How buckwheat blooms: description, its benefits and applications
The plant received the name “buckwheat” because it was brought to Rus' from Greece. And its grain was called “Greek cereal.” The valuable grain and honey crop has gained popularity due to its tasty and nutritious cereals.
The plant does not require special growing conditions. On poor soils, adequate nutrition is provided by the powerful root. Below you will find a description of the plant and learn why buckwheat flowers and leaves are valued, what it looks like in the photo and where it grows, when it blooms and at what time it is harvested, as well as its benefits and uses.
Botanical description and characteristics of buckwheat
Tall and branched plant with a well-developed root system - this is how you can characterize buckwheat. The height of the stem reaches 1 m. The root has the form of a rod; the root system consists of three tiers and is capable of going deep into the soil.
What it looks like and where it grows
The stem of buckwheat is green, but when the seeds ripen it becomes bright red.
Green the foliage is triangular in shape. The upper leaves are located directly on the stem, and the lower ones are attached by petioles.
Buckwheat has brown fruits, externally resembling nuts with sharp ribs and a film shell.
Places where buckwheat is grown are located closer to foreststhat protect fields from winds. Near the forest the soil is light and has access to air. After warm weather has settled in, buckwheat is planted.The crop is grown more in the southern part of Russia. There the crop is harvested twice a season. Buckwheat grows well in the regions of the Far East and Transbaikalia. These places have high humidity and fertile soil. The crop does not grow in the wild.
It is preferable to sow seeds in soil that contains nutrients. Excessive acidity and increased alkalinity in the soil are unacceptable. The crop grows well in fields where winter crops, beans and peas were previously grown.
Buckwheat is the only agricultural crop that is not afraid of weeds. Where it is sown, weeds do not grow at all. The plant completely displaces and suppresses them. A person is automatically freed from weeding.
How buckwheat grows and blooms
When the soil warms up to +8°C, grains are sown. The first shoots appear at an air temperature of at least +15°C. Flowering begins around the twentieth day, provided that the air is warmed up to +25°C, around June. It is difficult to determine more precisely the beginning of flowering.
The blooming buckwheat field is amazingly beautiful. It looks like a light pink blanket, over which bees are buzzing and circling. Anyone who once watched buckwheat bloom leaves this picture in their memory for a long time.
What do the flowers look like and what color?
The crop begins to bloom in mid-June and continues throughout the summer.. The plant has small flowers that are collected in inflorescences. They contain female and male flowers in quantities from 700 to 1500 pieces. Each flower has five petals of different shades from white to pink. Not every flower produces a grain.
Detailed description of flowering
During the flowering period, thousands of bees fly to the buckwheat field.They are in a hurry to collect nectar, and during this period it is better not to approach the field.
The beginning of buckwheat flowering begins from the bottom up along the main stem. Each flower blooms for only one day. Repeated opening can only occur in cloudy weather, but there is no longer any pollen in the anthers. New flowers bloom daily, creating the feeling of a long-lasting bloom.
Buckwheat is a remontant annual. On its bush you can simultaneously find both ripening grains and just blooming flowers and even buds.
When is the harvest
Harvest begins at the end of September. First of all, fields where more than 75% of the grain is ripe are harvested.
So that in hot and dry weather the grain falls off less and the stalks do not break, mowing is carried out early in the morning or in the evening, after sunset. At this time, air humidity increases, which has a beneficial effect on harvesting.
Modern technology is capable of processing grains during buckwheat harvesting. The grain is sorted and sent to the warehouse. Sorting is done there. One part is shipped to consumers, the other is used for sowing.
Unripe buckwheat has green kernels and the taste of hazelnuts. It is collected raw and then dried well. This increases the shelf life of the grains, but the beneficial properties are partially lost. During industrial processing, cereals acquire a brown color - the color they are used to seeing in stores.
Beneficial properties of buckwheat
In most regions of Russia buckwheat is the main honey plant.
Why are buckwheat flowers and leaves valued?
When the weather is humid and warm, you can observe abundant release of nectar and pollen from flowers. Buckwheat honey is dark in color with a spicy aroma.It is widely used for skin diseases, atherosclerosis and anemia.
Buckwheat leaves have excellent antiseptic properties. They are applied to abscesses and festering wounds. The inflammatory process passes quickly, the wound heals.
How it is used
By composition buckwheat is a beneficial herb. It is harvested for the production of pharmacological drugs. The most commonly used seeds and herbs are plants. Flour is produced from buckwheat, which brings great benefits and is therefore used in dietary nutrition.
The content of rutin in buckwheat reduces the fragility of blood vessels and increases capillary permeability. As a result of the use of the plant, blood vessels are noticeably improved.
Reference. The herb has an expectorant effect and removes phlegm.
Thanks to lecithin, Buckwheat is recommended for use in diseases of the liver, heart, and nervous system..
After eating buckwheat, the carbohydrates included in its composition leave you feeling full for a long time.
Buckwheat is rich in vitamins and microelements, which enhance metabolism, relieve swelling, normalize blood flow, and have a beneficial effect on vascular spasms. Medicines from this herb help with insomnia.
This is not all the benefits of buckwheat. In this plant Even the flowers are valued, from which delicious and healthy buckwheat tea is brewed. For medicinal purposes, the tops of plants are dried in a dark place. The main thing is that the sun does not hit the raw materials.
Pillows filled with buckwheat husk. You can make them yourself or buy them in a store.
Traditional medicine recipes using buckwheat flowers
Decoctions and infusions of buckwheat flowers widely used in folk medicine:
- When coughing, a flower infusion from this plant helps very well. To prepare it you will need 0.5 liters of water and 1 dessert spoon of buckwheat flowers. Leave for two hours, covered with a lid. Take half a glass three times a day.
- For arthritis, drink up to four glasses a day of a chilled infusion of dried flowers, prepared from 1 liter of boiling water and 6 tbsp. l. buckwheat flowers. The same infusion, only half a glass four times a day, can be drunk with low blood pressure, which is accompanied by general weakness of the body.
- For felon and abscess, it is very effective to make compresses and lotions from infusions. Two tablespoons of a mixture of dried flowers and buckwheat leaves are poured into one glass of boiling water. It is good to wash ulcers and wounds with the same solution.
- Fresh whole or crushed leaves are applied to festering wounds and abscesses. Ground buckwheat grains are sifted on a fine sieve and used as baby powder. Buckwheat flour is actively used in cosmetology - they make scrubs for the face and body. The skin is not only cleansed, but also moisturized and nourished.
Harm and contraindications
Buckwheat, like any product, can bring not only benefits, but also harm.
Fresh buckwheat flowers and grass are poisonous. They cannot be consumed in large quantities, because they contain toxic substances. They have an antibacterial effect. When fresh, the herb can be used in unlimited quantities only as an antiseptic or hemostatic agent.
Thorough drying of raw materials is required before use.. Buckwheat products should not be used if there is increased blood clotting.
Buckwheat has no contraindications. It can be used by everyone, but certain categories of people should use it with caution.
Important! It is not recommended to give buckwheat to children in large quantities.
People suffering from kidney failure and diabetics Buckwheat should be eaten in limited quantities.
Coolly cooked buckwheat porridge, when digested, stimulates formation of gases and may cause constipation.
Don't get carried away buckwheat diet more than five days. This can harm the body by depleting the diet.
By eating buckwheat, the body receives a lot of energy. Therefore, when taken in large quantities, especially at night, cereal can cause insomnia and overexcitement.
If there is a tendency to increased blood clot formation, eating buckwheat is undesirable.
Conclusion
Buckwheat groats are ideal for weight loss dieters. Buckwheat porridge is considered a national Russian dish. This product is characterized by a high content of proteins, complex carbohydrates, and ash substances. Its beneficial properties significantly outweigh the possible harm.