Traditional medicine

Chokeberry. Useful properties

Chokeberry(chokeberry) is a powerful shrub with beautiful dark berries used in folk medicine. It can't be found on every summer cottage, but in vain: caring for it is easy, and the harvests are stable and abundant. Rowan decorates the garden both during flowering and in September, when the berries ripen and the leaves gradually acquire a red tint.

Brief history, description and characteristics of the plant

Chokeberry is also called Chokeberry. It grows wild in the eastern regions of North America. This is a shrub reaching 3 meters in height, with a crown diameter of more than 2 m. It is very winter-hardy. The root system does not spread far, but some roots penetrate up to 1 meter or more, although the bulk of them reach a depth of about half a meter. An adult bush has numerous thick branches-trunks. The leaves are simple, broadly oval or elongated. The edge of the leaf is jagged. The leaf blade is shiny, dense on top, slightly pubescent and whitish on the underside.

Blooms in May-June. Flowering lasts about 10 days. The flowers are medium-sized, white, bisexual. The corolla has five petals. Chokeberry peduncles are in the form of a shield containing from 15 to 35 flowers, and the berries grow accordingly: in the form of small bunches of shields. It takes about three months for the fruit to grow and ripen.

When planting a chokeberry bush at the dacha, you need to understand in advance that it will take up a lot of space

The fruit is round, black, with a slight bluish coating, strongly wrinkled at the end, quite large (0.5 to 1.5 cm in diameter), tastes sweet and sour, astringent, tart. The weight of one berry is 1.0–1.5 g. Each berry contains 4–8 small seeds. The fruits contain up to 10% sugar, 1.3% acids (mostly malic), pectin and other beneficial substances. The flowers and fruits of chokeberry resemble the flowers and fruits of the common rowan.

This rowan begins to bear fruit in the fourth year of life. The berries ripen at the end of September and do not fall for a long time. Chokeberry is a completely winter-hardy crop. It grows especially well in moisture-intensive, fertile soils. In dry years, the berries are less juicy and small, so they are planted in well-lit places.

I.V. Michurin drew attention to this valuable shrub and recommended it for cultivation with economic purpose. In 1900, he purchased chokeberry cuttings from Germany to cross with red rowan.

The initiator of the widespread introduction of chokeberry into agricultural production is M. A. Lisavenko (Altai). In 1935, he took cuttings in Michurinsk, propagated them, and then planted a plantation of a thousand bushes. Its widespread distribution was also facilitated by numerous amateur gardeners who began planting soon after the war. Then the seedlings were brought to the north, to the Leningrad region, from where rowan came to the Baltic states and other regions. In Russia today, chokeberry is widespread as a fruit and medicinal crop. It is grown everywhere, especially in the middle zone and northern regions.

Varieties of chokeberry

Half a century ago, one could read that there are only a few varieties of chokeberry. Now this is not true: through the efforts of breeders, varieties have been bred that differ not only in early ripening or different conditions cultivation, but also the taste and even color of the berries, although outwardly most of them are very similar to each other and practically indistinguishable. However, the list of the most popular chokeberry varieties among lovers is still small.

The appearance of chokeberry berries of different varieties differs little; only specialists know them by sight

The unpretentious variety Rubina is characterized by increased resistance to diseases, pests and frost. The berries ripen in September, have a round shape, up to 1 cm in diameter, and low astringency.

Rowan Black-eyed is also very unpretentious, similar in characteristics to Rubina, but loves sunnier areas. Diseases most often bypass Black-Eye. Its berries, unlike most varieties, have almost no astringency. They hang on the branches for a long time without falling off, so they can be collected in one go.

It is recommended to plant the Czech variety Nero in shaded areas. It can withstand the most severe frosts, the bush is not too large, maximum height- up to 2 meters. The color of the flowers is interesting: the main color, like most varieties, is white, but the stamens are red. The berries have an improved taste, aroma and increased vitamin content, are well suited for making juice, and ripen somewhat earlier than other varieties.

One of the most winter-hardy and late varieties is Aronia Michurina, which can withstand cold temperatures down to -40 °C. It grows as a very large bush, over 3 meters. The berries are also larger than usual, not quite round, slightly flattened, very juicy, and do not fall off. They are quite suitable for direct consumption, having a sweet and sour taste.

Chokeberry Michurina is one of the most honored, traditional varieties

The Viking variety (of Finnish origin) is also highly winter-hardy, but is distinguished by its compact bush size and rather small berries, 10–20 per cluster. At the same time, the total harvest of fruits, which are not entirely black in color, with a hint of purple, is still quite considerable. The berries are slightly flattened in shape and can hang on the bushes until the end of October.

Bushes of medium height with a round crown of the Swedish variety Hugin. Berries are red-black, lower average size, ripen a little later than other varieties, not very juicy. Hugin is relatively capricious in care: he does not like radical pruning of bushes. In autumn, chokeberry bushes of this variety are very decorative: dark green shiny leaves are adjacent to bright red ones, with a gradual shift in the general background color towards crimson tones. The winter hardiness of the variety is high, but the soil around young plantings should be well mulched for the winter.

Healing properties of the plant

The healthfulness of chokeberry lies mainly in the fact that its berries contain a lot of vitamin P. The composition includes active coloring and colorless substances (catechins, red anthocyanins, yellow flovones). The fruits also contain other vitamins - C, PP, B2, B9, E, but in relatively small quantities. Aronia fruits are a rich source of natural food coloring and contain a lot of tannins. Chokeberry berries are useful in the treatment of certain diseases, including radiation, since vitamin P is an anti-radiant. Berries and juice are best consumed together with fruits of other plants rich in vitamin C.

Chokeberry juice contains beneficial for human body chemical elements: iodine, iron, manganese. It makes quite good wine, and is also used to tint light wines, sparkling water and other drinks. The juice yield from the fruit is high - 68–75%.

Chokeberry tincture is easier to prepare than classic wine, and is valued no less by lovers

In preventive and medicinal purposes They consume juice, fresh, frozen or dried berries, and various culinary products from rowan. It is useful for hypertension, bleeding, diabetes, kidney disease, rheumatism, hepatitis and many other cases. Chokeberry helps reduce cholesterol in the blood. IN fresh This rowan is not very tasty, so they prefer to make jam, marmalade, compote, etc. from it. If you follow the cooking rules, it does not lose its healing properties.

Planting chokeberry in a summer cottage: step-by-step instructions

Growing chokeberry is not particularly difficult. It gives stable high yields. To plant chokeberry plantations, it is necessary to select appropriate locations. The best is on medium, moisture-intensive, fertile loams. Slightly lower terrain areas are more suitable for this crop. In higher, drier areas, the berries are smaller and less juicy. Chokeberry responds poorly to lack of moisture, especially during fruit ripening.

This rowan should not be planted near swamps, in low places where late spring frosts are possible. The shrub is also demanding on lighting; even minimal shading significantly reduces yield. And heavily shaded bushes bear fruit several times worse than those growing in the sun.

Throughout his life, the author of these lines observed three chokeberry bushes growing in radically different conditions. As a child, a huge bush grew in partial shade, but this was the west of the Bryansk region, with a not very hot and rather humid climate. The harvests were huge and stable. Then, in my youth, there was a bush at the dacha in the Saratov region. It was perfectly lit, but frequent summer droughts and unbearable heat made it possible to harvest a much more modest harvest than in the more northern Bryansk region. Now our neighbors in another dacha (also Saratov) have a chokeberry bush growing in the shade and without special care. He also bears fruit normally, but even less than the second one, which had plenty of sun.

Plant rowan better in autumn, but it is possible in the spring. When preparing the site, add half a bucket of rotted manure to the soil. square meter. When planting several bushes, the optimal layout is 3 x 3 m. Prepare a planting hole in advance: width 60 cm, depth 40 cm. Humus or peat manure compost (1.5–2 buckets) and two liters of wood ash are added to it, after mixing everything with the soil taken out of the hole.

The roots of the seedling are lightly trimmed and dipped in a mixture of clay, mullein and water. Planting is similar to planting most garden plants. It is necessary to lower the seedling into the prepared hole, straighten the roots well, gradually cover them with soil and water them. Chokeberry is planted 5–6 cm deeper than the seedling grew in the nursery. In spring, the bush is heavily pruned.

Thus, in order to plant chokeberry in the country, you need to do the following:

In summer we choose a place: sunny, but not too dry.
It is advisable to plant chokeberry away from other shrubs and trees.
At the end of summer, we dig up the area of proposed planting, adding fertilizers and destroying perennial weeds.
In September, we dig a planting hole (60 x 60 x 40 cm), adding two buckets of humus and a good jar of wood ash.
The planting hole for shrubs should not be very deep, but it must be filled with fertilizers
At the beginning of October, we purchase a chokeberry seedling with good roots and bring it to the site.
A good seedling must have strong roots
We trim the roots that are too long (up to 20–25 cm, and if they are shorter, then only the very tips) and lower them into a mash of mullein and clay, or, in extreme cases, let them float in water.
If the roots are dipped in mash, the seedling will take root more easily
We place the seedling in the hole so that the root collar is slightly below the soil level.
We gradually fill the roots with fertile soil, trampling them with our feet, and check that the root collar does not end up sticking out.
After filling with soil, the root collar should be completely immersed in the soil.
Carefully pour a bucket of water around the seedling.
Mulch with peat or dry soil in a layer of 2–3 cm.
After planting and watering, you need to throw a little peat or other mulching material around the bush.
We have a quiet winter.
In the spring, on our first visit to the dacha, we trim the bush. Leave the stumps no higher than 20 cm.
It’s a pity, but in the spring the shoots will have to be greatly shortened

In the first four years, the row spacing can be occupied with potatoes, lupine for green fertilizer or strawberries. This use of space is advisable, since chokeberry begins to bear fruit only in the third year after planting the bushes, and during this time, crops of other crops can be obtained next to it by applying additional fertilizers to them.

As for trees and shrubs, it is better not to plant anything like that nearby; hawthorn is especially bad as a neighbor. Of course, such giants as apricots and, especially, walnuts are completely unacceptable: their proximity will leave chokeberry neither food nor moisture. Chokeberry has common pests with cherries: slimy sawfly and aphids, so it is absolutely forbidden to plant them next to each other.

How to properly care for chokeberry: rules for watering, fertilizing, preparing for winter, harvesting

Chokeberry requires moderate watering; it can be omitted during rainy seasons. The most active growth of the bush occurs in cool weather, about 15 o C. Elevated temperatures chokeberry is not very fond of it, but short-term heat has almost no effect on the yield. In case of dry weather, watering is necessary at the stage of fruit formation, since usually there is enough moisture from melting snow just before this time. You can dig shallow grooves around the bushes and pour 2-3 buckets of water into them. Loosening the soil after watering is highly desirable. It is repeated several times during the summer. The depth of loosening is small: up to 5–6 cm.

For annual fruiting it is necessary to apply fertilizers. It is recommended to alternate organic with mineral ones.

Nitrogen fertilizers should be applied every spring (on thaw-frozen soil) at a dose of 20 g per square meter, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers - every other year (30 and 20 g, respectively). Manure (rotted) or peat-manure compost is applied in a dose of 2-3 buckets per bush. Bird droppings diluted with water 1:10 or slurry (1:3) are also used.

During the first years, vegetables or flowers are planted around the bushes, but as soon as the row-spacings begin to be shaded by overgrown bushes, they are kept under black fallow. The soil around the bushes is weeded and loosened throughout the growing season.

In addition to caring for the soil and applying fertilizers, thinning the bushes is also required. They produce a large number of shoots that quickly thicken the bush. The growth of shoots begins at an average daily air temperature of about 5 o C. New, most valuable shoots, as well as rhizomatous shoots, grow from the root part of the shoot.

After planting a two-year-old seedling with 4–6 trunks, their number soon doubles, and by seven years the base of the bush has about a meter in diameter and approximately 50 trunks.

The main trunk grows in length up to 8 years, but the growth rate decreases from the age of four. The main fruiting is observed on annual branches. When fruiting declines, the fruits become significantly smaller. Thus, old trunks become ballast, impairing the growth and fruiting of other, younger ones. Therefore, they are cut down at the very roots.

Like black currant, the chokeberry bush is formed in such a way that it consists of trunks of different ages. In addition to cutting down old trunks, thinning of young growth, which thickens the bush, is also carried out. Pruning should be aimed at creating optimal conditions for lighting the bush. A properly formed adult bush can consist of 50 or more trunks. At proper care it produces at least 5–6 kg of fruit annually.

Ripe berries (black and soft to the touch) ripen by early autumn. But you should not remove them at this time, since the berries acquire color early, and their real taste much later. Better collection harvest towards the end of September, preventing birds from pecking at the berries. The berries are collected in wicker baskets or small buckets. They can remain on the bushes until frost. For drying, the harvest is removed in whole shields, which are dried at room temperature, hanging freely, or in the oven. Fresh berries at no high temperature can be stored for up to two months.

The scutes with chokeberry berries are usually cut off with scissors so as not to injure the fruits and not tear off excess from the bush

Chokeberry does not require special preparation for wintering; it can withstand frosts down to -30 o C, suffering from them only in the harshest winters. But if the roots remain intact, then the entire frozen above-ground part is quickly restored. The root system freezes only when the soil temperature is below -12 o C, and a good layer of snow reliably protects it in the most severe frosts. Light shelter is required only for young bushes that have not yet matured. It is best to simply mulch them well or hill them up; in the northernmost regions, you can add a layer of non-woven material to this shelter.

Diseases and pests, combating them

Of the pests, the most dangerous for chokeberry is the cherry mucous sawfly, which skeletonizes the leaf blade. The chokeberry is damaged by its larva (false caterpillar). It appears in early August. Against this pest, the bushes are sprayed with a chlorophos solution during the period of its appearance. To prevent diseases in the spring and after flowering, spray with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. Brief information The main pests are listed in Table 1.

Table: the most dangerous pests of black rowan

Name	Nature of action	Recommended measures	Prevention
Cherry slimy sawfly	Winged insect, slimy larva. Appearance - mid-summer, leaves are damaged	0.7% soda solution or 0.3% chlorophos solution after flowering, then twice more with a week interval	Digging the soil, loosening the rows
Moth	Night butterfly, large caterpillars nibble leaves and flowers	Before the buds awaken - nitrafen, before flowering - karbofos, spraying according to instructions
Belyanka	Daytime white butterfly, white with a spot on the wing, caterpillar up to 4 cm long, gnaws leaves whole	Spraying with dendrobacillin or fitoverm according to instructions at the end of spring	Weed control, caterpillar collection
Spider moth	White shiny small butterfly, yellow caterpillars weave a web around a leaf, the leaves fall off	0.2% chlorophos solution in early spring or nitrafen before bud break	Collecting and burning affected leaves
Weevil beetle	A small brown beetle eats the buds, the larva gnaws the buds, the petals dry out	Karbofos, Iskra during the budding period according to the instructions. Shaking off and destroying beetles	In early spring, spraying with a 1% solution of copper sulfate
Rowan moth	A small butterfly that damages berries. Larvae are similarly harmed	0.2% chlorophos solution at the end of June	Digging the soil, destroying fallen berries and leaves
Apple fruit sawfly	A small brown insect and a yellow larva destroy flowers	Treatment with 0.2% mustard solution	Loosening the tree trunk in autumn
Shchitovka	Larvae up to 5 mm, suck juices from wood	Treatment of trunks and branches with Bi-58 or Pirinex before bud break according to the instructions	Thinning bushes

Chokeberry is characterized by both fungal and viral diseases, but provided proper agricultural technology is used, plants of modern varieties become infected quite rarely. Some diseases are listed in Table 2.

Table: main diseases of chokeberry

Name	Nature of action	Recommended measures	Prevention
Powdery mildew	Fungal spores appear in the form white plaque on the leaves, easily removed by hand. Infected fruits rot	0.02% solution of potassium permanganate or a strong infusion of ash or foundation according to the instructions. Spray several times. Trimming damaged branches, sprinkling ash around the tree trunk	Weed removal, crown thinning
Rust	The bush becomes covered with a red coating, then dries out and dies	1% solution of Bordeaux mixture before and after flowering, cutting out infected areas	Timely destruction of contaminated areas
Scab	The bush is abundantly covered with dark or green spots, the skin of the berries peels off, they and the leaves fall off	The drug Gamair or Rayok according to the instructions, before flowering, immediately after it and during the growth of berries	Removal of all plant waste, early spring spraying with 1% Bordeaux mixture
Black necrosis	First, the bark of trunks and branches turns yellow, then cracks. The number of cracks is growing rapidly, they are widening, and the bark is peeling off.	0.2% solution of foundationazole, drug Skor according to the instructions. Cutting out and burning diseased areas	Zircon - 1 ml of the drug per bucket of water
Septoria	Small white spots on the leaves, also called white spotting, sharply reduces yield	Preparations Profit Gold, Skor before and after bud break, then after another 20 days according to the instructions	Thinning bushes
Viral ring mosaic	Yellow spots with a green border on the leaves, then a mosaic pattern. Leaves die and fall off	Treatment is impossible. Sick bushes are destroyed	Proper agricultural technology

Emerging problems and ways to solve them

Experienced gardeners do not encounter any unexpected problems when growing chokeberries; all agricultural technology is quite simple, but novice amateurs may encounter seemingly unsolvable issues. So, for example, often when a seemingly young bush is transplanted to a new place, it refuses to continue growing. This may be due to the wrong choice of transplant time or place for the new residence of the bush. Usually, additional feeding and autumn pruning can help the chokeberry return to normal activity over time.

Sometimes the bush dries out completely for some unknown reason. Even an experienced owner cannot find it until he pays attention to the piles of earth nearby. It turns out that moles that have settled nearby, and even more so, mole rats, can greatly disturb the root system of chokeberry. Catching and destroying a mole rat is a very difficult task, but it must be done, otherwise the garden may be left without a harvest.

Inexperienced gardeners harvest as soon as the berries turn black and are disappointed in it. This should be done no earlier than a month after the berries acquire their characteristic color, and everything will be fine. So this is not a problem either!

Methods of propagation of chokeberry

Chokeberry is often propagated by seeds, although this is a labor-intensive process. Its seedlings are fairly even, but among them there are plants with larger fruits and very high yields. Such bushes should be highlighted. To grow planting material, in addition to sowing seeds, they use the ability of lignified and green cuttings to take root, as well as the tendency of the bush to produce rhizomatous offspring and take root by layering.

Seed propagation

When propagating by seed, a high yield of planting material is obtained, but it is heterogeneous in biological value. Sowing seeds seems simple, but requires a lot of attention and adherence to a certain order of stratification. This is a very labor-intensive task.

Propagation by lignified cuttings

Seedlings can be grown by rooting annual woody cuttings. This is done very simply.

Propagation by green cuttings

You can also grow seedlings using green cuttings. Doing this is much more difficult.

Chokeberry produces numerous rhizomatous offspring.

Reproduction by horizontal layering

Reproduction by grafting

Chokeberry can be grafted onto an adult rowan tree using the bark, butt or split method. The easiest way is to graft into a cleft. It can also be grafted onto a specially prepared rowan rootstock, as is done on apple trees. The working technique is approximately as follows:

Chokeberry (chokeberry) is a shrub or small tree found in almost every garden plot. Its berries can be purchased at the market, private farmsteads in fresh, dried and frozen form. They have a tart specific taste, rich color, pleasant smell and serve as a potent medicine. Their use for treatment at home should be agreed in advance with a doctor.

Content:

Harvesting chokeberry berries

Chokeberry fruits are harvested in the fall (September or early October), preferably after the first frost, and dried outdoors under a canopy. Dried plant materials retain their medicinal properties for no more than 2 years. You can pack it in cardboard boxes or glass jars covered with parchment paper.

A quick drying method involves using special dryers or ovens. Begin treatment at a temperature of 40°C until the fruits wither, then increase it to no more than 60°C. Properly prepared berries should become wrinkled, but not lose their inherent aroma and color.

Advice: A convenient way to dry chokeberry berries for medicinal purposes is to hang them in tassels on a stretched thread on a veranda, attic or balcony.

Freezing berries is the preferred storage method; such raw materials are convenient to use in recipes for preparing folk remedies. Quick freezing at a temperature not exceeding -15°C allows you to completely preserve the sugars, but thawing and re-freezing are unacceptable. Compotes, fruit drinks, jam, wine, and especially tinctures based on chokeberry fruits are also of great value for everyday use.

Jam recipe

Compound:
Chokeberry berries – 3 kg
Sugar – 4.5 kg
Apples – 1 kg
Grated walnuts or cinnamon - 0.5 tsp.
Water – 600 ml
Lemons large size– 2 pcs.

Application:
Pour boiling water over the rowan and leave for 12 hours; boil syrup with sugar using the resulting liquid in the amount of 3 cups. Add berries, peeled and cored apples, nuts or cinnamon, let the mixture boil and keep it on the fire for 5 minutes. Cool the mixture until slightly warm state, boil again and cook for 10 minutes. Chop the lemons, add to the jam and leave it to cook for another quarter of an hour.

During the cooking process, the foam must be periodically removed. The finished delicacy is poured hot into sterile glass jars with regular lids made of food-grade polyethylene.

Recipe for making healing homemade wine

Compound:
Chokeberry berries – 5 kg
Sugar – 2 kg
Raisins – 50 g
Water – 1 l

Application:
Berries and raisins are not washed with water to make wine. With clean hands, you need to thoroughly mash the chokeberry fruits and place them in a large enamel or glass container. Add 0.75 kg of sugar, raisins to the resulting mass and mix gently. The container needs to be bandaged with gauze and put in a warm place for 7 days, stirring the composition daily and checking for the absence of mold on it.

After the specified period, the juice is squeezed out (you can use a special press for this) and placed in a glass bottle with a capacity of at least 10 liters. It is necessary to add the remaining sugar in the amount of 1.25 kg into the squeezed mass and pour in the heated boiled water, stir well and put back in a warm and dark place for a week. It is also important to stir the drug every day.

A rubber glove is put on the bottle of juice, having previously made a puncture in one of its fingers, and placed in warmth and darkness for fermentation. When the infusion on the lees is ready, it is drained without further squeezing and added to the juice after removing the resulting foam.

The fermentation process will take about 60 more days until the sediment disappears, the strength of the drink will be 10-12 degrees. If necessary, you can add alcohol or vodka to it in the desired concentration and leave it to ripen in the refrigerator for 4-5 months.

Warning: Pregnancy and breastfeeding are a contraindication to taking alcohol-containing chokeberry medications.

Healing properties of chokeberry

Aronia berries have an extremely rich composition:

vitamins (C, K, E, B1, B2, B6, bioflavonoids, beta-carotene);
trace elements (iodine, iron, copper, fluorine, molybdenum, boron, manganese);
sugars (sucrose, glucose, fructose);
organic acids.

Biologically active substances allow the fruits of the plant to exhibit pronounced medicinal properties, the basis of which is the antioxidant effect on the cells of the human body and the normalization of the immune system. They fight the emergence allergic reactions, improve function thyroid gland, stomach and intestines, liver and gall bladder, kidneys, heart and blood vessels.

A large amount of vitamins and iodine allows you to overcome apathy, weakness and loss of strength, get rid of bleeding gums, hemophilia and rheumatism. Regular consumption of juice, diluted with half water, helps reduce blood sugar, which is extremely beneficial for people with diabetes. Sorbitol contained in the berries of the plant also helps in the fight against it.

Chokeberry anthocyanins help treat obesity and normalize weight. Having a calorie content of only 55 kcal, the plant effectively eliminates the feeling of hunger and inhibits the growth of adipose tissue cells. These same substances block the development of cancerous tumors.

Freshly squeezed juice and berries of the plant are of great importance in the treatment of nervous diseases. They help cope with emotional imbalance by regulating the processes of excitation and inhibition in brain cells.

Video: Practitioners about the medicinal properties of chokeberry

Normalization of blood pressure and blood system function

Reducing intracranial and blood pressure is the most sought-after property of chokeberry. It is involved in the regulation of cholesterol levels, preventing the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, and also significantly affects blood clotting. As a result, the risk of developing thrombosis of small vessels decreases, which, in turn, serves as an effective prevention of varicose veins, cardiac ischemia, stroke and other pathologies associated with malnutrition brain cells.

Regular use of chokeberry-based products helps restore elasticity and firmness to the walls of blood vessels, increases their permeability, and expands the lumen of the bloodstream. To normalize high blood pressure, drink undiluted juice 5 tsp. 2-3 times a day half an hour before meals.

To prevent the development of atherosclerosis, it is recommended to eat 100 g of berries three times a day, 30 minutes before meals, in courses of 1-1.5 months. It is useful to combine the use of rowan with blackcurrant fruits and rosehip preparations.

Tincture recipe to increase hemoglobin levels

Compound:
Chokeberry berries – 100 g
Cherry leaves – 100 pcs.
Sugar – 1.5 cups
Vodka – 0.75 l
Water – 1.5 l

Application:
The plant material must be boiled for 15 minutes over low heat, then strain the liquid and squeeze out the sediment. Add sugar and vodka to the broth and leave for about 14 days.

Recipe for a drug for the treatment of rheumatism

Grind 1 kg of chokeberry berries in a meat grinder and add 0.5 kg of granulated sugar. Let the mixture sit for a while, stir thoroughly, place in a glass container and store in the refrigerator. Take 2 tbsp of the product. l. twice a day.

Recipe for treating hypertension

Mix 50 g of freshly squeezed chokeberry juice with 1 tbsp. l. honey, take the drink three times a day half an hour before meals for 4-6 weeks.

Tea recipe to prevent the development of cerebral vascular sclerosis

Mix dried chokeberry and rosehip berries in equal parts, pour into a thermos and pour boiling water in a ratio of 1 tbsp. l. vegetable raw materials to 200 ml of water. After 60 minutes, when the drink is infused, it can be consumed instead of tea 2-3 times a day.

Boosting immunity

To stabilize the functioning of the immune system, it is enough to include daily diet homemade preparations from chokeberry berries (jams, compotes, fruit drinks) during periods of seasonal colds and mass epidemics of ARVI and influenza. They cleanse the internal environment of the body from toxins, heavy metals, radioactive compounds and pathogens.

Recipe for a restorative drink

Boil dry berries in a ratio of 10 g per 100 g of boiling water in a water bath for 5-10 minutes, cool and strain the liquid, squeezing out the sediment. You need to take the drink 100 g 3-4 times a day.

Recipe for maintaining immunity and treating vitamin deficiency

Compound:
Chokeberry berries – 5 cups
Garlic – 2 heads
Salt

Application:
Grind the berries and peeled garlic, add salt and mix well, place the resulting mass in a previously prepared and sterilized glass container. You can take the mixture a little at a time immediately after preparation and store it in the refrigerator.

Tincture recipe for protection against colds

Compound:
Chokeberry berries – 2.5 cups
Vodka – 1 l
Honey - 3 tbsp. l.
Oak bark powder – 1 pinch

Application:
Wash the berries and pour into glass jar, add honey, oak bark and mix well. Pour vodka into the mixture, seal the container tightly and leave to infuse for 16-20 weeks. Periodically, the composition needs to be taken out and shaken. The finished drink must be filtered and bottled.

Recipe for “live” jam for use during the off-season

Fresh chokeberry berries in the amount of 1 kg are crushed using a meat grinder or blender, combined with sugar (800 g). The composition is left to brew for a short time, then mixed well again until the crystals are completely dissolved. The finished product is transferred to a sterile glass jar with a food-grade polyethylene lid and stored in the refrigerator.

Recipe for a drug to restore strength after illness

To get rid of weakness, you need to puree the fruits of black currants and rowan berries, add honey to taste. The mixture is consumed during the day, 1 glass.

Helps with the digestive system

At low acidity gastric juice It is enough to eat a few chokeberry berries shortly before a meal: this will help the functioning of the stomach, relieve belching, discomfort (including a feeling of heaviness in the stomach), and activate the digestion process and absorption of nutrients.

Acalculous cholecystitis responds well to treatment using chokeberry. It also serves as a choleretic agent, improves intestinal motility and relieves spasms. The berries of the plant produce a fixing effect and are therefore indicated for the treatment of diarrhea and indigestion.

Recipe for a balanced vitamin tea to increase appetite, improve liver and gallbladder function

Pour dried chokeberries, black currants and rose hips, taken in equal parts, into boiling water and place in a water bath for 10 minutes. Remove the prepared liquid from the heat, cool slightly and drink instead of tea with sugar or honey as a bite. You can prepare such a drink using a thermos with a glass flask, infusing the composition for 4 hours.

Benefits for the endocrine glands

Aronia fruits have a beneficial effect on work endocrine system, providing a stabilizing effect. They are especially useful for improving the health of the thyroid gland.

Recipe for treating thyroid hypertrophy

Grind fresh rowan fruits with sugar in a ratio by weight of 1:2, take 1 tsp. three times a day 30 minutes before meals.

Tincture recipe for the treatment of thyroid diseases

Compound:
Fresh chokeberries – 1 cup
Alcohol – 0.5 l
Honey – 2 tbsp. l.

Application:
To prepare the product, fresh chokeberry berries need to be thoroughly crushed and placed in a 1 liter glass jar. Add alcohol to the fruits, shake and put in a cool, dark place for 30 days. After the specified period, the liquid must be filtered, honey added and left to infuse for another 2-3 days.

Infusion recipe for diabetes

Wash fresh chokeberry berries, turn into puree, take 1 tbsp. l. and leave for 30 minutes in a glass of boiling water. Strain the liquid and consume 2-3 tbsp. l. three times a day.

The use of chokeberry during pregnancy

Consumption of moderate amounts of chokeberry during pregnancy brings considerable benefits to the expectant mother. It provides the body with the microelements and vitamins necessary to overcome toxicosis, and protects the baby from the risk of pathologies in the formation of the nervous system and other congenital defects. It is the high antioxidant activity of berries that protects cells from disturbances during their growth, development and differentiation, and also promotes the restoration of damaged DNA sections.

For allergies or intolerances vitamin complexes For pregnant and nursing mothers, chokeberry fruits can replace them in many ways (especially in combination with rosehip and blackcurrant products).

Contraindications

Aronia berries are a potent remedy even when simply eaten. Contraindications to the use of chokeberry must be strictly observed to avoid the development of pathological side effects:

increased acidity of gastric juice;
peptic ulcers gastrointestinal tract;
high performance blood clotting;
thrombophlebitis;
hypotension;
allergies, individual intolerance.

You should not give chokeberry berries to children under 2 years of age.

Video: All about the properties of chokeberry in the program “About the Most Important Thing”

Chokeberry is a small shrub or tree, about 1.5 meters high, with leaves somewhat reminiscent of cherry leaves. The berries are sweet, tasty and slightly tart, especially when unripe. Chokeberry is often grown as an ornamental and fruit plant, and also as a medicinal plant by amateur gardeners, summer residents, and on specialized farms.

The homeland of chokeberry (chokeberry) is the eastern part of North America. Chokeberry grows there on dry rocky soils and on steep river banks, in dunes and forests, and even in swamps. At the beginning of the 18th century, chokeberry was brought to Europe, and about another hundred years later it came to Russia. Until the beginning of the 20th century, chokeberry was grown only as an ornamental crop. Indeed, the white shields of chokeberry flowers and the dark green dense leaves look very elegant. In autumn, clusters of black shiny fruits stand out clearly against the background of orange-red leaves.

The berries are collected in the fall and dried outdoors in dryers. Store dry berries in a dry place for no more than 2 years. Compotes, jam, wine and much more are also made from chokeberry berries.

Calorie content of chokeberry

Low calorie, dietary product. 100 g of raw rowan contains only 52 kcal. Indicated for overweight people and those watching their figure.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Beneficial properties of chokeberry

Chokeberry berries have a pleasant sour-sweet, tart taste. Chokeberry is a real storehouse of useful substances. It contains a rich natural complex of vitamins (, , , , , , , , beta-carotene), macro- and microelements (boron, iron, manganese, copper, molybdenum, fluorine), sugars (glucose, sucrose, fructose), pectin and tannins .

For example, chokeberry fruits contain 2 times more vitamin P than black currants, and 20 times more than oranges and apples. And the iodine content in chokeberries is 4 times higher than in strawberries, gooseberries and raspberries.

Thanks to the finely balanced nature of the combination in the fruits of chokeberry (chokeberry) many biologically active substances, they have valuable medicinal properties. Chokeberry berries and juice from them are used for the treatment and, most importantly, the prevention of hypertension and atherosclerosis. They are prescribed for gastritis with reduced secretory function, some vascular diseases accompanied by increased permeability and fragility vascular wall(capillary toxicosis, allergic vasculitis, measles, scarlet fever, eczema).

The pectin substances contained in chokeberry remove heavy metals and radioactive substances from the body, retain and remove various types of pathogenic microorganisms. Pectins normalize the functioning of the intestines, eliminate spasms and have a choleretic effect. The healing properties of chokeberry help strengthen the walls blood vessels, improving their firmness and elasticity.

Also, one of the most beneficial properties of this berry is normalizing blood pressure and lowering cholesterol levels in the blood. Chokeberry fruits are prescribed for various violations in the blood coagulation system, bleeding, rheumatism, atherosclerosis, diabetes and allergic diseases. Research recent years showed that chokeberry improves liver function, and regular consumption of this berry improves immunity and has a positive effect on the functioning of the endocrine system.

Chokeberry is used as an antispasmodic, vasodilator, hemostatic, hematopoietic, appetizing, choleretic and diuretic.

Drinking juice or decoction of chokeberry berries helps to dilate blood vessels, resulting in an increase in their permeability and activation of functions. hematopoietic organs, which is useful when radiation sickness, bleeding.

Chokeberry helps regulation of digestion, improves appetite, increases acidity, activates the liver, promotes the formation and discharge of bile.

Chokeberry, or chokeberry in other words, is a low tree with oval-shaped leaves and round black fruits up to 12 mm in size. Its range in our country extends from the European part to the Far Eastern borders. Chokeberry is planted in garden plots, both for decorative purposes and for the purpose of producing fruit. The fruits of chokeberry, the beneficial properties and contraindications of which have been well studied, are actively used in herbal medicine and cosmetology.

Along with berries, the leaves and inflorescences of the bush have beneficial properties, but it is in the fruits that the content of useful substances is maximum.

Chokeberry fruits ripen in autumn. In addition to eating fresh, they are dried, frozen, juice, wine, tinctures, preserves, and compotes are prepared from them. and planting it is not difficult.

Composition of chokeberry fruits

So what are the benefits of chokeberry? Aronia berries are a storehouse of substances beneficial to the body. They contain a significant amount of vitamins and microelements. They are the leader among products in terms of rutin content (which is present in varying quantities in all purple-black plant fruits), contain vitamins C, B1, B2, E, K, carotenes, as well as substances necessary for humans such as iron, boron, copper, magnesium, iodine, fluorine, molybdenum.

The sweet taste of berries is given by the sorbitol they contain (fructose, sucrose and glucose are present completely in small quantity), astringency is imparted by tannins and pectins.

Know! Due to its low sugar content and , it is ideal for people with diabetes mellitus.

Chokeberry is actively used for medicinal purposes. After heat treatment, the beneficial properties of the plant’s fruits are preserved.

Useful properties

Chokeberry helps strengthen immune system, activate defense mechanisms body. Chokeberry berries are indicated for colds, during seasonal epidemics and acute respiratory viral infections, when taking strong medications, after illnesses.

Rowan fruits are used for prevention oncological diseases, as an addition to medicines in the fight against malignant tumors. Aronia fruits have pronounced antioxidant properties, which helps fight free radicals.

The high content of vitamins P and C determines the effectiveness of consuming fruits in order to strengthen blood vessels. Chokeberry helps to increase the elasticity of blood vessels and reduce their fragility. Redness of the eyes, the appearance of bruises on the body even with slight pressure - all this may indicate a lack of vitamin P in the body (routine). Chokeberry can replace special medicinal chemical preparations prescribed to replenish vitamin P deficiency in the body. In this case, you will have to eat at least 300 g of berries every day for 30 days.

When asked, doctors give a clear answer - chokeberry will help people suffering from hypertension to lower blood pressure.

The use of chokeberry is indicated for problems with the thyroid gland. If consumed regularly, iodine will accumulate in the body.
Chokeberry provides positive influence on the functioning of the nervous system, contributing to the normalization of the processes of inhibition and excitation. Eating it will help solve problems with insomnia and poor sleep.
Doctors recommend regular consumption of chokeberry for older people to prevent the development of glaucoma and atherosclerosis.
Rowan will also help with stomach disorders.
Pectin substances in the fruit help cleanse the body of heavy metals, which is especially important for people living in places with poor ecology. Studies have confirmed that eating berries also helps cleanse the liver.
During pregnancy, eating chokeberry reduces toxicosis.

Know! To saturate the body with vitamins and microelements, you need to eat 5-7 pieces of fresh chokeberry berries per day. Instead of berries, you can drink rowan juice: 45 ml (3 tablespoons) per day in three doses, half an hour before meals.

How to preserve fruits and use them for treatment

Drying berries

The most common way to preserve rowan berries is long term- this is to dry them. The collected fruits can be dried either in the open air or in an electric dryer or oven. The optimal temperature for drying is about 55 degrees. At lower temperatures the berries will remain moist and will not be stored; at higher temperatures they will become too hard. When drying in the oven, the door should be left open for better evaporation of moisture.

Infusion

The infusion is an excellent remedy to strengthen the immune system, and is also taken for diabetes. To prepare it, pour half a liter of boiling water over berries (a tablespoon). After 24 hours, the infusion must be poured from the thermos. Take the infusion 5 tablespoons three times a day. To enhance the beneficial properties and taste, you can supplement the infusion with honey.

Tea

Making tea from chokeberry fruits is not difficult. Dried berries should be poured with boiling water and left for several hours. In addition to rowan berries, you can put dried rose hips and currants in tea. You should drink this drink before meals.

Important! The drink is indicated for strengthening the immune system, enhancing the body’s protective functions, after past diseases, to saturate the body with vitamins.

Vodka tincture of fruits

To prepare a vodka tincture, the berries are washed with water and crushed.
The crushed mixture is poured with vodka (1 liter of alcohol per 1 kg of berries), sugar is added (0.5 kg per 1 kg of berries) and mixed.
After this, the mixture in a glass container is covered with gauze and placed in a dark place for a couple of days.
After two days, cover with a lid and put in a dark place for two months. Strain before use.

When consumed in moderate quantities (no more than 50 g per day), the tincture can be used for medicinal purposes: to improve immunity, normalize digestion, for hypertension, to strengthen blood vessels.

Compote

From chokeberry berries you can cook delicious and healthy compote for the winter. The drink is great for replenishing vitamins that are so lacking in winter and spring. To do this, the berries are washed in water and then sterilized by immersing them in boiling water for several minutes. Sterilized berries are placed in jars, filling the latter by a third. Sugar syrup is prepared at the rate of half a glass of sugar per one-liter jar. Hot is poured into jars sugar syrup and roll up with sterilized lids.

Jam

Rowan fruits are washed with water. The ratio of sugar to berries by weight is 1:1. To prepare the syrup, sugar is dissolved in water (at the rate of 1 kg of sugar per 0.5 liter of water) and heated over low heat until boiling. The berries are poured with the resulting hot syrup and left to cool. After 8 hours, the jam must be brought to a boil, then left to cool again for 8 hours. Then cook until done.

In the finished jam, the beneficial properties of chokeberry are preserved. It is recommended to eat this jam for colds, problems with high blood pressure, at thin vessels, for general cleansing of the body from harmful substances.

Wine

Wine made from chokeberry is highly prized. In addition to excellent taste qualities, it is rich in vitamins and nutrients. The benefits of wine are determined by the composition of the rowan fruit - in moderation it will help with hypertension and improve digestion.

To make wine, the berries are washed and then crushed. For grinding, you can use a mortar, meat grinder, blender, or food processor.

The crushed berries are poured with water in a volume ratio of 1:1, sugar is added at the rate of half a glass per liter of mixture of berries and water, stirred until the sugar dissolves and placed under a water seal in a warm place.
After a few days, the fermentation process will begin, and the berries will rise to the top. The future wine must be strained, separating the berries from the liquid, discard the berries, and put the wine under a water seal again until the end of the fermentation process.
After some time, sediment forms at the bottom of the wine container. The wine must be carefully separated from the sediment. Based on your taste, you can add sugar if desired and place the wine in a cool, dark place. After a few months, the wine will become transparent and will be ready to drink.

Decoction

The decoction has general strengthening effect, indicated for vitamin deficiency. To prepare the decoction dried berries take at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. for 250 ml of water. The berries are poured with water and boiled for one minute, and then left to infuse for an hour. Drink a quarter to half a glass of the decoction three times a day before meals.

Contraindications for use

Like any plant with strong properties, chokeberry has its own contraindications, and in order for the use of chokeberry to bring only benefits (we have already written in detail), you should not forget about them.

It is forbidden to consume a lot of chokeberry berries if you have low blood pressure, i.e. people suffering from hypotension. Otherwise, the pressure may drop even further.
A large amount of acids contained in fruits causes irritation of the walls of the stomach and intestines, so for a person with gastritis, stomach ulcers, ulcers duodenum etc., eating berries, especially in acute periods, should be limited.
You should take chokeberry with caution if you have high blood clotting or thrombophilia. Despite the fact that modern research disproves the idea that chokeberry promotes blood clots, people with high blood clotting should consult a doctor before use.
Chokeberry helps well with diarrhea, providing a fixing effect. However, for this reason, people suffering from constipation are not recommended to consume chokeberry.

Chokeberry is a plant that will not only decorate any garden plot, but will also help maintain and improve health.

» Rowan

Black (chokeberry) and red rowan are distant relatives. Both plants belong to the same family, but different kinds. Red - to the genus Rowan (Sorbus), chokeberry - to the genus Aronia.

Rowan is called “chokeberry” only due to the external similarity of inflorescences and fruits: juicy false drupes collected in a brush. Another unifying feature is the benefits and medicinal properties of the fruits.

Cultural chokeberry, widespread in Russian gardens, is the brainchild of Ivan Vladimirovich Michurin. Its ancestor is a wild North American shrub (Chokeberry) with inedible fruits, which is considered a harmful weed in its homeland. Having received its seeds, the Russian breeder began lengthy experiments on the hybridization of the “American”.

According to various sources, the crossing took place either along the line Aronia chokeberry - Chokeberry plum-leaved, or along the line Aronia chokeberry - Rowan. As a result, a new plant appeared with tart, slightly dry fruits, which in fruit growing are called “apples.” In honor of its creator, it received the name Aronia Michurina.

Composition of chokeberry

Let's start with the question: what are the benefits of chokeberry? The dark purple, almost black color of chokeberry fruits speaks for itself: they contain a lot of anthocyanins. These substances in the plant not only play the role of pigment, but also protect tissues from oxidative stress. Why is this important for a person? Because anthocyanins are those same notorious antioxidants that have entered the vocabulary of cosmetologists and pharmacists. They neutralize free radicals oxygen, which can cause cellular mutations.

The astringent taste of chokeberry is due to tannins. These are so-called “tannins” that bind carcinogens and reduce the risk of tumor formation.

The fruits of chokeberry, despite their sweetness, are quite low in calories - only 55 kcal per 100 g. The vitamin and mineral composition is rich:

Chokeberry fruits accumulate iodine, which is absorbed by the roots from the soil. Thus, the content of this microelement depends on the region of growth: the richer the soil in iodine, the more of it there is in the fruits. And the greater the usefulness of the berries.

Treatment with black rowan

Now let’s look at the medicinal properties of chokeberry. The fruits of chokeberry have long been used as medicinal raw materials. People with cardiovascular problems and diabetics should pay special attention to them. If you eat just 100 grams of chokeberry daily, you can quickly regulate your cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The use of these fruits for medicinal purposes is indicated for many diseases:

Hypertension. Chokeberry has a diuretic effect, which reduces blood volume and blood pressure.
Atherosclerosis. Flavonoids and vitamins C, E and A strengthen the walls of blood vessels.
Decreased immunity And inflammatory processes. Aronia anthocyanins can also help with infectious diseases of bacterial etiology.
Hypoacid gastritis. Chokeberry fruits increase the acidity of gastric juice.
Sleep disorders, nervousness. Chokeberry reduces excitability, acting as a natural sedative.
Toxicoses of pregnant women. The hepatoprotective effect of chokeberry fruit helps to cope with nausea.
Diarrhea. Tannins have an astringent effect, normalizing digestion.
Visual impairment. Vitamin A, which is part of visual purple, normalizes many processes. Chokeberry is especially useful for “senile eyes”, reducing the risk of glaucoma and cataracts.
Aronia fruits recommended for people exposed to radiation or living in areas with poor ecology. In this case, you need to ensure that the fruits consumed are grown in safe regions.

The benefits of chokeberry are obvious, but we should not forget about precautions. People with thrombosis, ulcerative processes of the stomach and intestines, colitis, constipation, hyperacid gastritis and hypotension should use these fruits with caution.

Red rowan

Red rowan is a common element of Russian phytocenoses. It is found everywhere, includes many species and two life forms: shrub and tree. But on personal plots it is almost never planted on purpose. And in vain.

Firstly, mountain ash lends itself well to shaping and can become an interesting accent in decorative plantings. Secondly, its fruits are no less useful than the widely used chokeberry fruits.

Composition of red berries and benefits for the body

The fruits of red rowan are bitter, and this is good. Their bitterness comes from parasorbic acid, a substance with very high antimicrobial activity. Back in the middle of the 20th century, the legendary biochemist Mikhail Mikhailovich Shemyakin conducted experiments with mice infected with salmonella. After injection of 1 mg of diluted parasorbic acid into the peritoneum, the experimental animals recovered.

Other valuable substances found in rowan “apples” are flavonoids, which can increase the body’s resistance to radiation, and pectins. The jelly-forming properties of the latter are used not only in cooking, but also in medicine - to bind and remove toxins.

Calorie content of rowan fruits is 50 kcal per 100 g. They are invaluable as multivitamin raw materials. Rowan is a record holder among other plants in many respects.

The chemical composition of red rowan fruits clearly shows that in terms of the content of carotene and vitamin A, this plant will give a head start to carrots. Rowan juice contains the highest amount of vitamin C among all fruit juices.

The percentage of vitamin C in rowan leaves is even higher than in the fruits. During the flowering period they concentrate 108 mg ascorbic acid per 100 g of raw materials.

Medicinal properties and contraindications of red rowan

Now let’s look at what diseases rowan treats. In ancient medical books you can find many recipes for treatment from the fruits of red rowan. Since ancient times, they were considered a panacea for dysentery, scurvy and hemorrhoids, and were used as a disinfectant, diuretic, laxative, choleretic and anti-inflammatory agent. WITH Modern research confirms the conclusions of traditional medicine. Today, red rowan (dried and fresh) is used in cases where:

rapid strengthening of the immune system is required in case of a viral or other infection;
need complementary drug therapy anti-inflammatory agent for tonsillitis, bronchitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, pharyngitis, otitis and so on;
it is necessary to strengthen the vascular walls;
a remedy for anemia is needed;
it is necessary to stimulate appetite and increase intestinal tone;
a natural wound healing or antimycotic agent is required.

Contraindications to the consumption of red rowan fruits are hypotension, thrombosis, hyperacidous gastritis, gastrointestinal ulcers, diarrhea, ischemia, heart attack, pregnancy and early childhood.

Unripe red rowan fruits should not be consumed. You can eat them “from the branch” only after the first frost.

Harvesting and storing rowan fruits

Chokeberry fruits are harvested from mid-September until frost. It is better not to delay too much in picking, because these berries are readily pecked by birds and fall off when overripe. They are collected by cutting off the whole fruit from the branch, and then picking the berries into a bowl. Then they are washed and sent to dry.

Red rowan is best harvested at the end of October or November, when it is slightly affected by frost. Such fruits are not stored, but they are guaranteed not to be toxic. After collection, they should be processed immediately. For example, you can make rowan juice with pulp for the winter.

RECIPE. The berries, freed from the stalks, are washed and blanched for 3-4 minutes in boiling water, after which they are rubbed through a sieve. Add sugar to the blanching water and boil 20% syrup. Combine it with mountain ash puree and heat it without letting it boil. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.