How to grow and care for poultry

Some indoor plants not only decorate interiors with their greenery and flowering, but can also be useful in the treatment of certain diseases. Among these plants, a worthy place is occupied by the caudal bird. He was recently introduced to our region. In 1961, its seeds were obtained by the Leningrad Botanical Institute from Gothenburg.

Botanical description

The caudate bird is a perennial bulbous plant of the genus Bird-bird sturgeons of the Hyacinth subfamily, which belong to the family of Asparagus. Although not so long ago it was attributed to the family of the Lille. In addition to botanical (Ornithogal caudatum) it has other names - Indian onions, Chinese onions, and scallions. This heat-loving plant comes from South Africa.

Indian onions have long (up to 5 cm) long basal green leaves that grow from a rather large bulb (up to 10 cm or more). Leaves may curl a little or dry out at the ends. The green bulb is covered with pale yellow scales and looks out of the ground, not buried, can form many babies. It blooms as early as 2-3 years after planting, throwing out an arrow of a peduncle about 60 cm. The inflorescence is racemes with small white flowers with a green stripe in the middle of each petal. Fruits in the form of boxes with black round seeds.

Did you know? In the world there are up to 300 species of poultry. Of these, 30 species grow on the territory of Russia and neighboring countries. The poultry bird arcuate is listed in the Red Book of Russia.

Spread

In nature, it grows in the tropics in the south of the African continent. Distributed as a houseplant around the world. It is also grown in open ground in the Mediterranean, India, China and in the south-east of Europe.

Application in the garden and landscape design

This beautiful plant looks great next to the hosts, primroses, lilies and other summer flowers. In the process of growth, they cover the dried leaves of the poultry meat. It will grow under the trees and on the alpine hill.

We advise you to find out which flowers are best suited for alpine slides.

On the plot, a sunny place or partial shade is chosen for it and planted when warm weather sets in, at which the air temperature no longer drops below +12 ° C. When planting, one should not forget that the plant does not like waterlogging and stagnation of water; it needs well-drained soil. In the open ground, the plant develops and pollinates better when flowering by insects, forms a lot of children. Due to the interesting blooming of white and green flowers in the form of stars, the bird-tailed bird fits perfectly into almost any landscape design.

We recommend to get acquainted with other representatives of bulbous flowers: Pushkin, Crinum, Colchicum, Trinitel, Viper, Goose-onion, Dzhusay.

In the fall, you can transplant it into a pot and continue to grow in room conditions or arrange a period of rest for him. To do this, you need to put it away from the direct rays of the sun and stop watering, only sometimes spray it with water. When planting in open ground and first watering the plant awakens and begins to grow actively.

Medicinal properties: use in medicine

Poultry starch has more healing properties in the second year of growth. At the same time when growing it for treatment you should not do top dressing. It should be noted that the peduncles of this plant contain a large amount of useful juice and are often used for the manufacture of tinctures.

In folk medicine, the beneficial properties of this onion are used externally to treat the following diseases:

• radiculitis;
• salt deposition (osteochondrosis);
• arthrosis, arthritis, polyarthritis;
• bruises, boils;
• tumors;
• small wounds, cuts;
• swelling and itching from insect bites;
• skin rashes;
• herpes, warts;
• headache;
• colds, viral and fungal diseases;
• mastitis;
• neuralgia;
• myositis;
• bronchitis;
• periodontal disease;
• gout;
• toothache.

Alcohol or vodka tincture of poultry meat has not so strong healing properties than the juice from it, because the nutrients of this plant are destroyed under the influence of alcohol and vodka.

Did you know? Among the poultry lambs there is another variety used in medicine - the poultry parasail. This plant in the wild grows on forest edges in many European countries. It is grown for decorative purposes in flower beds. It is officially used by medicine, as it contains colchicine, which helps treat gout and some other diseases. Like many poultry, the plant is poisonous.

For treatment, it is better to use the juice of old leaves with already slightly dried tips. After cutting at the base, such leaves grow back and can be reused.

As a folk remedy, green leaves of Indian onions are used as follows:

1. They make small notches on the leaves and the juice that appears appears to lubricate the sore spot, and then warm them with a bandage. The burning sensation that appears at the same time disappears in ten minutes. The effect of analgesic action passes after a few hours.
2. Juice can also lubricate small abrasions and cuts. At the same time, it should be applied to the wound and allowed to dry, and then apply the product again.
3. This remedy is very effective in bites of animals (cats and dogs). In this case, the wound is quickly tightened, and no scars remain after its healing.
4. With bronchitis and cold, onion leaves can be used as mustard plaster. To do this, in the chest place pre-crushed leaf for 2-3 minutes.
5. With a headache and runny nose, the temples are rubbed with the juice, the nose bridge and the wings of the nose.
6. Well, this tool helps with insect bites (wasps, flies, mosquitoes). To do this, you need a bite-injured place to smear with juice.
7. This excellent anti-inflammatory and antiviral agent is used to treat herpes, gum disease and toothache. To do this, the juice smears the center of inflammation.
8. Gruel of crushed onions treat skin frostbite. To do this, it is applied to the affected area.

You can also take small bulbs for therapeutic juice. The juice from them is colorless, odorless and leaves no traces of stains. VIDEO: INDIAN TINNESS FOR JOINTS In folk medicine is widely used and cooked infusion of poultry. For its preparation, leaves, bulbs, flower stalks are used as raw materials. Raw materials are crushed and poured vodka or diluted with water alcohol in a ratio of 1:20. For a concentrated infusion with good portability of all components, you can take the ratio of 1:10. After five days, the tincture is ready. It retains its beneficial properties for two years. Apply the tool as a rubbing to relieve pain in the joints, lumbar, with sprains, etc. After rubbing with such a composition, it is necessary to warm the sore spot.

To combat pigment spots, chopped Indian onion is diluted with boiling water in a ratio of 1:10. After cooling and filtering through cheesecloth, it is used as a lotion. For medical purposes, the use of funds from this plant should be with the utmost discretion. All preparations must be kept out of the reach of children and pets. When using Indian onions, the following precautions should be followed:

• this bow is poisonous, therefore it is forbidden to take it inside;
• funds from the plant are contraindicated for patients with hemophilia;
• you need to make sure that the juice does not get into the eyes, and if it did happen, then immediately rinse them under running water, and then drop two drops of Tauphone;
• juice is used only on clean skin;
• prolonged exposure to the skin may cause burns;
• means of onions need to be prepared in rubber gloves;
• allergies may occur.

Important! With the appearance of individual intolerance to the components of Indian onions (burn, rash, swelling, choking), it is urgent to stop the use of juice or infusion of it.

Growing at home

This unpretentious tropical plant is easy to grow and propagate at home.

Choosing a landing site

This plant prefers a bright light, but can tolerate a slight shading. It feels good on the southern or eastern windows of the premises. During the period of intensive growth, the comfortable temperature is + 20-22 ° С, and in winter it is kept at + 10-15 ° С.

Soil and fertilizer

This room flower prefers well-drained soil, as it does not tolerate stagnant water. Does not like sour soil. You should also worry about the presence of drainage from stones or foam. For the substrate, it is recommended to mix the turf and leaf soil with sand. Once a month it is recommended to do top dressing from a complex organic preparation for houseplants. First, a young plant is planted in a small container, but as it grows, it is transplanted into a larger container. Unhealthy appearance, rare inflorescences, bulb, approaching the walls of the container more than 1-2 cm - signals to transplant the flower.

Watering and moisture

Waterlogging adversely affects the poultry tail. Water the plant should be as the drying surface of the soil. It does not need high humidity, but the leaves should be periodically cleaned from dust with a clean, damp cloth. With proximity to heating devices and dry air, its leaves may turn yellow and begin to curl. In this case, the poultice should be sprayed with water at room temperature. In winter, watering significantly reduced.

Check out the best types and varieties of decorative onions.

Breeding

Poultry can be propagated in three ways:

• seeds - in this case, should be carried out artificial pollination of flowers;
• children - the easiest and most common way, because the bulb for the season can form several children;
• the division of the bulb.

Seeding seedlings

Seeding on seedlings usually takes place at the end of spring or in summer. Use a substrate of a mixture of peat and perlite, on a wetted surface which distributes the seeds. Then a plastic bag is put on top of the container used, after which it is placed on the window sill. Before the sprouts appear, they sow the air for a few hours every day and monitor the moisture content of the substrate. After the emergence of seedlings package removed. Seedlings dive with the appearance of 4 leaves in separate containers.

Breeding kids

After the plant has faded, many small bulbs appear on the bulb. Their number can vary from 2 to 20 pieces. It is not necessary to make great efforts for separation, it is recommended to wait for the time when the onions will easily separate. Such babies should be carefully separated from the mother plant and placed in a separate bowl with a moistened substrate. In a few weeks, each of them will take root and be able to develop on its own. The division of the bush

For reproduction by the method of dividing the bulbs, a large, healthy (about 5 cm) specimen of the tuber is selected, the roots are cut several times and divided into two halves. The bulb halves are stored for some time in a well-ventilated room, and then each of them is planted in a separate container with a moist substrate. Within a few weeks of watering and leaving the bulbs, new leaves will appear.

Seed collection

To obtain the seeds of the caudate-tail poultice, it is artificially pollinated with a brush during the flowering period or a plant pot is placed on an open terrace or balcony, where insects will do this procedure for you. After the flower has blossomed, and the boll has dried, seeds are collected.

Important! Indian onion is a tropical heat-loving plant. Lowering the air temperature to +6 ° C can lead to the death of the plant.

Pests, diseases and prevention

The caudate bird is unpretentious and due to its toxicity is rarely affected by pests and diseases. To combat them, do not use pesticides, if the plant is intended for therapeutic purposes.

Consider what should be done if the Indian onion has suffered for the following reasons:

1. Mealy dew. Fungal disease, which is manifested in the appearance on the leaves and shoots of the flower bloom whitish color. The affected parts are removed, and the plant itself is set aside from others to stop the infection. Natural remedy to combat powdery mildew is garlic brew. For its preparation, 4-5 minced garlic cloves are poured with a glass of water and infused for 24 hours. Strain the solution sprayed the diseased plant.
2. Spider mite To prevent the appearance of this pest, it is recommended to spray the plant with water, as the spider mite likes warm, dry air. It manifests itself first by the appearance on the leaves of small yellow spots that darken. Then a spider web appears with small mites that look like reddish dots. The leaves should be thoroughly washed with a solution of household soap (dissolve 1-2 g in 500 ml of water) or wipe with medical alcohol. You can use insectoacaricides, which are rapidly destroyed and are not phytotoxic ("Fitoverm", "Akarin", etc.).
3. Aphid. When this pest appears, the leaves should be washed with soapy water and sprayed with garlic extract. You can also use insecticides on the basis of pyrethrum ("Karate", "Intavir", etc.).
4. Shchitovka. It looks like brownish scales, which are attached to the bottom of the leaves and cause their yellowing and death. Getting rid of this pest is the hardest. Affected leaves are best removed or rubbed with a soap solution (alcohol). You can also spray the extract of tobacco dust (20 g of tobacco dust insist in 0.5 liters of water for two days), mixed with soapy water. Or buy insecticide harmless to humans.
5. Nogoshvotka. Appears when the soil becomes too wet, when the plant starts to rot. It is a small jumping insect of a light color. It is enough to limit watering and pour sand over the soil.

Indian onion is an effective external remedy in the treatment of many diseases (diseases of the joints, sciatica, warts, etc.), perfectly relieves pain. This unpretentious plant is easily grown and propagated in room conditions. The development of the bird-catcher goes faster if it is planted during the warm period in the open ground of the garden plot. Caring for him can be like a houseplant or garden flowers such as gladioli.

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