Hibiscus

Hibiscus – bushes or small trees of family of Malvovye which fructify in big, colourful, funneled flowers during the long season.

The South of China and Indonesia from where it was delivered and successfully introduced in areas with subtropical and tropical climate is considered the homeland of a hibiscus. In the countries with climate, less suitable for a plant, the hibiscus is grown up as a room or hothouse adornment plant. The sort of hibiscuses is very rich and various, so on one sources it contains about 150 versions, on others of about 300, on the third more than 500.

The most widespread and known types of a hibiscus are:

• Chinese (Chinese rose);
• Syrian;
• Ternate;
• Hybrid;
• Rassechennolepestna.

Leaves of a hibiscus of dark green color, nadrezny and pedunculate. Bushes of a hibiscus can reach 4,5 meters in height, and their flowers can be 16 cm in the diameter. Fruits of a hibiscus are five-folding boxes in which seeds are located. Hibiscuses can be grown up as separate trees, hedges and houseplants. At the correct leaving the hibiscus can blossom all the year round.

Advantage of a hibiscus

The advantage of the Hibiscus is high at treatment of nervous diseases, colds, heart troubles, appetite loss, a liquid delay, blood circulation disturbance, hypostases and inflammations, for dissolution of a phlegm and diseases of upper respiratory tracts. Also use of a hibiscus is effective at irritation of a stomach as the soft laxative and diuretic increasing a diuresis.

The fruit acids which are contained in a hibiscus work as laxative. According to numerous researches it is proved that the hibiscus contains the chemicals promoting lowering of blood pressure, decrease in spasms in a stomach, intestines and a uterus, and also to destruction of bacteria and helminths.

Early researches show that daily reception of 1 gram of extract of flowers of a hibiscus leads to reduction of level of cholesterol, reduces the arterial pressure and risk of developing of diseases of urinary tract.

The hibiscus has antioxidant properties of flavonoids, polyphenolic connections and anthocyans which prevent oxidation of lipoproteids of low density. These antioxidants also help to control the level of cholesterol and reduce probability of heart diseases.

In most cases reception of tea and infusions from petals of a hibiscus is safe, however, during pregnancy and in the period of a lactation it is not necessary to abuse them. The advantage of a hibiscus for children aged up to one year, for patients with gastritis and stomach ulcer is also low.

Roots, leaves and flowers of a hibiscus are the strong anesthetic regulating periods and stimulating blood circulation. Extract of flowers is traditionally used at treatment of diseases of a liver and as aphrodisiac. Broth from leaves, roots and fruits are effective at treatment of arthritis, a furuncle and cough.

Use of a hibiscus

The hibiscus was widely used in Egypt where drink to a karkada, rich in vitamin C was for the first time made of flowers of a plant.

Use of the Hibiscus as foodstuff, flavoring additive and spice is around the world widespread. Young, gentle leaves of a plant are prepared and eaten in China as spinach. In other places young leaves of a hibiscus are put in the raw in salads. In different places worldwide, flowers are eaten in a boiled, crude and salty look, used as spice and even a food dye. Flowers are the most used part of a plant a hibiscus in cookery.

China bakes flower petals in pies, and India cooks them in water with sugar and receive sweet soft drink. Petals have soft, tart, citrus taste and they can be used as additive in food for dishes to which a citrus is added. It can be fruit and spicy pies, meat and even alcoholic cocktails. Stalks of a hibiscus are used at preparation of soups in Central America.

The people of the African countries widely apply leaves and flowers of a hibiscus in traditional medicine. From them cook tinctures and broths which serve as an anti-microbicide.

Extract of petals of a hibiscus is a part of grass ointments for treatment of eczema and allergic reactions.

Plant fibers a hibiscus are used by production of ropes, grids and meshkovinny fabrics, and the plant together with a straw grass serves as construction material for a roof in Nigeria.