Dioscorea Nipponskaya in my garden. For the cardiovascular system
Dioscorea refers to curly perennial plants... The stems are over 1.5 meters long.
Valued for ornamental leaves, flowers are of no interest. The plant possesses medicinal properties, tubers are eaten.
Kinds
- Japanese
- Deltoid
- Caucasian
- Balkan
Care and cultivation of dioscorea
Liana is not demanding on growing conditions, but grows best on humus-rich soils. The landing site is chosen slightly shaded, protected from the wind. In a strong shade, the liana develops worse.
Water abundantly, but only on dry days, in more frequent watering not necessary.
Organic fertilizers (not manure) are applied during the entire growing season, about 1 time per month.
For the winter, the ground part dies off, the stems are cut at the root. Landings are covered with dry fallen leaves or spruce branches.
Reproduction
Dioscorea is propagated by cuttings, dividing rhizomes, nodules, seeds. Seed reproduction is not the most effective method, since seed germination is low, and seedlings develop slowly. Seeds are sown immediately after harvest, in open ground or in containers, in a substrate of sheet earth, sand. The containers are left outside for the winter. Seedlings appear around the beginning of summer. During the summer, the seedlings are fed several times mineral fertilizers... In the fall, young plants are transplanted onto beds for growing. When planting, a distance of about 15 cm is left between the plants. permanent place dioscorea is transplanted 3-4 years after sowing.
The rhizome is divided in early autumn. The rhizome is carefully dug out, the ground part is removed and the rhizome is cut into pieces about 10-15 cm long. The segments are immediately planted in a permanent place.
Reproduction by nodules is carried out in early spring... When planting, tubers do not deeply deepen.
Plants for vertical gardening lot. Some are valued for the splendor and duration of flowering, others for the exquisite shape and color of the flowers, and still others for the leaf mass that can quickly cover unsightly areas. But vines with medicinal properties are rarely found. Dioscorea caucasica is one of the few. V natural conditions found only in the Caucasus. Natural reserves of raw materials are insufficient.
Description
Dioscorea Caucasian - a variety belonging to the Dioscorea family. The aboveground part dies off annually for the winter. Root system represented by a long, thickened, branched rhizome used in the treatment of many diseases. Climbing vine grows up to 4 m per season. Leaves are oblong-cordate, with slight lowering of the lower part, petiolar. The edges are slightly notched, the veins are clearly visible.
Flowering occurs in May-July, fruiting in September. The flowers are small (up to 4 mm in diameter), inconspicuous, greenish-yellow, six-petaled. Stamen flowers (male) are formed in bunches, usually of three pieces. Pistillate (female) - located singly. The racemose or spike-shaped inflorescences form in the leaf axils.
Plants are dioecious, so fruiting is infrequent. The fruit is a three-section capsule, each part of which contains a seed surrounded by a wing on all sides. The likelihood of getting seeds increases when several specimens are planted.
Planting and leaving
Dioscorea Caucasian grows best on neutral soils, not heavy in texture. The landing site should be sunny or slightly shaded, but not flooded. spring waters and not on the north side. The issue of supports must be thought out in advance so as not to damage the rhizomes later. In principle, this plant is unpretentious, but in the first year it will require careful cleansing of weeds that can clog it. Watering, especially in dry weather, is mandatory. Top dressing with complex fertilizers is desirable. Shelter for the winter is not required. It is resistant to diseases, there is practically no attack of pests.
Reproduction
It reproduces poorly by seeds, since they require elevated temperatures (about 27 ° C) for a long time. The emerging seedlings grow slowly. It is much easier to propagate by pieces of rhizome (about 12 cm) with several renewal buds. It is advisable to carry out the procedure in early spring or autumn. In the second case, the aerial part must be greatly shortened so that the vine spends its energy on the formation of roots, and not on feeding the leaves.
Use in landscape design
If you want to combine business with pleasure, then for vertical gardening of gazebos, pergolas, external stairs, fences, the Caucasian Dioscorea is perfect. In summer, this place will be rich in greenery, and in autumn, when the leaves begin to turn yellow, the plant will sparkle with new colors. If planted next to it, the combination of red and golden-yellow foliage will look very advantageous, it will not evoke sad notes about the upcoming winter.
The Dioscoreae family includes over 650 species, distributed mainly in the tropics and subtropics. Only 3 species of this family are found on the territory of the USSR.
Dioscorea Caucasian- Dioscorea caucasica Lipsky is a dioecious perennial herbaceous vine. The rhizome is horizontal, highly branched, knotty, dense, up to 40 cm in length. Stem glabrous, curly, 3-5 m long. Leaves are alternate, petiolate; the lower ones are large, heart-ovoid with a pointed apex; the upper ones are small, almost linear. The flowers are unisexual, small, with a simple six-petalled perianth, collected in axillary, loose spike-shaped inflorescences. The fruit is a three-winged, three-celled capsule 2-2.5 cm long and 2.5-3.5 cm wide. The seeds are brown, flat, with a wide, thin membranous wing bordering the seed. The mass of 1000 seeds is 17.8-30 g. It blooms in May - July, the seeds ripen in August - September.
Dioscorea of Nippon- Dioscorea nipponica Makino is a dioecious perennial herbaceous vine. The rhizome is horizontal, branched, brownish-brown, up to 1.5 m long, with thin, rigid, cord-like roots. Stem glabrous, curly, simple, up to 4-4.5 m in length. The leaves are alternate, the lower ones are 5-7-lobed, wide-heart-shaped; the upper ones are whole, triangular. The leaf blade is short pubescent. The flowers are unisexual, dioecious, with a simple greenish six-petalled perianth, collected in simple spike-shaped inflorescences. The fruit is sessile, three-lobed, broadly elliptical capsule up to 2.5 cm in length. Seeds are flat, with a long, thin membranous, upturned wing, up to 5-7 mm long and 2-4 mm wide. The mass of 1000 seeds is about 9 g. It blooms in July - August, the seeds ripen in August - September.
Origin and distribution... Dioscorea Caucasian endemic plant of the Caucasus. It grows under the canopy of an oak forest with deciduous undergrowth at an altitude of 400-1500 m. The stock of rhizomes is 100-120 tons, which makes it possible to harvest 10-15 tons of raw materials annually.
Dioscorea nipponskaya grows in the south of the Primorsky Territory in sparse deciduous forests, along the edges, gentle slopes of mountains, not higher than 500 m above sea level, and in river valleys. The total stocks of rhizomes make it possible to harvest about 50 tons of raw materials annually.
In view of the extreme limited natural resources of raw materials, both types of dioscorea were introduced into the culture; Dioscorea Caucasian - in Krasnodar Territory, Dioscorea Nipponskaya - in the Far East.
Application... Medical raw materials of both types are rhizomes that contain saponins: up to 10% (Caucasian Dioscorea) and 4-5% (Nippon Dioscorea), the main of which is the steroid saponin - diosgenin. The drugs (diosponin and polisponin) are used to treat and prevent atherosclerosis and some other diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Biological features... Dioscorea does not make high demands on heat and light. The results of experiments carried out at VILR show that both species can grow well in middle lane country (near Moscow). The culture is demanding on soil moisture, but very poorly tolerates excessive moisture and prolonged stagnation of melt and rainwater.
Dioscorea seeds have reduced germination due to a poorly developed embryo. Therefore, although they begin to germinate at a temperature of 3-5 C, the period of emergence is very extended. Even after stratification for 45-60 days, they appear on the 25-35th day. Without stratification, seeds germinate in 1-2 years. Growth of rhizomes at seed reproduction is extremely slow: the average annual increase in the mass of roots in three-year-old plants does not exceed 2-3 g. Therefore, a vegetative method of reproduction is adopted in production (by segments of rhizomes). Dioscorea rhizomes have good winter hardiness and keeping quality during storage.
For getting high harvest Dioscorea rhizomes are grown on soils of light texture, carbonate, neutral. Heavy clayey, saline and poor sandy soils are unsuitable for cultivation.
Precursors and tillage... Dioscorea plantations are located both in special crop rotations in a link with long-term use of the field for medicinal crops, and in flooded areas. The best predecessors are clean fallow or early harvested crops, which allow the soil to be prepared using a fallow or semi-fallow system. The main element in soil preparation is deep plowing 30-35 cm and cultivation to a depth of 8-12 cm 10-12 days before planting.
Fertilizer... The use of fertilizers has a significant effect on the yield of rhizomes. As the main fertilizer, 80 tons of manure are applied under the dioscorea of Nippon, and 40 tons of manure per hectare under the dioscorea of the Caucasus, together with N 45 P 60 K 40. Top dressing is carried out annually from the first year of the growing season in the phase of mass regrowth of plants N 45 P 45, in the case of using complex fertilizers N 45 P 46 K 40.
Landing... Two planting dates for Dioscorea have been studied and developed: spring (the first days of going into the field) and autumn (late October - early November). For the regions of the Kuban, the most promising is autumn planting rhizomes. Rhizomes are planted to a depth of 10 cm in grooves cut by a hiller with a feeding area of 60 × 10 cm (Dioskorea Nippon) and 60X30 cm (Dioskorea Caucasian). Sections of rhizomes of Nippon Dioscorea 10-15 cm long, Caucasian Dioscorea - 8 cm are planted two in one nest. The planting rate of rhizomes is 21 and 19 centners per hectare, respectively.
Care... Plantation care begins immediately after planting. It consists in harrowing as young shoots of weeds appear and the soil is compacted. Early spring care of the growing plantations also begins with harrowing. Before the plexus of the aboveground mass of plants, 2-3 inter-row loosening is carried out to a depth of 6-10 cm, with an increase in the protective zone in 2-4-year-old plants up to 15-17 cm.
The use of herbicides allows you to almost completely get rid of hand weeding. On the plantations of Caucasian Dioscorea in the first year of vegetation, before the emergence of crop shoots, atrazine can be used in a dose of 6 kg per 1 ha, 80% wettable powder of simazine - 3 kg and sodium trichloroacetate - 17 kg per 1 ha; on plants 2-3 years of growing season before regrowth of the culture, atrazine is used - 6 kg per 1 ha, simazin 80% wettable powder - 5 kg per 1 ha and sodium trichloroacetate - 17 kg per 1 ha.
Cleaning... The most intensive growth of rhizomes is observed in the 3-4th year of the plant's life, therefore, harvesting is carried out in the 4th year. Rhizomes are harvested in autumn using potato harvesters. The selected rhizomes are shaken off the ground, the aboveground part is cut off, washed, cut into pieces 7-8 cm long and dried at a temperature of 60-65 ° C. The yield of rhizomes of Dioskorea Nipponskaya reaches 30-40 centners, and of Dioskorea Caucasian - 50-60 centners q 1 ha.
During the harvesting period, they harvest planting material, which are immediately planted with new plantations or stored in basements until spring at a temperature
Sclerosis has become much younger lately. After all, once the French called it the disease of the third age. As a prophylaxis of this disease, phytotherapeutic agents can be successfully used. One of them is the Nippon Dioscorea.
Dioscorea of Nippon in the wild, it is widespread in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories, the Amur Region. It grows in sparse deciduous and mixed forests, in forest glades, forest edges, in the valleys of rivers and streams. This plant is a perennial herbaceous vine of the Dioscoreae family with a climbing stem up to 4 m long. Its rhizome is thick, branched, horizontal with lateral branches. Dioscorea leaves are alternate, petiolar, with venation. The lower ones are seven-lobed, the middle ones are five- and three-lobed. It blooms in July - August. The fruit is a triangular elongated capsule. The seeds ripen in August-September.
Medicinal raw materials serve as rhizomes. They are harvested from April to late autumn. Dig with a shovel, shake off the ground, remove stems and rotten parts, wash the roots cold water and cut into pieces 5-10 cm long. Then wither and dry on the day of harvest at a temperature of 60 ... 70 ° C. High-quality raw materials are also obtained by drying in well-ventilated attics, where they are laid out in a layer of up to 10 cm and mixed periodically. Drying in the sun is allowed. Raw materials can be considered dried when the rhizomes break with a bang. The shelf life of medicinal raw materials is three years.
Dioscorea rhizomes contain various organic compounds... The most important of these are the water-soluble steroidal glycosides (saponins). On the basis of Dioscorea rhizomes, the preparation "Polisponin" is prepared, but at present its production has been discontinued due to a small raw material base.
Dioscorea is used in atherosclerosis of the vessels of the brain and heart to lower blood pressure. It reduces headaches, tinnitus, fatigue, irritability, improves mood, memory, normalizes sleep, improves condition with glaucoma, cataracts and inflammatory eye diseases, improves vision.
Dioscorea is popularly used as a tonic and tonic for the treatment and prevention of diseases of the central nervous system... It increases the efficiency and resistance of the body to stress in neuroses, insomnia.
When taking drugs from this plant in patients, the content of cholesterol in the blood is normalized, memory improves, and sleep is restored. Dioscorea preparations improve health, memory, and normalize sleep. The decoction and powder of rhizomes have anti-sclerotic and diuretic effects, lower blood pressure, increase bile secretion and reduce blood clotting. They are used for atherosclerosis of various origins and localization as a therapeutic and prophylactic agent. The positive effect of dioscorea is associated with inhibition of the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine, which is accompanied by a decrease in its content in the blood. In this case, blood proteins are able to keep cholesterol in a colloidal solution, which reduces the possibility of its deposition in the walls of blood vessels.
Treatment is carried out in cycles of 20-30 days with 7-10-day breaks. The course of treatment is at least 3-4 months. Taking dioscorea drugs is especially effective in the initial stages of atherosclerosis. No side effects have been identified. If itching, sweating and loss of appetite appear, the dose should be reduced or the drug should be temporarily discontinued. Dioscorea saponins irritate the gastrointestinal tract, so decoctions and powder should always be taken after meals.
An alcoholic tincture is prepared from raw materials: pour 150-160 g of roots with a liter of vodka, leave for 10-12 days. Take one teaspoon three times a day.
To prepare a decoction, 1.5 g of crushed rhizomes are poured with 1 glass hot water and kept in a sealed enamel container in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Then it is cooled at room temperature, filtered through two or three layers of gauze and the volume is adjusted boiled water to the original. Take 2-4 tablespoons three times a day after meals.
With extreme caution, you should use the tincture and decoction of Dioscorea if you have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, be sure to consult your doctor.
Since the reserves of dioscorea are depleted in nature, it would be nice to grow it on your own summer cottages... It has been growing in my garden for many years. This plant is undemanding to soils, but support is extremely necessary for it. Dioscorea propagates by seeds, but they germinate for a very long time. Therefore, it is better to propagate it vegetatively. In the fall, plant the rhizomes, and in the spring sprouts will appear, which will only need to be directed to the vertical support. It is possible to use rhizomes as a medicinal raw material in the 3-4th year of cultivation.
In addition to Dioscorea of Nippon, there is also Dioscorea Caucasian... Their methods of application and treatment are almost the same.
Viktor Felk, experienced gardener, Petrozavodsk
Photo by the author
Description of a houseplant. Dioscorea or yams are herbaceous perennial shrubs or vines. At the base of the plant has a rounded large caudex, which stores a supply of nutrients and water. In adult plants, caudex reaches a diameter of 1 m. In spring, thin stems appear, which grow very quickly. Heart-shaped leaves up to 20 cm long and 15 cm wide, shiny, dark olive, arranged alternately, on long petioles - up to 6 cm. At the end of summer, small inflorescences of tiny, fragrant, greenish-white flowers appear on the plant.
Varieties:
Dioscorea Caucasian - Dioscorea caucasica
The most common species is a dioecious plant - a liana with alternate, green, heart-shaped leaves. The flowers are very small, collected in very loose inflorescences - brushes, yellowish. In general, the flowering is nondescript and not of particular interest. Dioscorea Caucasian is valued not for appearance, but for widespread use in folk medicine... Various parts of the plant are used to treat disorders of the cardiovascular system, as an immunomodulatory agent, and has choleretic and diuretic properties.
Dioscorea nippon - Dioscorea nipponica
A beautiful liana with emerald, palmate - dissected leaves up to 20 cm long. The leaf blades are glossy, covered with a whole network of pronounced veins. In general, the leaves of this subspecies can vary in shape and size. Plant stems reach a length of 5 m. During the flowering period, forms loose clusters with attractive white, bell-shaped flowers.
Dioscorea elephantipes - Dioscorea elephantipes
A very beautiful deciduous subspecies with a huge grayish green caudex with high, polygonal projections. The caudex overhangs have attractive colored stripes - in shades of brown and gray - and are generally very similar to the shell of a turtle. At the apex of the caudex there are thin, twisting, pale green shoots about 50 cm long with alternately arranged heart-shaped leaves. With age, the shoots become woody and are covered at the base with brown bark. The leaf blades are slightly bent in the center, glossy. The flowers are small - yellow and green.
Dioscorea furry or wild yam - Dioscorea villosa
Liana with long and thin green shoots. Stems rarely branch. Leaves are cordate, alternate, on long petioles, glossy. The lower surface of the leaf blades has a short pubescence and a lighter shade than the upper one. The inflorescence is branched, bears many small yellowish flowers.
Dioscorea deltoidea - Dioscorea deltoidea
Perennial plant - liana with thin, unbranched stems, reaching a length of 3 m. Leaves are green, oblong - cordate, with deep veins, arranged alternately. The lower surface of the leaf blades is covered with gentle pubescence. The flowers are yellowish green, small, inconspicuous.
Dioscoreaoppositifolia
A vine with thin, twisting shoots that sometimes take on a purple hue. Leaves are green, simple, oblong, shiny, can be either whole or slightly finger-dissected. Flowers male and female are located on different plants, collected in large brushes.
Dioscorea sylvatica - Dioscorea sylvatica
The herbaceous plant is a succulent with a large and attractive brown caudex and thin, curved stems called vines. The stems grow very quickly and can reach 4 - 5 m in length in just one season. Leaves are cordate, green, on long petioles, with pronounced branched veins, arranged alternately. Young leaves have a lighter and more glossy leaf blade. Caudex can reach 1 m in diameter and sometimes forms correct shape polygonal protrusions. The flowers are greenish or cream, collected in inflorescences - brushes. Male and female flowers are located on different plants.
Height.Depending on the type. Vines grow rapidly and reach a height of 2 - 3 m. In one season, half-shrubs can grow only up to 20 cm. The plant stops growing in autumn, its leaves turn yellow and fall off, the stems die off.
Dioscorea cultivation
Dioscorea home - temperature... Regular room temperature suitable for dioscorea in warm time of the year. In winter, the tubers are stored at temperatures below 13 ° C.
Lighting... When actively growing, yams should be provided with a brightly lit area with direct sunlight for 3 or 4 hours a day in the morning or evening. During the dormant period in winter, keep the yam tubers in the dark.
Dioscorea at home - care... Yam is a tropical plant that needs a warm and moist atmosphere. Long, thin stems of vines need to be supported. Shrubs need pruning to maintain a bushy compact shape. Pruning is carried out only after the leaves turn yellow and fall off.
Substrate... Pits do not like heavy clay soil; prefers rich nutrients, lightweight foundation with good drainage.
Top dressing... During active growth with regular liquid fertilizer every two weeks. Loves organic feeding. 
Appointment.
Flowering time... Small green flowers appear on the plant in late summer, but they are insignificant.
Air humidity... It transfers dry air from heated rooms, but it is better to spray it periodically.
Soil moisture... During the winter, the tubers are stored in a dry place. In the spring, after planting, start watering in moderation and allow the topsoil to dry between waterings. When the plant reaches a height of 30 cm, water abundantly, but do not let the water stagnate in the pan. In the fall, with the dying off of the leaves, reduce watering - the plant needs to go into a state of dormancy.
Transfer... Plant the tubers in early spring before growing in loose, moist, nutritious soil. Cover the plant pots with a plastic wrap or glass to maintain moisture and place in a warm place. New shoots will appear within 7 to 10 days. The plant prefers somewhat cramped conditions.
Reproduction... Small nodules that appear on white and fleshy roots in autumn. Stem cuttings 5 - 15 cm long, at the beginning of summer. It is preferable to place the cutting with its lower end in powder for rooting. Immediately after rooting, the cuttings give new growth.
Pests and diseases. Brown spots appear on the leaves under too strong light - this sunburn... Avoid watering plants in direct sunlight during the day - leave this activity in the morning so that the leaves have time to dry and the sun does not burn them.
The plant slows down growth if the temperature is too low. Of the pests, the plant can be attacked by red spider mites.
Note... The roots of some yam species are edible and often eaten.
Hydroponics.
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