Omezhnik is an herbaceous plant of the umbelliferous family. It includes more than 40 species, distributed in the temperate climate of Europe and Asia, as well as in tropical regions of Africa.
Description
The plant is young, often lives no more than two years. The grassy stem reaches 120 cm in height, knotty at the bottom and smooth at the top. Knots serve as a place for fastening leaves. The leaf plates are carved under water and more rounded wide at the top. The greens are bright, emerald.
An umbrella-shaped inflorescence is formed on the tops of branches, includes many white flowers and resembles dill flowers. During flowering (from June to August) exudes a strong, slightly sharp aroma.
The fruits ripen in August-October, have an oblong shape and a rough surface.
The root system is a powerful branched, adapted for growth in marshy areas. Even after breaking away from the soil, the plant does not die, but continues to exist in a floating state. Omezhnik is found on the banks of rivers and lakes, as well as in wetlands.
Varieties
The most common are such types of carnival:
- Water omezhnik. A branchy biennial plant with carved leaves. The stem is cranked, hollow and quite fragile. Branches gradually tilt toward the ground. Grows in flooded meadows or banks of water bodies.
- Saffron omezhnik. It has a massive root and a strong stem up to 1 meter high. The leaves are carved, fixed on a short petiole and have 2-3 dissections. White flowers are collected in umbrellas of 3-10 branches.
- Javanese Omezhnik. A branching plant 20-90 cm high is covered with sparse foliage. Leaves are dull, bluish or light green with a carved edge. Umbrellas up to 5 cm in diameter are covered with white flowers.
Growing
Omezhnik grows on fertile flooded soil. Prefers sunny areas of the garden or faint shade. It tolerates frosts well, does not require shelter. Even in a frozen body of water, it remains viable.
Propagated by sowing seeds. In a temperate climate, seedlings are first grown, and in May they are planted in a permanent place. The plant is very tenacious and does not require special care and top dressing. It finds all the necessary elements on the surface of the soil or in the water.
Poisonous plant
Omezhnik is poisonous, so it should be grown carefully, especially in the presence of pets. There are cases when even cattle died from only one plant eaten with the root. A special danger lies in the rhizome. However, Javanese omezhnik is less toxic; its leaves and stems are consumed in small quantities in Korea.
The flavonoids contained in the omezhnik have a therapeutic effect, therefore it is actively used in pharmacology to combat epilepsy, intestinal disorders, respiratory tract and circulatory diseases.
