Veres (Calluna vulgaris); homeland of Veres (Egisaceae); common heather
Evergreen, slender, very branched bush 30-70 cm tall (rarely up to 1 m). The leaves are opposite, small, sessile, oblong, closely spaced, like tiles. The flowers are small, lilac-pink, numerous, on short peduncles, collected in one-sided straight tassels 12-18 cm long. Plants with only white flowers, the so-called albinos, are quite rare. The fruit is a multi-seeded capsule. Heather forms thickets on sandy soils in pine forests, most often it can be seen on clearings, wastelands, burnt areas, less often on peat bogs. During the mass flowering of the plant, in the second half of summer, the wasteland seems to be engulfed in violet-lilac tongues of flame, so densely does the heather carpet cover the ground. In Russia, heather grows mainly in the forest-steppe zone of the European part and in Western Siberia. In Ukraine, it grows in pine trees,
As a medicine, common heather is used only in folk medicine. For medicinal purposes, the aerial part of the plant is collected during flowering and dried in the shade in the open air or in attics. Store the finished raw materials in a dry room.
Heather grass contains tannins (about 7 mg%), glycosides, flavonoids, saponins, alkaloid ericodinin, resins, gums, organic acids, micro- and macroelements.
The preparations of the plant have diaphoretic, diuretic, astringent, anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties, stimulate the excretory function of the gastric glands. Folk healers also use them as a sedative. Water infusion of heather is used for urological diseases (urolithiasis, acute and chronic pyelonephritis, cystitis, prostatitis), for the treatment of diseases of the liver and biliary tract. Decoctions from the plant help with gout, arthritis, rheumatism and nervous disorders. Externally, they are used for rheumatism, rickets, eczema, allergies, and as a means of treating clogged areas and healing wounds.
Many folk legends are associated with heather honey. However, despite the rather high honey productivity of the plant (300 kg or more from 1 hectare), heather honey is of low quality. It is dark yellow, with a brown tint, astringent, bitter and not suitable for wintering bees.
Heather tea. 2 teaspoons of raw materials are brewed as tea in 400 ml of boiling water. Drink in small sips throughout the day.
Decoction of grass. 1 tablespoon of raw material per 300 ml of boiling water. Take 1/2 cup three times a day.
Decoction of grass (external). 1 tablespoon of raw material per 300 ml of boiling water. Used for lotions and baths.