Bird cherry: medicinal properties and contraindications

Since ancient times, bird cherry has been a symbol of love, youth and purity. Its delicate pleasant aroma kept the innermost secrets of lovers and healed wounded souls.

From generation to generation, legends have been passed down about the appearance of bird cherry in our world. One of them says that a young girl fell in love with a young man who did not share her feelings. The girl suffered for a long time, her heart could not handle it in any way. Eventually the girl died, her heart became cold, and she turned into a beautiful tree. This explains the fact that during the flowering of bird cherry usually comes a sharp cold snap.

In ancient Slavs, this tree was considered the sacred patron saint of love, it was protected and cared for. There is a popular belief that bird cherry received its name because of the color of its trunk: in Old Slavonic there is the word "cherma," which means "swarthy. The first records of the tree date back to the 15th century.

Bird cherry (Padus) belongs to the Rosaceae family and can be found in Eurasia, South and North America. There are over 20 species of bird.

Chemical Composition

Bird cherry fruit contains glycans and tannins. They are also rich in essential oils, micro and macro elements and vitamins.

1. Triacylglycerides are part of the seeds. They also contain glycosides.
2. Leaves contain vitamins and all the same essential oils.
3. Bark, flowers, fruits include tannins and cyanide hydrocarbon (hydrocyanic acid), which is a poisonous element.
4. Virtually the entire plant contains benzoic aldehyde. It is precisely what determines the phytoncidal properties of bird cherry.

The maximum amount of bioactive substances is in the fruit.

Vitamins (mg):

• С - 23,1;
• Е - 3,67;
• PP (nicotinic acid) - 6.31.

Minerals (mg):

• calcium - 2.2;
• potassium - 13.4;
• magnesium - 1.2.

Micronutrients (mg):

• cobalt, 7.0;
• copper - 22;
• iron - 0,04;
• manganese - 1;
• zinc - 15.6.

What does bird cherry look like and where does it grow?

Bird cherry is a tall shrub or tree. Cherry and plum are also crops of the Rosaceae family, so the plants are similar, especially during flowering. The height of the tree depends on the species and can range from 5 to 18 m. In the wild, you can find a bird cherry tree about 30 m high.

When young, its bark is dark grey or brown with white-yellow lenticels. On older plants, it is cracked and covered with brown spots. The bark is yellow on the inside with a pronounced minudal odor.

The trunk is usually curved and may reach 0.4 m in diameter.

The leaves are oblong or oval with a pointed apex. Leaves are 6 to 25 cm long and 5-7 cm wide. The color depends on the age of the tree. Young plants have golden-green leaves, old ones are dull green. The underside of the leaf is matte, the upper side is shiny. By fall, the leaves change color to bright yellow or red.

The crown is dense, broad, with dangling or upright branches.

Flowers appear by the end of May and last until about June 10. Depending on the species, they are red, pink or white and appear in climbing inflorescences about 12 cm long. Flowers, bark and leaves secrete phytoncides which disinfect the air.

Bird cherry grows in our country in mid-latitudes everywhere, but is rarely seen in the Far North. It can be seen in any type of forests. The plant prefers the best lighted places: glades, glades, undergrowth. On the banks of water bodies it can form impenetrable thickets. Bird cherry can grow on any soil, but the strongest and healthiest plants develop on rich loamy soils with sufficient moisture. Bird cherry does not grow on waterlogged soils.

Species

There are more than 20 species of bird cherry. Almost all species come in tree or shrub form. Some varieties are ornamental, while others produce fruit. The most common in nature are the following species:

• Common (Brush).
• Late.
• Virginia.
• Maaka.
• Pennsylvanian.
• Sciori.
• Antipka.
• Magaleb.
• Sakhalin self-fertile.
• Poskistaya.
• Small saw-toothed amanogava.

Common bird cherry has two other names: bird and brush cherry. In the natural environment it grows in Eurasia. Usually it is a tree species, but it is also rarely found shrubby. The tree grows up to 18 m. The foliage is green with a blue tint. Blossoms annually at the end of May. The fruits are dark, small in size, up to 5 mm across, slightly sweet. Common cherry is divided into varieties. Among them you can find very interesting:

• Pendula - falling crown.
• Pyramidalis - pyramidal crown.
• Plena - terry flowers.
• Leucocarpa - yellowish fruits.
• Aucubaefolia - leaves with small yellow spots.

For the Late Bird cherry, its native habitat is regions of North America. It also feels good in our country, settling in temperate latitudes. It is a sturdy self-fertile tree, the height of which reaches 30 m. Flowering is abundant. In autumn, the leaves, rich in green, change their color to yellowish-red. The bark is black, and the fruits are large enough to measure 10 mm across. These fruits are edible, slightly bitter, and ripen in autumn. The plant has strong roots. It is resistant to winter frosts.

Bird cherry virginia is found in the nature of North America. The arboreal form can grow up to 15 m. Shrub representatives are medium height, up to 5 m, with white flowers, red-burgundy-colored leaves. The flowering period is in the last days of May, it is not accompanied by an aroma of bird cherry, the flowers do not smell. Fruits are medium-sized, reddish, edible. Low temperatures, heat and drought can not harm the plant, it is resistant to climatic changes. This species of bird cherry has several original varieties:

• Nana - a low shrub.
• Rubra - cherry-colored fruits.
• Melanocapra has black berries.
• Xanthocapra - slightly yellowish fruits.
• Pendula - a falling crown.

Maaka is native to China and Korea, as well as the southern Far East. Trees of this species grow up to 17 m. Shrubs, ranging in height from 4 to 8 m, are rare. A cone-shaped crown adorns the plant. The bark is orange-red, smooth, without roughness, tends to flake off. The rich green foliage turns yellow by fall. The white flowers are odorless. The fruits are not suitable for eating. Maaca is resistant to winter frosts, grows quickly, but will not develop without good light and plenty of moisture.

Pennsylvanian bird cherry is native to the natural territory of North America, but has adapted well to our climate as well. The plant of this species is an upright tree, the height from the ground to the top of the crown reaches 12 m. There is also a shrub form, but it occurs in nature quite rarely. The bark of the tree is cherry-colored and the luxurious crown has an oval shape. The green leaves turn bright red in the fall. White inflorescences are large in size. Red small berries appear only on the third year after planting. This species of bird cherry blooms abundantly and bears fruit generously. Dense branched root system allows the tree to easily endure any weather conditions, develop in any place and in any soil.

Sjori can be found in the natural environment of the Kurils, Sakhalin and northern China. Bird cherry trees reach 10 m in height. In the uppermost part of the crown the foliage is green, towards the bottom the color smoothly turns to lettuce. Young leaves and inflorescences are painted the same color - red-lilac-lilac. The flowering tree spreads a very strong fragrance around it. Fruits are large in size, up to 12 mm in cross-section, suitable for eating.

Antipka has only a shrub form. It is native to the Far East and Europe. The root system of the plant is well developed, it easily adapts to different types of soil. Shrubs are often planted on slopes to prevent sliding of the soil. Such bird cherry also serves as a good rootstock for fruit-bearing shrub cultures. Inflorescences of white color have a small size and have a pleasant delicate smell. Fruits of small size have a blackish tint.

Magalep cherry is common in Europe. The trees grow up to 10 m tall and the crown reaches 8 m in width. Fragrant white flowers gather in shield-shaped brushlets. The black fruits are small and bitter-tasting. The plant requires fertile soil and good light. Blossoms and begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting. The tree tolerates high and low temperatures well. Often these plants are used as hedges. They are long-lived, and pruning the branches to shape the crown has a good effect on their development.

Self-fertile and Sakhalin is an early maturing plant. By mid-summer, the fruits are already ripe. They have excellent taste qualities. The tree can reach a height of 8 m, resistant to adverse weather conditions. The self-fruit cherry tree has a high yield: one tree can give about 20 kg of fruits.

Post-fertile bird cherry grows and develops well in northern and middle latitudes. The tree is relatively short, with a maximum height of 5 m. The trunk is rough, gray in color, young branches are brown. Snow-white inflorescences gather 40 florets each. The brown fruits have yellow, very juicy flesh. Sour-sweet to the taste, the fruits have a tartness to them. The tree blooms abundantly and is high yielding, with good resistance to frost and pests. Fruits are consumed as food in any form: fresh, dried, canned.

The fine-spined Amanogawa is the prettiest of all the species. The plant has an interesting dome-shaped crown. The flowers are a beautiful delicate pinkish color with fimbriation. The abundantly blooming bird cherry tree is not only beautiful, but also exudes the most pleasant delicate fragrance.

Picking and storing

In early spring, when nature is just coming alive from its winter sleep, the bird cherry picking begins. The bark and branches are harvested at the beginning of the sap movement. They can be dried as a whole, but to speed up the process and convenience of storage, thin twigs and bark are chopped with a secateurs or a knife into small pieces. Then they are spread out on a flat surface under a shed or in a well-ventilated room, you can send the raw material and in a drying cabinet. After drying everything put in bags of cotton cloth and store in a dry place up to 5 years.

Flowers and leaves are harvested during flowering. Do not pluck all the inflorescences in a row. It is better to thin them out by picking them in different places, especially where they grow too densely. This will help the remaining inflorescences to get more light, grow better and bear more fruit later on. Flowers and leaves are not crushed, they are dried either outdoors or indoors, or in special drying chambers. Keep such preparations in bags is not as long as the branches and bark. The period of use is limited to 1 year.

The fruits are harvested when they are fully ripe. It is necessary to check that there are no damaged fruits. They should not be collected if the tree is sick or suffers a pest infestation, even if the fruits themselves seem quite healthy. Bird cherry picking should be done in dry, cool weather. This can be done in the morning, after the dew dries out, or in the evening. Brushes should be cut off as a whole. The picked fruit should never be exposed to moisture. Bird cherry brushes are spread thinly and dried in the same way as other parts of the plant. After drying, the fruits are cleaned of twigs and stalks, put in cloth bags. They can be stored for up to 2 years indoors without access to moisture.

Some believe that the fruit can be dried in the sun. This is controversial, as all medicinal plants are not recommended to be exposed to sunlight when drying.

It is also necessary to remember that no plants, including bird cherry, should be harvested near highways and near enterprises with harmful production. All plants, like a sponge, absorb car exhaust gases and toxic industrial emissions.

Therapeutic properties of bird cherry

The property of bird cherry to heal people from many diseases has been known for a long time. This beauty has truly miraculous powers. People first realized that the tart taste of the berries indicates that they can be used as an astringent for various disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. In the process of application, it turned out that all parts of the plant in one way or another have therapeutic qualities: diuretic, anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic and styptic.

The largest number of substances useful to the human body is contained in the fruit.

1. A large amount of vitamin C determines the use of fruits fresh or infusion of dried fruits in case of avitaminosis. During hard war times and long sea voyages, bird cherry saved people from scurvy. Vitamin C strengthens the immune system, regulates blood glucose levels, has anti-inflammatory effects, and is a powerful antioxidant.
2. Vitamin PP is involved in the formation of hormones. Nicotinic acid helps to maintain a normal state of the nervous system, prevents migraine, relieves its course.
3. Vitamin E protects against cardiovascular disease. It is necessary for women during pregnancy. In men, it affects sperm, increasing their mobility. Vitamin E prevents the degeneration of the organs of vision, including cataracts.

Much in the composition of berries and trace elements:

1. Copper helps the human body absorb iron, and is involved in providing oxygen to tissues and in the production of hemoglobin.
2. Zinc increases the body's resistance to infections. It is essential for maintaining healthy teeth, promotes healing of wounds, and relieves inflammation. Zinc is a major element in the structure of the eye, so its amount in the body affects vision.
3. Cobalt helps the production of thyroid hormones, helps remove cholesterol from the body, especially from the blood vessels, preventing the formation of plaques. It also selectively prevents the division of cancer cells.
4. Manganese contributes to the formation of bone, cartilage and connective tissue, so it is very important for the growing body. This trace element prevents fatty liver hepatosis.
5. Fruits fully possess all the properties that other parts of the plant have in varying degrees.
6. The bark of the plant is used to prepare antipyretic, diuretic and diaphoretic. Decoctions are used in gynecology for inflammatory processes in the female urogenital system.
7. From the leaves make decoctions in gastric disorders and digestive disorders, not caused by infectious agents. It should be noted that the leaves are outsiders in the amount of useful substances they contain.
8. Infusion of flowers is good for various kinds of inflammation of the eyes. It is most effective to distill the infusion through a distiller, then the distilled water will have the maximum amount of medicinal components, and the result of application will be noticeable much faster.
9. Preparations from the bark and twigs will alleviate joint pain and reduce inflammation.
10. Bird cherry helps to heal wounds, restores damaged skin.
11. Bird cherry drinks relieve stress, provide healthy sleep, increase the body's resistance to disease, and improve eyesight.
12. With the help of bird cherry remedies get rid of intestinal parasites. The main thing is to be sure that there is no bullwhip: it will not be able to be expelled in this way, but the body can cause a lot of trouble.

For women

Preparations from bird cherry are useful for the female body. They increase the immune system, help fight depression, improve skin color and hair condition. Decoctions and infusions of bark are used in gynecology for douches for inflammatory processes of the urogenital system. Earlier, the bark was effectively used by women as a contraceptive. Now they are successfully replaced by chemical preparations.

For men

Bird cherry remedies help men restore childbearing function, since they improve the composition of the seminal fluid and increase the mobility of sperm. Bilberry has a beneficial effect on the overall condition of the body, strengthens the muscular system, improves blood circulation.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, taking medication from bird cherry is not recommended. It can have an adverse effect on the development of the fetus.

When breastfeeding

A nursing mother should not use the means from bird cherry inside, because with milk they are transmitted to the baby, and the dosage may be too high. With caution, they can be used externally.

For children

Bird cherry remedies are useful for the growing body: they strengthen the immune system, promote normal growth and development of the bone and muscle systems. However, children should use these preparations with great caution, it is better to consult a specialist beforehand.

Everyone should remember that bird cherry contains a component that is a potent poison - hydrocyanic acid (hydrogen cyanide). In minute quantities it is safe. For example, you need to eat 50 kernels of cherry berry pips at once to get poisoning. Hydrogen cyanide is also present in the seeds of other plants, but in smaller quantities. For example, to be poisoned by apricot kernels, you need to eat 100 of them. Hydrocyanic acid does not accumulate in the body, its molecules combine with glucose molecules and as a non-toxic substance gradually leave the human body. But the dosage of bird cherry remedies, taken internally, should be strictly monitored, here more is not better.

Bird cherry in folk medicine

Due to the presence of hydrogen cyanide in bird cherry, official medicine is in no hurry to use its therapeutic properties. In the pharmacy you can buy only dried berries and water from the flowers, which is used to wash out inflamed eyes.

In folk medicine, bird cherry has been used for a long time and widely. For external use, it is absolutely safe.

1. With sciatica, rheumatism, arthritis and arthrosis help compresses from the infusion of bird cherry: 20 g of dried bark or twigs pour 500 ml of steep boiling water, cover with a lid, allow to cool to room temperature. Make compresses on the sore spot. To enhance the effect you can cover the compress with cellophane and wrap with a towel.
2. Helps a cough with acute respiratory infections and bronchitis: 20 g fresh leaves, pour 200 ml of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes over low heat under a lid. Allow to cool, strain, add boiled water to the original volume. Take 100 ml 3 times a day.
3. A diaphoretic and diuretic: 5 grams of dried, crushed into powder bark pour 1 cup boiling water, boil for 15 minutes. Leave to cool, then strain and add water to 200 ml. Drink 1 teaspoon three times a day.
4. Helps with colitis, enteritis: 10 g of fresh bark to dry, crush, pour 200 ml of boiling water, put on a low heat and bring to a boil. Allow to infuse 50-60 minutes. Take 1 tablespoon in the morning and evening.
5. Relieve sore throats with sore throats: 1 teaspoon of dried berries, pour 400 ml of boiling water. Allow to infuse for at least 8 hours. Gargle 3 times a day.
6. Used in furunculosis, dermatitis, ulcers: 20 g fresh leaves and thin twigs cut, pour 1 cup boiling water. Infuse for 30 minutes, strain. Apply in the form of lotions.
7. Relieves inflammation of the mouth: 1 tablespoon dried berries pour 200 ml boiling water. Boil over low heat for 10 minutes. Insist at room temperature for 2 hours. Rinse your mouth 3 times a day.
8. Normalizes the rhythm of the heart, calms the nervous system: 1 cup fresh slightly mashed berries pour 500 ml of vodka. Insist in a dark place for at least 3 weeks. Strain and place in the refrigerator. Take 2 teaspoons in the morning and evening.
9. Helps with joint and muscle pain: 2 tablespoons chopped leaves and twigs, pour 500 ml of boiling water. Over low heat to simmer for 10 minutes, strain. Drink 50 ml 3 times a day.

Types of medicinal compositions

There are several types of healing compositions:

Infusion .

Pour boiling water over medicinal raw materials of one or more species and infuse for several hours, depending on the recipe, strain. Some types of infusions require additional heating in a water bath, then the infusion time can be reduced.

Tincture

Pour the raw material with vodka or other alcoholic solution, insist 2 weeks or more at room temperature, strain. Then the tincture to put in a cold and dark place.

Decoction .

Pour cold or hot water and boil over low heat 5-10 minutes, briefly infuse and strain.

Tea .

Pour boiling water (1 teaspoon per mug of water) and infuse a few minutes.

Ointment

Ointment is a mild form of medicine. At home, mix the medicinal components with fat and warm in a water bath for several hours.

Applications in cosmetology

Bird cherry berries, as well as its bark, have found wide application in cosmetology. Bird cherry is part of many cosmetic preparations produced on an industrial scale. This raw material gives preparations a soothing effect on the skin, relieves swelling and redness, promotes healing of minor lesions, regenerates and strengthens skin cells. Most often fruits are used for the preparation of cosmetics, less often bark and leaves are used. Extracts of berries and bark, produced by cosmetic industry, can be used as an independent means, added to creams and lotions to enhance their action. Due to the chemical composition, the components of bird cherry products penetrate deep into the skin layers, cleansing it at the cellular level, nourishing.

1. Masks made of bird cherry are good for nourishing the skin, moisturizing and toning it, preventing its aging.
2. Infusion of bird cherry flowers has long been used to rinse hair after washing. It strengthens hair, makes it shiny and silky.
3. Berry infusion is recommended for use as a lotion for daily skin cleansing.
4. The juice of fresh berries will help get rid of pimples. It should be smeared on problem areas.

For healing pimples and wounds

In equal amounts - 1 tablespoon each - flowers, leaves, bird cherry bark, flowers marigold, pour 1 liter of water. Over low heat, bring to a boil, cool, without removing the lid. Wash wounds and make lotions.

Mask for rejuvenation and nourishing facial skin

Make a puree of fresh cherry berries: 1 teaspoon of puree mixed with 1 spoon of heated honey, add a spoon of kefir. To make the mask thicker, you can add a little rye flour. Apply it to the skin twice a week for 20-30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water, adding a little lemon juice.

Lotion of youth

2 tablespoons of flowers pour 200 ml of boiling water, to insist 1 hour. Add 2 teaspoons each of glycerin and honey, 100 ml of vodka. Rub daily on the face and neck area.

Bird cherry in cooking

Fragrant bird cherry has found its use in cooking. Many people remember the taste of pies stuffed with fresh cherry berries, which were baked in the village by their grandmother. They seemed like a masterpiece of confectionary art. The smell of fresh baked goods with the aroma of bird cherry is impossible to forget. The fruits of this plant are used to make jam, compotes and syrups for the winter. On hot days, bird cherry kvass will quench one's thirst, and a variety of baked goods made of bird cherry flour will satisfy the taste of any gourmet. Berries are used to make tinctures and are added to tea.

Kissel

Pour 200 g of bird cherry fruit in 1 liter of water and boil for about 15 minutes. Strain, pour 3 tablespoons sugar in the broth, bring back to a boil and pour a thin stream of 2 tablespoons of starch diluted in water, stirring constantly. When it boils, kissel ready. Let it cool. For a brighter flavor you can add the juice of half a lemon or honey to the starch.

Kvass

Mash 3 cups of fresh fruits, pour 300 grams of sugar and leave for 12 hours. Then stir it, put 5 grams of fresh yeast and pour 3 liters of water. After 24 hours, strain and leave the kvass for two days to finish the fermentation process. Pour into storage containers and put in a cold place.

Sauerkraut with bird cherries

Mix 3 cups of fat sour cream, 3 eggs, 1.5 cups of sugar, 1.5 cups each of bird cherry and wheat flour and beat with a blender. Bake pancakes, stack them on top of each other, spreading bird cherry syrup on each one. Pour on top of it a mixture of 2 whites and half a cup of sugar and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Jam

Making bird cherry jam is very easy. First, pass the berries through a meat grinder 2-4 times. Then add sugar, let stand for 20 minutes and cook over low heat for about an hour. For 1 kg of bird cherry take 1.2 kg of sugar.

Beverage (coffee)

Grind dried berries in a coffee grinder to a powder. Then cook it like regular ground coffee.

Muffins

Take 120 g of bird-cherry flour, 200 g of wheat flour, 240 g of sugar, 240 g of sour cream, 4 eggs, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 0.5 teaspoon of salt. Mix well, place in molds, and bake for 30-40 minutes at 200°C.

Buns

Pour 100 ml of mineral water into a bowl, add 50 g sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 50 g olive oil and knead well. Stir in 150g of wheat flour, 150g of bird cherry flour and 1 tablespoon of starch. Knead together, form into rolls and bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes. If desired, you can add dried fruit or candied fruits to the dough. Sprinkle the ready buns with powdered sugar.

Easy Chocolate Cake

Mix 200g sugar, 250ml water, 100ml sunflower oil. Add 2 tablespoons each of bird cherry flour and cocoa powder, 6 tablespoons each of wheat flour and 2 teaspoons of baking powder. Mix thoroughly, you can use a mixer to make the dough evenly without lumps. Bake in a greased mould for 40-45 minutes at 180°C. After cooling, cut the cake into two parts, smear the bottom one with bird cherry jam, put the second part on it, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

What is the usefulness of bird cherry flour

The drying process is a good way of making, since the composition remains as close to that of the fresh product as possible. With any heat treatment, the addition of preservatives, the content of useful substances is reduced.

Dried berry flour preserves all the useful properties of bird cherry. Therefore, decoctions, infusions and ointments are prepared from the powder: they will also cure ailments and can be used for cosmetic purposes.

Bird cherry is distributed almost throughout our country, but the flour is popular only in Buryatia and in Siberia. It is produced there on an industrial scale, but in small quantities. Flour can be made by yourself. To do this, you need to collect, properly dry the berries of bird cherry and grind them in a coffee grinder.

The energy value of cherry flour is almost 3.5 times less than the caloric value of wheat flour. This is especially important for those who like cakes and pies, but do not want to gain extra pounds. If you prepare baked goods only from cherry flour - nothing will work. Wheat flour is needed, and its share in the total mass should be at least 50%. Externally, cherry flour resembles cocoa, smells like almonds. In the smell there are notes of vanilla and chocolate.

Contraindications for use

Bird cherry is a very useful plant. However, it is not possible to take as a medicinal remedy and eat it for everyone.

Bird cherry is contraindicated:

• people with chronic constipation and colitis;
• hemorrhoids;
• pregnant and nursing mothers;
• children under 3 years old;
• People with an individual intolerance;
• suffering from hypotension.

Bird cherry is an amazing plant. In addition to its beauty, which one admires, it cures diseases, improves immunity, preserves beauty and youth, makes dishes more healthy and varied, and helps to fight pests.

Bird cherry photo