Agave American: description and care

Today we will introduce you to the cactus of the family of agave, which in natural conditions grows in the arid mountains of Mexico. It's American agave . In the wild, it occurs in North Africa, Southern Europe, and south-east Asia. We will try to talk about what the American agave is. And its application in folk and traditional medicine, we also consider that (we are sure of this) for many will seem interesting.

Description of the plant

This perennial is a herbaceous plant with bluish-green large, thick, juicy leaves that gather in the basal rosette. At first glance, the American agave is very similar to aloe. But, having looked narrowly, you will see that the leaves are much wider.

The American agave plant is a monocarpic. This is the name of plant species that bear fruit and blossom once in their long life, after which they die. Agave American has a well developed, fairly powerful root system. Both in natural conditions, and with artificial cultivation in the ground, lives 10-15 years. If the plant is a kad culture and develops in rooms and greenhouses, then the lifespan reaches twenty, and in some cases - thirty years.

In the last year of his life, the plant pushes a flower arrow from the center of the rosette, which does not have leaves, up to eight meters in length. It is crowned by a huge inflorescence, a panicle, in which there are several thousand flowers of yellowish color. They are large, 9 cm long. The flower has a six-membered, corolla-shaped perianth with six stamens and a pestle.

The flower of the agave American in the Russian climate blossoms at the end of May. This process lasts about three weeks.

Propagated by agave seeds and root processes. At a temperature of 25 ° C, the seeds will germinate after 7 days. The plant loves light, this must be taken into account when home-grown flower.

The birthplace of the agave is Mexico. In natural conditions, plants reach a height of 10 meters and 4 meters in diameter. In our country, agave in the open ground can be found in the Crimea, and in other regions it is grown as a houseplant. The fleshy, juicy leaves of the American agave contain essential oils, resins and aloins.

Application

To date, people's healers (as well as representatives of traditional medicine) are well-known agave. Description, application of its medicinal properties can be found in many phytotherapeutic and medical reference books.

Medicines from the agave have a laxative effect on the human body. The relaxing effect, as a rule, comes in 10-12 hours after taking the drug. In addition, drugs created on the basis of agave, have anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, antipyretic effect. These agents disinfect, remove excess fluid from the body, promote the acceleration of metabolism, normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract and gallbladder. Cut off agave leaves can be used as compresses for abscesses, wounds and sciatica.

Agave American: treatment

For internal reception the cut off agave leaves are crushed and insist on water. This is done so. Cut off the average size of the agave, chop it and pour a glass of water. After six hours, strain the composition through the cheesecloth. As a laxative, use one tablespoon (preferably before meals) three times a day.

Improving appetite

To everyone who suffers from lack of appetite, you can try freshly squeezed from the leaves of agave juice. It should be taken at 5-10 ml approximately 30 minutes before meals.

Gastrointestinal tract treatment

Agave juice is successfully used as an additional remedy for the treatment of gastric ulcers, chronic gastritis, accompanied by stable constipation, a condition after the transferred dysentery, as a means of increasing the body's resistance to various kinds of infections. Worth caution our readers: do not self-medicate! Before you start drinking juice, consult your doctor.

Treatment of liver

For this, powder is used. The agave leaf should be crushed and dried, dried in air, but in a shaded place. Then it is thinner and sifted. Use 0.2 g (at the tip of the knife) three times a day.

Sores and inflammation

When the American Agave reaches the age of three years, it can be applied freshly externally in the form of compresses with inflammation of the sciatic nerve, abscesses, long-healing wounds. To do this, cut the sheet, cut it along, attach it to the sore spot with the inside.

It should be noted that sometimes in the treatment of sciatica with the help of agave leaves, some patients with very sensitive skin experience severe heat and even pain. The doctors say that such a reaction is not to be feared, but it is better in case of discomfort to stop treatment and consult a doctor.

Burns, eye diseases

With burns, eye inflammation and even with cataract starting, non-healing wounds and ulcers use juice from agave leaves in the form of lotions. They are made from diluted with boiled water juice in a ratio of 1:10.

Treatment of skin diseases

For prevention, as well as treatment of skin pathologies, anemia and radiation sickness use an emulsion of agave juice. Make infusion on castor oil or eucalyptus, keep it for 12 days in the dark at a temperature of +8 degrees. The composition is applied to the damaged skin three times a day with a thin layer. Can be used as compresses.

Agave American: home care

If you decide to grow this perennial at home, then first pick up a well-lit, sunny place for the flower. Agave responds well to the sun's rays. In the room where the plant will live, there should be a temperature in the range of +18 ... +28 degrees. In summer, the flower can be planted in the open ground. But remember that the temperature below +10 degrees is for this plant fatal.

Watering

This unpretentious plant is American agave. Care for her is reduced to a fairly rare watering and periodic top dressing with nutrients.

Watering the agave should not be very often. One, at most two times a week for her will be enough. In the winter, experienced flower growers recommend cutting the watering up to once a month. Water, stagnant in the pot, can provoke decay of the roots and death of the plant. Make sure that moisture does not fall into the center of the outlet during watering.

Diseases and treatment of agave

In spring, the flower can be fed with cactus mixtures containing a small amount of nitrogen. In winter, save the plant from all fertilizers.

If the agave is sick or attacked by pests, take emergency measures, you can not delay, because your flower can very quickly die.

If it was hit by scutes, thrips, treat succulent with alcohol, vodka or beer. Such a popular way of treatment gives a good result, but only the solution of "Actellik" will save the agave if the defeat has become massive. For prevention, wipe the leaves with water with the addition of garlic or soap solution.

Contraindications

Once again we will repeat: preparations based on the American agave should not be taken without consulting a doctor.

External application of ointments or compresses can trigger an allergic reaction in some people or inflammation of the skin area to which the plant was applied.