Many of us had a chance to feast on cranberries, although not all, of course, collected it themselves, the good thing these days you can buy these delicious and healthy berries in the store. Low-bush bushes of bilberries eagerly grow in the marshy area, and it is usually possible to harvest berries in the middle zone of Russia with the beginning of autumn, plus or minus, depending on the weather and average daily temperature.
The Latin name of the species is translated as “the vine from the mountain Ida.” Now, by the way, this place is called the island of Crete.
Bushes of cranberries, which have to grow through rotten or dry stumps, can reach a meter height, although their more fortunate brethren, growing in favorable conditions, do not rise more than 15 centimeters.
Cowberry blooms in the beginning of summer for only 15 days.
Berries cranberries are well tolerated by the cold and are able to overwinter in the snow, retaining most of their properties.
Bushberry bushes grow beautifully in a harsh climate, for example, in the tundra and in the mountains.
Although the first attempts to cultivate cranberries were made in Russia in the middle of the XVIII century, real success in this field was achieved only in the 60-ies of the XX century.
The yield of berries on cultural plantations exceeds the similar indicator of forest plants by 2-3 times. From one hundred, planted with cranberries, you can collect up to 50-60 kilograms of berries a year.
Cowberry is widely used in many countries of the world – it is candied, marmalade, marinades, jams and extracts are prepared. In Sweden, cranberry jam reached the rank of national delicacy.
Cowberry water, which is now commonly called a fruit drink, is mentioned in “Eugene Onegin” by Alexander Pushkin. It was noted that this drink can be stored for a long time in the cold with full preservation of its properties.
In scientific medicine, leaves of cranberries are used to prepare decoctions and infusions, acting as antiseptics. Leaves can be used to create medicines for 3 years from the time they are collected.
Fresh berries cranberries help with a lack of vitamins, are used as a laxative, bactericidal, antiseptic and choleretic.
Squeeze from dried leaves of cowberry perfectly cures infections of the urinary tract, but with an overdose such a squeeze can turn into a poison.
Cowberry juice or mors drink patients suffering from high blood pressure. A delicious drink helps against anemia in women waiting for a child, neuroses and hangovers.
Decoction of cranberry leaves helps to cure kidney disease, gout, diabetes and rheumatism. He perfectly quenches his thirst during the fever.
Berries cranberries are used to treat pulmonary tuberculosis and kidney stones, used as a vitamin and antipark agent.
In Russian, the name “cowberry” goes back to the obsolete word “brusvyany”, which meant red color.
In Russian written sources of red bilberry is first mentioned in the XIV century – it is called a berry, harmful to the body of young men.
Bushworm bushes are long-lived, comparable to oaks. Their life can reach 300 years.
There is a tradition according to which in ancient times the swallow found a spring with living water, typed it in its beak and was going to sprinkle the whole earth so that people could live forever. However, earlier than she managed to realize this intention, the swallow was bitten by a wasp. The bird opened its beak, and the miraculous moisture spilled down – drops fell on coniferous trees and cranberries, making them evergreen plants.
