La pigweed plant It is one of the herbs that can go unnoticed in a garden, but it has a series of properties that make it ideal for medicinal uses. In this post, we will learn more about this plant and some basic care that it needs to grow healthily will be explained.
pigweed plant
The zenizon, ashtray, hurdle, fat hen, goose feet, among other names, are several of the nicknames with which the pigweed plant scientifically called Chenopodium album. This multifaceted plant has many uses, but above all for a person's health, since it is used only for medicinal purposes.
This plant has a size no greater than three meters high and it is also because as it grows its weight at the top curves it, thus causing it to fall to one side and not grow more than 3 meters at most.
Its leaves grow varied, these also have triangle shapes and those that are born first always have species of teeth scattered throughout the leaf. They measure approximately 3 to 4 cm long by 3 or 6 cm wide and if we are talking about height, their rhombus-shaped stems measure from 1 to 5 cm long by 0.5 or 2 cm wide, they have a rough texture and corrugated.
The first studies of this plant were made and discovered in Europe, so it is believed that they come from there, but it is not known for sure where they are from. What has been proven is that this plant has spread throughout the world.
It is not known exactly where it originated, but it was found in Europe since 1753, then it spread to Asia and later to Africa, Australia, America and Oceania. Currently it is already in 90% of the places in the world.
Uses
As mentioned above, its uses have been widely given in the field of medicine since it has very good components and properties that, if you know how to make the most of it, you can get very good benefits.
It is a plant that grows quickly since its seeds are not difficult to germinate or bear fruit, in this case, to grow and reproduce its leaves. If all the steps of planting and harvesting it are done correctly, in a few weeks you will already be able to count on the leaves of this plant to make infusions and get the most out of it.
Among its properties and benefits, it can be used as a dewormer, cleaning the bladder since it commands to urinate and therefore to throw away bacteria and waste that the body does not need, it is also used to kill all kinds of worms and bacteria that harbor in the organs. of any person, it helps the liver and works on a few occasions and depends on the person as a muscle relaxant to help them fall asleep.
Although this species has several properties that make it a good ingredient for medicinal preparations, there are people who may have allergic reactions to it. This is more common during the spring or during the summer, seasons where its pollination occurs.
In this sense, it is possible to suffer from very frequent sneezing, even itching or tearing, as occurs when an allergy to pollen occurs. Similarly, if you are not allergic to this, there is nothing to worry about.
Other medicinal herbs
As extra data there are some species of hieras that also have medicinal properties, the first of them is the hen grass which can be recognized by its small white flowers. Another is the sedge plant or Castañuela. Another species to mention is the pigweed plant, which is not very good with animals like pigs because it can be quite toxic.
We can also find the radishes that like the chicken grass has quite small white flowers, on the other hand, we have the Nightshade which gives dark purple or violet berries that are quite poisonous. Some properties of these plants can be used for a medicinal preparation, others can be toxic, what these species have in common is that they cause damage to orchards.
Reproduction
The ash plant (as it is known in several South American countries) occurs frequently in the spring season. This can be achieved by obtaining seeds of this same plant and a space where it is going to be planted.
Then you have to water it, but without trying to overdo it because it could not grow as expected, then you put fertilizer on it and place it in a place that can take sun and shade. Keep in mind that you must always keep this space where the plant will be, moist, so that it can germinate quickly.
Basic care
If there is something for which this plant is characterized, it is because you have to take good care of it so that it progresses and blooms quickly, as well as other species if you want to extend the plant life cycle. Even so, it really does not require great care, but some will be explained that will favor its good development.
Lighting and temperature
Regarding lighting, the pigweed plant should be kept in places where the sun does not always reach it, but it does not always have shade either, since the sun is essential for it to grow, but an environment with too much shade can harm it.
So the ideal place will be where there is sufficient lighting or indirect sunlight. As for the temperature, it should not be higher than 29 degrees centigrade, nor lower than 12 degrees centigrade because they do not resist those temperatures very well.
Land and subscriber
Really the ash plant it is not very demanding regarding the substratum, in fact, it can easily develop in not very abundant and even compact soil. However, the ideal land to plant it will be one that has good drainage, since it will be possible to see how it will grow faster.
This will be the same both outside and in the pots, in fact, for the latter you can buy the universal land to plant. As for the subscriber, this should be frequent during the spring and also in the summer. Which to choose? really any fertilizer will do, guano for example is a good option.
Irrigation
The irrigation of the pigweed plant will depend on the climate of the region, however, the general recommendation for species of all kinds: flowering bushes, trees etc is that it is watered when the land looks dry, taking care that it does not get waterlogged.
However, this species does not survive a long time of drought, so it will be necessary to take care that its irrigation is constant. Especially during the summer, it can be two or three times every week. When the temperatures drop a little and the weather is colder, the frequency with which this species is watered should be reduced.
It is important to take into account that tap water contains many bacteria that can sometimes harm the plant, although they have a certain resistance to many things. In any case, it is recommended that (if possible) rainwater be stored to later irrigate the plant with that same water, which is ideal for it.