessary every evening. It is necessary to pour water so that the soil is moist at a depth of 40 cm. Watering must be done before the top layer dries up and a crust forms.

Fertilizers can be applied. If fertilizers are rich in nitrogen, then foliage will develop before our eyes, but there will be few flowers. Phosphorus-nitrogen fertilizers will have a beneficial effect on flowering.

Common diseases and pests

Like any wild plant, balsam is quite strong in this respect. However, he can also get sick.

1. Excessive moisture can lead to fungal diseases. even though he is a water lover.

   On a note. To combat fungal diseases, you need to moderate watering and use special antifungal agents.

   However, in this case, the plant often cannot be saved.

   Often, when the detection of fungal diseases occurs at a later stage, when the trunk and root system is already affected and badly rotted.

2. Red and spider mites often attack this type of plant. especially in dry weather.
3. Whitefly is also a balsam lover. It leaves white streaks on the leaves.
4. Green aphid affects young shoots sucking their juice out.

To fight insects, you need to use insecticides. These can be purchased at flower shops.

Breeding features

In the wild, balsam is propagated by seeds. As noted above, ripe fruits are filled with brown seeds, which open when touched or windy and scatter the seeds to ensure the life of the next generation for the next year.

On the garden plot, seed propagation is also possible. The seeds can be stored for up to 7 years.

Option and cuttings are possible. A stalk is cut from the side branches. The lower leaves are torn off. The stalk is placed in a container with water. After the roots appear, the cutting can be planted. The main thing is to do this in the spring, so that the plant has time to go through its life cycle and give ripe fruits.

Wild balsam has gathered in itself not only the beauty of leaves and flowers. Its main advantage is its healing properties. In leaving, he is not whimsical. Therefore, by planting such a plant in your garden, you will get a healer at hand and a beautiful garden. However, one should not forget about the precautions and its toxic properties.

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Due to the high prevalence and diversity of plants, the place of birth of wild balsam cannot be specified... It can be found in almost all parts of the world, temperate and tropical regions. But the main points of concentration are still considered to be the countries of Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.

The first information about this plant was obtained in 1689 in India and nearby regions of Asia. After that, other flower growers became interested in the flower. One of them was Karl Linnaeus, to whom many of his associates owe the most complete description and systematization of many species.

The plant was gaining popularity among gardeners and was loved by many residents of the countries. Today the flower in Russia is often called Vanka Wet. This is due to the fact that when the humidity of the air rises (rain, fog), small droplets of sweet liquid form on the leaves, which after a while turn into saccharins. In the West, the plant was named Busy Lizzie.

Botanical view of the plant

Wild balsam - belongs to the balsam family. Translated from Latin, "balsam" means "impatient." The peculiarity of the name is associated with its fruits, the touch of which causes their disclosure.

The plant is very easy to cultivate, does not require special care, resistant to dry air, blooms well and grows even on the northern side, because feel great without abundant heat. They can be grown both in pots and in the open field.

The genus Impatiens includes 400 to 550 flowering and herbaceous plants.

Description of the species

Its lush foliage and bright flowers adorn not only the fields and forests of our country, but also the most ordinary gardens of people. Despite the fact that Russia is not the birthplace of a flower, the people loved it with all their hearts.

Wild balsam begins to bloom in early summer and continues for the next three months. At the end of the last summer month, flowering ends and fruits appear that look like small bolls (testes). When the capsule is opened, the seeds can be scattered within a radius of 2 meters.

In gardens, wild balsam is rarely grown, because breeders have developed new well-developed varieties of different beauty and sizes.

Peculiarities

Wild balsam is a rather fragile annual plant, reaching a height of 120 centimeters.

• lush foliage, rich green color;
• fibrous roots;
• the stem is knotty, slightly translucent in appearance, especially if the rays of the sun fall on it;
• the leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, have an elongated oblong shape;
• flowers of wild (forest) yellow balsam, not having a regular shape, slightly pointed at the tip.

Peculiarities:

1. Only the wild type of balsam has medicinal properties. Thanks to him, many people treat hemorrhoids, ulcers, attacks of rheumatism and many other diseases.
2. Grows in the wild.
3. Found only in yellow.
4. The bush seems to shine through, especially in direct sunlight.
5. Quite simple, in contrast to indoor and garden representatives of the same species.

These bright flowers are extremely popular now. They bloom all summer long and are pleasing to the eye. Probably there is not a single summer resident who did not have at least one bush of this beautiful plant. Let's take a closer look at some of them. Read about these:, or,. It is also interesting to read about and varieties of balsam.

Photo

Here you can see a photo of wild balsam:

Where and how to plant it?

Usually wild balsam grows in the forest, along the banks of water bodies and shady wet areas like a weed. He is not very much in demand among gardeners, but if your eye still fell on this wonderful flower, then you should take into account the following nuances:

1. It should be planted in a shaded area (under trees, bushes, on the west side of the house).
2. It is important to keep the distance between plants (at least 30 centimeters) so that the bush can grow and develop normally.
3. This should be done in the spring, after the frost leaves (at zero temperature, young plants may die).

Important! It is best to plant near water as the plant requires frequent watering.

There are several ways to plant a plant.

One way is seeds

1. It is necessary to collect seeds from garden or forest plants, during the period of fruit ripening.
2. Plant the seeds in a small box and sprinkle with a thin layer of earth and water. After that, cover the boxes with foil (this will accelerate seed germination).
3. Place boxes in a warm, dark room.
4. After the seeds sprout, you should move the box to a more illuminated place.
5. It is important that there is no stagnation of water, therefore, holes must be made at the bottom so that excess moisture goes away.

After 20 days, it is necessary to transplant the sprouts separately from each other in small containers (for this, you can use disposable cups). Seedlings should be fertilized so that they grow strong and did not die in the first days of transplantation.

You should also harden the seedlings by taking them outside in daylight. In the evening, it is better to put the boxes back to their usual place.

Plants can be planted if about 10 leaves have appeared on the shoots. Before planting, you need to make a shallow hole (7-10 cm) and fill it with water. It should be planted so that the ground touches the first leaf of the plant.

Planting with bushes

1. You need to find young plants in the forest, about 10-15 cm high. It is important to do everything carefully, without damaging the roots.
2. Dig a hole 15-20 cm deep and pour plenty of water.
3. Carefully plant the bushes, sprinkle with earth on top so that the moisture remains longer.

To increase the likelihood that the flower will be accepted, you can bring the land from the place where this plant grew before, and mix the earth with you where you want to plant. This is necessary in order to avoid abrupt changes and the quality of the soil, in which the growth of the bush before and after transplantation. Thanks to this condition, the plant will take root faster and begin to bloom better.

Wild balsam is highly toxic, especially during flowering... If you do decide to plant it near your home or in your garden, you should take all precautions into account, especially if you have children.

Location and lighting

As mentioned earlier, wild balsam should be planted in the shade.

Direct sunlight is bad for this plant. Leaves become covered with yellow spots (get burned) and dry up.

The soil should always be moist.

Soil requirement and care

This flower is not picky about the composition of the soil... The main thing to consider is that the soil should not be acidic and loose. To do this, you can mix:

• sand;
• compost;
• humus;
• leafy ground.

On hot days, water every evening. It is necessary to pour water so that the soil is saturated at a depth of 40 cm.

Can be fed with fertilizer... If you want thicker leaves, then you should choose a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content, abundant flowering - phosphorus-nitrogen fertilizers.

Common diseases and pests

In an open area, any flower is exposed to a variety of pests and diseases, but what to do if it overtook our balsam?

First you need to understand what is wrong with him. So, if you find that the flower buds are falling off. The most common reasons may be:

When dealing with pests, a variety of products can help, which are provided in a large assortment.

Among the diseases, the greatest harm to a plant outside the room is caused by false mealy grass. The development of the disease is facilitated by:

• Wet cool weather.
• The close arrangement of flowers with each other. The moisture does not have time to evaporate, creating discomfort.
• Careless attitude.

First, a white bloom appears on the inside of the leaf, after which the leaf turns black and falls off. New foliage is thinning, or stops growing altogether.

At the first sign of illness, remove all contaminated balsams., and to subject to treatment precisely those that the disease has not yet had time to catch.

Insect pests can also be frequent guests of wild balsam:

Carefully! It is best to handle plants in a special bandage to avoid the ingestion of chemicals into the respiratory tract.

Reproduction

Most often, wild balsam is propagated by cuttings. This method allows you to preserve all the characteristics of the mother "individual".

1. The planting material is cut off during transplantation.
2. Twigs without buds are chosen, each of which must have at least two internodes.
3. The lower leaves are cut off.

Rooting methods:

• Water... Immerse the twig in the water without touching the foliage, because putrefaction may begin. Place in a well-lit place with warm air. The roots will appear almost immediately, after 2 weeks it will be possible to transplant the layers into the ground.
• Priming... The grounding of the cutting is shallow. The soil for such a procedure can be prepared by yourself: mix peat and vermiculite in equal parts, 2 parts of perlite. The substrate should always be slightly moistened and slightly loosened after watering to saturate with oxygen.

If you have chosen the wild balsam, then be sure that it will not bring you much trouble, delighting you with its brightness and beauty throughout the entire flowering.

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Balsam is a flowering plant, a herbaceous annual, very appreciated by gardeners all over the world, for its beautiful flowers and abundant greenery. The first mentions of balsamines in Europe date back to 1542, when the Portuguese brought it from America, and since that distant time this flower has not lost its popularity.

Garden balsam is a fragile, annual plant about 70 cm high, with a well-branching stem. It has simple or double flowers, sitting in the axils of the leaves, arranged in a regular order along the entire stem. Flower breeders also contributed to the popularity and distribution of balsam, creating more than 400 hybrids and varieties of this magnificent flower to the delight of gardeners who grow it on lawns, on balconies and even at home in flower pots and hanging pots.

Garden balsam is also excellent as a container plant that does not require any special care for itself and has many varieties for just this way of growing.

Balsam, whose Latin name is Impatiens, translates as "impatient", but in the Caucasus and Central Asia it is called "touchy", and sometimes the name "jumper" is found. This name came about for a reason. The fact is that the fruits of balsam are similar to a box of an elongated oblong shape, with five twisted leaves, ripening, at the slightest touch to them, they crack and its seeds fly in different directions, as if trying to get into the ground as soon as possible and give life to a new plant ...

In Russia, balsams are also known and popular and have been grown for quite some time. But the most beloved and widely known is the room balsam "Vanka wet". This plant got its name for the droplets of whitish liquid protruding at the edges of its leaves. For its beautiful bright flowers, balsam is also called "light" in our country. But the British, a serious people, gave the balsam the nickname "troublesome or zealous Lizzie" because this plant has a long flowering period - from the beginning of July to the very frosts. For the more romantic Austrians, balsam is the "Lovely Wreath".

Not all balsams are medicinal

Garden balsam, so respected and loved by many gardeners for the most beautiful amazing, large double or not, but equally bright flowers of purple, red, yellow or white are only decorative and have no medicinal properties.

Only forest, "wild" balsam, which can be found along the banks of forest streams, streams and in ravines, has medicinal properties.

Forest balsam is a poisonous plant, its use for medicinal purposes requires knowledge and caution. The plant is annual, the flowering period begins in late June and ends in September.

Forest balsam - distinctive features

The balsam growing in the forest differs from its magnificent decorative counterpart in a more modest, less flashy and attractive appearance.

This is a plant with a knobby stem, which in appearance seems to be slightly translucent, especially when exposed to the rays of the sun, reaching a height of no more than one hundred centimeters. The leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, have an oblong ovoid shape along the edges, of which there are pronounced large teeth. Flowers of forest balsam are yellow, irregular in shape, there is an elongated spur at the tip of the flower.

The healing properties of the plant

Today, balsam is one of the few plants whose chemical composition is still being studied. But even the information obtained by biochemical studies of this plant is enough to confirm the fact of the undoubted medicinal value of balsam.

So, during the period, however, only of its flowering, forest balsam contains a very large amount of ascorbic acid - this is an excellent natural remedy for the prevention of colds. Stems and leaves - alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, acids and tannins, a small amount of various resins, carotene, ceryl alcohol and sigmasterol. Balsam seeds contain about 60 percent fatty oils.

As a medicine, balsam is used both for external use and for internal use, in the form of decoctions and infusions. Taking decoctions or infusions made from balsam should be strictly dosed - it must be remembered that this herb is poisonous, an overdose when ingested causes severe vomiting.

In folk medicine, balsam is most valued for its beneficial effect on the kidneys and, in general, on the entire urinary system. The compounds that make up it crush stones in the kidneys and in the bladder well and gradually, with urine, smoothly remove them. Also, balsam helps to remove excess fluid from the body, which reduces swelling in some diseases. This wonderful plant has found its use in other diseases, for example, such as

• purulent wounds and ulcers- they are washed with a decoction of balsam, which is prepared at the rate of 1 tbsp. fresh stems and leaves in 1 cup boiling water. These broth, after it cools down, moisten a gauze swab and apply to the inflamed area,
• hemorrhoids - make a decoction according to the above recipe, then moisten a gauze swab with it and apply it to the hemorrhoidal cones,
• rheumatism - an infusion is prescribed for internal use, and externally - you can do baths, with the addition of a concentrated broth. The infusion is prepared as follows. You need to take 1 tsp. balsam leaves and pour boiling water for 20 minutes. After the infusion is infused and cooled, it is taken 1 (extremely rarely 2) tablespoons per day. Overdose can cause profuse vomiting.
• fresh wounds - apply juice, preferably freshly squeezed, but carefully, remembering the toxicity of the plant. The juice heals the wound and relieves pain.
• dropsy - take the infusion.
• gout - use baths with a concentrated decoction of balsam and inside, drink 1 tbsp. infusion after meals.

This plant is also known in Tibetan medicine. Tibetan doctors recommend balsam to their patients for cardiovascular diseases. It is known that drugs, which include this plant, increase the amplitude of contractions of the heart muscle, while the heart rate slows down and has a depressing effect on the central nervous system. Also, balsam in Tibet is used as an anthelmintic for diabetes, ascites and spasmophilia.

Chinese medicine also paid attention to this wonderful plant. Chinese doctors use balsam for menstrual irregularities in women, as a stimulant during labor and as an anti-toxic agent for poisonous snake bites. Leaves are widely used by them as a wound healing, antiseptic, diuretic, laxative and emetic.

It is also used to treat dermatomycosis. When various parts of the body are affected, a compress is made from a finely chopped ground part of balsam. For this, fresh leaves of the plant are used, which, after washing and cutting as small as possible, are wrapped in gauze, poured over with boiling water and applied warm to the affected area of ​​the skin for 10 minutes.

Contraindications to the use of balsam

Forest balsam is a poisonous plant and its intake should be strictly dosed, and in the treatment of certain diseases, it should be carried out only under the supervision of the attending physician. In no case should decoctions and infusions of balsam be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as children under 14 years of age.

With caution, and it is better not to use the infusions and products of balsam at all for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Some people have an individual intolerance to preparations containing balsam, and allergic manifestations are also possible. An overdose of the drug can lead to poisoning.