Home / Herbalist / Sow Thistle

Sow Thistle

Useful properties and applications of field sow-Thistle


Everyone who has a garden or smallholding, the word "weed"is notorious, because it is one of the most tenacious weeds. Of course, the fleshy keys of the grass have no place in the beds with cultivated plants, but in people's home medicine Cabinet, she would have been very handy. Today we will tell you all about the types, chemical composition and application of sow Thistle, and you will surely be surprised how much good is hidden in this garden of pesky"terrorists".

The content of the article:


What is a weed?

Sow Thistle - a plant belongs to the family Compositae (or Asteraceae), and sometimes as an annual, or perennial. Sow Thistle reaches 50-170 cm high and twist around the surface layer of soil is dense and branched network of roots.

The stems of this weed most often straight, glabrous or slightly pubescent with spiny hairs, rarely branched. Dense, juicy and bright green leaves growing at the base of the stem, and on the top it always leafless. Form the leaves of sow Thistle can be alternate, entire, pinnately lobed or pinnately dissected, and their edges are almost always covered with spiny denticles. Lower leaves usually form a common petiole, so the weed has the form of a beam, growing from a single point.

The flowers of this weed are small, they are composed of many soft, thin, needle-like petals, as if looking out of a common basket. In a single inflorescence may be 4-8 of these baskets, andsome types of weed they close in the evening and in cloudy weather. Ripe seeds of this weed are well spread across the district due to the fluffy tuft, with which they fly in the wind.

Where growing weed?

It would not be wrong if we say – almost everywhere! Bunches of this weed can be found in fields and orchards across the Eurasian continent, from Western Europe to the Far East. This plant is not too fussy, and could settle even on dry and salty soils, but sow Thistle likes moist black soil, where it will not drive.

Sow Thistle is the most tenacious weed

Why does this plant fit to award "Oscar" for the best role of weed? Because it is propagated in two ways: vegetative and seed, and even makes it continuously. One Bush weed for a year produces up to six and a half thousand flying seeds which travel by air over long distances.

At the same time, each young plant in its first year of life is deepening roots in the soil of two feet, and after a couple of years – four meters. And whenever the root system damage the agricultural tools, it is the formation of new shoots that rise to the surface and sprout. It is a kind of natural protection from weed is weed.

How to deal with this weed in the garden? If the Bush is still young, 15-20 cm in height, it can be carefully pulled out the soft soil together with the root. But the planter of the massive adult plants can be removed only by digging deep, a shake-up of soil and removal of all found roots. Moreover, even such measures do not guarantee. In areas where cultivation was thickets of this weed, we have twice a month to carry out preventive weeding.

Important: the seeds of sow-Thistle, trapped deep in the ground during digging, retain their vegetative properties for over twenty years, and give life to new weeds!

Should I try to permanently eradicate the weed on his land, you decide, but before discarding the plants, think - not to prepare them for the future to use for medical purposes? With the help of this weed can reduce the fever, relieve headache, relieve the patient's condition hemorrhoids and get rid of many other health problems.

The best time for collecting and harvesting the aerial parts of sow Thistle, summer and early fall, that is, the period of flowering, and the roots are encouraged to dig in October before the first frost. Raw materials must be washed from the remnants of the earth and spread out on clean paper somewhere under the porch or on the windowsill of the window that opens on the non-solar side of the house. Sow Thistle should gradually dry out without being hitdirect sunlight, and then it can be folded into paper or canvas bags and put into the closet.


Species of sow Thistle

Science there are about 80 species of sow Thistle, but we will discuss 3 of them: field, vegetable and pink, because these types are most common and represent the great medical interest.

Yellow sow Thistle (field)

This giant perennial reaches a height of human growth and inhabits abandoned fields and wet valleys of the river banks. The main vertical field sow Thistle root deep into the soil for four feet and a horizontal lateral roots extend radially in one meter around.

The stem of the tall species of Thistle hollow, erect and branching at the top, are covered with prickly hairs. Leaf color is not the cheerful green, like the garden of the weed. They are dark, gray or even a bluish tinge, rough, long, and jagged at the edges.

Field sow Thistle is called yellow because of the flowers, forming a large matawinie inflorescence composed of urceolate baskets. The colour and shape of petals of flowers like a dandelion – as long needle-like and soft. The bees love this plant, so field sow Thistle is one of the best honey plants. And people it helps with headaches, cardiovascular diseases and neuroses.

Yellow sow Thistle is used in folk medicine for the treatment of the following diseases:

Vegetable garden sow-Thistle

"Cultural" relative field weed that causes headaches of all gardeners, has a low height: 30-100 cm Stem he, too, is hollow, but branches much more intense, working from the base to the top. The leaves are long, pointed and toothed, rich green color, much more soft and juicy than in field counterpart. Flowers garden weed is larger (baskets reach 3.5 cm in diameter), but they provide such great buds. And the seeds look about the same – dark brown, oblong, with a fluffy tuft.

Garden weed may come to care for the following health problems:

For the treatment can be used not only dry, but also a fresh vegetable garden sow-Thistle: Narva leaves, finely chop, pour one tablespoon of raw materials in the glass and zaparte boiling water, filling it to the brim. After an hour, strain the infusion through a double layer of sterile gauze and take a tablespoon three times a day 20 minutes before meals.

Pink sow Thistle

This species is a direct relative of field sow Thistle, and is sometimes called the Thistle. He is smaller in height (up to 120cm), different color of flowers (pink or purple) and more modest size of the panicles. But rhizome pink weed is as powerful as the yellow, the leaves have approximately the same structure, shape and a grayish hue, and he belongs also to the perennials.

Pink sow Thistle is widely distributed throughout the European part of Russia, but he prefers to settle in the fertile nitrogenous soils, especially along rivers and lakes. This beautiful honey from one hectare osotovy field bees can produce up to 140 kg of honey in one season. Use pink weed is exactly the same as the above two species against fever, headaches, hemorrhage, inflammation, nervousness and to normalize the blood sugar level.

Important: sow Thistle, especially the young leaves pink and garden view, can be used not only in medical but also for culinary purposes.

In Russia there were a lot of recipes of dishes of weed: soups, chowder, salads, sauces and gravy, and now they are, unfortunately, almost forgotten and out of use nowadays. Fresh salad of young sow Thistle is able to enrich the body with vitamins and seasoning from the dried leaves gives a spicy taste to dishes of meat and fish.

Before adding the leaves of this weed in a salad, it is better to soak in weak brine for half an hour to eliminate the characteristic bitterness. And the stems and leaves, reaching for the soup, just enough to RUB inrukah – tak oni priobretut bolee myagkij vkus. dlya prigotovleniya pripravy zaranee vymochennye listya osota sushat, a zatem rastiraut v poroshok i peresypaut v derevyannuu zakrytuu posudu.


himicheskij sostav osota

interes k osotu, kak i k drugim yadovitym rasteniyam s poleznymi svojstvami, v poslednee vremya usililsya, no ego himicheskij sostav do sih por ostaetsya ne polnostu izuchennym.

navernyaka izvestno, chto v osote soderzhatsya:

  1. karotin:

    • antioksidant i immunostimulyator;
    • reguliruet obmen veshestv i okislitelno-vosstanovitelnye reakcii;
    • sposobstvuet sintezu belkov;
    • ukreplyaet kosti, volosy i nogti;

    • zamedlyaet starenie organizma.
  2. vitamin C:

    • neobhodim dlya pravilnoj raboty endokrinnoj i immunnoj sistem;

    • ukreplyaet stenki krovenosnyh sosudov i sposobstvuet krovetvoreniu;
    • boretsya so svobodnymi radikalami i preduprezhdaet onkologiu;
    • povyshaet vynoslivost i umstvennuu aktivnost;
    • normalizuet rabotu nervnoj sistemy.
  3. zhirnye masla:

    • uskoryaut regeneraciu i obnovlenie kletok organizma;
    • daut energiu i stimuliruut obmennye processy;
    • sposobstvuut vyvodu vrednyh veshestv i ochisheniu krovi;
    • pomogaut skorejshemu zazhivleniu ran i vosstanovleniu tkanej.
  4. saponiny i gorechi:

    • ukreplyaut zashitnye sily organizma;
    • oblegchaut pishevarenie i vozbuzhdaut appetit;
    • snimaut nervnoe napryazhenie i ustalost.
  5. vinnaya kislota:

    • sposobstvuet pohudeniu i uskoryaet obmennye processy;
    • nejtralizuet diskomfort v epigastrii, ustranyaet boli i koliki;
    • obladaet delikatnym mochegonnym i poslablyaushim dejstviem;
    • snimaet pohmelnyj sindrom i izzhogu.
  6. holin:

    • snizhaet uroven lpnp (plohogo holesterina);

    • pomogaet rabote pecheni i zhelchnogo puzyrya;
    • sposobstvuet polnomuabsorption of fats from food;
    • Prolongs youth, and accelerates the processes of cell renewal;
    • Stimulates all muscles, including the heart;
    • Supports nervous system and helps to resist stress.

  7. Inulin:

    • Regulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism;
    • Promotes the absorption of vitamins and minerals from foods.
    • Strengthens the immune system and normalizes the microflora of the internal organs;
    • Ensures harmonious working of the digestive tract;
    • Reduces the level of sugar in the blood.

  8. Alkaloids:

    • Effectively relieve the pain syndrome of any etiology;
    • Lower blood pressure and body temperature;
    • Prevent the occurrence and development of tumors, including malignant;

    • Strengthen blood vessels and reduce bleeding;
    • Suppress inflammation and promote rapid healing.

The beneficial properties of weed

Medicinally used aboveground part of the plant. Plant material collected during flowering, dried in well-ventilated areas without direct sunlight.

Sow Thistle is a good honey plant. Bees like to visit different kinds of plants, collecting for the season to 110 kg of nectar per hectare thicket. Osotovy honey is quite tasty, with a delicate flavor, light yellow color. It is often used for feeding bees in winter.

The properties of sow Thistle:

  • Anti-inflammatory;
  • Tonic;
  • Immunomodulatory;
  • Soothing;
  • Analgesic;
  • Regenerating;
  • Anticancer;
  • Antioxidant;
  • Antipyretic;
  • Hypotensive;
  • Myostimulating;
  • Bactericidal;
  • Diuretic;
  • Laxative;
  • Diaphoretic;
  • Antihelminthic;
  • Antidiabetic;
  • Protivogistaminnoe.

Application of this weed

In medicine, the aboveground part of the plant used for making drugshas hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, choleretic and lactogenic activity. Modern research has shown that an extract from it has anxioliticeski ("antianxiety") effect, that is, the plant can be used in diseases of the Central nervous system.

In folk medicine it is recommended for the treatment of vascular diseases and as a sedative. Decoctions and infusions of herbs help with headaches, have a positive effect in the neuroses, improve metabolism. They are used as a General tonic. For the treatment of painful seals after injuries and bruises effective poultice of fresh grass, its juice removes warts.

Drugs weed cure fever, jaundice, inflammatory liver disease. It is a good antidote in cases of poisoning by opium. In addition, young leaves of the plant can be added to salads in the diet.


Treatment weed

Sow Thistle is used in folk medicine with the following objectives:

The stems and leaves of sonchus

The aboveground part of plants used in inflammatory diseases accompanied by pain and fever, and to treat hepatitis, hemorrhoids, furunculosis, burns and non-healing wounds.

Fromfresh leaves and stems prepare a poultice, infusions and decoctions, but you can use dried raw material that is well kept. If you need to quickly stop the bleeding when you cut and disinfect the wound would require fresh finely chopped sow Thistle. The younger and more tender shoots, the better.

The root of the weed

In the underground parts of the plant the higher the concentration of biologically active substances, especially toxic alkaloids, so the root of this weed make medicinal alcohol tincture. With its help treat tumors, inflammatory diseases of the kidneys, liver, gastrointestinal tract, hypertension, diabetes and women diseases.

Important: the boiled roots of the sow Thistle is pleasant to the taste, they resemble the Jerusalem artichoke, earthy pear, so you can add them to soups and salads.

The juice of sow-Thistle

Juice milky, projecting from the leaves of the Thistle in the broken places, since ancient times, is an excellent folk remedy against warts. It is recommended to apply it on the affected skin several times a day until the wart dries up. The juice of sow-Thistle is also a great diuretic, and in combination with egg yolk – a cure for breast cancer.

With the help of this juice to render emergency assistance to a person with poisoning by certain vegetable poisons, for example, opium. Remember that the juice of sow-Thistle contains volatile alkaloids, therefore it can only be used immediately after extraction.

The decoction of sonchus

To prepare the decoction take one tablespoon of fresh or dried leaves of the sow Thistle, steamed Cup of boiling water or simmer for three minutes and then strain and drink in divided doses throughout the day, 20-30 minutes before meals.

A decoction is used in pulmonary bleeding, heavy menstruation, renal colic, pain in the stomach, cold with high fever, hepatitis and nephritis. You can apply osotovy decoction, and externally, such as compresses and lotions with abrasions or purulent wounds.

The infusion of this weed

The infusion is prepared from the same amount of raw materials and water, but before applying it for at least an hour, but preferably leave in a thermos overnight. Ready to drink filtered need one tablespoon 20 minutes before a meal, it perfectly relieves headaches, normalizes blood pressure, strengthens blood vessels and enhances immunity.

The infusion is good to rinse your mouth with periodontal disease: it reduces bleeding gums and freshens breath. You can add a Cup of infusion of sow Thistle in a basin with hot water and soak my feet, it will not only savefrom the beginning of colds, but also reduce sweating, helps get rid of fungus and odor.

Alcohol tincture of weed

This is the most concentrated form of the drug, which is used for the treatment of diabetes, hypertension, hepatitis, tuberculosis, obesity and even cancer diseases. To prepare the tincture take chopped fresh root of this weed, pour it in a glass jar and pour the brim with medical alcohol, then kept in dark place for 3 weeks, filter and put into the fridge.

Take alcohol tincture weed is need by the "hill", as well as other poisonous alkaloid tincture on the plants. Start with two drops three times a day and gradually increase the dose by one drop and then gradually decrease to the original level. During this time in the body accumulate alkaloids, and there is activation of the immune system, which and manages to defeat serious disease.

Honey from a weed

Honey, which is harvested by bees during pollination result pink or yellow weed, is highly valued in medicine. It is particularly rich in vitamins and biologically active substances that strengthen the immune system, normalize digestion and blood pressure.

Osotovy honey is a light, pale yellow with a delicate floral aroma and a mild taste. Unfortunately, it quickly thickens and kristallizuetsya, but does not lose with its food and medicinal value.

Honey from a weed is recommended to elderly people and patients recently undergone a serious illness. Not only it has tonic and restorative properties, but also anti-inflammatory, so osotovy honey is useful ulcer. You can use it externally for abrasions.


Contraindications to the use of this weed

Sow Thistle is contraindicated:

  • Pregnant women;
  • Nursing mothers;
  • Persons with individual intolerance to the components of the plant (primarily alkaloids).

Important: if you have a serious disease of the gastrointestinal tract, spleen and liver, you should consult with your doctor about treatment with weed, because this plant though moderately but toxic!


The best recipes with weed

A decoction of this weed against hemorrhoids

Relieve for hemorrhoids, to relieve the pain andreduce help bleeding sitz baths with a decoction of this weed. Take a handful of dried leaves and stems, pour a liter of water, boil and simmer for five minutes, then strain and pour into a bowl with cold water to make a cool bath. To take it need for fifteen minutes three times a week.

Vitamin tea from the weed

Tablespoon chopped young leaves of sow Thistle zaparte Cup of boiling water twenty minutes, strain and drink before Breakfast. Repeat in the evening, no earlier than two hours after dinner. Vitamin osotovy tea taken on an empty stomach, well stimulates digestion, calms the nerves and promotes good sleep.

A delicious salad of sow-Thistle

Soak the tender young leaves of sow Thistle for 30-40 minutes in salted water. Meanwhile, boil 2 hard-boiled eggs, cool and cut into slices, two large cucumber cut into large strips, put everything in a bowl, add the torn leaves of this weed, half a teaspoon mustard, a little vegetable oil and salt to taste. Mix the salad, soak half an hour in the fridge, so he soaked and opened his own taste, and serve.