Butterbur is a herbaceous perennial plant from the Astro family. It is also known under the names "whitewashed", "mother liquor", "barn root", "royal root", "plague grass". Distributed from the Far East to central Russia. Most ornamental varieties grow outside the Russian Federation, which does not interfere with growing the variety you like in any garden of a temperate or subarctic climate. A distinctive feature of butterbur is large relief leaves with soft nap. The plant is used to decorate the garden and the banks of ponds. Also, some varieties are used in traditional medicine. Caring for a butterbur in the open field is not difficult. Even a novice gardener can grow dense thickets.
Botanical characteristics
Butterbur is an exotic herbaceous perennial. It has a long, fibrous root, which grows horizontally and is located close to the surface of the soil. Under natural conditions, the stem of the butterbur reaches a height of 30-200 cm. Scaly-shaped sessile leaves are located along the entire length of the thick shoot. A winding trunk grows immediately after the snow melts. Its top is decorated with a thick corymbose or paniculate inflorescence. It consists of many small white-green, yellowish or dirty purple flowers. Tubular and reed corollas open in mid-spring. After the flowering period ends, the stem continues to grow.
In late May, large leaves appear on the ground on long, massive petioles. The sheet plate is heart-shaped. The edges of the leaf can be solid, serrated or dissected. On the back, and sometimes on the front, there is a dense felt pubescence. The maximum leaf width is 1.5 m. A strong petiole can reach a width of 5-6 cm.
After pollination on the stem, several single-seed bolls with a large crest ripen. Ripening ends in June, after which the seeds are carried by the wind or water.
Types and varieties of butterbur
In the genus of butterbur, 20 species are registered. The most popular of them:
Butterbur butterbur. The herbaceous perennial up to 60 cm high has a reddish scaly stalk. At the top of the shoot, a racemose inflorescence of gray-purple tubular flowers blooms. In June, large heart-shaped leaves of bright green color appear. They are covered with a soft pile and exude a harsh, not very pleasant smell. The diameter of the sheet is 60-70 cm.
Hybrid butterbur. A plant 30-70 cm tall has a dense scaly stalk of green-burgundy color. Reddish tubular flowers are grouped into baskets, which, in turn, are in spike-shaped inflorescences. Rounded kidney-shaped foliage is densely covered with gray pile. The width of its leaf reaches 70 cm. The leaves are located on thick, erect petioles up to 1.2 m long.
The butterbur is false. In early April, dense greenish-pink columns grow from the ground. They are crowned with cylindrical baskets with white or yellowish flowers. Large, triangular-heart-shaped foliage has uneven teeth along the edges and a dark green color. Leaves up to 80 cm wide are located on petioles 1 m long. On the reverse side and along the veins on the obverse, they are densely pubescent.
Breeding methods
Butterbur is propagated by seed and vegetative methods. Seeds can be sown in autumn or spring in the open ground, as well as grow seedlings. For the seedling method, crops are produced in early February in boxes with sand and peat soil. Seeds moisturize well and cover with a film. Ventilate and spray crops daily. Shoots appear within 1-3 weeks. When 2 real leaves appear, seedlings are dived into separate pots. At the end of May, you can plant grown plants in open ground. Flowering seedlings are expected 3-4 years after planting.
Easy enough butterbur reproduces by root segments. The procedure is best done in September. Spring division is not always successful. It is only necessary to separate the plot with a length of 5-7 cm. It is immediately planted in a new place and watered abundantly. Before the fall of cold weather, the rhizome grows and forms buds, and in spring the first shoots appear.
Plant care
Butterbur is easy to care for, but requires careful selection of habitat. He prefers the proximity of a pond and moist soils. It is advisable to find the site in partial shade, but it is possible in complete shading. Periodic direct sunlight on the leaves is allowed, but not in the afternoon hours.
The rhizome of the plant is quite aggressive. It easily covers large areas. In order not to subsequently have to fight for the territory, when planting in the ground they dig plastic panels to a depth of 60-80 cm.
The soil for butterbur should be fertile and have a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. The plant is undemanding to the density of the earth. It can develop both on light and clay soils. In the first years of life, seedlings are modest in size. So that weeds do not interfere with their development, it is recommended to do periodic weeding.
Butterbur is a frost-resistant plant. It hibernates to the subarctic belt without shelter. The ground part dies in the fall. It must be cut to the ground. After the flowers fade, the flower stalks are recommended to be cut to prevent uncontrolled self-seeding.
The plant develops best with high humidity, so coastal specimens will always be larger. Butterbur will also have to be watered often, because large foliage evaporates a lot of moisture. In intense heat, the leaves may wilt, but in the evening restore their former shape.
The plant does not need regular feeding. In early spring, you can mulch the soil with compost or peat. This will be enough for active growth and flowering.
Whitewashed plant diseases does not suffer, but slugs and caterpillars love it. Perhaps they are attracted by the dampness that is necessary for plant growth. So that the leaves are not covered with ugly holes, you will have to use insecticides.
Beneficial features
Scientists found organic acids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids and essential oils in the leaves and roots of butterbur. Decoctions are used as an effective expectorant, diuretic, antispasmodic and anthelmintic. They help calm the nerves and overcome hypertension in the early stages of the disease.
Fresh chopped leaves are applied to wounds and inflammations on the skin. They anesthetize, stop bleeding and destroy the infection. Ointment with the addition of leaves is applied to problem areas of the skin to get rid of acne and boils.
Taking preparations based on butterbur is contraindicated in pregnant and lactating women, children, and people with low blood pressure. It should also be borne in mind that the use of broths leads to a sharp decrease in blood sugar.
Attention! The alkaloids that make up the roots and petioles are toxic. When used regularly, they cause liver cancer and other serious diseases of the internal organs. For this reason, it is very important to comply with the dosage and coordinate treatment with your doctor.
Cooking butterbur
Young flower stalks and leaves of varieties of cold butterbur and Japanese butterbur are used in cooking. They are boiled, fried, pickled and eaten raw. To taste, the product resembles celery or rhubarb. Butterbur dishes can be found in Japanese restaurants. They are used for making sushi. In some countries, the plant is grown as a feed crop.
Garden use
Very beautiful and large leaves attract a lot of attention. Such an exotic plant will appeal to owners and all neighbors. It is important only to properly organize planting and limit the habitat of the butterbur so that later it does not struggle with its processes.
Dense thickets will hide farm buildings, a fence or other places that need camouflage. The plant is suitable for decorating the coastal zone. It also inhibits the growth of weeds, so the need for weeding the site will gradually disappear.
The best neighbors for butterbur are elecampane, hogweed, comfrey, rhubarb, as well as sprawling deciduous shrubs and large trees.
