Schisandra

Schisandra - perennial monoecious (dioecious), woody, deciduous, climbing vine with long (8-10 feet) and thick (2-4 cm) stalks. Winds spiral, clockwise obvivaya trees and shrubs as a natural support. Stems are flexible, resilient, do not break when bent. The bark of old vines of dark brown, scaly, young - smooth, shiny. Leaves are bright green with a pinkish-red petioles. Male and female flowers on long stalks, white, waxy, with a subtle pleasant aroma. Pistillate flowers with a cylindrical receptacle bearing numerous bilocular pistils. When ripe the fruit receptacle elongates 20-50 times, and each pistil grows into a berry, forming a collecting fruit in the form of hanging ears (visloplodnik), plastered with red berries sessile; berries almost spherical, 5 to 12 millimeters in diameter. Magnolia blooms in mid-June.

Lemongrass - the most cold-resistant and early-ripening fruit vine. Well propagated by seeds, cuttings and easily introduced into the culture, to soil undemanding. It grows in mixed coniferous-deciduous and deciduous forests of the Manchurian type. Shade plants, but thickets are most often found on forest edges, glades, old logging and garyam, the wooded slopes of the mountains (not exceeding 500-700 meters above sea level), on open places where it simply spreads over the surface of the soil cover.

In Chinese medicine, lemongrass is called berry five flavors: whole fruit - salty, sweet peel, pulp - sour, seeds - hot, bitter, Russian name "magnolia" given to the plant due to the presence in it of an essential oil, which has the smell of lemon species name "Chinese" - the place of growth. This plant - the only wild member of the family Limonnikovyh on Russian territory. Relic of the Tertiary period: at the time was widely distributed in the northern mid-latitudes and is currently preserved only in the southern part of the Far East, although it may well be introduced into the culture as well take root in the middle lane.

Scientific studies have established that it stimulates the central nervous system, heart and breathing, improve mental and physical performance, increases resistance to adverse influences, the juice of berries and powdered seeds are used for treatment of gastritis and gastric ulcer. In the dry berries contains 350 - 580 milligram-per cent ascorbic acid, citric, malic, succinic and wine-stone acids, essential oils, resins, minerals - titanium, silver, sugar, the seeds are active substances and schisandrine shizandrol, 50 percent of the oils, sterols, vitamin E, free acids and trace elements - copper, manganese, nickel and zinc. Lemongrass consumed in the form of tincture of seeds and fruits, are also used berry juice and powder from the seeds.

Application fruit is not limited to the medical field. Essential oil from the fruit of Schisandra is a member of creams and refreshing lotion that tones skin and gives it strength and resilience, have the same effect infusions and teas made from leaves and branches of the Chinese magnolia.

Lemongrass is widely in food : the fruit is cooked jam, jam, jelly, as a component, has a pleasant taste and zhazhdoutolyayuschimi properties of fruit juice is included in syrups and fruit drinks.