Useful and medicinal properties of goji berries. Dereza vulgaris in a pharmacy where it grows in Russia

Tibetan barberry is a plant that recent times is simply wildly popular. Goji berries have a strengthening effect on the body, help get rid of cellulite and improve vision, each berry contains a rich set of vitamins, minerals and trace elements of natural origin. The natural habitat of the Tibetan barberry is the mountainous regions of Tibet, from where the berry in limited volumes enters different countries. In this article you will find information on how to grow goji berries yourself, on the selection and processing of seeds for planting in the country.

Useful lure ( Russian name goji) promises deliverance from a number of diseases.

In Tibet, they have long learned to use the fruits of dereza: local shamans prepared tinctures and potions that heal various diseases. For several centuries, the secret of this plant was successfully hidden, but now goji berries can be bought for the prevention and treatment of diseases in any country.

Dereza belongs to the Solanaceae family - a tall shrub up to 2 meters in height, has tangled flexible shoots with thorns, blooms with small star-shaped, funnel-shaped lilac flowers with green veins. During flowering, dereza attracts bees - the plant is an ideal honey plant.

A huge number of species of this shrub are distributed throughout the territory. the globe(about 80 species are known): African dereza - in Africa; barberry Shanghai - in China; Lycium is found in the foothills of the Caucasus. The plant develops well on slightly saline soils, after flowering, which lasts the second half of summer, fruits ripen - berries of red, yellow or orange color. There are varieties with purple berries.

In Russia, dereza was known under the names: zamanikh (zamaniha), damn whips, tkenna (in the Caucasus).

Only goji berries from Tibet have medicinal properties.

Growing dereza from seeds

This plant has many names, in Russia the most common is lure.

To land on your site amazing plant with medicinal berries, it is necessary to grow a sufficient number of seedlings to ensure a crop of wolfberry in an amount sufficient to treat or prevent diseases. Undemanding plant perfectly takes root on summer cottages in outskirts of Moscow. Plant care does not differ in anything special, dereza puts up with infertile soils of medium salinity.

In nature, dereza ( Tibetan barberry) propagates by self-sowing - berries, falling to the ground, germinate, forming new thickets.

At home, if it is impossible to take cuttings from adult plants, the shrub will have to be grown from seeds, carefully observing the agricultural practices for growing this plant. Dereza seeds for planting in the country can be purchased at specialized stores, or goji berries can be used for breeding.

Planting seeds is carried out in winter, around mid-February. The seeds released from the berries are soaked in a solution of growth stimulants, excellent results were noted when using "Epin", "Zircon" and "Humate". Seeds are kept in solution for about 2 hours, after which they are immediately sown in containers filled with a mixture of peat and loam. For better seed germination, the bowl must be covered with glass or plastic wrap creating greenhouse conditions.

The first shoots begin to appear about 2 weeks after sowing, at which time weak shoots must be protected from direct sunlight. It is necessary to dive young seedlings in the 2-3 leaf phase, while each plant should be transplanted into a separate pot.

Dereza after transplantation quickly grows, so before planting in open ground, there may be a need for another transshipment in larger containers. It is useful to pinch the growing point in young plants - this operation will allow you to get seedlings with a well-developed crown.

It is allowed to plant bushes in a permanent place in warm weather, when there is no danger of morning frosts.

Dereza from cuttings

If Tibetan wolfberry bushes have already been planted on the site, the plant can be propagated with green cuttings, which are cut from the bushes in the second half of summer. Such plants cannot be planted in the ground in autumn, so growing new specimens of wolfberry from cuttings will require free space in greenhouses, where the plants should be until spring.

For cuttings, it is worth choosing a branch with a fragile bark, from the middle part of which cuttings 10-12 cm long are cut. The prepared cuttings are soaked in a solution of growth stimulants, and then planted in boxes with a nutritious earth mixture based on peat. It is useful to add loamy soil to the peat base. The planted cuttings of dereza are covered with a film, creating greenhouse conditions.

The appearance of roots is observed already after 2-3 weeks, when the growth of leaves reaches the number of 3 pieces, the plants are transferred to pots of a larger diameter, where young bushes of Tibetan barberry will winter. Plant care during wintering includes periodic watering and inspections for pests, which should be destroyed in a timely manner.

Agrotechnics of care in the open field

Dereza blooms with inconspicuous lilac flowers.

The Tibetan barberry (not to be confused with the real barberry, which belongs to a completely different botanical species) is a very undemanding plant, can tolerate short-term drought, put up with poor and saline soils, but to get a rich harvest of berries, it is necessary to provide dereza with proper care.

Soils with a slightly acidic reaction are suitable for planting dereza, but shrub cultivation is possible on any soil. The plant grows best on open places, because the size of the average bush is quite large. You should not choose shady places for placing plants with high level ground water- Tibetan barberry is afraid of soaking, it develops better in sunny places.

It is best to plant bushes in open ground in spring, because during autumn plantings, the plant can easily freeze. Without shelter, bushes winter well at temperatures down to -15C in the southern regions of our country. When the temperature drops to -25C in winter, it is necessary to cover the crop, but even such actions cannot guarantee that the dereza will overwinter without frostbite. Sometimes bushes that are not covered enough freeze to the level of the root collar, but in the spring they successfully grow back.

seat

Seedlings are planted in separate pits, which are located at a distance of up to 2 meters from each other. The dimensions of the pit are 50x50x40 (for small seedlings), 60x60x40 - for adult bushes. The soil taken out of the pit is mixed with peat, humus, wood ash and superphosphate, in a ratio (weight in kg) 5: 5: 0.04: 0.2. root collar when landing, it is slightly deepened. trunk circle should be carefully watered, mulched on top with peat chips or humus.

Dereza care

Small seedlings of dereza, pickled in different pots.

Caring for dereza bushes is very easy:

Watering - you can not flood the plant, so watering is carried out taking into account summer temperatures, taking into account moisture due to precipitation. In dry weather, plants can be watered 2 times a week.
Top dressing - soils of medium fertility are ideal for growing a plant. Fertilizers are applied in the first half of summer after planting the plant in open ground; the Tibetan barberry does not need further feeding.
Wintering - there are two ways to save plants in winter: the construction of a reliable shelter, the second way is to save dug out bushes in a greenhouse, with landing in the ground every spring. Both methods have their pros and cons. At winter shelter there is no guarantee that the plant will not freeze in severe frosts, but it will not receive additional stress during transplantation.
Pruning - Goji bushes tolerate shaping haircuts and cardinal pruning well. Plants quickly increase green mass, bloom well on new branches and bear fruit productively.
Protection from pests - Tibetan barberry is highly resistant to diseases, pests also rarely visit this plant. Sometimes aphids can harm wolfberry seedlings, but this pest does not damage adult plants. In rainy weather, young plants may appear powdery mildew. Bushes should be treated with phytoncides.

Dereza bushes dug up for the winter, in greenhouse conditions can get sick, which will not allow them to give good growth when transplanted into open ground. Annual transplants lead to a shift in the ripening of the crop closer to autumn, thereby reducing the productivity of the bushes.

Proper care of wolfberry bushes guarantees a high yield of berries, which are distinguished by high preventive and healing properties.

Recently, unusual goji berries have come into fashion. Someone says that this is a 100% weight loss product. Others believe that these miraculous berries are a storehouse of useful and vital trace elements. In this article, we will learn not only about why this plant is so useful and valuable, but also about how to grow goji berries in our country house.

Mysterious goji berries in Russian and scientifically called "dereza". Actually goji berries can only be considered fruits dereza chinese(Lycium chinense), or d. ordinary or barbaric(L. barbarum). Among the people, dereza is also called wolfberry (but this name is given to a number of different plants, including non-poisonous ones, like dereza), lure. You can often hear the name "Tibetan barberry", but dereza and barberry (Berberis) are completely different plants from different families - do not confuse! You can slip barberry seedlings under the guise of goji. The name "goji" (Goji) came to English language from Chinese dialects- so called in China dereza.

Dereza Chinese comes from the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on the eastern outskirts of the Tibetan Plateau, in northwestern China. It was she who gave rise to so many legends and rumors about long-lived monks.

Common dereza is practically not inferior to the commodity in terms of properties, but its distribution area is wider - you can find this berry in the east and in the center of China, throughout Southeast Asia, and here too: in Central Asia, in the Kuban, in Primorye , in the Caucasus, in Ukraine, in central Russia.

Dereza belongs to the nightshade family, it is a deciduous shrub reaching three meters in height, with dangling prickly branches and small leaves. The crown can reach up to 6 m in diameter. The root system is powerful with deep strong roots that form many root offspring.

The plant, if cultivated, is quite decorative: the branches are of a pleasant light yellow color, the color of the leaves is light green above, bluish below.

It will begin to bloom in June and will please the eye until October. Pink, purple, sometimes even brown-violet flowers have a mild pleasant smell.

The berries are oblong, orange, crimson-red, up to 2 cm long, like a scattering envelop the shoot. Will begin to bear fruit from 3 years after planting, sometimes earlier.

goji breeding

seeds- well propagated by seeds. They are sown in a greenhouse without stratification in the spring and left for the winter. When the seedlings begin to grow, pinch the top of the shoot for the density of the bush.

Vegetatively- can be propagated by semi-lignified cuttings about 10 cm long, but care should be taken to ensure that there is old wood on the shoot. To do this, soak part of the cut in Kornevin and plant it in a greenhouse or under a film in July-August. When propagated by lignified cuttings, it takes root faster. You can root in a cool place or a cool but insulated balcony from autumn to the end of winter.

In the Caucasus, dereza often propagates by self-sowing.

planting goji

For common wolfberry, the soil reaction can be weakly acidic-strongly alkaline, but in principle it can grow on any soil composition. For planting, preference should be given to sunny places. Dereza does not like stagnant water. Best time for planting - spring. In autumn, goji is rarely planted, it is akin to extreme gardening, because it can most often freeze out in winter. But there are also favorable outcomes autumn planting in warmer regions. The tests were carried out on the breeding grounds of St. Petersburg. With shelter in the cold winter, it froze to the level of the root collar or to the end of the snow cover. It can tolerate cold down to -15°C. Many sources (German nurseries) say that even down to -25 ° C, but in the middle lane it is extremely risky. In the south of Russia it can winter without shelter.

Under the goji seedling we prepare a hole 50-60 cm wide and about 40 cm deep. We place the pits for several plants at a distance of 1.5-2 meters from each other. We add 150-200 g of superphosphate, 8-10 kg of compost (humus, peat), 30-40 g of potassium sulfate or wood ash and mix thoroughly. Seedlings need to be deepened a little. After planting, water well and mulch with peat or humus.

goji care

Watering: You can water the dereza only after planting and not even more than 2 times a week, depending on the dryness of the summer.

top dressing: Dereza grows even on poor soils, but best quality fruit is observed on soils with medium fertility. You can feed young plants during the growing season, they do not need further feeding.

pruning: Goji tolerates shearing and pruning well. New shoots will grow from old wood. In ornamental horticulture, it tolerates shearing well, even with special mechanical devices.

Shelter for the winter: In winter, goji can freeze to be safe, many gardeners plant the plant in deep containers and store it in basements until spring. But there are also such gardeners in whom the dereza does not freeze out and, covered only with spruce branches and snow, winters until spring.

Medicinal properties of goji berries

Goji berries are believed to contain vitamin C, many different minerals and polysaccharides, B vitamins, and essential fatty acids. In addition, they contain a huge amount of proteins, thereby overtaking even cereals. A decoction of goji berries tones the body, perhaps due to its tonic properties in combination with proteins, in Chinese traditional medicine used as a strong natural aphrodisiac. Conducted Scientific research really confirmed the increase in blood testosterone. Due to the high content of zinc and iron, they are often used for anemia. In combination with other herbs, they can be used as a remedy for chronic fatigue and to increase immunity. Useful as a means of combating hypertension. In modern medicine, the antitumor properties of goji have not been confirmed. But it has been scientifically proven that a special polysaccharide has been isolated from common wolfberry, which helps in the initial stages of diabetes.

What parts of the plant should be used?

1. Goji Berries are usually used in dried form. Don't pick berries with bare hands, since fresh juice of wolfberries can irritate the skin (like, for example, fresh pineapple juice). It is better to spread a cloth under the bush and knock the berries from the branches. The fruits should be harvested when they turn bright red and have reached full ripeness. Unripe fresh berries can be poisonous. No wonder one of their names is wolfberry.

First you need to dry the berries, then separate from the stalk. In order for raw materials to acquire medicinal properties, the berries must be dried until the skin begins to peel off. Drying can only be done naturally, without the use of ovens and preservatives.

2. Goji Root Bark- used for coughs, fever, lowers cholesterol levels in the blood, and is also used as a diuretic and laxative. To obtain raw materials, it is necessary to dig up the roots, rinse, remove the bark and dry thoroughly in the sun. Then make decoctions from the bark.

3. from goji leaves make invigorating teas.

Keep in mind that the body of a Russian person, unlike the Chinese or Tibetans, is not characterized by a large consumption of goji berries. Our body is not able to immediately adapt to the high consumption of fruits and other parts of this plant. In this regard, people who are very fond of wolfberry may experience kidney problems and severe dehydration.

The English name for the shrub is Goji berry (goji berry), the Latin name is Lycium barbarum. Tibet is considered the birthplace of the plant. Some believe that these berries are related to barberry, but this opinion is erroneous. Plants have only external resemblance.

AT wild nature the plant grows in China, prefers to settle on the Himalayan slopes. Since the climate established in the foothills is not suitable for industrial cultivation, the main part of the product offered by the market is cultivated in neighboring agricultural areas. Of more than four dozen varieties of plants with the scientific name dereza, they are grown. Since it is unpretentious in care, it is bred in Africa, Asian countries, central Russia, the mountains of the Caucasus and Ukraine.

The oblong, bright red berry is a member of the nightshade family known for its toxicity, such as henbane and datura. Goji fruits are poisonous only in fresh. After drying, they can be consumed without fear. Dried berries have a sweet taste and, according to some, resemble raisins, dried apricots, or raspberries and nightshade.

A tall shrub, reaching 3 - 3.5 m, has prickly branches and thin stems strewn with small leaves. During the flowering period, it is covered with purple flowers, and then with oblong medium-sized fruits-berries.

Other names for common dereza

The deciduous perennial has several names: wolfberry, bulldurgun, Tibetan (Chinese) barberry, lycia, lycium. In the Chinese province of Ningxia, the inhabitants call the gouqi berry. In some areas, the shrub was nicknamed wolfberry, but do not confuse it with the dangerous poisonous wolf's bark.

About the features of growing wolfberry

The plant prefers sunny places. For planting, seeds or seedlings are used. Young seedlings begin to bear fruit very early, within a couple of years after planting.

Due to the strongly branched root system, dereza grows rapidly. The plant is able to tolerate frosty winters and hot dry summer months. Does not require frequent watering. It is enough to water 2 times a month.

After winter, the shrub requires top dressing. Fertilizers with potassium nitrate and urea are suitable. It is recommended to add ash to alkaline soil. In late autumn, it is advisable to place dry foliage under the base of the plant and cover it with snow.

How to grow goji berries (video)

The composition and nutritional value of the common wolfberry berries

Although almost all parts of the plant are valuable, the fruit is the most valuable. The foliage and roots contain mineral and biologically active substances, many vitamins, phenolic compounds and steroidal saponins.

The composition of the berries contains:

vitamins that strengthen the body;
beta carotene;
micro and macro elements;
amino acids that slow down the aging of the body;
proteins;
mono- and polysaccharides.

Collection, preparation and storage of goji berries

For the manufacture of medicines, the fruits of the shrub are most often used, in rare cases, the foliage and bark of the roots.

The picking of ripe berries takes place in sunny weather so that the product is not wet. For practicality, it is recommended to spread a film or cloth under the bush and tap on the branches, knocking over the fruits. Then sort out unnecessary elements and spread out in a thin layer. For drying, it is desirable to choose a place protected from the sun. A sign that the berry has dried out well is the exfoliation of the shell. Sealed packaging allows you to store raw materials for more than a year.

Medicinal properties of common dereza

Thanks to the diversity healing properties, Chinese berries have been called a remedy for a thousand ailments. In addition, the plant gives energy and prolongs life. Key benefits include:

fight against neoplasms, prevention of oncological diseases, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease;
strengthening the cardiovascular system, normalizing the heart muscle;
the presence of polysaccharides that tone the body;
thanks to the adaptogen, activity and endurance appear;
replenishment of beneficial intestinal microflora and maintenance of its vital activity;
prevention of hypertension;
lutein, useful for vision, protects the lens from possible pathologies;
regular use of berries eliminates excess fatty tissue;
normalize the motility of the gastrointestinal tract, promotes the elimination of harmful toxins;
thanks to phytosterols, the hormonal background is normalized;
since the substances that make up the fruit eliminate the deficiency useful elements, the level of hemoglobin rises, sleep improves and depression disappears;
improvement of brain activity;
lycopene has a beneficial effect on the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, activates the body's defenses and has a preventive effect on cardiovascular system;
glycosides lower glucose levels, which is especially important for patients with diabetes;
capable of repairing damaged DNA structure.

It is possible that thanks to the Chinese miracle berries, the inhabitants of the Himalayan regions are long-livers.

Healing properties of goji berries (video)

The use of common dereza in medicine

An unusual plant product has been used in traditional Asian medicine and cooking since ancient times. Healing fruits will be included in the composition of various dishes and drinks. It is not recommended to consume more than 30 g of dry product daily. Ways to use berries for food:

Eat dry berries three times a day.
Fruit decoction. Boil 1 tablespoon of berries in hot water (300 ml) and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Remove and leave for 1 hour. Then strain and pour boiled water to the original volume. Berries left after filtering can be eaten.
A decoction of the bark of the roots. Combine a dessert spoon of a dry product with boiled water (300 ml) and cook for 10 minutes. After an hour, strain and add boiled water to get 300 ml.
leaf infusion. Pour dry raw materials (1 spoon) with boiling water (250 ml) and strain after a third of an hour.

AT official medicine berries are used as a natural aphrodisiac that increases potency. The Chinese plant is also used by those who wish to improve the body, as well as lose extra pounds.

goji berries for weight loss

The use of dereza to control appetite began centuries ago. Since it suppresses appetite, food intake decreases.

In order to achieve a drop in extra pounds with the help of goji berries, the following tips must be followed:

if you feel hungry during the diet, you should eat a few berries or drink the juice made from them;
the use of a drink from the fruits of wolfberry, which is prepared as follows: brew 30-40 g of berries and insist for an hour.

It is useful to add fruits to yoghurts or mix with muesli. To prepare delicious aromatic tea, you need to place 1 tablespoon of berries in a thermos and pour hot water, but not boiling water (250 ml) and leave for half an hour. If desired, the fruits can be passed through a blender. It is allowed to add a little honey, lemon or orange to tea. This drink is not recommended to drink with sugar.

Weight loss with goji berries long time so you need to be patient. The reward will be not only weight loss, but also the stabilization of metabolic processes, the normalization of the liver, gallbladder and the normalization of blood sugar levels.

About contraindications and harms of dereza

Since an overdose of fruits can cause symptoms similar to poisoning poisonous plants, for example, belladonna, they should not be abused. The patient has dilated pupils, accelerated heart rate and dry mouth. Besides, goji berries are banned in the following cases:

disease associated with high temperature;
individual intolerance to any component that is part of the plant;
having an allergic reaction to pollen;
violation of carbohydrate metabolism and problems with blood pressure;
pathology of the respiratory tract (asthma, shortness of breath);
tendency to frequent diarrhea;
increased gas formation in the intestines;
pregnancy;
children under 3 years old.

How to brew goji berries (video)

Since the belief that increasing the dosage will lead to best results erroneously, it is not recommended to take dereza berries in large quantities. You can buy the product at a pharmacy without a prescription. The cost depends on the region.

Recently, in newspaper articles, then in television programs, the healing goji berry is increasingly mentioned. It turns out that in the West, love for this miracle berry, which has recently become a sensation, has long flowed downright into "gojimania".

Sting, Madonna, famous politicians, actors and athletes speak of her with admiration; doctors unanimously praise its healing qualities, and trading companies include the product "common goji-berry" in their assortment and rejoice at unprecedented sales figures. What is this berry? The fruits of which plant are called goji, where did it come from? Can you grow it yourself?

The origin of the dereza plant

Let's start in order. “Goji berries” is the name of a plant that has been grown for thousands of years in China, in particular, in the province of Ningxia (sometimes the name “Ningxia goji” is found).

For consumers of berries, only the fruits of Chinese wolfberry, which is actually called “goji” (in Latin, Lycium chinense), and common wolfberry, or barbarian wolfberry (Lycium barbarum), which have almost the same healing properties, are of interest.

Appearing many centuries ago in the foothill provinces of China, this plant easily spread throughout almost all of Eurasia. Common dereza, the cultivation of which is not difficult, is found throughout Europe, feral and inconspicuous. It also grows in central Russia, in the Kuban, in Primorye, in the Caucasus, in Ukraine, in Central Asia. We call this plant dereza, or zamaniha, or wolf berries (not to be confused with wolf bast!).

What does dereza look like and its properties

Surely, many have passed by this plant more than once, not knowing what it is called and, moreover, what properties it has. A is a dereza shrub up to three meters in height, with drooping prickly shoots, narrow leaves and bell-shaped purple flowers. By the way, the plant belongs to the nightshade family (it also includes potatoes, tomatoes).

The plant is extremely unpretentious, it is resistant to drought and soil salinity. Obviously, these properties contributed to the settlement of dereza everywhere. Fruits in the form of small elongated red berries ripen on the branches from mid-summer to October.

On plantations in Ningxia, where goji is cultivated on large areas, the fruits are not harvested, but knocked down with sticks in the banners spread on the ground. To preserve the healing properties of berries, they must be dried naturally, without the use of preservatives and high-temperature ovens.

Medicinal properties of goji

Now that we have managed to find out that dereza is not at all a relic or outlandishly rare plant, we can take a closer look at why it is so interested in doctors and those who are concerned about maintaining their health.

Even in ancient times, the Chinese found that goji is an excellent antidepressant that inspires vigor and optimism. Regular consumption of berries made human health stronger, helped cancer patients, with liver diseases, increased female libido, and relieved men from sexual weakness.

Modern scientists have conducted a study of the common dereza plant, the properties of the berries of which are simply stunning:

the content of vitamin C is 3 times higher than in lemon, which makes it one of the strongest antioxidants and a leader in the fight against colds;
unique polysaccharides and betaine, contained only in these berries, successfully help to improve the condition of diabetic patients;
germanium, which is relatively abundant in berries, inhibits the development of cancer;
Some goji substances promote the release of excitatory enzymes into the human blood, which makes these berries attractive to people with erectile dysfunction.

There are still a lot of useful properties of this unique berry, which means that it makes sense to grow it yourself and consume wonderful fruits regularly.

Dereza ordinary: planting and care

Since it has already been noted that this plant is not capricious, then cultivating it on the site will not be difficult. It can even be said that in the future it will be difficult to contain the wolfberry plot within the allotted limits, since it grows very well with the help of underground shoots.

Regarding agricultural technology, the principle “the worse, the better” is quite applicable to this plant: it easily puts up with poor watering and grows well on infertile, stony, saline soils. The only thing that dereza doesn't like is the shadow. The plant is easily propagated by seeds, layering, cuttings.

If someone recognizes a weed growing in plain sight from the description, rejoice, now your interest in dereza has increased dramatically, hasn't it? Grow this wonderful plant, the miraculous goji berry, use its healing fruits, improve your health and those of your loved ones.

Today, there are a lot of resources on the Internet that deliberately deceive and position these berries as a “Tibetan miracle cure for centenarians”, denoting such a high cost of berries that not many can afford to buy them. In fact, you will find these berries in any rural area in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries of the world. In this case, unscrupulous businessmen take advantage of the fact that many of us have already gone so far from our rural roots that they don’t know anything about this berry.

But the fact that this is actually a very useful and necessary berry for health, we also declare with all responsibility. Most of the useful substances are found in those berries that grow in Tibet, but our "native" berries are also rich in minerals, vitamins, natural acids.

Composition of goji berries

Calling these berries the key to longevity and health, we did not cheat: goji contains such a large amount of vitamins, minerals, macronutrients, polysaccharides that no other berry, fruit or vegetable can compare with them. Goji polysaccharides are very active substances with antimicrobial, antibiotic, antitumor, antiviral, antidote properties. It is thanks to them that the blood is enriched with protein complexes that improve the condition of the walls of blood vessels. Polysaccharides carry out preventive work of diseases:

intestines
stomach
appendicitis
tumor pathologies
metabolic disorders

The composition of the berries also includes a large number of steroidal saponins, flavonoids, amino acids and alkaloids.

Useful properties of goji

By eating fresh, dried berries, as part of compotes, fruit drinks, jelly, you improve your well-being:

weight loss
the potency in men increases and the work of the urinary-genital system in women improves, the menstrual cycle is regulated
improves metabolism and absorption of nutrients
skin regenerates faster
insomnia disappears
melatonin levels return to normal
strength is restored
blood sugar level decreases
creates an obstacle to the formation of cancer cells
free radicals are destroyed
toxins, decay products are removed from the body.

It is very useful to use berries after you have been treated with antibiotics - in this case, the substances contained in goji will cleanse the liver and the entire body of the remnants of these drugs and improve the condition of the microflora.

According to recent studies, every third person in the world suffers from hypertension and this number is increasing every year. But those who consume goji berries have nothing to worry about - the polysaccharides that make up the berry prevent the onset of this disease.

Since the liver is the "border post" of our body, which protects us from harmful substances, it is she who is the first in the risk zone for cancer. Goji berries contain substances that strengthen the liver, help it cleanse itself of carcinogens and form a natural defense against cancer cells.

The composition of the berries includes a substance such as beta-sitosterol, which can reduce the level of excess cholesterol and cleanse the walls of blood vessels from it, preventing the formation of cholesterol plaques.

A big problem for many people around the world is excess weight. If you believe the ancient Tibetan treatises on health, then eating a handful of berries in the morning and evening, you can quickly get rid of extra pounds.

The disease of the twentieth century - diabetes mellitus, delivers a lot of trouble. But if you start eating goji berries at the first stage of the disease, then your blood sugar level will return to normal. Studies have been conducted, the results of which have shown that the polysaccharides of the berry are able to influence the composition of the blood, they improve it and cleanse it of harmful substances, and affect the level of sugar. Let's add here such a moment: betanin, which is part of the berries, has positive influence on the liver, dissolving adipose tissue and preventing fatty liver, which often occurs against the background of diabetes. In parallel with this, betanin also cleans and strengthens blood vessels, improving blood circulation.

Can't ignore this positive impact berries on our body, as an increase in libido and treatment of intimate disorders: the berry increases the amount of testosterone in the blood, which, in turn, enhances erotic desire.

The most interesting thing is that berries help our body produce such important element, as an antioxidant superoxide dismutase, which has a positive effect on medical preparations, taken to lower blood pressure, inhibits the growth of pathogenic microflora and candidiasis. It is very useful to use berries for rheumatism and any inflammatory processes.

The use of common dereza

You can eat fresh berries, but keep in mind that it is better to bypass the dereza bushes that grow along roads and fences - they accumulate harmful substances and lead that get into the berries from exhaust gases.

Collect only ripe and juicy berries from bushes growing in the forest, park. Dry the berries in the shade, turning them regularly.

Goji infusion against obesity

Dry or fresh fruits (1 tablespoon) pour a glass hot water, cover the container with a lid and let it brew for 30-40 minutes. Take half a glass twice a day.

To increase immunity, restore vitality, it is recommended to throw a couple of berries into a cup of tea and drink this drink in the morning. Dereza can also be used to prepare sauces for fish and meat, it improves the quality and useful features first courses, cocktails and desserts.

If you have the opportunity to grow it wonderful plant on his personal plot, then there should be no problems with this: this shrub grows in any conditions, in sunny places. If you managed to get dry berries, then in the last winter month, put a few fruits in warm water for a day. When the dry shell becomes soft, remove it and plant each bone in a simple a plastic cup. Within 3-4 weeks, you will have sprouts that will actively grow and develop.

With the onset of stable warm weather, plant the plants in open ground. Cover young bushes for the winter, mature plant(year 3-4) does not require insulation. At the age of three years, the bush gives the first fruits.

When harvesting, be careful and do not pick the berries with your bare hands, it is best to spread a cloth under the bush and shake off the crop. These precautions are necessary because the juice of a fresh berry contains active substances that cause burns and irritations on the skin.

The fashion for goji berries is growing at a tremendous rate. Some seek to show their effectiveness with excess weight, while others talk about colossal useful properties and a unique vitamin and nutritional composition, which makes berries almost a panacea for many diseases.

Botanical reference

The question immediately arises, where do goji berries grow and what is it all about. The plant is a deciduous shrub belonging to the nightshade family. Also, the plant is called wolfberry (popularly, although it has nothing to do with them), red medlar, Chinese wolfberry, Chinese wolfberry, common wolfberry, zamaniha, Tibetan barberry. Homeland - Ningxia Hui (Tibet), China. The distribution area captures Southeast and Central Asia, the Caucasus, Primorye, middle lane Russia, Ukraine.

In adulthood, the height of the plant reaches 3 m, and the crown is 6 m in diameter (photos of goji shrubs are presented). The branches are drooping and prickly, having small foliage, painted light green on top, and a bluish tint below. The root is very powerful, growing into the ground, and not on its surface.

Flowering begins in June and continues until October with the blooming of purple, pink, brown-violet buds with a pleasant aroma.

At the end of flowering, oblong berries of purple-red or orange color are formed.

It is strictly forbidden to eat fresh fruits, because they contain poisonous components. But after drying, the berries can be put into use.

Goji berries: planting and care in the suburbs

This is a heat-loving plant, therefore, for the excellent development of goji, care and cultivation must be optimal or close to it. In the northern climate, the weather is completely different and efforts must be made to grow berries.

Location selection

The plant grows very quickly and at the same time has a well-developed root system. You need to plant it either in areas devoid of vegetation, or along supports, to create a hedge.

When choosing a place, you need to be extremely careful, because dereza can “crush” nearby plants.

Best to pick sunny areas or located in a slight shade. In addition, keep in mind that the height of the plant reaches three meters - take care of a reliable support.

Temperature, humidity and soil requirements

As mentioned, dereza is frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures in the range from -26 to + 40ºС. There are also no special requirements for humidity. Tolerates drought well.

The shrub is not capricious to the soil. Favorite are alkaline and neutral substrates. You can also plant a plant in acidic ones, but there it will develop somewhat worse.

The only thing that does not tolerate dereza is stagnant water. Therefore, you should be very careful when watering and do not plant the plant in areas with a rocky substrate.

Watering and feeding

Tibetan barberry is watered depending on age. In the first year, watering should be no more than twice a week. As the plant grows, watering can be done less frequently and adjusted according to weather and dryness.

Only young growth should be fertilized. For these purposes, use or humus. After growing into an adult plant, there is no need for top dressing, since dereza feels great even on very poor lands.

reproduction

Three methods are used for reproduction.

Seminal

Seeds are taken from pre-dried berries. To obtain seed, take dry fruits, soak them in water and, when they soften, pull out the seeds. In order for them to sprout well, you need to withstand in a growth stimulator. After that, sowing is carried out in a container with a mixture of ordinary earth and in a ratio of 1: 2, deepening into the substrate by 2-3 mm.

For supporting necessary conditions for germination, the container is covered with a film and sent to a warm, inaccessible place. When the sprouts hatch, the box is taken out into the light and protected from cold and drafts. Watering is carried out from a spray bottle.
After a week, the film can be removed, and when 3-4 leaves are formed, pick (transship) the seedlings into separate (deep) pots.

Goji seedlings grown from seeds at home are planted permanently in open ground in the spring, when there is confidence that frosts will not return, or already at the beginning of summer.

Planting seedlings

This option is acceptable if you managed to buy home-grown goji seedlings, or you purchased planting material from hands.

With this method, two weeks before planting, holes should be made, 40-50 cm in size. If for the southern regions the “harvesting” is performed in the fall, then for colder regions - in the spring. This will allow the plants to tolerate frost well.

Sand of a large fraction is poured into each hole and half filled with a substrate consisting of humus and fertile soil, 8 kg each. 30 g of potassium sulfate are also added there (can be replaced with a glass), 0.15 kg double superphosphate, mixed right in the pit and planted a seedling, sprinkled with fertile soil, and then watered.
The trunk circle must be mulched using humus or peat.

The distance between specimens must be at least 2 m.

cuttings

And now we will tell you how to grow goji from cuttings. From an adult plant, cuttings are cut 10-12 cm long each. Then they are placed in a root-forming solution and planted for rooting in a constructed greenhouse and put it in a warm place. It is best to plant the material in late July - early August. In the spring, the root will grow enough to plant goji in open ground. Caring for a young plant is not particularly different from an adult.

Pruning and wintering

The shrub needs regular "haircut". In the first years of growth, 3-6 strongest branches are planned. They are taken as a basis and a haircut is carried out around them. Then, on these main skeletal branches, shoots capable of fruiting will begin to form.

If dereza is grown in decorative purposes, then one main shoot is chosen, a long peg is driven in, and then a “haircut” is carried out, trying to form a tree. The procedure is done as soon as numerous fruit-bearing shoots appear and the total height of the plant exceeds 1.2 m.

To prevent freezing of the root system in winter, the shrub should be spudded by 10-15 cm. The branches are protected with non-woven material (for example, agrofiber, lutrasil), folded in several layers, or with burlap. You can also play it safe by additionally throwing spruce branches on the landing, and, as soon as the snow falls, make large snowdrifts.

Pests

The plant perfectly protects itself from pests. Nevertheless, for preventive purposes, you should regularly inspect the wolfberry for any signs of diseases or pests. If this is the case, trim the affected parts and, if necessary, spray insecticidal preparations, diluting them in the amount indicated by the manufacturer on the package. We must not forget that the processing is done more than once, especially if the pest invasion is huge.

Application and storage

Harvested fruits should be stored in a dry, dark place. If an infusion is being prepared, then it should be kept only in a cool place and no more than 2 days.

Berries are used not only for weight loss, but also as an ingredient in the preparation of wines, fruit purees, desserts, soups, pastries, yogurts, teas, juices, cereals. The seeds are used to produce oil. To taste, fresh berries have a nightshade note. But as soon as the fruits are frozen or dried, the taste disappears, and the berries acquire a taste similar to dried apricots.

In the garden, dereza is mainly planted to receive useful harvest, as well as vegetable fences. The plant is unpretentious and will not die if you do not water or fertilize. But, when planning to plant goji berries on the site, you should consider all varieties in advance and choose the most suitable ones.

Berries have also been widely used in medicine. So, they are taken for: back pain, diabetes, insomnia, anemia, obesity, excess cholesterol, problems with adenoids, vision problems, athletes thus restore their strength, etc.

As you can see, although goji berries are an exotic shrub, you don’t need to go to overseas countries or buy them at a fabulous price. It is enough to observe some nuances, and you can easily grow a plant in your area and harvest a very considerable crop.