The shade-tolerant tree-like shrub of the common irga from the pink family boasts a lush crown, sweet berries, and unpretentiousness to the composition of the soil. Irga feels comfortable, successfully bears fruit where other garden crops die. In addition to taste, these berries are still medicinal, like flowers, leaves. Useful properties of a berry and contraindications to its use will be described in this article. Other names for irgi: yurga, pirus or karinka.
The plant itself (especially flowering) has a very attractive appearance, due to which it is used to decorate a garden plot, for example, as a living fence.
Irga, photo:
What is irga, plant photo, planting and care
This shrub gives good productivity in places lit by the sun, reaches a height of 6-7 meters, is resistant to frost. The bushes grow quite quickly, begin to give color in May, and the fruits in early July. Full ripening of the berry occurs by the end of July - beginning of August. The flowers of the pirus are predominantly white in color, delight the eye with lush flowering for 2 weeks (May-June).
Irga flowers, photo:
Berries are widely used by traditional healers, as well as culinary specialists. They have a slightly sugary taste, but are equally liked by adults and children. Outwardly, the berry of the pirus is somewhat reminiscent of black currants, and in taste it is more like raisins (in dried form). Northern raisins - so often it is called.
Irga - berries, photo:
Saplings of this shrub deepen into the ground according to the same principle as similar fruit crops - gooseberries or currants. Landing, care are not complicated. The virus is planted in the spring or in the fall. But the best option is the landing of the irgi in the fall - in deep holes 40-50 cm deep, 60-80 cm wide. The fruits can be seen already in the second or third year after a properly planted planting.
Irga, benefit and harm
To begin with, we will determine the useful characteristics of this plant. It is noteworthy that even the bark of the pirus has healing qualities. Flowers, berries, leaves, bark are used by healers, both fresh and dried. The medicinal properties of Irgi are also confirmed by official medicine.
Flowers with leaves are used for prevention, treatment of various diseases: decoctions, teas help with heart diseases, manifestations of hypertension, sleep problems. Leaves, flowers can be brewed independently or together with berries - such tea is permissible to use throughout the day.
Berry berries are more popular: they contain fructose, glucose, nicotinic, ascorbic acid, vitamins E, B, carotene, useful trace elements. The use of fruits helps to eliminate excess cholesterol, salts of heavy metals, and other toxins. There is a general positive effect on the nervous system, a decrease in blood pressure, the risk of blood clots decreases, and blood vessels strengthen.
Irga - useful properties:
- strengthening immunity, antioxidant properties due to carotene contained in fruits;
- soft removal of toxins, heavy metals from the body, thanks to pectin;
- general improvement in heart function, reduced risk of heart attack;
- with hepatic, renal ailments;
- cancer prevention;
- with sore throat, sore throat (fruit juice, rinse);
- brewing bark, leaves to alleviate the effects of burns, pustular skin diseases;
- gum strengthening, treatment of various diseases of the oral cavity (stomatitis, periodontosis);
- with an upset stomach;
- for the prevention of varicose veins.
It is also necessary to mention contraindications, the possible harm that may be caused by a lady. If there is a tendency to allergies, then use the gifts of this shrub should be extremely careful. Irga is a strong allergen. It is not recommended to take the virus for manifestations of hypotension (low blood pressure).
If a person suffers from blood diseases (hemophilia, clotting problems), irgi should not be used. She liquefies blood. Do not combine the use of decoctions or fruits with milk - they are not compatible (upset stomach will not take long). You should also take into account the inhibition of action, which can be observed from excessive use of virigins.
If the bush grows in an ecologically unfavorable zone, then they can only admire, since the irga very actively “draws” harmful components from the earth, air, water.
Irga, the use of berries in cooking
Most often, berry is used for treatment, but fresh berries, jams, liquors, wines, and fruit drinks from it turn out to be incredibly tasty. Baked goods with irga is a real delicacy, its berries are perfectly combined with shortcrust pastry and cottage cheese.
To get the juice from the fruits, the harvested crop must first be aged without access to sunlight - so the berries will become sweeter, juicier. The fruits ripen in stages, they are also collected in stages. Irga itself is a perennial bush, lives about 50-70 years - it depends on environmental conditions. It is life-resistant, practically not afraid of garden pests, it does not need spraying. The shrub is decorative at any time of the year.
If you decide to plant an irga at your summer cottage, then you need to consider that you have to protect it from birds, as they like to enjoy it. To prevent the feathered inhabitants from reaching the harvest, gardeners prudently cover the bushes with a special bird net that you can buy.
In any case, anyone can try the healing properties of this plant. Today you can buy dried fruits or flowers of Irgi flowers - they are offered by pharmacies, online stores of medicinal herbs. This dark blue berry has a low calorie content (45 kcal), practically does not contain fats, proteins. Carbohydrate value of berry berry - 12 g per 100 g of fruit.
Taking into account the useful properties of virigins and contraindications, the factor of individual intolerance should be taken into account, as well as the measure must be observed.