It is real bliss in the hot summer season to sit under an old tree, for example, under a linden tree, which covers from the heat with branches with an abundance of leaves.
Linden has a huge number of valuable properties that are used in folk medicine.
it beautiful tree distributed everywhere. For city dwellers, it is not at all a curiosity to see it. She has already become part of the landscape.
It has long been believed that the linden tree symbolizes feminine... Therefore, our ancestors preferred to make the following items from wood: dishes, shoes, combs, shoes and other items for everyday life and life.
When this beautiful tree begins to bloom in the forest belt, the air there begins to emit the most pleasant aroma. It has hints of honey, and a bee hum is heard in the vicinity.
The linden is also called the mother and the nurse, the keeper of the Russian land. From time immemorial slavic people she was especially revered. Even villages, forest belts and mountainous surfaces were named after her.
Even July is referred to as "linden" in Ukrainian. The ancient peoples have always associated linden with the feminine: kindness, gentleness and tenderness. Many even venerated her as a saint. It was believed that this tree can both heal and shoe-clothe a person. For many years, our ancestors made bast shoes from linden.
This tree got its name from sticky buds and linden leaves. They often release a fairly large amount of a viscous liquid. Sometimes it runs off.
Linden is useful not only for people, but also for the forest as a whole. Even the fallen leaves of this tree contain a huge amount of calcium. This element is simply necessary for plants.
Thus, the leaves serve as fertilizers needed by many forest plants... In addition, they improve the condition of the soil.
If linden grows close to a pine tree, then it develops better and grows faster than in a pine forest with its fellows.
Where does linden grow? So this is useful tree can be found:
- in Russia
- in the Caucasus
- in Bulgaria
- in italy
- in Spain
- in Norway
- in Finland
- in South Britain
- in Central Scandinavia
The wood is soft and lightweight. Therefore, it is not difficult to process it and make various objects out of it. The Brinell hardness is less than 2. Thanks to these characteristics, many items can be made by hand.
Linden usually blooms when it is 20 years old, in some cases at 30. This tree is common in forests, parks, city boulevards.
Linden is the only representative of Central Russian broad-leaved trees that grows further than the Urals. Favorite tree environment - warm place with high humidity.
Linden leaves are heart-shaped
This tree differs from others in its leaves. They have heart shape... Linden has reddish branches with buds. It is covered with soft bark.
In a forest environment, this tree can reach 30 meters. The leaves are round, finely toothed. Flowers are also special and fragrant:
- yellowish
- smells like honey
- connected in inflorescences
The seeds are not larger than a pea, small. The fruits look like roots located on the stems. Each of them has a winglet. It is this that helps the seeds fly away from the tree as far as possible in winter.
When the linden blossoms, it is covered fragrant flowers... At this time, she looks the most attractive. This happens in the summer season - in June or July.
Flowering lasts about 2 weeks... When it blooms, it is felt over long distances, since everything around smells like honey.
Healing properties
In folk medicine linden is very often used as a medicine. This is a fairly common tree. There are many plantations in the Urals and Western Siberia.
Linden - long-liver among the vegetation. Just imagine that she can please the human eye t a thousand years.
The oldest tree grows in Rum. This is a city in Slovenia. There is a linden tree growing there, which is almost 900 years old.
The city of Lipetsk also borrowed something from this beautiful tree. It is even depicted on the coat of arms. The Finnish town of Mariehamn has a similar coat of arms. If you translate the name into Russian, you get "the city of a thousand limes".
This tree contains a huge amount nutrients, there are more than a hundred of them:
- essential oils
- vitamin A
- vitamin C
- vitamin PP
- vitamin K
- vitamin b
- calcium
- potassium
- magnesium
- iron
- phosphorus
And that's not all. The chemical composition of the tree contains tannins, flavonoids, saponins, polysaccharides and bitterness.
Fruits and flowers are used for medicinal purposes. For example, the fruits contain fatty oil, very similar to almond and peach.
The bark has various compounds, they are involved in the synthesis of steroid hormones, cholesterol, bile acids. The leaves are rich in ascorbic acid, polysaccharides and carotene.
With a cold, a decoction will help
To decoction or herbal infusion of linden helped, it must be properly prepared. After all, the prepared mixture can help a person with ARVI. In addition, it can provide a whole range of actions. For example, you can use as a means:
- antipyretic
- anti-inflammatory
- antibacterial
Also, a linden decoction will help with body poisoning, headache and aching joints.
The infusion will help eliminate cough, even chronic. It dilutes phlegm, promoting expectoration from the respiratory system. In addition, the broth is recommended for tuberculosis and bronchial diseases.
Gargling helps with stomatitis and sore throat. Linden is a diuretic medicine. Able to have a beneficial effect in diseases of the urinary system - with cystitis and pyelonephritis, renal and gallstone colic, edema in pregnant women.
And that's not all. Linden decoction helps with diseases of the digestive tract. It eliminates colic and cramps in the intestines, helps with bloating, and also treats gout, hemorrhoids and improves metabolism.
Linden thins the blood, is a general tonic, increases the body's immune system, helps with menopause and, in general, is able to rejuvenate the human body.
Baths from it will help with hysteria, depression, neuralgia and stress. If we talk about dermatological diseases, and here linden can help.
The tincture is able to relieve discomfort, such as pain and itching, relieve irritation and rashes on the skin, and save from insect bites.
Even in cosmetics, linden extract is used. For example, it can improve skin tone and reduce facial wrinkles.
Linden color: blank
To make a linden blank, you need to collect inflorescences with wings. It is better to do this in early July, when the flowers have already blossomed.
After that, spread them out thin layer on paper. The room must be well ventilated. The sun's rays should not hit directly.
The inflorescences need to be turned over so that they dry out as best as possible.
When this happens, it is best to place them in cloth or paper bags. It is better to store in a dry place, the temperature should be room temperature. Drying cannot be stored for more than 2 years.
If you decide to make an infusion, use the following advice:
- For internal use, 1 tablespoon of inflorescences must be poured over 200 milliliters of boiling water. After that, let the resulting composition be infused for 30 minutes. Cover it with a towel on top.
- After that, strain the tincture and squeeze. It is recommended to drink 3 glasses every day. This infusion will help with colds, to reduce body aches at elevated temperatures.
- If it is necessary to prepare an infusion that will be used for gargling, brew the inflorescences 1 to 2 and wait 20 minutes. Then cool the broth and gargle with warm infusion at least 3 times a day. If there is a need to get rid of a sore throat, you can add soda to the resulting mixture.
- The prepared infusion can be frozen and used as ice to wipe the face. Do this action every morning, and the result will not be long in coming.
- Linden also helps for weight loss. With the help of this broth, excess fluid is removed from the body, blood circulation and hormonal levels are improved.
The broth is prepared in a slightly different way. One tablespoon filled with glass hot water it is necessary to cook for 10 minutes over low heat, then strain and drink warm 3 times a day.
A more concentrated solution is needed for wiping the skin or rinsing the hair. 6 tablespoons in this case, you need to pour a glass of boiling water, then wait 10 minutes.
4 tablespoons should be added if you need to apply a lotion to a wound or burn. Add half a liter of water and cook for 15 minutes. After the broth has cooled, you can make lotions to the sore spot.
Linden tea - tasty and healthy
If you want to have excellent health and prevent flu and colds, try making linden tea.
It can be drunk by both adults and children no more than once every 24 hours. 1 tablespoon of dried flowers should be poured with a glass of boiling water. Let it brew for half an hour.
You can add a spoonful of honey for greater potency and benefit. Such tea can be drunk with such ingredients:
- mint
- melissa
- raspberries
- strawberries
Drinking a mug of tea a day, you can strengthen the immune system and raise your mood, make your blood vessels stronger, normalize blood pressure, activate the intestines and cleanse the body of toxins.
However, there are some contraindications to linden treatment. For more and positive effect you should not drink linden unnecessarily. A mug a day is enough.
You can drink tea and nursing mothers, and pregnant women, as well as babies and people with heart disease. There are no special restrictions for this.
However, due to the fact that excess fluid is removed from the body, a large load on the heart is created and potassium is washed out. Therefore, in no case should the daily dose be exceeded.
Good day! The topic of our conversation today will be the linden tree. This tree has been known to us since childhood, many of us, our grandmothers, prepared fragrant tea from the flowers of this plant. But, besides this, linden has other properties.
Linden is a woody plant. This genus unites more than forty plant species and more than a hundred hybrids.
Linden characteristic
Linden characteristic
The characteristic of linden implies detailed description plants. A story about its structure and appearance.
Linden leaves are arranged alternately, resemble a heart in shape, serrate edges. During blooming, there are stipules near the leaves, which fall off after a while. Near the base of the leaves, nectaries are often present.
Flowers - very important characteristic linden. They are collected in an umbrella inflorescence. The corolla and calyx are five-membered. There are a lot of stamens, they grow together, as a rule, in five bundles. There are linden species whose stamens do not have anthers. The ovary is five-celled, intact, each nest has two ovules.
The fruit is a nut, which is formed as a result of undergrowth of one-seeded or two-seeded ovules. The embryo has lobed, leaf-shaped or incised cotyledons.
The characterization of the linden tree implies a story about its distribution. Linden is found on the territory of Ukraine, Russia and their neighboring states.
Representatives of this genus grow in the subtropical and temperate zones of the northern hemisphere. The greatest variety of linden can be observed in the southeast of Asia. For example, only in the Republic of China can be found fifteen endemics of this genus. In the temperate zone of North America, Asia and Europe, the plant is much less common. The plant loves warmth and moisture, so it is widespread in the Transcaucasia, Primorye and other areas with a similar climate.
Lindens are used for decorative purposes for landscaping the streets of villages and cities. Linden is not picky about soils, it can grow both on dry and wet lands, regardless of their salinity. Propagated vegetatively and by seeds.
Linden wood
Linden wood
Linden wood, as well as, is very valuable. It is usually used for the construction of buildings of low strength and a variety of crafts. Linden trunks can be up to two meters in diameter, so we can say that using linden wood is very profitable.
In our country, from linden, in most cases, bast and bast are extracted, which are used for matting, mats and the like. This became the reason that the linden began to be strongly exterminated, the number of the plant was significantly reduced. Although it is not difficult to restore linden plantations, it does not take a lot of time, it is still not done as quickly as cutting down a tree.
Linden wood is also very often used for the production of musical instruments, among which electric guitars can be noted.
Linden is a valuable material for wood carving as it is very easy to cut. Her wood is clean white color... This was the reason that in tsarist times, fraudsters made from this plant forgeries of royal seals.
In addition to wood, linden inflorescences are also used, which are simply not replaceable in the manufacture of some varieties of cognac and liqueur.
Linden species
Linden species
Linden species differ among themselves in some structural features, as well as in wood. There are about thirty of them in total.
The most common types of linden are heart-shaped, or as it is also called winter small-leaved, flat-leaved linden and felt linden.
The heart-shaped linden has bare leaves, which are gray on the seamy side, in the corners of the nerves they bear red hairs in bundles. The inflorescences of the plant are directed upward, they include from five to fifteen flowers. Fruits are thin-walled with indistinct ribs.
The average plant height is up to thirty meters, but after reaching the linden tree one hundred and twenty years old, its height can be even higher. Linden trees were found that are up to eight hundred, and even up to a thousand years old.
Linden is flat-leaved, or summer, or, as it can also be called large-leaved, it blooms very early, sap flow begins earlier than in other types of lindens. The leaves are very large in size, fluffy.
The fruit is a nut, the shell of which is very tough, has five ribs. The inflorescences of this species of linden are somewhat drooping. In our country, it is poorly distributed. This type of linden is bred with decorative purposes for planting in parks and squares.
The felt linden is widespread in the Caucasus and in the eastern part of Europe.
All types of linden are the most important honey plants. Linden honey is made by bees from greenish-yellow flowers. Such products are of the highest quality. In addition, it is known throughout the world for its medicinal properties.
Thus, we see that linden is not only a valuable wood. It is a wonderful decoration for many streets and a magical healer of many diseases. Linden teas help get rid of various diseases, including. Of course, you can call a cold. Linden honey, the most useful among all products of this type. It is used to treat throat ailments, flu and many other conditions.
Pavlenko Tatiana, member of the editorial board Sobcor of the independent Internet publication "ATMWood. Wood Industrial Bulletin"
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Flower formula
Linden flower formula: * CH5L5T (5) + (5) + (5) P (5).In medicine
Linden flowers are used for ARVI (symptomatic treatment), sore throat, bronchitis, colds; with increased nervous excitability in patients of adolescence and in the elderly. The extract from linden inflorescences is also used for mild disorders of digestion and metabolic processes, for gastritis.
Outwardly, linden is used for burns, ulcers, inflammation of hemorrhoids, rheumatic and gouty joint pains, eczema, erysipelas, boils.
Linden flowers are included in some fees.
For children
how medicine infusion of crushed flowers can be used by children from birth, following the instructions for use.
In cosmetology
In modern cosmetology, linden flowers and honey are used: honey masks and creams, poultices and compresses from a decoction of flowers are used for facial skin care; rinses and baths - to strengthen hair roots and freckles. Linden blossom essential oil is a part of some perfumery products.
An externally hot infusion of linden flowers in the form of a poultice is recommended to eliminate wrinkles of the face and neck. Steam baths with linden blossom are used for oily skin.
In industry
Linden bark was used by our ancestors for making bast, which was used for mats, matting, and washcloths.
Linden is a plentiful honey plant. Golden yellow linden honey, transparent and aromatic, is considered one of the best among other types of honey. From one tree of middle age, under favorable climatic conditions, bees produce from 15 to 30 kg of honey. 1 hectare of linden forest yields over a ton of linden honey. Linden honey is produced in Bashkiria, in the Far East.
Linden wood is used in woodworking and furniture making. Linden is easily processed with a knife, therefore, wooden houses are not built from it. Products from linden trees used when decorating a house (platbands, interior doors, corners, plinths, etc.), linden clapboard baths and saunas are sheathed. Linden is also valued for its "elasticity", the ability to bend without cracking. For example, for the manufacture of intricately curved carriage body parts, craftsmen used linden.
Linden wood is an excellent ornamental material. It is very light, almost white, easy to process.
The high acoustic qualities and beautiful tone of linden have found application in the production of musical instruments, in particular, guitar decks are made from linden.
Classification
The linden family (Latin Tiliaceae) has about 45 genera and up to 700 species. Most genera live in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, America, Africa and Australia, and only one genus - linden (Latin Tilia) - grows in the northern temperate latitudes, reaching 60-62ºN.
About 50 plant species belong to the linden genus. In medicine, 2 types of linden are widely used:
Heart-shaped or small-leaved linden (lat.Tilia cordata Mill.)
Broad-leaved linden (Latin Tilia platyphyllos Scop.)
Botanical description
Linden is a deciduous tree, up to 30 m high with a spreading spherical crown. The trunks of the trees are powerful, up to 80 cm in diameter, covered with dark bark with deep cracks... The leaves are alternate, on long thin petioles, cordate, unequal, with a long-pointed tip, sharp-serrated, dark green above, bluish-green below. Flowers are yellowish-white, fragrant, 10 mm in diameter, collected in semi-umbrellas, 3-15 pcs. The bracts are leathery, light green, elongated lanceolate, almost half fused with a common long peduncle. Linden blooms in June-July. Fruits are nuts 4-8 mm in diameter, spherical, tomentose, with a woody or leathery shell.
The heart-shaped linden has smaller leaves and more flowers in the inflorescence than the broadleaf; it blooms two weeks later and is more common. In addition, the pubescence on the underside of the leaf, in the corners where the lateral veins branch off, is reddish-yellow in the heart-shaped linden, and whitish in the broad-leaved linden.
Linden flower formula: * CH5L5T (5) + (5) + (5) P ( 5 ).
Spread
Linden is common in the forest and forest-steppe zones of the European part of the CIS, in the Crimea, in the Caucasus, in the western foothills of the Urals, Western Siberia, in the Voronezh and Lipetsk regions, in Bashkiria, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova.
The tree grows on fertile soils in deciduous forests, forms clean and mixed forest plantations. It is found in large quantities in parks, in forest plantations, on the streets of settlements.
Distribution regions on the map of Russia.
Procurement of raw materials
The flowers (inflorescences) of linden with bracts (Tiliae flores) are used as medicinal raw materials in medicine. The collection of inflorescences is carried out in dry weather from wild and cultivated trees at a time when most of flowers have blossomed, and the other part is still in buds. Do not collect inflorescences damaged by rust and pests, as well as dry after rain or dew. Linden blossom is dried in well-ventilated rooms in attics, under awnings or in dryers, at a temperature not exceeding 45 ° C. Raw materials cannot be dried in the sun, because it loses its light yellow color. Drying should not be long.
In addition to flowers, buds, leaves and, less often, linden bark are harvested as medicinal raw materials. Linden honey is also used for medicinal purposes.
The buds are harvested in spring, in dry weather, otherwise they lose their beneficial properties when dried. The buds are dried in the open air or in dryers.
The bark is harvested only with the permission of the forestry or gardeners in early spring before flowering, or in late autumn. Dried in dryers.
Chemical composition
Linden flowers contain flavonoids (kaempferol, acacetin, afzelin, kaempferitrin, tilyroside, quercetin, herbacetin, protoanthocyanides), glycosides hesperidin and tiliacin, ascorbic acid and carotene, essential oil (up to 0.05%), terpenoid alcohol, terpineol, consisting of terpineol. The flowers also contain tannins, saponins, phenolcarboxylic acids, polysaccharides, mucus, macro- and microelements.
Linden fruits contain up to 60% fatty oil.
The leaves contain ascorbic acid, a lot of protein, carotene.
The bark and wood contain tannins, the triterpene compound tiliadin, oil (up to 8%).
Linden honey contains water (up to 20%), glucose (about 36%), levunose (about 40%), fructose, vitamins, macro-microelements. Also linden honey is characterized by a high maltose content, about 6-8%.
Pharmacological properties
Linden has a diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, emollient, antipyretic, expectorant effect. Infusions of linden flowers delay mainly the exudative phase of inflammation, contribute to an earlier isolation of the inflammatory process from the surrounding tissue.
Preparations from linden inflorescences increase diuresis, increase the secretion of gastric juice, increase bile formation and facilitate the flow of bile into the duodenum, have a mild sedative effect on the central nervous system, slightly reduce the viscosity of blood, accelerate the processes of regeneration and the formation of granulation tissue. Water extract from linden flowers enhances the formation and secretion of protective mucus, which is advisable to use to restore the protective barriers of the upper respiratory tract.
The medicinal properties of linden flowers are associated with flavonoids - quercetin and kaempferol, which determine the anti-inflammatory effect. Tiliacin has phytoncidal activity, it acts as a diaphoretic.
Linden honey sugars are easily absorbed by the body in their original form, without requiring energy consumption. The maltose contained in the product has a beneficial effect on digestion.
Since linden preparations increase the function of sweat glands, increase sweating, which is largely due to the expansion of the superficial vessels of the skin, as well as a slight increase in heart contractions, they can be conditionally included in the group of cardiovascular drugs.
Application in traditional medicine
Linden blossom is one of the most popular remedies in traditional medicine in various countries. It is used as a powerful diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, sedative, anticonvulsant and pain reliever. A decoction or infusion of linden flowers is used for colds, headaches, fainting, for gargling with sore throat and oral cavity in inflammatory processes. The infused flower gruel is used as an emollient for poultices. Tar from branches and trunks is used to treat skin diseases, eczema, boils. Fresh crushed leaves are applied to wounds and burns, sometimes used as a stomach remedy. Linden charcoal is used for diarrhea and flatulence. Crushed fresh buds and leaves are used as an external anti-inflammatory, analgesic and emollient (applied to burns and ulcers). Linden seed powder is used to stop nosebleeds. The boiled young bark is used in the treatment of rheumatism, burns, gout, and also for the elimination of convulsive pain in the digestive tract, thanks to the mucous substances contained in it. Flowers are taken orally for herpes and for the treatment of obesity. The German National Health Service recommends the use of linden flowers for colds and febrile illnesses.
History reference
Among the ancient Slavs, linden was personified with the goddess of love Lada. In the old days, none folk holiday did not do without drinks made of honey (including linden), prepared in a special way. In ancient herbalists, there are engravings depicting rituals accompanied by the use of honey.
Literature
- State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR. Eleventh edition. Issue 1 (1987), Issue 2 (1990).
- State Register of Medicines. Moscow 2004.
- Medicinal plants of the State Pharmacopoeia. Pharmacognosy. (Edited by I.A. Samylina, V.A. Severtsev). - M., "AMNI", 1999.
- "Phytotherapy with the basics of clinical pharmacology" ed. V.G. Kukesa. - M.: Medicine, 1999.
- P.S. Chikov. "Medicinal plants" M .: Medicine, 2002.
- Sokolov S.Ya., Zamotaev I.P. Handbook of medicinal plants (herbal medicine). - M .: VITA, 1993.
- Mannfrid Palov. "Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants". Ed. Cand. biol. Sciences I.A. Gubanov. Moscow, "Mir", 1998.
- Turova A.D. "Medicinal plants of the USSR and their application." Moscow. "The medicine". 1974.
- Lesiovskaya E.E., Pastushenkov L.V. "Pharmacotherapy with the basics of herbal medicine." Tutorial. - M .: GEOTAR-MED, 2003.
- Medicinal Plants: A Reference Guide. / N.I. Grinkevich, I.A. Balandin, V.A. Ermakova and others; Ed. N.I. Grinkevich - M .: Higher school, 1991 .-- 398 p.
- Plants for us. Reference manual / Ed. G.P. Yakovleva, K.F. Blinova. - Publishing house "Educational book", 1996. - 654 p.
- Medicinal herbal raw materials. Pharmacognosy: Textbook. allowance / Ed. G.P. Yakovlev and K.F. Blinova. - SPb .: SpetsLit, 2004 .-- 765 p.
- Healthy skin and herbal remedies / Author-comp .: I. Pustyrsky, V. Prokhorov. - M. Makhaon; Minsk: Book House, 200 .-- 192 p.
- Nosov A.M. Medicinal plants. - M .: EKSMO-Press, 2000 .-- 350 p.
Linden is a genus of woody plants, trees or large shrubs belonging to the Linden family. Modern botanists consider the genus as a subfamily in the Malvaceae family. In nature, the linden tree grows in temperate and subtropical zones, in deciduous and mixed forests in North America, Europe, Asia. When linden blossoms, the forests are filled with honey scent, and the air with the hum of bees.
Since ancient times, linden has been valued for its healing properties and has been used as a powerful medicine. The benefits of linden for human health are so strong that even in the modern world, when the pharmaceutical industry is quite developed, linden is used to treat the most various diseases... Used in medicine: linden buds and flowers, bark, linden honey.
Our website has a detailed article about medicinal properties, contraindications and collection.
Lindens are large deciduous trees up to 40 meters high. It's nice to see what a linden tree looks like: a dense, beautiful, dense, easily molded crown, pleasing to the eye. Linden leaves are simple, alternate, shaped like a heart, with notches along the edge, pointed. Besides beautiful crown, linden has fragrant flowers, lemon shade, collected in corymbose inflorescences.
Linden blooms for two weeks in July. The tree blooms in natural conditions in the 20th year of life, and in plantations - only after 30 years. At the time of flowering linden, the air is filled with a light delicate honey aroma, which is felt far beyond the linden gardens and parks.
Linden fruits are single-seeded nuts. The seeds are tiny, the size of a pea. Fruits-nuts are collected in several on separate stalks. Each such stalk is equipped with a special winglet, thin and rather wide. This winglet helps the seeds fly long distances. It is easy to remember what a linden tree looks like, it can always be distinguished from other trees. In summer, on heart-shaped leaves, in early spring on purple young twigs with buds, silky bark. Root system trees strong, deep.
Plants can reach a respectable age, but to the question: "How many years does linden live?" There is no definite answer. Linden trees are known that are up to 800 and even 1000 years old. In the forests where linden grows, other plants also thrive, since the falling linden foliage is a nutritious fertilizer. In addition, linden is a famous honey plant. Linden honey is considered one of the best.
Types and varieties
There are about 45 types and over 100 hybrid varieties linden. The most common: heart-shaped linden or small-leaved linden, large-leaved linden, Amur linden, felt or fluffy linden, Siberian linden, European linden, bush linden.
American (black)
American linden
American linden or black linden is a heat-loving tree up to 40 meters high. The crown is wide, oval, the bark is inky black. Leaves are oval, wide, up to 20 cm long, cordate at the base, with notches along the edges. The flowers are large, collected in drooping inflorescences of 6-15 pieces, up to 1.5 cm in diameter. Representatives of this species grow rather slowly.
Amurskaya
Amur linden
Amur linden is a graceful tree up to 30 meters high. The crown is dense, compact, oval in shape. The bark of young plants is glossy, brown-purple, in adults it is dark smoky, in longitudinal cracks. The leaves are shaped like a heart, with grooves along the edges, up to 7 cm long. Fragrant flowers of a milky or lemon shade are collected in inflorescences of 5-15 pieces.
Yellowing "Glenleven"
Yellowing linden
Yellowing linden is decorative tree up to 15 meters high, with a wide pyramidal crown. The bark is rough, smoky in color. The leaves are large, round-heart-shaped, olive-colored, with dark veins and purple-gold "dusting" on top. In autumn, the leaves take on a straw shade. Representatives of this species bloom profusely, with fragrant golden flowers. Linden grows quickly enough, prefers dry, drained soil. The tree loves sunlight, but is able to withstand light partial shade.
To maintain the yellowing crown of the linden tree in a picturesque state, it is recommended to prune at least once every five years.
Felt (Silver) or Fluffy
Felt linden
Felt linden or fluffy linden is a stately tree up to 30 m high. correct shape, wide pyramidal or oval. The silvery linden has the main hallmark: leaves of the tree are rounded, up to 12 cm long, with sharp uneven serrated edges, dark olive on top, covered with a light down at the beginning of development, on the underside - white, covered with villi. In bright sunlight, the edges of the leaf curl slightly to reveal a silvery underside, creating an original contrast of dark green and silvery sheen. Closer to autumn, the leaves acquire a yellow color and remain on the tree until winter.
European
European linden
European linden is a tree up to 40 meters high with a wide oval crown. The leaves are rounded, with a heart-shaped base. Representatives of this species grow rather quickly.
Caucasian
Caucasian linden
Caucasian linden is a tree up to 40 meters high, with a round or wide ovoid crown. Young shoots of Caucasian linden are purple-red. The leaves are large (up to 14 cm long), wide, oval. The upper side of the leaves is dark green, the back side is dark gray, with tufts of whitish hairs near the veins. Drooping inflorescences with light yellow flowers. Abundant flowering.
https://youtu.be/JVlLpRyGVCA
Large-leaved or flat-leaved
Large-leaved linden
Large-leaved linden (flat-leaved linden) is a tree up to 35 meters high and up to 20 meters wide. The crown of the large-leaved linden tree is initially conical or wide, ovoid, later round. The main branches are vertical, side shoots horizontal. Broad-leaved linden has large leaves that bloom 14 days later than small-leaved linden, but pleases with flowering two weeks earlier. Flowers are lemon-milk, collected in inflorescences of 2-5 pieces.
Manchu
Manchurian linden
Manchurian linden is a tree up to 20 meters high. The crown is regular, rounded. Representatives of this species are similar to specimens of Amur linden, but differ in larger leaves and flowers. The flowering is beautiful, abundant.
Small-leaved (heart-shaped)
Small-leaved linden
Small-leaved or heart-shaped linden (tilia cordata) is a tree up to 30 meters high and up to 15 meters wide. The small-leaved linden has synonymous names: lutoshka, scrubber, lubnyak. The crown of the tree is initially conical, later ovoid. The main branches grow diagonally or vertically, the side shoots bend and hang down at the bottom of the crown.
The heart-shaped linden has green glossy, dark gray leaves with a serrate edge on the back. In autumn, the heart-leaved linden delights the eye with beautiful light lemon leaves. Young branches of representatives of the species are covered with satin bark, old ones - with deeply cracked bark of a smoky gray color. The flowers are fragrant, with bracts, light straw color, collected in semi-umbrellas. The fruit is a nut with one seed. Blossoms in July; fruits ripen in October. One of the most widespread varieties of this species, bred specifically for urban landscaping, is the small-leaved lime tree Greenspyer.
An advantageous feature of the Greenspyer variety is that the representatives of the variety grow in height two times less than the species small-leaved linden. They have a more compact and dense crown, better tolerate low humidity of air and soil.
Ordinary
Common linden
Common linden is a graceful tree up to 40 meters high, a natural hybrid of small-leaved linden and large-leaved linden. The crown of the tree is wide, shaped like a pyramid. The flowering time begins in July.
Siberian
Siberian linden
Siberian linden is a tree up to 25 meters high. The bark of old trunks is dark and cracked. Young shoots are dark purple or brown-amber, glabrous, with small rounded lenticels. The tree blooms in the second half of July, flowering duration is two weeks. Linden honey is light, almost white, with a delicate aroma of linden flowers, of excellent quality. Refers to the best varieties... Differs from others in late flowering and high winter hardiness.
Japanese
Japanese linden
Japanese linden is a tree up to 20 meters high. Grows in East Asia, in deciduous subtropical forests. Young bark is smooth, brown, old with grooves, dark. The crown is high, compact, oval in shape. The leaves are small, 5-7 cm, oval, olive on the outside, gray on the inside, with hairs in the vein corners. Flowering occurs in July or August for 14 days. The flowers are tiny, collected in large numbers in drooping inflorescences. Fruits, ripening by September, are round, even, nuts covered with fluff. Representatives of this species grow rather slowly. The species is frost-resistant, it is an exclusively melliferous plant. Japanese linden tea has proven itself as flavored green tea.
Care
Linden lives longer if you follow some rules for caring for it. Trees can suffer from drought, so regular and correct watering is very important in hot dry summers.
After planting the seedlings of the plant and during the first two years of their development and growth, it is necessary to apply nitrogen fertilizers to the soil.
The crop can withstand shade, so it can be planted in secluded areas of the garden.
Trees grow well on fertile, well-drained soils, do not tolerate soils with accumulated harmful salts, thrive better on lands with lime (from neutral to alkaline). The plant's root system is sensitive to compaction.
Trees withstand frost, quickly adapt to change climatic conditions... Trees are cut a year after planting, in the spring, shortening by 1/3 to form lateral shoots, and in the fall the overgrown linden is trimmed. The culture reaches full development only by the age of 20-40.
Diseases and pests
The plant is quite resistant to diseases and pests. Adverse growing conditions can provoke diseases. Diseases most often affecting the tree: perforated and black spot (control methods: burning fallen fruits and leaves as sources of infection, processing shoots with 1% Bordeaux liquid), white rot (copper-containing preparations are used to combat).
Pests that can harm a tree: bedbugs, scale insects, silkworms, gall mites, bark beetles, pipe beetle and others. To combat these pests, young plants are sprayed with insecticides. In addition to insects, birds and rodents can harm crops.
Planting linden
The tree propagates both by seeds and vegetatively (by layering, shoots, cuttings, grafting). For planting linden in hedges on the site, it is better to propagate it by layering.
Trees are planted in hedges in a line, wavy, checkerboard pattern. Saplings and crop seeds can be purchased at garden centers or ordered online.
From seedlings
Before planting, a decision should be made about the final location, height and shape of the tree crown. Too dense planting of plants inhibits their development, leads to the creation of an unfavorable microclimate with stagnant air, reduces the penetration of sunlight, and makes trees susceptible to the effects of diseases and pests. If you put the plant in water for a couple of hours before planting, it will better tolerate the lack of water during planting and further growth.
Before planting a seedling, the soil must be prepared in advance, fertilizing and hilling. It is necessary to check if the soil is too moist, if it is frozen. Linden is quite patient with minor damage to the root system, but, nevertheless, planting is done carefully.
First of all, a planting hole is dug for seedlings with a depth of at least 50 cm.When digging a planting hole, the volume of the root system is taken into account so that it is freely placed in the hole, and the lateral root branches do not break and are not pinched. It is recommended to remove the top fertile layer of soil, set it aside separately from the bulk of the earth, so that at the end of the digging of the planting hole, lay it in its original place. The bottom of the planting pit should be well loosened with a shovel or pitchfork, then a layer of drainage is laid. It can be pebbles, rubble or broken brick.
Add compost, which is mixed with drill meal with superphosphate. In no case should fresh manure be introduced. Compost plays a significant role in the exchange of nutrients in the garden and is one of the best and cheapest sources of humus.
The compost is not suitable for non-rotting waste: various types of artificial materials, rubber, metal objects or glass.
Suitable for compost: shredded stalks of herbs, cut branches of trees, bushes, bark. Uses kitchen waste: peels and trimmings of vegetables, fruits, coffee grounds, crushed eggshell... Over time, the soil is depleted and, if additional organic or inorganic fertilizers are not applied, the soil fertility will be greatly reduced.
In the process of planting plants, sometimes you have to deal with a situation where the roots are firmly attached to the surrounding clod of earth. In such a situation, it is necessary to remove the dead or damaged parts of the roots by smoothly cutting them off from the main root system, shorten only those segments and branches that are too long and do not fit in the prepared hole. Before planting a lump on the roots of seedlings, it is necessary to water well. After that, a seedling is lowered into the pit, covered with a soil mixture: turf soil, humus, sand. The root collar of the seedling is placed at the soil level, it can be slightly lower. After planting, an irrigation circle with a 5 cm high embankment is formed around the seedling. A cup-shaped hole around the seedling is covered with rotted manure or covered with a mulching layer. This will protect the soil from excessive drying out and provide the seedlings with nutrients. After planting, the plants are watered abundantly. After the earth has settled, it is recommended to strengthen the tree with a supporting wooden stake.
Seeds
Reproduction of linden by seeds is a long process: from the moment of sowing to obtaining a young tree, it can take about 12 years. Before planting, the seeds of the tree are stratified (cold keeping). For this, the seeds are poured into a box with wet sand or sawdust, placed in a cold, dark place for six months. The contents of the box are periodically moistened. The second method of stratification: seeds are placed to a depth of 3 cm in a mixture of peat and sand (1: 1). If the seeds are dried before planting, they most likely will not sprout. It is recommended to move them into the ground, without cleaning them from the substrate in which they were located, so as not to damage them and preserve the formed microflora. In spring, seeds are sown in open ground, fertile and loose, the strongest of them will sprout.
To obtain seedlings that are guaranteed to take root in open ground, linden seedlings are grown indoors. The seeds are planted in rows, the distance between which should be about 15 - 20 cm. They are buried in the soil by about 1 cm and covered with a layer of earth, slightly tamping it, moistening it. Then the seed trays are covered with a plastic lid or foil. With diffused lighting and an air temperature of + 18 ... + 22 ° C, seedlings should be expected no earlier than after 14 days.
Plantings are watered regularly to keep the soil slightly moist. The germination rate of linden seeds, unfortunately, is rather low. Plants appear slowly and not at the same time. The cover made of film or glass is periodically removed during seed germination in order to remove condensation formed on it. When a large number of sprouts appear, they begin to remove the shelter for a couple of hours a day, gradually increasing the time spent by the sprouts without covering material. During the entire germination period, it is important to maintain a constant air temperature of approximately + 20 ... + 23 ° C, to allow a sufficient amount of diffused sunlight to penetrate the plants.
Seedling care consists in timely watering and gentle loosening of the soil. At first, it is necessary to prevent direct sunlight from hitting the seedlings - the increased air temperature and rapid evaporation of moisture will inevitably lead to the death of the seedlings. After 2 - 3 weeks after emergence, they must be thinned out by removing weak specimens. So that the plants do not interfere with the further growth of each other, they are seated in separate containers, that is, they dive.
Linden seedlings do not tolerate transplanting well, so this procedure must be carried out subject to a number of conditions. The transplant is carried out in a soil similar in composition and together with a lump of damp earth to minimize the possibility of root damage. It is best to use peat pots in which you can later plant seedlings in open ground.
The end of spring or the beginning of summer is a favorable period for planting seedlings on the site, when warm weather is finally established.
Linden is a rather unassuming tree and can grow in almost any soil, but for young seedlings it is recommended to choose a more fertile plot of land. The lighting on it should be bright enough, but without direct sunlight at midday, which is especially important for the southern regions.
When growing seedlings, it must be remembered that linden loves moisture, it is advisable to prevent the soil from drying out for a long time. It is also necessary to regularly loosen the soil and remove weeds. Seedlings 1-2 years old are transplanted to a permanent place, preferably in the autumn.
Lipa is an invaluable resource for traditional medicine medicinal properties... Its flowers bring optimal benefits to the body. You can get acquainted with their properties, indications and contraindications, as well as see a photo in our article.
During the flowering period of the plant, a pleasant aroma hovers in the air. This characteristic smell is a kind of signal for supporters of traditional medicine, and its appearance is like a command to action. The aroma that appears when linden is in bloom signals that it is time to stock up on valuable medicinal raw materials. Unfamiliar with the plant, learn useful flower among others, the photo below will help.
As a rule, the tree begins to bloom at the age of twenty. But if it is grown in plantings, then the first flowers on it may appear ten years later. Re-flowering takes place every year. It is especially noticeable during the first two months of summer - then their benefits are especially great. Unfortunately, the flowers only live up to two weeks.
What flowers look like
Linden flowers are golden-white. They are combined in small numbers into complex inflorescences that grow from plates of oblong leaves. The stamens sticking out of the flowers form peculiar bunches. Multi-nested ovary whole, contains a pair of ovules for each nest. In the photo below you can see them in more detail.
How to pick flowers correctly
For flowers to become quality basis for the preparation of medicines, and the benefit from them was maximum, it is necessary to strictly observe the rules of collection and preparation. Since the flowering period is short, it is important not to miss the right time. The optimal moment is considered when most of the flowers have already opened, but among them you can still see the buds - then they should be picked. If you hurry, the plant will not have time to absorb all the necessary beneficial properties. If you are late, most of them will already be lost.
It is believed that the best places to collect flowers are those that are far from the roadways and exhausting factories. That is where trees grow on fresh air... The ideal option is to collect them in the village. As a last resort, you can search fragrant flowers linden trees in the suburbs or in the outback of city parks.
If dust and dirt characteristic of cities settle on the flowers, then you cannot get rid of these nasty things. This is because it is not recommended to wash the medicinal product. Otherwise, it will be of little use. It is worth remembering that flowers are not picked or cut off individually, but in inflorescences. Also, do not pick linden blossom after rainfall or in the morning when dew has fallen on the tree. Dry weather is best for this.
Useful linden inflorescences are dried in well-ventilated areas. It should be remembered that direct sunlight will lead to a loss of medicinal qualities. The easiest way is to spread them in a thin, even layer on paper, wood or fabric. And you can protect from the sun by covering the linden flowers with gauze or similar material that will provide good ventilation.
They must be mixed periodically, otherwise they may start to rot. And as soon as the flowers begin to break and crumble, drying stops. They are stored preferably in glass containers, and for greater preservation of useful properties - in fabric bags.
Beneficial features
Linden flowers help to increase the production of gastric juice, normalize the formation of bile and its outflow into the duodenum. They also have diuretic properties. It is an indispensable remedy for diarrhea, constipation and other problems with the stomach and other digestive organs.
Since linden inflorescences are rich in vitamin C and contain phytoncides, flavonoids, various essential oils, and tannins. They have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antihistamine properties. They also have an antiseptic and bactericidal effect.
Colds, flu, bronchitis, tracheitis - all of these ailments go away faster, thanks to the beneficial, healing properties of linden flowers. They are also effective fight with a cough and high temperature... Their testimony also includes a diaphoretic effect.
As an additional effect, inflorescences will help calm the nervous system, relieve stress, relieve insomnia and headaches. They cause antipyretic effect, normalize blood pressure. In addition, thanks to them, female hormones are put in order during the period of climacteric changes. The photo shows how beautiful the golden broth of linden is, which is used as a healing hot drink.
It is worth remembering about unique property, which helps to speed up metabolism, and anti-cellulite properties will appeal to every woman. A unique complex of medicinal products will increase the skin's ability to regenerate after damage and relieve tissue swelling. And due to the content of phytohormones, they promote rejuvenation and can even slow down the aging process.
Application
The most common use of these beneficial linden flowers is in the form of tea. This drink is quite effective against flu and colds and has no contraindications. It not only eliminates the unpleasant symptoms of diseases, but also promotes a speedy recovery. Also, tea, drunk before bedtime, helps with insomnia. In addition, it is often drunk for headaches. It will also be very useful for those who want to lose weight: help in losing weight is found in its indications.
A special composition for gargling is made of linden blossom. It helps with any type of cough. Such a composition has proven itself well in the treatment of pharyngitis, tonsillitis and other respiratory diseases. People who suffer from heart disease can take linden tincture. The indications of linden also cover the cosmetic aspect: for the treatment of skin lesions and inflammations, linden flowers are used externally in the form of an infusion.
It will show its beneficial properties in herbal medicine. Often it will be good for sick people to go out just to breathe. healing aroma flowering linden... It is good here that such treatment certainly has no contraindications, and which we will talk about further.
Contraindications
As such, there are no contraindications to use, but you need to understand that linden is a medicinal plant and should not be abused. Everything is good in moderation. Therefore, for example, linden tea should not be used instead of a traditional drink. It is better to alternate it with linden honey, the benefits of which are also obvious.
Any treatment should be carried out after consulting a doctor, on the subject individual characteristics... It is especially important to tell your doctor if you have any chronic medical conditions. Treatment must be carried out competently, following the expert's recommendations regarding the use of drugs, taking into account all contraindications, and only then there will be visible benefits from it.
Video
About what useful properties this wonderful plant has, about indications and contraindications, they will once again tell in the video below.