Aronia molanocarpa; Aronia molanocarpa; the Rose family (Rosaceae); black chokeberry
In a fairly short time, this plant won the sympathy of many gardeners. Only a little more than 150 years have passed since it was brought to Europe from North America and gradually, and then increasingly quickly and widely spread in gardens, homesteads and garden plots.
Black rowan is a bush 1.0-2.5 m tall. The leaves of the plant are alternate, petiolate, elliptical or obovate, serrated at the edges. They are dark green above, and lighter below. The flowers are bisexual, regular, five-petalled, pink or white, collected in shield-like inflorescences. Black rowan flowers in May-June. The fruit, like the fruits of hawthorn and common mountain ash, is an apple. It is juicy, but of an unusual black color with a gray streak. Berries ripen in August-September.
Black rowan has taken root well in Russia and Ukraine. It is cultivated as a fruit,
decorative and medicinal plant. In early autumn, during the ripening of the fruits, chokeberry leaves burn with fire, standing out against the background of not yet faded green.
The gradual study of this plant proved that it rightfully occupies an honorable place among the healing representatives of the plant kingdom.
For medicinal purposes, black rowan fruits are used, which are collected during the period of full ripeness. The berries of the plant, or rather apples, can be used fresh and dried. They are dried in the open air or in dryers at a temperature of 40-50 °C. Black rowan is a pharmacopoeia product, so dried fruits are sold in specialized pharmacies.
The fruit contains phenolic compounds (5-6%) — flavonoids and phenolic acids; about 2.5% pectin substances, sugars (up to 9.5%), phenocarbolic acids, vitamins – folic acid, riboflavin (vitamin B 2 ), nicotinic acid (vitamin B5 or PP), tocopherol (vitamin E), ascorbic acid ( vitamin C) and trace elements, including iodine (5-6 μg/100 g), molybdenum, manganese, boron, cobalt and others.
The plant has anti-inflammatory, hypotensive (lowers blood pressure), antispasmodic and hemostatic properties, helps to strengthen capillary walls. It also has a diuretic and choleretic effect. It is extremely useful to use black rowan juice for patients with hypertension. Iodine and phenocarbolic acids contained in the plant are used in the complex therapy of patients with thyrotoxicosis (disease of the thyroid gland). It has been proven that black rowan fruits have a positive effect on the process of hematopoiesis, so they are prescribed for its various disorders. They are also useful for hemorrhagic diatheses, which are accompanied by local hemorrhages, capillary toxicosis, and bleeding of various origins. It is recommended to use black rowan in case of atherosclerosis, diabetes, glomerulonephritis and insufficient blood clotting. Fresh fruit juice is used locally to treat burns. Information has recently appeared that the infusion of the leaves of the plant improves liver function and promotes more efficient bile secretion.
The consumption of black rowan fruits and their juice is categorically contraindicated for people who have a tendency to increased blood clotting, suffer from peptic ulcer disease of the stomach and duodenum, as well as hyperacid gastritis.
Black rowan lives up to 80 years. It bears fruit – from the age of 3-5 years. High yields are harvested from bushes under the age of 20. Winter-hardy plant: withstands frosts up to 35 °C. It is propagated by seeds (rarely), cuttings, cuttings and cuttings. Fruits can be stored at zero temperature throughout the year – they do not lose their taste and healing properties, they just dry out a little.
Black rowan berries are widely used for making juice, fruit juices, wine (often mixed with juices from other berries), jam, jams, liqueurs, and tinctures. The fruits also produce food biologically active dye, which contains about 6.5% of vitamin P, it is used in the food industry.
A good honey plant.
Fruit decoction. 20 g of dry fruits are poured with 200 ml of boiling water. Heat in a water bath for 15 minutes, filter, wring out, bring to the original volume with warm boiled water. Take 1/2 cup 3-4 times a day.
Juice and fresh fruit. Take 50-100 g 3 times a day.