Common godson: photo of the plant, description of its medicinal properties, recommendations for collection, as well as a warning about possible harm

While walking in the meadow, many do not think that each blade of grass under their feet has huge healing properties. Several centuries ago, our great-grandmothers knew from which disease a particular plant would help.

In the household plots, a beautiful, fleshy plant with yellow flowers is often found - this is the common godson. So, is it a weed or a cure? Next, we will tell you in detail about it: what medicinal properties it has; when to assemble it and how to harvest it.

What it is?

Botanical Description

Common godson (Latin: Senecio vulgaris) is a herbaceous plant, a species of the genus the godson (Senecio) of the family Asteraceae (Compositae) (about what other species are in this family, find out here). The plant is annual or biennial. The height of the common godson varies from 100 to 500 mm. The fruit is an achene, with a length of 2 to 2.5 mm and a width of 0.4 × 0.5 mm. The color of the seeds is brown or gray, sometimes golden yellow.

Fruits are oblong with ribs, between which short pressed hairs are located. From 1.5 to 20 thousand - such a number of fruits is produced by the plant during growth and ripening.

On a note. Achenes are carried by the wind, and so the plant reproduces. Thanks to this method of propagation, the duration of flowering of the plant lasts from spring to autumn.

Where is it common?

Senecio vulgaris is widespread throughout Eurasia, in its European and Asian parts.

Place of growth

The common godson grows everywhere:

in the gardens;
in the meadows;
forest belts;
in landfills.

The plant loves non-black earth.

Appearance

The leaves and trunk of the plant are both bare and covered with a small white cobwebbed coating. The stalk is branched, erect.

All leaves are oblong, scapular, with a width of 5 to 25 mm, from 20 to 100 mm long, serrated at the edges. The higher from the root to the flowers, the leaves become more narrowed.

Inflorescences in the form of a bell located at the ends of shoots, with a diameter of up to 5 mm, a length of 6-8 mm. The flowers are yellow.

History reference

Senecio vulgaris is first mentioned in ancient medical treatises. Decoctions were used as a diuretic and choleretic agent. The seeds were crushed, mixed with wax and applied to the face with cramps. An emulsion of roots and leaves was prescribed for nasopharyngeal congestion, for its purification. French pharmacists used decoctions of leaves and roots to treat ulcers and hemorrhoids, juice - to fight intestinal parasites, colitis and seizures.

In the 19th century, the plant was called a "cross", as was the species of spiders. At the beginning of the twentieth century, in order to avoid confusion, it was renamed the "godson".

In the scientific world, the plant is called "Senecio", it is formed from lat. "senex" is "old, bald." This is explained by the fact that the inflorescences after the breakdown of seeds by the wind stand naked, and the flowers after maturation are covered with white tufts and become like a gray head.

Reference. Dioscorides (a military doctor and naturalist), who lived in ancient Rome, used a decoction of the leaves and roots of the common godson as a diuretic, as well as for removing stones from the kidneys and bladder. Nicholas Culpeper (1616-1654), an English botanist and phytotherapist, used Senecio vulgaris raw materials to treat epilepsy.

Additional names

Common godson is also called:

life-giving grass;
Golden grass
ram;
in Latin Senecio vulgaris.

Is care necessary?

The common godson does not need additional care. The plant is not whimsical, perfectly rooted and melts on any soil. Thanks to the developed root system, it tolerates drought well.

Photo

In the photo you can see how the plant looks.

Can it harm crops and people?

Senecio vulgaris - a malicious weed for cropswho need a large area for growth and nutrition, as well as inter-row tillage. It causes great damage to crops.

Important! A plant can cause harm to human health if used improperly. It is poisonous, it contains toxic nitrogen-containing organic compounds - alkaloids. Alkaloids affect the liver, followed by damage to the nervous system.

Healing properties and preparation

Healing properties have:

roots
stalks;
plant juice;
leaves;
flowers.

Healing are all parts of this plant, for example:

The plant is endowed with a hemostatic effect and is used as a medicine for bleeding.
Ordinary godson helps with inflammation of the bladder, anemia, increased heart rate.
Plant juice or alcohol tincture is recommended for seizures, epilepsy, paralysis.
Leaves, crushed and attached to abscesses, have a softening and absorbable effect.

Harvesting plants produce from spring to autumn. Stems, leaves and flowers are harvested in the summer during flowering.

The roots are harvested in the spring before the rapid growth of the plant begins or in the fall after it dries.

The best time to collect juice is spring or earlier summer.

When harvesting, all parts of the plant are dried in the shade, in well-ventilated areas.

Conclusion

Many are sure, weeding their personal plot and finding a beautiful plant on it with green carved leaves, yellow flowers and inflorescences, like a dandelion, that this is a malicious weed.

But this plant is an ordinary cross, possesses many medicinal properties and is often used in traditional medicine. But do not forget that the ordinary cross is poisonous and it must be used very carefully for treatment.