Indian onion - application, properties, cultivation and care

Every self-respecting mother should have a poultry farmer in her home! Ask why? Because poultry is your iodine, brilliant green, and “Rescuer” in one bottle. More precisely in one onion.

This is a perennial bulbous plant from the Liliaceae family. The poultry plant has long, strap-like leaves and a green bulb covered with white-yellow scales; the diameter of the bulb can reach 10 cm or more. Botanists know it under the name tailed poultry, but among the people something else has taken root - Indian onion, Chinese onion, Mongolian onion, hellish root, brandushka. It was nicknamed Indian, most likely, for the burning juice secreted by the leaves - by association with hot Indian spices. His homeland is South Africa. The plant came to our country in 1961, when poultry seeds were sent from the German city of Gothenburg to the greenhouses of the Leningrad Botanical Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The genus Poultry Plant has about 200 species. Several species of poultry are under protection, for example, Koch's bird.

In the rooms they grow Ornithumaria caudatum, which blooms in the second or third year, throwing out a peduncle of about 60 cm, the flowers are small greenish-white, the inflorescence is a raceme, the flowers fade from the bottom up; and Orientalum umbellata, it blooms in the spring at 4-6 years, the peduncle is 15-30 cm, the flowers are large, star-shaped, white with green splashes. Poultry plant is poisonous,
but also has medicinal properties
.

The plant itself is quite unpretentious. It will grow equally well on northern windows and on windows of eastern and western orientation. But the burning sun of the southern windows will require shading. Water it after the soil dries; In spring and summer, liquid fertilizer based on vermicompost can be added to irrigation water. In winter, it is better to keep Indian onions cool (about +8-10 degrees) and reduce watering - let them rest.

In spring or summer, if necessary, transfer the grown plant into a slightly larger pot (do not forget about drainage). Any fertile ready-made mixture will do. You can only add a little sand and pieces of charcoal to it. In spring, the pot with the plant can be placed on the balcony or transplanted into the garden (just before the onset of cold weather, do not forget to return it back).

It must be said that official medicine does not recognize poultry grass as a medicinal plant. A study is underway of its composition and capabilities for treating the musculoskeletal system, healing wounds and relieving swelling, and getting rid of other ailments.

However, in folk medicine, this plant is widely used as an external pain reliever for bruises, joint pain (as part of complex treatment), as a healing agent for abscesses, for the treatment of headaches, and acute respiratory infections.

Doctor Alevtina Korzunova in her book “Healing Indian Onion” writes: “Indian onion cannot be taken internally, it is poisonous! The active substances contained in Indian onion juice, when they come into contact with the skin, increase blood flow to the sore spot, which ensures rapid subsidence of pain (this effect is similar to the effect of warming ointments and balms). Fresh juice of Indian onion causes a very strong burning sensation in the area being rubbed - this should be kept in mind by those who have sensitive and delicate skin, and are also prone to allergic reactions. Before using Indian onion (as well as other herbal remedies), you need to conduct a test: apply the leaf for 5-7 minutes to the sensitive skin on the elbow: if over the next hour the reddened skin constantly itches and rashes appear, then this herbal remedy is better not used for treatment.

To avoid severe irritation, Indian onion juice should not come into contact with mucous membranes, especially the eyes.”

Indian onions contain active substances - phytoncides, which increase blood flow to diseased areas of the body, and all parts of the plant - leaves, bulb and arrows - have a healing effect. They contain a lot of healing juice.

Poultry juice is colorless, does not stain clothes, has no odor, so it is convenient to use.

For treatment with juice, healing old leaves are usually used - their tips are often dried out, the dry part is removed by cutting off part of the green leaf from the plant as needed.

* Rub a piece of leaf about 1-2 cm long on the sore spot ( for arthritis, radiculitis, osteochondrosis

) so that the plant juice is absorbed into the skin.

For better release of juice, you can use a knife to make notches on the leaf. From the cut of the thick part of an Indian onion leaf, a colorless, burning juice is released very actively; it should be immediately applied to the sore spot - it is quickly absorbed into the skin. After rubbing the juice, wrap the sore spot with a woolen scarf. It's better to lie under a blanket; After about 7 minutes, the burning sensation goes away, and then the painful sensations disappear.

If you begin to experience unbearable itching, rub vegetable oil on the greased area.

* For headaches

: Indian onion juice is rubbed into the temples and the back of the head.

* For acute respiratory infections

- into the bridge of the nose, brow ridges, lymph nodes.

Indian onion can relieve pain for several hours.

* Bronchitis

: a paste from the leaves of the ornithischium caudate is applied to the patient’s chest for 2-3 minutes.

* Wounds and abrasions: b

Thanks to its bactericidal properties, Indian onion juice heals minor abrasions, cuts, and wounds very well. If the damaged area does not heal within 24 hours, then, in any case, it will not fester. After smearing the wound with juice, you need to let it dry and then lubricate it again. Repeat the procedure at night - and you don’t have to think about the inflammatory process.

* For animal bites

: If the wound is significant (animal bites: dogs, cats, nutria, etc.), it should first be washed with clean boiled water, and then lubricated with fresh juice 2-3 times a day, applying a light, non-compressive bandage.

* Bee and insect stings:

If you are “offended” by bees or other insects, you can lubricate the affected areas with juice or attach a piece of leaf to them, securing it. This will relieve pain, swelling and allergic reactions.

* Bruises (hematomas):

The juice of Indian onion leaves also helps greatly against bruises, relieving pain and preventing the formation of a hematoma (bruise, bruise).

* Rheumatism, Radiculitis:

And for those who suffer from age-related diseases such as rheumatism, radiculitis, osteochondrosis, polyarthritis, Indian onion is absolutely irreplaceable.

During an exacerbation, this wonderful plant will successfully relieve pain: you need to rub the leaf on your lower back or problem joint. Immediately after rubbing, you need to wrap yourself in something warm and go to bed. After the obligatory burning sensation for 7-10 minutes. and tingling pain calms down, and long-awaited relief comes.

The duration of treatment depends not only on individual tolerance (maybe allergic urticaria), but also on the “length” of the disease.

If a burn occurs on the skin after using Indian onion preparations, they should be lubricated with olive oil.

Description of the plant

Another name for the Indian onion is the tailed poultry onion. The definition of Indian has stuck with the culture due to its similarity with spices. In common parlance you can hear the plant called brandushka or hellish root. Indian onions are often called:

• false and Mongolian;
• maritime and Chinese.

In Great Britain, the Indian onion is called the Star of Bethlehem, in Germany it is called milk stars (Milchsterne). Translated from Hebrew it means hawk's milk.

Herbaceous perennial (lat. Ornithógalum) belongs to the asparagus family, subfamily of hyacinths. Originally from the southern regions of Africa, Indian onions are found in the subtropics of the Mediterranean and grow in America and Eastern Europe. Onions have taken root in central Russia. It is successfully bred indoors, in greenhouses, and in summer cottages.

The first mentions of poultry and its properties are associated with Ancient Greece and Theophrastus, a student of Aristotle. Bulb raw materials were used to prepare medicinal ointments along with tinctures. Indian onions began to be used in landscape design later. Italian, Dutch, and French gardeners liked the decorative properties of brandushka.

What does it look like

The height of the perennial reaches 0.3–0.85 m. It grows from a rounded bulb, which is covered with white scales with a brownish tint. Indian is similar to other representatives of onion varieties in its cord-like roots.

The plant has basal foliage, elongated, linear, reminiscent of sedge plates with twisted ends. It is usually formed in the spring. Old Indian onion leaves break off in the center due to their own weight.

The fruits are capsules with black round seeds. The formation of children is carried out in the bulb, then they fall to the soil and take root. When and how will Indian onions bloom? Brandushka will delight summer residents in 2 or 3 years with early flowering - along with crocuses, tulips and daffodils. By the end of April, Indian onions can provide a brightly decorated landscape for a modest front garden.

Indian onions have white, sometimes yellow, flowers with green veins. The buds resemble stars that are located on a long fleshy stem and alternate with needle-shaped processes. The length of the peduncle of Indian onion is 100 cm.

When to collect, storage, expiration date

The homeland of the poultry plant is located in South Africa. Currently, the plant can be found in the Eurasian subtropics, as well as in America. Cultivated all over the world.

All parts of the plant are harvested for medicinal purposes. For tinctures, only fresh raw materials are required. Bulbs and leaves are cut, washed and wiped with a paper towel. To collect the juice, cuts are made on the leaf blades.

All actions should be carried out while protecting your hands from the poisonous juice with rubber gloves and your eyes with goggles.

Composition and properties of Indian onion

The spectacular-looking crop is characterized by healing properties. In herbal medicine, the bulb, arrows, and leaves are indispensable.

Useful elements accumulate most of all in the large foliage of Indian onions. The bulb gains healing power and exhibits properties at 2 years.

The chemical composition of the plant contains:

• essential oils and glycosides;
• ascorbic acid and organic acids;
• glycoalkaloids and thiocolchicine;
• colchicine and flavonoids.

The alkaloid colchicine in the chemical composition of Indian onions is responsible not only for the benefits in treatment, but also for its toxicity. Do not take Chinese onion tinctures internally. The effect of the alkaloid is based on the following medicinal properties:

• painkiller: blocking receptors located on the skin;
• anti-inflammatory: suppression of produced inflammatory mediators;
• antithrombotic: preventing blood clots;
• vasoprotective: expansion of capillaries, improvement of peripheral circulation.

The plant parts of the Indian onion include colchicine derivatives. These biosubstances provide other beneficial properties:

• antimicrobial;
• antiparasitic;
• antifungal;
• antiviral;
• anti-gout;
• keratolytic;
• sedative;
• restorative;
• warming;
• antitumor.

What does Indian onion treat and help with?

Indian onion is a popular informal medicine. It is useful to know what Indian onion can successfully treat. The healing properties of tinctures, ointments, creams, and decoctions based on brandushka are appropriate for such dysfunctions as:

• Immune diseases: eczema, psoriasis, allergies.
• Pathologies of the oral mucosa: tonsillitis, sore throat, pharyngitis, stomatitis.
• Skin lesions: bites, frostbite, microtrauma, burns.
• Infections: abscesses, pimples, mycoses.
• Neoplasms on the skin: papillomas, lipomas, warts, wen.

Indian onion eliminates pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Tinctures with Indian onion treat hernia, but are not a panacea for the disease. The healing properties also help in the fight against joint dysfunctions:

1. Arthrosis: inhibition of degenerative changes, elimination of pain and swelling.
2. Arthritis. Relieving inflammation, improving blood circulation.
3. Gout. Removing urates, stopping the growth of heel spurs.
4. Osteochondrosis. Activation and regulation of recovery and metabolic processes.
5. Radiculitis. A rush of blood to the affected area, elimination of muscle tension, release of pinched nerve endings.

For wasp, bee and midge bites, it is advisable to treat the surface with medicinal juice or apply a piece of leaf and secure it with a band-aid.

What does Indian onion tincture help with?

Home cosmetology uses the beneficial properties of onions. Cosmetic products are prepared based on alcohol tinctures:

• face care lotions;
• toning masks;
• tinctures for restoring hair follicles.

The plant is poisonous: prepared medicinal preparations are used with caution.

To slim their thighs, many women use anti-cellulite massage oil. To prepare a medicinal solution, mix poultry juice with vegetable oil in a ratio of 1:10. Every day the composition is rubbed into problem areas for 10 minutes. After the procedure, wear warm trousers. According to user feedback, it will take a month of daily manipulation to verify the beneficial properties of false onions and get rid of degenerative changes in the subcutaneous layer.

Methods of preparation and use

Alternative medicine will suggest options on how to prepare medicinal preparations from the hellish root. In addition, medicines from Indian onions are used only externally.

Tinctures with alcohol and vodka

Among users, tinctures made with vodka and alcohol from Indian onions are in demand. The cooking technology involves:

• rinsing the onion leaves with cold water and finely cutting them;
• placing raw materials in a glass vessel, filling with liquid in a ratio of 1 to 10;
• Infusion for 2 weeks in the dark and cool, periodically shaking the jar;
• filtering the medicinal solution through gauze.

It is allowed to use the product 3 times daily externally. The medicinal properties of the tincture are valued for radiculitis, varicose veins, and fungal infections.

Relieves headaches, acts as an analgesic, the medicinal juice of brandushka when rubbed with massage movements into the temple area.

Decoction

They use a medicinal decoction of water from the leaves of Indian onion for compresses and lotions. Helps with sprains and abrasions. Suitable for wiping protracted wounds, burns, suppuration. The cooking recipe includes:

• grinding 2 tbsp. l. fresh leaves of Indian onion until mushy;
• filling a thermos with raw materials;
• infusing 1 liter of composition, poured with boiling water, under a lid for 2 hours.

The prepared broth is filtered. Use in any form - chilled or warm.

Plant juice

The medicinal properties of Mongolian onion juice are used in the treatment of joint pain, hematomas, and pustules. You will need fresh leaf plates, which are cut in half and squeeze out the liquid. To separate the liquid, you can crush the leaves to a pulp and filter using a napkin.

Work with medicinal raw materials carefully; you will need rubber gloves and safety glasses. When it comes into contact with mucous membranes and skin, the caustic juice of poultry grass provokes a burning sensation.

It is advisable to extract the medicinal juice immediately before preparing the compress.

Vaseline ointment with juice

The healing properties of fresh leaf blades are perfect for Vaseline ointment. What are the benefits of Indian onions? The medicine is suitable for rubbing joints and muscles if the patient suffers from neuralgia or osteochondrosis. To prepare the remedy you will need:

• cut the leaves of the poultry plant, grind with a masher until smooth;
• add Vaseline (50 g) to the substance;
• enter 2 tbsp. l. natural honey;
• mix the composition.

A little homemade medicinal ointment is carefully rubbed into the sore spot up to a maximum of 3 times daily.

Contraindications

The use of Indian onions has a number of contraindications that should be studied before use. Treatment with this plant should be avoided:

• During pregnancy and lactation.
• During exacerbation of chronic diseases.
• For bleeding gums.
• At the first manifestations of allergic reactions.
• For the treatment of children and adolescents under 18 years of age.

Avoid contact of plant juice with mucous membranes. This can cause burns to delicate tissues.

On a note! Before use, check your body for possible allergies to the plant. Apply a small amount to the crook of your elbow and wait about 5-10 minutes. If there is no reaction in the form of severe itching, then there is no allergy.

Use in folk medicine

Herbal medicine offers several options for how to use hell root. External use of Indian onion in folk medicine requires adherence to proven dosage and regimens.

For sore joints and bruises

Rubbing and lotions with sea onions are suitable for bruises and sore joints. Hell's root improves cellular metabolism, relieves pain, and reduces swelling.

Indian onions are indispensable for arthrosis. Destruction of articular cartilage is a manifestation of the disease. As a result, the affected joint is deprived of full movement. The pathology is accompanied by pain during exercise and movement. Osteoarthritis is more common among older people, for whom massage, physiotherapeutic procedures, and pain relief are prescribed.

In order not to overload the body with medications, they use tinctures for joints prepared from Indian onions. Therapeutic agents stop the development of abnormalities at an early stage. If the cartilage is not destroyed, tissue nutrition is activated and pathology is stopped.

It is preferable to treat arthrosis-affected areas with tincture before bedtime. After the treatment procedure, it will not hurt to take good cover and warm up. When the changes progress and the disease enters stage 4, 5–7 sessions will correct the situation for the better.

For nail fungus

In summer, it is easy to detect fungus on moist areas of the body: in the armpits, on the scrotum, and chest. Nail plates are no exception. Indian onion medicinal ointment will help with nail fungus. Take a chopped 20 cm leaf of onion and mix it with interior fat (50 g), which, if necessary, is replaced with Vaseline.

Treat the affected nails with ointment and wash off after half an hour. Treatment continues until the condition improves. Applications are popular in the treatment of fungus. The leaf, crushed into pulp, is applied to the diseased nail, over which cellophane is fixed.

To prepare therapeutic foot baths, crushed leaves are poured with hot water in a volume of 1 liter and left to infuse for at least an hour and a half. Dilute the onion tincture with lukewarm water. Inject 30 g of vinegar (an acidic environment is detrimental to infected tissues). Steam your feet for 20 minutes, dry them with a towel and put on clean cotton socks.

For skin, mucous membranes and veins

Warts and papillomas are viral diseases. To remove growths, you will need undiluted medicinal brandushka juice. They lubricate the formations with it. After 10 minutes, wash off with water. The operation is repeated daily.

Onion masks with glycerin will rejuvenate the face, get rid of wrinkles, and make age spots lighter.

The plant contains a natural antibiotic: helps with throat diseases (sore throat, tonsillitis, sinusitis). Use a medicinal decoction: 6 cups of boiled water per 1/4 cup of chopped leaves, which is infused for at least 2 hours.

A runny nose is treated with onion juice, which is rubbed into the outer sides of the nasal wings and the bridge of the nose.

Homemade soap is made for body care. For the product you will need:

• a piece of baby soap: melt in a water bath, pour into a jar;
• milk (100 ml);
• coffee grounds (50 ml);
• Chinese onion juice (20 ml).

Mix the ingredients and place the container in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Keep for 48 hours at room temperature in a dry place. Ready-made soap is used for hygiene procedures:

• eliminates keratinized epidermis;
• tones the skin;
• stimulates blood circulation;
• fights orange peel.

The microcomponents included in the composition help thin the blood and prevent blood clots.

The effectiveness of medicinal tincture or ointment from Indian onion is felt in the first minutes after use. When the applied drug responds with warmth, tingling, and blood flow, herbal medicine will be productive.

Hair Recipes

The plant can restore the structure of hair follicles, especially if they lack collagen. To do this you need to prepare a special decoction.

100 grams of leaves must be poured with boiling water (1 liter of water). Let sit for about half an hour, then place in the refrigerator. You should rinse your hair with the strained mixture every time after washing your hair. The decoction can be stored for only three days, so it is recommended to rinse three times, then take a break for 1-2 weeks.

Growing at home

For medicinal Indian onions, growing indoors or outdoors is simple.

Soil and lighting preparation

The unpretentious culture is easy to grow at home. No special soil or large container is required for planting, feeding and replanting. The substrate for growing Indian onions includes:

• turf;
• sand;
• humus.

Windows located on the south or east side are suitable for the apartment. With the onset of summer, it is advisable to move the Indian false onion to the loggia or terrace. The lack of lighting for the perennial is compensated by sunbathing. Every month, a container with Indian onions is placed on a lighted windowsill for at least 1 week. Direct rays of the sun damage onions. Brandushka does not like either high humidity or dry air: it negatively affects the health of the plant.

Rules for planting and care

Indian onions are planted in unprotected soil in the 2nd or 3rd decade of May. The optimal temperature is +20…+22 °C. At night and in winter the indoor temperature is not lower than +12 °C. The crop will respond to heat and cold by drying out and falling leaves.

Hellroot easily adapts to a new place. It likes partial shade and full sun and avoids planting in wetlands. When planting bulbs, they are buried halfway into the soil. For the winter, Indian onions are put into the basement or transplanted into a pot. When Indian onions are grown, the following rules of agricultural technology are adhered to:

1. Moderate watering. In summer, water more often, in winter - when the top layer dries by 1 cm, or stop feeding the plant for 2-3 months. Regular foliar spraying early in the morning is recommended.
2. Loosening. Guarantees a normal supply of oxygen to the roots and the development of the poultry plant. The operation is performed twice a week.
3. Feeding Feed monthly during the flowering period, starting in March. Suitable organics: infusion of ash (1 tablespoon of product per liter of liquid), mullein. A pink solution of potassium permanganate is suitable for mineral fertilizers. In winter, they refuse to feed Indian onions.
4. Cleansing. Wiping onion foliage with a soft cloth activates cell metabolism, increases air exchange and photosynthesis.

Transplanting a brandushka to a garden bed involves:

• carefully removing planting material from the flowerpot;
• site preparation: digging holes depending on the length of the roots;
• soil moisture;
• location of the bulbs from each other in increments of 2–5 cm;
• Sprinkling with earth, compaction, watering.

Reproduction methods

It is not difficult to propagate poultry grass at home. The following methods are used:

1. By dividing the bulbs. The cuttings are dried for a couple of days before planting.
2. Seeds. The appearance of seeds is possible only in a pollinated crop. It is advisable to place the pot of onions outside in the summer. If there are no pollinating insects and it is not possible to plant Indian onions in the beds, the manipulation is carried out independently artificially. A small brush is required. Carefully touch the flowers. When the seed capsule is completely dry, the seed material is collected and placed in a container. Germination of Indian onion seed sometimes takes up to 6 months. Grown-up seedlings of Indian onions are picked and planted in a separate container. Transplanted into the garden 3 years after sowing.
3. Children. Formed on the mother's bulb. Individuals are separated in the spring. When planting a houseplant, the Indian onion is left slightly open at the top: it is buried ½ of the height into the ground. It is advisable to wait until the bulbs grow 3 leaves and separate on their own.

Luxurious flowering and growth of sea onions will be ensured by spring replanting - once every 2 or 3 years. The distance between the onion and the walls of the flowerpot is at least 2 cm. Clay pots are preferable: they do not tip over under the weight of the poultry plant, moisture evaporates better, and the plant breathes.