Kirkazon. Growing and care. Kirkazon clematis (common): properties and applications. Kirkazon root Kirkazon large-leaved or tubular

Kirkazon is a woody or herbaceous vine with large beautiful leaves. It is often used for strict landscaping of vertical structures. The healing properties of Kirkazon are also known. In the descriptions you can find the same plant under the names “Aristolochia”, “Laborum”, “Camphora” or “Fever Grass”. It belongs to the Kirkozonaceae family. The genus of plants is so ancient that it existed even before the division of the land into continents. Therefore, individual varieties are found throughout the globe. Most often, kirkazons live in tropical and subtropical zones of Africa, Australia, Asia and Latin America.

Description of the plant

Kirkazon is a herbaceous perennial. It has a branched rhizome, which is located shallow from the surface of the earth. Weakly branched shoots grow 8-14 m in height. In the lower part, woody stems grow vertically. When young, they are covered with green-brown smooth bark, which gradually turns brown and cracks. The upper part of the vine is more flexible and covered with pile.

Kirkazon leaves are very decorative. The large heart-shaped, palmate or arrow-shaped leaf plate is colored light green or bright green. The underside of the leaf is covered with short hairs. The length of the leaf blade is 5-30 cm. The leaves have long arched petioles and are arranged alternately. They form a continuous green cover, receiving maximum light during the day.

The flowering period for Kirkazon occurs in May-October, depending on the species. It lasts up to 20 days. Axillary flowers grow singly or in groups of up to 8 buds. They have a very unusual shape. Curved tubes resemble jugs, saxophones or gramophones. Insects get into them. Since kirkazon is pollinated mainly by flies, its flowers emit an unpleasant smell of rotting. The color of the petals can be red, reddish-brown or yellow. Flowering begins after 5 years of age.

After pollination, hanging seed pods of round or oblong shape ripen. Under the thin skin there are many seeds. The ripe capsule opens on its own, and the trihedral seeds spill out of it or are carried by the wind.

Types of Kirkazon

There are almost 200 species of Aristolochia in the world. Only 7 of them grow in the vastness of Russia. The most common:

Kirkazon ordinary (clematis). A large vine with herbaceous shoots up to 15 m long, it is distinguished by large ovoid leaves with a matte, rough surface. The foliage ends with a blunt edge. At the end of May, small pitchers of yellow flowers appear on the plant. In July, the fruits ripen in the form of elegant spherical boxes, similar to miniature pumpkins or watermelons.

The plant is a vine. The young bark on it is smooth, swamp green. Over the years, it cracks and acquires a light brown tint. The heart-shaped, bright green leaves grow up to 30 cm in diameter. On one shoot, the leaves may differ in shade, giving the vine a mosaic color. In autumn, while remaining green, the leaves fall off. Flowering begins in June; yellow-green tubular flowers, similar to small jugs, bloom in the axils of the leaves. After pollination, oblong seed pods ripen. However, fruiting almost never occurs due to the lack of natural pollinators.

A deciduous woody vine covered with large dark green leaves. On the leaf blades there are glands that emit a camphor aroma. The width of the leaves reaches 30 cm. Flowering occurs from the beginning of May, when creamy-brown axillary flowers bloom on the vines. In autumn, yellowed leaves fall off.

A deciduous climbing plant grows up to 10 m in height. Its young shoots and leaves are densely covered with felt pile. The foliage is a dull light green color. The showy, egg-shaped leaves grow 16 cm in length. Wrinkled yellow flowers about 3.5 cm long bloom in early June.

The liana with beautiful heart-shaped leaves is distinguished by larger flowers. The buds are located singly or in numbers of 4-6 pieces in the leaf axils. The length of the wrinkled curved tube is more than 10 cm, and the width is about 8 cm. The outside of the corolla is cream-colored, and the inside is covered with a network of red-brown veins. The variety blooms in July and pleases with unusual corollas until September.

Reproduction

Although Kirkazon is absolutely easy to care for, its reproduction requires effort. Kirkazon is propagated by seed and vegetative methods (layering, cuttings, dividing the bush). The most convenient method for an amateur gardener is the method of rooting layering. It is enough to dig a part of the vine into the ground and press it down. In this case, the surface of the bark must be slightly scratched. Roots are guaranteed to form, but the process will take a lot of time. Only two-year-old layerings are capable of separation and independent development.

In the southern regions, the method of rooting cuttings is effectively used. In the spring, before the buds open, the shoots are cut off and rooted in open ground. Autumn cuttings are also practiced. It is recommended to treat the lower cut with Kornevin. Rooting is done in wet sand or loose nutritious soil. It needs to be moisturized regularly. For the first month, the cuttings are kept under a transparent cap and covered especially carefully for the winter. The soil is mulched with a thick layer of peat. Next spring, you can transplant young kirkazons to a permanent place.

Some types of vines form many basal shoots. In the spring they can be dug up and replanted separately. Caring for root shoots is no different.

To grow kirkazon from seeds, sowing is done in the fall in open ground. Fresh, mature seeds are distributed into holes up to 3 cm deep. They are sprinkled with soil and mulched with compost. Shoots appear in April-May; in the first year the plant grows only 20-50 cm, but the rhizome actively develops. Transplantation of seedlings to a permanent place is planned at the age of 2-3 years.

Planting a plant

Kirkazon seedlings prefer loose, fertile soils. On depleted or heavy soils, dig a deeper hole (50-60 cm). A drainage layer is laid at the bottom, and the free space is filled with compost, humus, sand, peat and turf soil. Kirkazon does not develop well on acidic soils, so softwood lumber cannot be used for loosening. For the same reason, compost is made from waste from broad-leaved trees.

It is important to maintain distance between plants. Since Kirkazon very actively forms shoots, the distance between seedlings should be at least 0.8-1 m. In order for the vine to better tolerate the procedure, when transplanting, the roots are shortened by 20-30%.

Rules of care

Aristolochia prefers open areas without drafts. Plants develop best in partial shade. In direct sunlight, they bloom worse, and the leaves more often lose turgor. It is recommended to plant Kirkazon near water bodies and along river banks. The plant loves water and high humidity. When watering, water is poured both into the soil and onto the crown. In conditions of high humidity, the bush develops better. Periodic bathing and sprinkling will only benefit the plant.

You can get rid of weeds by weeding and loosening the soil. This way you can destroy the crust after watering and facilitate the penetration of air to the roots. You don’t need to put in a lot of effort; just loosen the top 5-8 cm of soil.

In the summer, once a month, Kirkazon is fed with organic fertilizers. The solution is applied to the soil at the roots, and then a portion of clean water is poured. This way the fertilizers will not burn the shoots.

In spring and summer, the daily growth of shoots reaches 25 cm, so the vines will have to be pruned regularly. In early spring, dried shoots and excess shoots are removed, otherwise the support may not be able to cope with the heavy weight. Before wintering, heat-loving and young kirkazons need careful shelter. The soil is covered with fallen leaves and spruce branches. The plant is completely removed from the support or covered vertically with non-woven material.

Kirkazon in landscape design

A dense vine forms a continuous green cascade, under which any unsightly outbuilding or fence is hidden. Using Kirkazon with large leaves, they create arches, corridors, and also decorate gazebos. The plant is able to form dense shade in which you can spend time pleasantly on a hot day. Kirkazon lives for at least 30 years, gradually increasing in size, decorating the area and purifying the air near the house.

Medicinal properties

All parts of kirkazon, and especially the leaves and shoots, are rich in acids, resins and essential oils. Preparations based on the plant have anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, disinfecting, analgesic and wound-healing properties. In folk medicine, decoctions and infusions with kirkazon are used to lower blood pressure, improve kidney function, and fight infectious diseases. Compresses with plant juice help cope with boils, itchy skin, heal purulent wounds and alleviate mastitis.

Despite all its positive properties, Kirkazone can be dangerous. Overdose or unreasonable regular use leads to the formation of a tumor in the kidneys and the development of liver failure. Severe allergies may occur as a result of contact with the plant. For these reasons, treatment with kirkazone is practiced only after detailed consultation with a doctor.

The genus of plants Aristolochia (Aristolochia) from the kirkazon family (Aristolochiaceae) has been known since ancient times. Hippocrates mentions it, and Theophrastus briefly introduces this interesting plant, an insect catcher. The beauty of the heart-shaped smooth or coarsely cut leaves, coupled with the original flowers of unusual colors, classify this plant as a royal vine. In the temperate and tropical zones of all continents, about 350 species of the Kirkazonaceae family are common, most of which belong to ornamental and medicinal plants.

Distribution area

Thanks to paleobotanical finds, scientists have established that the first representatives of the genus Aristolochia originated on the territory of Gondwana before the division of the land into modern continents. That is why close species of the genus Aristolochia are found on different continents today. Plant migration spread from Asia to Africa, Australia, South America, and then everywhere, mainly through the humid tropics and subtropics. On the territory of our country, out of 180 representatives of the genus Aristolochia, about 7 species grow. They occupy mainly the middle and southern European parts of the Russian Federation and the south of Primorye.

Kirkazon

Medicinal, but does not always cure

Aristolochia is popularly known as a medicinal plant used in obstetrics and homeopathy. The generic name “kirkazon” is translated as “best resolving during childbirth.” Some species are used for snake bites and colds. Helps with gastrointestinal diseases, high blood pressure, and other diseases. But! Kirkazon is a poisonous plant and, if self-medicated or improperly prepared homemade infusions, extracts, or decoctions, can even lead to death. It is not for nothing that this plant is popularly known as “evil grass”, “night-grass”, “equiline grass”, “fever grass”, “powder grass”, “serpentine”. “Kumash apples”, “Kutya berries”, etc.

Description of the genus

Representatives of Kirkazon are perennial herbaceous plants with smooth shoots. Of the 7 species growing in Russia, only one (Aristolochia manchuria) is a woody woody vine. Typically, plant height ranges from 8 to 14 m. The shoots are curly or straight. With a very developed above-ground part, the root system of kirkazon is located in the upper layer of soil, occupying a horizon from 3-5 to 60 cm. The rhizome is creeping, sinuous, covered with cork tissue. Fibrous type roots emanate from it.

The stem of most species is straight, liana-shaped, sinuous, and poorly branched. The color of young shoots is light green, pubescent, while old, lignified, dark gray shoots. Kirkazonaceae are distinguished by their decorative leaves. The leaves are pubescent with numerous soft hairs, large, from light to dark green with a matte tint. The leaf blade is large (5-30 cm), with a heart-shaped notch for a long petiole, entire. The leaves are arranged alternately on the stems. They hang down on curved petioles, forming a continuous green surface. This arrangement allows the plant to receive the greatest amount of sunlight.

Botanical illustration of kirkazona

The flowers have a very interesting structure. They are adapted for catching pollinating insects. The shape resembles jugs, curved like smoking pipes. Trying to get out of the trap (flies, beetles, mosquitoes and other insects) transfer pollen to the stigma of the pistil. Flowers are usually pollinated by flies, which flock to the unpleasant putrid, but so tempting for them, smell.

The color of the flowers resembles rotting, stale meat in speckled red and yellow shades. There are pure yellow and almost white colors. Due to the unusual color of the flower, the kirkazon is also called the “royal beard”. Flowers are zygomorphic, bisexual. The corolla is fused into a tube, swollen at the base like a jug. The flowers are on long stalks, can be single or 2-8 in the axil of the leaves, exposing the corolla to the sun. Kirkazon blooms in 5-7 years. It blooms according to the species from May to October. Flowering lasts 5-20 days. Fruits in the second half of July.

The fruit is a hanging capsule of various shapes, round, oblong like a cucumber or pear-shaped. The color is initially green, but as it ripens, the color changes to green-brown and other shades. When ripe, the capsule opens and pours out numerous triangular, finely wrinkled bare seeds.

Fruit and seeds of Kirkazon Manchurian

In its natural form in Russia, kirkazon grows along river banks, in ravines, in flooded meadows, as a weed in gardens and vegetable gardens.

Characteristic features of the species

In ornamental gardening of the Russian Federation, 5 types of plants are widespread, including: K. common or clematis, K. large-leaved, K. graceful or calico (based on the color of the flowers), K. Manchurian, K. fluffy. In the southern regions and central Russia, other species of Kirkazonidae are also bred quite successfully. But, be careful! Kirkazon poisonous plants! They do not form edible fruits, but are quite elegant and decorative. Their bright, dense foliage, bringing coolness, is a “rest” for the soul and body in the heat, and unusual flowers evoke thoughts of the ancient inhabitants of the earth.

K. macrophylla(lat. A. macrophylla) refers to shrubby vines. It differs in the color of the bark on young and old winding trunks. Young shoots are swamp green, over time they become finely fissured and acquire a light brown color. The size of the leaf blade corresponds to the species name. It is very large, up to 30 cm in diameter, covering the stems with a thick mosaic of different shades of green. In autumn, the leaves fall off without changing color. Single flowers 3-4 cm, bloom in early June.

The flowers resemble miniature saxophones or smoking pipes. The colors of the flowers are interesting and unusual. Yellowish-green on the outside, on the inside they are striking with the brownish-purple color of the bell of the zygomorphic corolla. The fruit is a 6-sided capsule on a long stalk. The species rarely produces seeds, which is due to the presence of a strictly defined type of insect pollinator. In winter, with high frosts, young wood needs protection.

Leaves of large-leaved kirkazona

K. clematis(common) (lat. A. clematitis) is a common representative of the Kirkazonovidae, familiar to most residents of central Russia. The herbaceous vine can rise up to 15 meters in height. The leaves are matte, rounded-ovate in shape. The end of the leaf blade is blunt. The flowers are small yellow, pitcher-shaped with a small zygomorphic limb. They bloom in May-June. Flowering lasts more than a month. It forms rather elaborate fruits, reminiscent of spherical boxes hanging like green watermelons. On small bushes they look like fabulous exotics from the land of Lilliputians.

K. graceful(lat. A. elegans) forms a perennial herbaceous vine up to 10 meters high. The species is characterized by wide-heart-shaped leaves, glossy, and elegant dark green in color. The flowers are off-white above with brick-red veins along the petals of the corolla. The bottom of the flower is milky white with purple spots. Blooms from July until frost.

Kirkazon Manchurian

K. manchurian(lat. A. manshuriensis) refers to a deciduous woody vine. In appearance, it resembles large-leaved kirkazon. Leaf blades up to 30 cm in diameter have a rather noticeable smell of camphor. Blooms in early May. The flowers have a characteristic brown or cream-brown color; they bloom every year, sometimes less frequently. By autumn the leaves turn yellow and fall off. In severe frosts, the annual growth is frozen, although in general the Manchurian kirkazon bushes are more winter-hardy than the broadleaf bushes.

K. fluffy (felt)(lat. A. tomentosa) is a deciduous climbing shrub up to 10 m high. It is distinguished by dense pubescence of young shoots. With age, perennial stems become covered with wrinkled dark gray bark. The leaves are light green, dull, pubescent on both sides (the pubescence below resembles felt). The leaves are very decorative. Round-ovate up to 16 cm in length. The flowers are greenish-yellow, the limb of the corolla is wrinkled yellow, up to 3.5 cm in length.

Photo gallery of species

Growing

Due to heredity, Kirkazon can grow in any conditions. Lianas grow 15-20 cm per day during the warm period. Lush thickets with uncontrolled growth in 1 year can entangle their vines and literally strangle sisters and friends in the “soft” embrace. Aristolochia is included in the group of decorative leafy plants, and some species are included in the group of decorative flowering plants. In nature they grow freely in sunny places and in partial shade. When you start growing ornamental shrubs or vines in your dacha, you need to comply with the plants’ requirements for environmental conditions and agricultural technology.

Environment Requirement

Kirkazon requires fertile (forest type) soil, sufficiently breathable with a high organic content. It is better to place the plantings in places that are sufficiently wet or artificially moistened by watering. In dry, windy weather, large leaves quickly lose turgor and hang lifelessly on long petioles, but quickly recover after watering. They love partial shade, but bloom poorly, bask in the sun, but suffer from dry air. The best place is partial shade with short heating from morning or evening sun. In order not to spoil the beautiful decorative appearance of the plants, it is better to place them in places protected from gusts of wind, which, playing with the leaves of the vines, can damage them, tearing them to rags.

Kirkazon Shteipa

Soil preparation

The pits for planting are prepared in advance. Preliminary volumes must be at least 60x50x50 cm. This is necessary on depleted soils, in which it is necessary to create the required optimal conditions for plants. The excavated soil is combined with a large amount of humus, compost, sand, and turf soil. If there is peat, it is also added to loosen heavy floating soils. Kirkazon does not tolerate acidic soils, so humus and compost are prepared from the leaves of broad-leaved plants. Do not use pine needles or pine waste (sawdust, bark, etc.) for fertilizing and mulching.

Care

In subsequent years, the soil must be kept weed-free and loose. Water and fertilize in a timely manner. Due to the vigorous growth, several prunings are carried out per year, the main goal of which is to remove diseased and crooked, underdeveloped shoots, and to stop the growth of vines.

Aristolochia gracica

To prevent the leaves from losing turgor due to the rapid loss of moisture in the root layer of the plant, it is necessary to spray the foliage in dry weather in the morning or evening and water with small amounts, but frequently, 2 times a week during the dry period and once every 7-10 days in normal weather. After each watering, mulching is carried out with organic matter, which at the same time serves as sufficient nutrition for the plants and inhibits the development of weeds. A layer of mulch of 5-8 cm after drying is immediately embedded in the soil, watered and mulched with a new portion. With such agricultural technology, the application of mineral fertilizers is not required.

During the summer you can additionally fertilize with liquid organic fertilizers 2-3 times. After applying the solution, be sure to water the soil and lower branches of the plant with clean water. In cold regions, for the winter, bushes are removed from their supports, unripe shoots are cut off, laid on the ground and covered with covering material or covered with snow.

Reproduction

Planting self-rooted seedlings and caring for plants does not require complex agrotechnical work. The only weak point in the agricultural technology of growing Aristolochia is reproduction. Like other rhizomatous plants, kirkazon propagates vegetatively by layering, green and woody cuttings, dividing the bush with part of the rhizome and seeds.

Kirkazon giant in the restaurant interior

At home, it is easier to propagate the plant by layering. To do this, the lower branches of the vine are laid out on the soil surface, pinned with a wooden slingshot (fork of bushes, young wild trees) at the nodes and covered with loose material. Small wounds are applied to the bark without touching the wood, and they are treated with root or other root formation stimulant. The formation of the root system is very slow. Only after 1-2 years can the new plant be separated from the mother plant and planted in a prepared place. Cuttings are sometimes used in the south. In the middle zone, it practically fails.

If a large amount of planting material is needed, plants can be propagated by seeds. In autumn, mature seeds are sown in a row in shallow furrows (1-3 cm) and sprinkled with loose soil or mulch from mature organic matter (humus or compost with soil). During the winter, the seeds undergo natural cold stratification and germinate in the spring (June). In the first year, above-ground growth does not exceed 20-50 cm. The root system mainly develops. After 2-3 years, the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place, having first shortened the roots by 1/3. Kirkazon practically does not get sick and is not affected by pests, so no chemical treatments are needed.

Kirkazon in vertical gardening

Use in landscape design

A thick green outfit of decorative leaves reliably covers outbuildings (sheds, storage rooms, etc.). With vertical gardening, it forms a dense shadow in gazebos and pergolas. Openwork fences provide good protection from street dust.

In one area, kirkazon grows for up to 30 years, purifying and enriching the area with oxygen. Dried trees and other garden structures decorated with kirkazon look unusual.

Family: Kirkazonaceae (Aristolochiaceae).

Homeland

In its natural environment, Aristolochia grows in the tropical zones of America, Asia and Africa, and some species grow in temperate climate zones.

Form: herbaceous or woody vine.

Description

Aristolochia (kirkazon) - perennial herbaceous plants with smooth erect or climbing shoots and woody vines. Plant height is from 8 to 14 m. The root system of adult plants is superficial, the rooting depth depends on the quality of the soil: from 3-5 cm in wet to 55 cm in dry. Kirkazon shoots are thin, cord-like. Juveniles are olive green, pubescent, adults are dark gray, woody. The leaves are pubescent, heart-shaped, entire, growing on long leaves. They are arranged one by one. Reach 30 cm in diameter. The leaves of Aristolochia grow, hanging with their tops down, and are arranged in a “tile” pattern, without gaps, forming a continuous wall of foliage. This is how Kirkazon gets maximum sunlight. The flowers are large, yellow-brown, dim, hidden behind the leaves. They look like a strongly curved tube with a wide bend. Bisexual, with an unpleasant odor to attract pollinating insects. The fruit is an elongated cucumber-like capsule with edges up to 10 cm long. Kirkazon seeds are flat, triangular.

Kirkazon grows very quickly; at the peak of growth (usually in June) it can grow at a speed of 15 cm per day. Every year the shoots lengthen by 2-3 m. The shoots grow around the support in a counterclockwise spiral. Aristolochia blooms at 5-8 years of age, blooms from June to October for 5-20 days.

Kirkazon is a relict grass of the subtropical flora of the Cretaceous period. The genus Aristolochia has about 180 (according to some opinions - up to 350) species. Some species are on the verge of extinction and are listed in the Red Book. In Russia, 5 plant species are common in ornamental gardening.

, or large-leaved kirkazon (A. durior, A. sipho, A. macrophylla). Shrub. Homeland - North America. Height 10-12 m. Young shoots - green, bare; adults are covered with wrinkled gray bark. The leaves are very large, up to 30 cm in diameter, light green above, bluish below. The flowers are yellow-green, the limb is brown with purple specks. Length 3 cm.

Large-leaved Kirkazon grows well in central Russia: it begins to open buds at the end of April, blooms in early June, in the fall the leaves do not lose color and fall off with the onset of severe frosts. In severe frosts, young wood can be damaged.

Aristolochia manchuria , or Kirkazon Manchurian (A. mandshuriensis). Deciduous woody vine. Homeland - Far East. Height 10-20 m. Young shoots are bright green, pubescent, adults are covered with gray bark. The leaves are very large, up to 30 cm in diameter, light green above, bluish below, smell of camphor. The flowers are brown or creamy brown. Length 3 cm. Does not bloom annually, fruiting is weak.

Manchurian kirkazon grows well in the conditions of central Russia: it begins to open buds at the end of April, and blooms at the beginning of May. At the end of September the leaves turn yellow and begin to fall in mid-September. During severe frosts, the ends of the annual growth of the Manchurian kirkazon freeze over. More frost-resistant than large-leaved kirkazon.

, or Kirkazon clematis, or common kirkazon (A. clematitis). Long rhizomatous herbaceous vine. In its natural environment it grows in the Caucasus, Crimea, Western Europe and Asia Minor. Height up to 15 m. Leaves are matte, round-ovate, obtuse. The flowers are yellow with a small closed limb. Length 2.5 cm. Blooms for about 30 days at the end of May - June.

, or Kirkazon graceful (A. elegans). Herbaceous liana. Homeland - the tropics of South America. Height up to 10 m. Leaves are broad-heart-shaped, glossy above, dark green, grayish-green below. The flowers are off-white above with brick-red veins, milky white below with dark purple spots. Length up to 12 cm, width up to 10 cm. Blooms from mid-summer until the first night frosts.

Aristolochia tomentosa , or fluffy kirkazon (A. tomentosa). Deciduous climbing shrub. Homeland - eastern and southeastern states of North America. Height up to 10 m. Young shoots are densely pubescent, adults are covered with dark gray wrinkled bark. The leaves are large, up to 16 cm in length, rounded-ovate, rounded at the ends. The leaves are light green, dull, slightly pubescent above, and tomentose below. The flowers are greenish-yellow with a yellow wrinkled limb. Length 3.5 cm.

Growing conditions

Kirkazon is a plant that in nature usually grows in trees. Therefore, it should be planted in partial shade: under a wide tree or near the northern wall of a building (in the south of Russia). In central Russia, due to the general lack of sun, it is possible to grow kirkazon near the eastern or south-eastern walls.

Aristolochia prefers moist soil rich in humus. It should be loose for better air penetration to the surface roots of the vine. Does not tolerate dry soil.

The air must also be moist, so kirkazon cannot be grown in dry areas.

Aristolochia macrophylla requires a protected planting site and does not tolerate wind that tears its leaves. Photophilous, but cannot withstand scorching sun rays. Requires fertile soil and needs annual replanting. In the south of Russia it is winter-hardy.

Kirkazon clematis prefers partial shade, good soil. Does not tolerate stagnant water, drought-resistant. Common Kirkazon is more winter-hardy than large-leaved Kirkazon.

Elegant Kirkazon can also grow near the southern walls of a building; it does not tolerate shading. Elegant Kirkazon and Felt Kirkazon overwinter in a pot on the window.

Application

Aristolochia is used for. It is great for decorating walls, balconies, pillars, columns, old tree trunks, etc.

Manchurian kirkazon, large-leaved and some other species are used in folk medicine as a medicine.

Care

Kirkazon is a vine that needs very strong support. The plant is often pruned to maintain and adjust its shape, and this can be done from late winter until November.

The soil should always be very nutritious and loose. But loosening should be shallow, since in areas with predominantly moist soil the root system of Aristolochia lies at a depth of 3-5 cm.

Kirkazon is a moisture-loving grass; in summer it needs abundant (10 liters per plant) regular watering, in winter watering is limited. It responds very well to regular feeding with a weak solution of liquid fertilizer.

In dry summers, Kirkazon is sprayed.

For the winter, the pickaxe is laid on the ground, after cutting off the immature shoots, and covered with insulation or just snow.

Reproduction

Aristolochia is propagated by cuttings and seeds. Cuttings are carried out in spring or autumn in a heated greenhouse, using mature annual shoots. The plant is planted in a permanent place after six months, in the fall or next spring. Horizontal layering is laid in the spring. Kirkazon seeds require a temperature of 5-8 degrees. This method is more complicated and less reliable than the previous two.

Diseases and pests

Cases of aristolochia disease are extremely rare. Pests are spider mites and aphids.

Good afternoon to all readers of the wonderful blog “Notes of the Village Aibolit”. My name is Shibarova Irina Sergeevna, I am a phytotherapist, and recently I have been writing articles for you in the “Medicinal Plants” section.

This topic has been terribly interesting to me literally since childhood, which I spent visiting my grandmother in the village. It was she who instilled in me a love for medicinal herbs and, as I believe, influenced the choice of my future profession.

Today I will tell you about a plant that is known only to a narrow circle of specialists and true herbalists, but despite this it deserves the closest attention, since it has excellent medicinal properties and has been used for treatment in folk medicine for quite a long time.

So, get acquainted - common kirkazon (the second name is clematis). This plant is poisonous. You can meet it wherever there is moisture: along the banks of streams, rivers and rivulets, near lakes, in forests.

Kirkazon is a plant with a characteristic, not very pleasant odor. It grows to about 80 cm and has oval, heart-shaped leaves. Its flowers are yellow, located at the very base of the leaves, the fruits of the plant are pear-shaped hanging boxes.

Photo of Kirkazon

Medicinal properties of Kirkazona clematis

Kirkazon is not a simple plant. Once upon a time, special studies were even carried out, the purpose of which was to find out how this plant affects the human cardiovascular system.

As a result of these studies, it was found that preparations from Kirkazone are capable of increasing the strength of heart contractions, restoring the correct rhythm of the heart, stimulating its work and at the same time dilating blood vessels.

It was experimentally found that if you take drugs based on Kirkazone for a long time, this has a positive effect on the entire body.

What's going on? Firstly, breathing quickens slightly, the minute volume of breathing and inhalation deepen, but that’s not all. In addition, the functioning of the kidneys noticeably improves: blood flow and oxygen supply to them increases.

As a result, urine output increases without any diuretics, and kidney enzymes better break down and, accordingly, remove all harmful substances from the human body faster.

The use of Kirkazone in folk medicine

It's time to tell you about where this healing plant is used. Fans of traditional medicine use drugs based on kirkazone:

1. for the treatment of various difficult-to-heal wounds
2. trophic ulcers
3. various skin rashes
4. dermatoses
5. diaper rash
6. for the treatment of insomnia
7. neuroses
8. nervous exhaustion
9. bedsores

This is such an extensive list. Isn't that impressive? Below are recipes for making drugs based on kirkazone for the treatment of certain diseases. I want to remind you that this plant is poisonous! Therefore, store tinctures, Kirkazon juice, etc. in a place inaccessible to other family members.

Tincture and juice for the treatment of difficult-to-heal and festering wounds

• Take kirkazona grass (dry - 40 grams, raw - 150 grams), chop it and pour in a liter of vodka.
• This tincture must be kept for exactly 2 weeks, then strain.
• Use for medicinal purposes 10 – 15 drops 3 times a day.
• Since the tincture is somewhat poisonous, it is better to store it in an inaccessible place to completely prevent its use by unauthorized persons.

If you don’t want to prepare a tincture, you can just as easily use the juice of this plant. It is prepared like this:

• The plants are collected during the flowering period; for this purpose, only the tops of the kirkazon are cut off, approximately 30 cm.
• They are washed and passed through a regular or electric meat grinder, squeezing out the juice in this simple way.
• Preserve the juice by adding alcohol until it reaches 10% concentration. Such juice, as a rule, can be stored for a very long time.

Baths for the treatment of eczema, bedsores, trophic ulcers, dermatoses, diaper rash and various skin rashes

To treat all the diseases described above, it is appropriate to use the medicinal properties of Kirkazon, making healing baths based on it. They are done quite simply:

• The proportion for preparing baths is as follows: for 2 glasses of fresh herbs - 5 - 7 liters of boiling water.
• Accordingly, if there are 4 cups of herbs, then you need 10 - 14 liters of boiling water, etc. The kirkazona herb should be steamed for 30 minutes, after which you can steam the sore spots in such a bath for 40 minutes 2 - 3 times a day.
• The course of bath treatment is 2 weeks.

Treatment with kirkazone of insomnia, neuroses, stuttering, nervous exhaustion

To successfully treat all these diseases, Kirkazon is used both in the form of tinctures, juice, and as part of other mixtures or mixtures. This way the maximum effect is achieved.

In its pure form, the following proportion will be sufficient - 1 teaspoon of herb per 0.4 liter of cold water, and after infusion for 1 night, you can begin treatment.

On the first day you should take 1 teaspoon 3-5 times a day before meals. Then the dose is gradually increased: 1 tablespoon 3 – 5 times a day. Since this plant is poisonous, it is best to play it safe and use it under the supervision of a doctor. In rare cases, doctors may increase the dose to 2 tablespoons per day, which is then gradually reduced.

Use of Kirkazone in the treatment of tuberculosis

You will be surprised, but this plant is also used in the treatment of tuberculosis. The healing effect is explained by the fact that the causative agent of tuberculosis is very sensitive to the active substances of this plant.

These very active substances destroy the tuberculosis bacillus, and very effectively. Kirkazon, when actively used, stimulates expectoration, making it easier for a patient with tuberculosis to breathe.

The method of treating tuberculosis with kirkazone is as follows:

• Pour 2 teaspoons of the herb into 0.4 liters of water overnight and strain in the morning.
• Then you need to add 1 tablespoon of plantain or black elderberry juice to this infusion.
• Dosage: 6 – 8 times a day before meals, 50 ml.
• The course of treatment for tuberculosis ranges from 3 to 5 months. The effect will be better if such treatment is supplemented with a collection of herbs for tuberculosis. Some of the best are: honey with propolis, pine pollen, bee pollen.

Treatment of thrombophlebitis

In addition to all its advantages described above, common Kirkazon also has an anti-inflammatory effect, which is perfectly manifested in the treatment of thrombophlebitis with this plant.

For treatment, the herb leaves need to be crushed and mixed with 1/1 boiled water. It turns out to be a kind of paste that needs to be applied to a napkin and applied to the sore spot for 8 hours. The napkin with Kirkazone pulp is changed regularly until the ulcers are completely healed. Usually the patient notices relief after 15–20 days, in some cases a little earlier.

The crushed leaves of this plant can also be used to treat festering wounds, diaper rash and various skin rashes.

The use of Kirkazone for gynecological diseases

This medicinal plant can be used for delayed menstruation. To do this you need:

• Take 2 teaspoons of herb and infuse it in 300 ml. water for 6 hours. The water should be at room temperature.
• Take tincture 2 tablespoons 3 times a day for 2 months.

One such course may not be enough. If this is your case, then treatment is carried out 2 or even 3 times with the appointment of other forms of this plant (this can be juice or tincture) with the addition of other medicinal plants, such as sage, oregano, horehound, etc.

In conclusion, I want to warn you once again. Overdose of drugs based on kirkazone is unacceptable! This can cause very unpleasant consequences. Treatment using this plant during pregnancy is also prohibited.