Black cohosh

Black cohosh plant popularly has the second name "cimicifuga". It is famous for its medicinal qualities. You can meet him throughout Russia, both in gardens and vegetable gardens. Growing it is not difficult, but it is still necessary to follow some rules.

Black cohosh plant: description

Black cohosh: Photo of the variety

Tsimifuga or black cohosh racemose is a perennial representative of buttercups, the age of a plant can reach twenty years without transferring from a permanent place.

The stem is even and straight, up to two meters long, the leaves are large and start growing from the root. The flowering period is from the first months of summer to September, the plant produces snow-white clusters, consisting of small flowers and covered with a slightly noticeable edge.

After examining the photographs of black cohosh, you will immediately notice its visual beauty, but unfortunately the smell of flowers is not very pleasant to the human sense of smell. It is this aroma that repels insect pests, which served as the basis for the name - black cohosh. In addition to its visual appeal, the plant is highly valued for its medicinal qualities, therefore, even with an unpleasant aroma, its popularity only increases.

The birthplace of the cimifuga is considered to be North America, from here it spread to the middle zone of our country, Pakistan, Nepal and China.

Black cohosh plant: planting and care

Black cohosh: Photo of the variety

For its unusual and pleasant appearance, useful qualities and decorativeness, black cohosh is dearly loved by gardeners. It is not difficult to grow a perennial plant on your site. The cimicifuge easily adapts to almost any soil and lighting conditions.

How to plant a black cohosh plant

The black cohosh plant is propagated by both seeds and seedlings.

Seeds it is preferable to sow in the spring period of the year, but young seedlings can be planted in open ground in spring and autumn. One of the advantages of the racemose cimicifuga is its ability to take root in new planting sites.

Black cohosh plant has high indicators of vital activity and resistance to factors of external growth conditions. Black cohosh can grow without harm in sunny areas, but under natural conditions it is most often found in shady areas, for this reason gardeners prefer to create natural conditions and plant the plant in places sheltered from direct sunlight.

The soil of the cimicifuge prefers loose and nutrient-rich soil, in such conditions the black cohosh plant grows stronger faster. It treats scarce lands neutrally and develops just as well, but does not tolerate excess moisture. For this reason, the place that you have chosen for a permanent landing site must necessarily have high quality of air exchange.

Before transferring the seedling to a permanent place, the soil is prepared. First of all, the place intended for planting is dug up, then nutrients are added to the soil. In addition to the nutrient mixture, some gardeners immediately apply mineral fertilizers, in the first few days of growth, they will have a beneficial effect on the development of black cohosh.

The planting hole should be deeper than the root system of the young plant, about forty centimeters.The bottom of the pit is covered with drainage of eight to ten centimeters, the composition includes expanded clay and broken stones. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers are added to the well.

Next, the pit is 50% filled with earth, after which a cimicifuga seedling is installed, aging the cimicifuga not to injure the roots. At the end, the hole is covered with the remaining earth, lightly trampled down with a foot at the base and in the end, be sure to watered with water.

When planting several units of black cohosh, a space of sixty centimeters or more is left between the plants, since the plant has a high speed and growth area.

After completing all the above steps, it is advisable to cover the soil with mulch. Dry peat is perfect for black cohosh, the layer should be a couple of centimeters thick. This is done to better transport nutrients to the plant's root system and retain moisture for a longer period.

Remember that when choosing a permanent planting site, you need to understand what kind of landscape will be in this place in the next 15-20 years, because this is how much the black cohosh plant will delight you. The plant reacts poorly to a change of planting site, and does not always experience it, which is why give preference to the place in your garden where it will stay for a long time.

Care

Caring for the racemose black cohosh is not difficult and consists of regular watering and feeding with fertilizers. In spring and autumn, the plant does not need additional watering, but during periods of summer heat it cannot be done without them, the cimicifuga will not tolerate severe drought.

Black cohosh: Photo of the variety

Scheme glaze next: once every twenty-one days. The amount of water must be sufficient to saturate the soil along the entire length of the root system.

After watering, be sure to loosening soil, for better air exchange. Loosening also helps to reduce the amount of weeds, which in turn, sprouting, takes away the food of the black cohosh. The soil in the root circle is mulched with dry grass or peat, this helps to reduce weeding and the frequency of watering.

In the supplementary nutrition the described plant needs immediately after planting, fertilizer is added directly to the hole. The first feeding of the cimicifuge lasts up to three years. After this period, the soil is fertilized every year in the first month of spring. For such dressings, phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen-containing preparations are used.

Black cohosh grows well even without additional feeding, so experienced gardeners often skip this stage, but it is important to understand that adding nutrients will make your flower more magnificent and attractive.

Tsimitsifuga has high resistance to changes in weather conditions, especially to frost, and does not need any additional preparation for winter. If a winter with severe frosts and a drop in temperature is predicted, as well as light snowfall, black cohosh is cut off under the base and covered with earth or covered with spruce branches. This will help the plant survive the winter, and with the onset of spring, it will give new stems.

Pruning Black cohosh is performed at the discretion of the gardener. Most often, wilted inflorescences are simply cut off from a flower, this helps to maintain an attractive decorative appearance.

Cimicifuga stems have low flexibility and can break in strong winds. For this reason, those plants that have reached a sufficiently high size are attached to the support.

What medicinal properties does the black cohosh plant have?

Black cohosh: Photo of the variety

The pluses and positive qualities of black cohosh include not only an attractive appearance, but also the medicinal properties of the plant. The main storehouse of nutrients is the root of the flower, although the leaves are also used.

IN compound medicinal and useful elements of black cohosh include:

• Mealy carbohydrate
• Natural sugars (fructose)
• High molecular weight carbohydrates and resins
• Water-soluble organics and phenolic compounds
• Se
• Mg
• Ca
• Fe
• Vitamins of group A and B
• Acidum ascorbinicum
• Monounsaturated fatty acids
• Hydroxybenzene
• Respectful polyphenols
• Acidum salicylicum
• Nitrogen-free organic compounds and analogs of natural hormones
• Nitrogen-free glycosides

When used for treatment, black cohosh has the following results:

1. Relieves puffiness and improves the functioning of the urinary system.
2. It has a positive effect on the work of the heart and on the state of blood vessels.
3. It is recommended for people with diabetes mellitus, as it helps to reduce glucose.
4. Improves blood chemistry.
5. Fights infections in the body.
6. Boosts immunity.
7. It has an antipyretic effect for colds, and also has a weak analgesic effect.
8. Has a calming effect on the nervous system, is used for stress.
9. Stimulates the growth of muscle mass, and for this quality is loved by athletes.
10. Helps lower blood pressure, is used for hypertension.

In addition to the examples listed above, the black cohosh plant is used to improve women's health. It helps to improve menstruation and reduces pain during labor.

Important! The use of this plant in pregnant women is prohibited. It affects the uterus, which in turn begins to contract and this, as a result, can lead to miscarriage.

In addition to the huge amount of useful medicinal substances, the plant contains toxic substancesFor this reason, when creating medicines at home, full adherence to the prescription is imperative.

Black cohosh plant - benefits

Black cohosh: Photo of the variety

The range of applications of the cimicifuga is extensive, especially in traditional medicine to combat a variety of problems related to human health. On the basis of this plant, decoctions, preparations and food additives are prepared, which in turn help to cope with the following diseases:

• diseases of the genitals and inflammatory processes in them;
• skeletal joint lesions, such as arthrosis or osteochondrosis;
• disorders of the nervous system, insomnia, hyperreactivity, anxiety;
• headaches, high blood pressure, asthma;
• diseases of the kidneys and urinary system;
• heart rate disorders;
• digestive and stool problems;
• metabolic disease;
• avitaminosis;
• diabetes;
• vision problems;
• sports injuries associated with bruises and sprains.

Medicines based on the black cohosh described in the article are used as the prevention of cancerous tumors, and in some cases in direct control. Cimicifuga has the ability to destroy cancer cells and increase the rate of renewal of the body.

Effects on the body during menopause

Tsimitsifuga contains phytoestrogen, which has a positive effect on the female reproductive system and hormonal levels in general at the time of menopause. Carpal black cohosh normalizes the work of DA and 5-HT hormones, acts on the ovaries, as a result of which the number of hot flashes is reduced.

The main plus in the use of drugs based on cimicifuga during this period is in the absence of a negative effect on the uterus and mammary glands, such drugs cannot provoke cancers.

In addition to positive interaction with hormonal levels during menopause, black cohosh improves the condition of the body's bone tissue. Organic compounds contained in the plant strengthen bones and prevent the formation of osteoporosis.

Tsimicifuga helps to lower blood pressure, normalizes the sleep and wakefulness cycle, improves mood, which is important during menopause.

How the black cohosh plant is used in folk medicine

Carp black cohosh has a huge number of folk recipes designed to fight various diseases.

We will describe the most popular ones.

1. In the fight against colds, a decoction of cimicifuga is prepared. Five grams of finely chopped rhizomes, pour half a liter of boiling water, put on a hot stove for five minutes, then leave for two hours. When ready, the broth is filtered and consumed with food three times a day for a teaspoon. This same recipe is used to combat high blood pressure and inflammation.
2. Sports injuries and sprains. For these ailments, cooking tricks are not required; the simplest thing is to attach a leaf of the plant to the damaged area for 30 minutes.
3. Skin rashes, thermal burns and external injuries such as scratches are treated with a cimicifuge compress.
4. A decoction from black cohosh root will help to improve metabolism, and to establish stool. A tablespoon of ground herbs is poured into 200 ml of water and boiled for five minutes, then insisted for 30 minutes and filtered. The finished broth is taken twice a day, one hundred milliliters.
5. The use of tincture of cimicifuga helps to reduce inflammation. Clean and dried roots are poured with vodka (1 to 5, respectively) and placed in a dark place for six days. After the specified time, the tincture is filtered through cheesecloth and taken three times a day, 30 drops. The same remedy is used in compresses for sore joints.

When using any of the recipes containing the plant for treatment, it is important to remember that the dosages cannot be violated, otherwise you may get the opposite effect.

Black cohosh in homeopathy

The black cohosh plant is widely used in homeopathy. You can easily find such drugs in any pharmacy in your city, the plant can be both a main component and an auxiliary one. Here are some of the most famous ones:

• Klimadinon is a homeopathy. Tsimicifuga makes up the entire content of the drug. It is taken twice a day as a tablet. It is prescribed during menopause and has a cumulative effect. The cycle of admission is 14 days, if necessary, it can be extended up to three months.
• Muliman. A medicinal product based on cimicifuga, excipients are mineral compounds and herbs. It is widely used in the fight against female diseases: PMS, menopause, mastopathy, violation of the menstrual cycle. Method of application 20 drops no more than five times a day.
• Klimaktoplan contains not only black cohosh, but other herbs with high medicinal properties. Method of application: two tablets, three times a day.

The main effect of homeopathy, which includes black cohosh, is to help with the onset of menopause, less often such drugs are used in the treatment of heart and vascular diseases.

Contraindications

Even taking into account the rich spectrum of positive qualities of the racemose black cohosh, this plant should be used with extreme caution. If the body does not tolerate this plant, and in case of an overdose of drugs, dizziness, nausea, an increase in heart rate, and pain in the stomach may appear.

Allergy sufferers are not recommended to take medications based on black cohosh

Conclusion

Black cohosh can be grown both for garden decoration and for medicinal purposes. However, do not forget that it is worth using cimicifuga only using proven recipes, otherwise you can harm your health.