Chinese dereza is a shrub with soft creeping stems with short spines. The berries of the plant, which are popularly called "wolf" and "royal thorns", have a juicy red or bright orange color, ripen in mid-autumn. Belongs to the nightshade family.
A bit of history
Chinese Dereza was known to the people in ancient China, when the Tang dynasty ruled. Almost all compositions of general strengthening recipes included the berries of this plant. In China, there is even a legend associated with dereza: one day, passing by a village, an official saw a not very pleasant picture - a young girl beat an old man. He was indignant at what was happening and expressed his displeasure to her. But it turned out that the old man was the grandson of this girl. The official asked her with great surprise, how is this possible? To which she replied that her whole family drinks an amazing drink of longevity, so they are all young and beautiful. The grandson categorically refuses to use it, and therefore looks like an old man. And the drink of longevity is a simple dereza tea."
Wheregrowing?
The main habitat of this shrub is the northern and central regions of China. Although it is also common in Korea and Japan. Dereza Chinese likes to settle on rocky crevices, roads, near houses, on the slopes of mountains and foothills with dry soil.
Useful properties
This plant is used in traditional medicine. There are many diseases that Chinese dereza helps to fight:
- hypertension;
- visual impairment. The plant's phytochemicals have been shown to help protect the eye tissue from hyperglycemia;
- atherosclerosis;
- rheumatism;
- headaches;
- pathology of the liver and kidneys;
- fever;
- weakness and chronic fatigue;
- diabetes;
- prostatitis;
- impotence;
- cough;
- constipation;
- tuberculosis;
- prevention of cancer (increases the rate of production of white blood cells, which helps to strengthen immunity).
Dereza is also used as an anti-asthmic, antipyretic, anti-infective and antioxidant agent. The berries of this plant improve blood circulation, have a beneficial effect on cardiac activity, kidneys, liver, and help prevent thrombosis.
Chinese Dereza: cultivation
This berry is grown mainly in its homeland - in China. But if desired, it can be grown at home and inus. Let's analyze this question in more detail.
First you need to purchase either seeds (it will be faster) or Chinese dereza berries (the process will take at least 1, 5-2 months). If you purchased the fruits, then you need to put them in the freezer for 30 days, then defrost and dry them well, and only then remove the seeds from them. The procedure for growing wolfberry will be much easier if they are bought ready-made.
The soil can be absolutely anything, but sandy is preferable. Seeds must be planted in the ground to a depth of 2-3 centimeters. After you need to sprinkle them with earth and pour water.
Some time, until three leaves appear on the seedlings, the plant should be kept indoors, as it is very sensitive to bad weather and winds. It is necessary to transplant dereza to a sunny, spacious place with good drainage.
If the growing shrub becomes crowded, then it can be transplanted again. The grown wolfberry has good resistance to temperature changes and is not afraid of either drought or frost.
If you want to grow a plant as an indoor flower, do not forget about its need for a lot of light. In this case, you will have to deal with pollination yourself.
Blank
Leaves begin to prepare for storage during the flowering of the shrub. Chinese wolfberry fruits are harvested in autumn (late October-early November), and the bark and roots are harvested only after picking berries.
Composition
Chinese dereza berries are an excellent source of betaine,daucosterol, vitamin C, licin, rutin, choline, etc. They also contain the following active substances:
- proteins;
- amino acids;
- Fizalin;
- zeaxanthin;
- phenolic acids;
- magnesium;
- copper;
- calcium;
- zinc;
- phosphorus;
- manganese;
- alkaloids;
- taurine;
- vitamins: C, B1, B2, E, nicotine, carotene, riboflavin;
- polysaccharides;
- phytosterols.
Chinese Dereza: application
This medicinal plant uses almost all its parts: leaves, berries and even root bark. At the same time, in China itself, Chinese dereza is used as greenery (in salads, as a decoration for the festive table). For this, her young shoots and leaves are taken.
To use the berries of the plant, they must be thoroughly dried. It is used both as a medicine and as a simple seasoning added to soups and various pork dishes.
Several recipes for making infusions and decoctions from wolfberry
Tonic:
for its preparation it is necessary to infuse 5-10 grams of wolfberry leaves in 250 ml of boiling water for about 15-20 minutes. Strain the resulting infusion and drink 2-3 times a day, 50 ml each
For the treatment of neurasthenia and impotence:
you need to cook dereza fruits in 350 ml of water for about 10-15 minutes (about 20 grams). Drink 100 ml 2-3 times a day
To relieve edema of a neurotic nature and get rid offever:
take the bark of the roots of the plant (5-20 grams), then boil it for 10 minutes in 300 ml of water. For about an hour and a half they insist, filter and drink no more than 5 times a day, 50 ml each
Attention! Some sources say that this plant is poisonous. Therefore, its independent use as a medicine can be dangerous. Before using it, consult a specialist.
