Nasturtium

Nasturtium – the summer adornment plant from family of Capuchins which is constantly blossoming to the first frosts. The nasturtium with flowers red-orange or ognenno orange flowers is most widespread. Less often pink and yellow flowers meet.

There are two species of a plant: dwarfish, or low bush, in height reaching 25 centimeters which blossoms more plentifully and brightly, and also a high nasturtium, with creeping escapes to 1,5 meters in length.

The plant loves moderately wet soil which is well fertilized. The nasturtium does not take out fresh manure, excess of moisture and lime. However the lack of moisture also badly transfers a plant. The plant ceases to blossom on excessively fertilized soil, and leaves, on the contrary, begin to develop violently.

The nasturtium seeds breeds. For proanthesis at the beginning of May seeds sow 2-3 pieces in pots and put under a film in a hotbed. In boxes it is undesirable to sow seeds as the plant badly transfers change. After the termination of frosts the nasturtium is landed to the open ground. If weather warm, then seeds can be sown directly to the soil.

Care of a nasturtium consists in regular top-dressings and waterings. The dwarfish nasturtium perfectly is suitable for a bordering of paths and borders. The high nasturtium is often landed about arbors, balconies, facades of buildings.

Structure and useful properties of a nasturtium

Very few people know that in addition to beautiful outward the nasturtium has remarkable medicinal properties. In South America which is the plant homeland, the nasturtium is used at treatment of a set of diseases. Does not ignore a plant the and the European medicine.

All elevated parts of a nasturtium contain a large amount of ascorbic acid. Its contents in stalks of plants reaches 100-150 mg, and in leaves – 450 mg on 100 g. It is approximately so much how many in berries of blackcurrant and vegetable pepper.

Useful properties of a nasturtium consist in a sulfur content and carotene which preventively work at the sclerosis and other diseases inherent to people of old age. It is a lot of in a plant of potassium, iodine, phosphorus.

The nasturtium kills disease-producing microbes, stimulates immune forces of an organism, improves exchange processes.

In the medicinal purposes all parts of a plant are used. Leaves, for example, possess the expressed antiscorbutic action. Apply a nasturtium at flu, diseases of easy and upper respiratory tracts, as cold remedy, at chronic bronchitis. All this thanks to contents in a plant of vegetable antibiotics. Useful properties of a nasturtium are applied at disbolism, cholelithic and pochechnokamenny diseases, at inflammatory diseases of lymph nodes as laxative. Apply a plant at a men's and female climax. Dried flowers and leaves of a nasturtium effectively save from a depression, remove irritability and feeling of depression.

To prepare infusion, it is necessary to take 1 tablespoon of the crushed nasturtium leaves, to fill in with one glass of boiled water, to draw half an hour and to filter. To accept infusion on a third of a glass three times a day.

In Western Europe wine infusion from nasturtium leaves was widely adopted. To prepare it, it is necessary to fill up to the top a one-liter jar with fresh leaves of a plant and to fill in them with white dry wine. To insist in the dark place for two weeks, to filter. It is necessary to accept wine infusion on one teaspoon three times a day before meal. Such infusion when weakening vital forces of an organism is especially useful.

At a disease of urinary tract and kidneys including at an urolithiasis broth of all plant is useful. That to prepare it, it is necessary to fill in one tablespoon of buds, fruits and leaves of a nasturtium with 0,5 l of boiled water and to heat within fifteen minutes on the water bath. After that broth is infused by 30-40 minutes and filter. Accept on a half of a glass three times a day.

At chronic bronchitis nasturtium juice which is accepted on one tablespoon three times a day is useful. For this purpose prepare also spirit all plant tincture. For its preparation take 1,5 tablespoons of seeds, buds and leaves of a nasturtium, fill in with one glass of vodka and insist two weeks in the dark place. Accept spirit tincture on 25 drops three times a day.

Infusion of flowers of a nasturtium with success is used at diseases of cardiovascular system.

Useful properties of a nasturtium help also at treatment of stomatitis. For this purpose prepare the following broth: 1 tablespoon of flowers and leaves of a plant is filled in with 1 glass of boiled water and heated on the water bath for half an hour. Broth is filtered and add to it 1 teaspoon of honey. Rinse broth an oral cavity and a throat at quinsy and stomatitis.

Do juice which is applied outwardly at itch and an itch of leaves of a nasturtium. Also juice of leaves of a plant is used at a hair loss. Against a hair loss spirit nettle tincture and nasturtiums, or broth from fruits and leaves of a nasturtium still well help.

Use of a nasturtium in cookery

In addition to numerous useful properties, the nasturtium is also widely applied in cookery. In food use immature seeds, fresh leaves and firm flower buds of a plant.

In South America the plant is used as spice as specific taste and aroma are inherent in all its parts. In the English-speaking countries the nasturtium is used for preparation of vitamin drinks and salads.

Fresh leaves, immature seeds and firm flower kidneys differ in pleasant acute taste therefore often fill with them meat dishes and salads. Green fruits of a plant and flower kidneys pickle with vinegar and fennel, and from flowers of a nasturtium prepare the vinegar differing in a peculiar smack.

Petals of a nasturtium pound to a pasty state with addition of garlic, salt and mayonnaise and use for sandwiches.

Decorate with fresh flowers of a plant culinary dishes with fruit baked puddings and mixed vegetables. And dried flowers add to domestic wines. Also from dry flowers very fragrant tea turns out.