Irga roundifolia - Amelanchier ovalis Medik.
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Other names: Irga common, Irga oval, Corinka.
Diseases and effects: throat diseases, gum diseases, gingivitis, stomatitis, colitis, enterocolitis, hypovitaminosis, vitamin deficiency, diseases gastrointestinal tract, insomnia, conjunctivitis, cataracts, inflammation of the cornea.
Active substances: provitamin A, ascorbic acid, B vitamins, fructose, malic acid, copper, lead, cobalt, carotene, tannins, catechins, phenolcarboxylic acids.
Time to collect and prepare the plant: July - September.
Information update date: July 30, 2015
Botanical description of serviceberry roundifolia
Irga roundifolia is a shrub or tree up to 4-5 m high, belongs to the family Rosaceae.
Escapes straight, brown-red.
Leaves elliptical, oval or ovoid, dark green above, glabrous, pubescent below, whitish, on petioles 2.5 cm long, finely or coarsely toothed along the edge. The leaf length reaches 4 cm, width - 2.5 cm. In autumn, the leaves become yellow-red or dark purple, which makes the shadberry especially attractive in decorative terms.
Flowers numerous, cream or white, five-parted, collected in corymbose racemes of 6-12 at the ends of the shoots. They bloom 10-12 days after the leaves. The flowers are up to 1.5 cm in diameter, contain 20 stamens and a pistil with 2-6 stems. The plant blooms in April - May.
Fruit- apples up to 1 cm in diameter, spherical or pear-shaped, grey-black or purple, with a bluish coating, ripen in July - September. The fruits taste sweet. The weight of one fruit is approximately 0.35 g.
Irga roundifolia begins to bear fruit at the age of 3-4 years and lives up to 40 years. The period of full fruiting occurs at 8 years of age. Fruiting is regular and abundant, 10-20 year old plants produce a yield of up to 5-10 tons per hectare.
Irga rotundifolia propagates by seeds, cuttings and root shoots. The plant is an excellent honey plant in early spring.
Distribution and habitat of serviceberry roundifolia
In the wild, the round-leaved serviceberry is found in the mountains of Crimea and the Caucasus. Introduced into cultivation as a valuable fruit and ornamental plant, sometimes used as a dwarf lining for apple and pear trees.
How garden culture Serviceberry is grown in the Urals and Siberia.
Irga is an unpretentious plant that can tolerate severe frosts, and during the flowering period - frosts down to −7 °C. The plant is undemanding to soil, light-loving, prefers open sunny places. Characterized by rapid growth.
Harvesting serviceberry round-leaved
The fruits and bark of serviceberry roundifolia are harvested for medicinal purposes. Leaves and flowers are harvested less often. After ripening, the fruits remain on the branches for a long time, so their collection can continue until winter.
Chemical composition of serviceberry roundifolia
Fresh serviceberry fruits are rich in provitamin A, ascorbic acid, and B vitamins (mostly B 2). In addition, the fruits contain sugars (up to 12%), mainly fructose, malic acid (up to 1%), trace elements (copper, lead, cobalt), carotene. According to vitamin C content ( ascorbic acid) serviceberry is superior to apple, pear, apricot, peach, cherry and grape.
The leaves and bark of serviceberry contain significant amount tannins (up to 40 mg%), catechins, phenolcarboxylic acids.
Pharmacological properties of serviceberry roundifolia
The bark and, to a lesser extent, the leaves have phytoncidal properties, and the fruits are a good multivitamin.
Use of serviceberry roundifolia in medicine
Irgu rotundifolia is used only in folk medicine. Juice, fresh fruits, as well as decoctions and infusions of the bark are used as an astringent and anti-inflammatory agent for diseases of the throat, gums, gingivitis and stomatitis, colitis and enterocolitis.
For medicinal purposes, the fruits of serviceberry are used to prevent hypo- and avitaminosis C and B, as well as to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract associated with digestive disorders. The fruits are also used for insomnia.
The use of the fruits of serviceberry roundifolia is especially recommended as a means of improving vision (like blueberries) for conjunctivitis, cataracts, and inflammation of the cornea.
Dosage forms, method of use of serviceberry roundifolia and dose
Infusion of irgi flowers: Brew 1 cup boiling water 1 tbsp. l. flowers, leave for 20 minutes, strain. Drink 1/4 cup 3-4 times a day for 30 minutes. before meals for heart disease and to lower blood pressure.
Serviceberry juice. Fresh fruits, laid in a thin layer, are left for 5 days at room temperature(to make it easier to squeeze out the juice and make it sweeter and more aromatic), then squeeze out the juice, heat it to +85 °C and bottle it. Take 200 ml 3 times a day for the same diseases as the infusion. Used for gargling for colds, as well as for mouth gargling for gum diseases.
Contraindications to the use of serviceberry roundifolia
There are no contraindications to the use of shadberry roundifolia, however, plant preparations have been studied superficially and are currently used only in folk medicine.
Use of serviceberry roundifolia in nutrition
Fresh serviceberry fruits are used to make jam, marmalade, juices, pies and compotes.
Irga roundifolia in history
In history, irga has long been known as an ornamental plant. It was used in the form of hedges and to decorate parks back in the 16th century. The stems obtained by thinning the plantings were used for canes and ramrods.
Form selected at the All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Growing named after. N.I. Vilova from seedlings of Canadian varieties. Recommended for cultivation in all zones of the North-West region.
The bush is vigorous, compressed, densely leafy.
The fruits are large, up to 14-16 mm in diameter - according to this indicator, this variety is not inferior to the main Canadian variety Smokey. The fruits are round-oval, dark blue, almost black in color, with a waxy coating, juicy, sweet, aromatic with excellent sweet taste.
The variety begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting. Blooms in the second half of May. The fruits ripen in late July - early August.
The variety has very high winter hardiness. No significant damage by diseases or pests was noted.
(Lee #3)
The bush is of medium size (up to 3 m in height), compact, spreading during the period of full fruiting, and forms a moderate number of root shoots.
The fruits are large, up to 16 mm in diameter, round-oval in shape, dark blue, almost black, with a waxy coating, juicy, sweet, with fleshy pulp and a strong “irg” aroma, pleasant to the taste.
The fruits are consumed fresh and used for processing.
The variety begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting. Blooms in the second half of May. The fruits ripen in late July - early August. They are concentrated on the periphery of the bush crown, which is very convenient for harvesting.
Productivity is high and annual. When ripe, the fruits need protection from birds.
Winter hardiness is high. Resistant to diseases and pests.
(Martin)
The variety was bred in Canada, Saskatchewan. Recommended for cultivation in all zones of the North-West region. The bush is vigorous, multi-stemmed. The fruits are large, up to 16-18 mm or more in diameter, spherical in shape, dark blue, almost black, with a waxy coating, aromatic, of the highest taste.
The variety is distinguished by uniform ripening of fruits.
The fruits are consumed fresh and used for processing.
The variety begins to bear fruit in the 3-4th year after planting, and in full fruiting - in the 6-8th year. Flowering occurs at the end of May, after the leaves open. The brush contains from 1 to 20 flowers. The fruits ripen in late July - early August, 45-60 days after flowering. When ripe, the fruits need protection from birds.
Productivity is high and annual. The variety is characterized by outstanding winter hardiness and resistance to diseases and pests.
(Northline)
A bush of medium size, multi-stemmed, first with vertically growing, then, during the period of full fruiting, with arched-spreading branches. Forms abundant root shoots.
The fruits are large, up to 16 mm in diameter, from obovate to spherical in shape, dark blue, almost black, with a waxy coating, remarkable taste qualities. There are 7-13 fruits in a cluster, characterized by uniform ripening and resistance to cracking.
The fruits are consumed fresh and used for processing.
The variety begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting. Blooms in the second half of May. The fruits ripen in late July - early August. When ripe, the fruits need protection from birds.
Productivity is high (superior to the Canadian variety Smoky). Winter hardiness is very high. Resistant to diseases and pests.
(Pearson)
The variety was bred in Canada, Saskatchewan. Recommended for cultivation in all areas of the North-West region.
The bush is vigorous, multi-stemmed, and produces a significant number of root shoots.
The fruits are large, up to 16-18 mm in diameter or more, spherical in shape, dark blue, almost black in color, with a waxy coating, juicy, sweet, aromatic, very good taste.
The fruits are consumed fresh and used for processing.
The variety begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting. Flowering occurs in the second half of May. The fruits ripen in late July - early August. When ripe, the fruits need protection from birds.
The variety is characterized by high and regular yields and uniform fruit ripening.
The winter hardiness of the variety is very high. It is highly resistant to diseases and pests.
(Smoky)
The variety was bred in Canada, Saskatchewan. Recommended for cultivation in all zones of the North-West region.
The bush is vigorous, powerful, multi-stemmed, first with vertical growth of branches, then, during the period of full fruiting, spreading, producing many root shoots.
The fruits are large, up to 14-16 mm in diameter, spherical in shape, dark blue, almost black, with a waxy coating, juicy, sweet, with a pleasant soft aroma, excellent taste.
The fruits are consumed fresh and used for processing.
It begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting. Blooms in the second half of May. The fruits ripen in late July - early August. When ripe, the fruits need protection from birds.
Productivity is high and annual. Winter hardiness is very high. Resistant to diseases and pests.
The most widespread variety of serviceberry in Canada (occupies up to 80% of all areas under this crop).
Thiessen
The variety was bred in Canada, Saskatchewan. Recommended for cultivation in all zones of the North-West region.
The bush is vigorous, multi-stemmed, with a rounded crown, which becomes broadly rounded over time, and forms a moderate number of root shoots.
The fruits are large, up to 18 mm or more in diameter, spherical in shape, dark blue, almost black, with a waxy coating, juicy, sweet, aromatic, excellent in taste.
The fruits are consumed fresh and used for processing.
It begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting. Blooms in the second half of May. The fruits ripen in late July - early August.
When ripe, the fruits need protection from birds.
Productivity is high and annual. Characterized by an extended period of fruit ripening. Winter hardiness is very high. It is resistant to diseases and pests.
Forestburg
The variety was bred in Canada, Alberta. Recommended for cultivation in all zones of the North-West region.
The bush is vigorous, initially with vertically growing and then spreading branches. Produces a moderate number of root shoots.
The fruits are large, up to 13-16 mm in diameter, round in shape, dark blue, almost black, with a waxy coating, juicy, sweet, and pleasant to the taste. The berries are collected in dense clusters of 7-11 pieces. They mature together.
The fruits are consumed fresh and used for processing.
It begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting. Flowering occurs in the second half of May. The fruits ripen in late July - early August. When ripe, the fruits need protection from birds.
Productivity is high and annual. Winter hardiness is very high. It is characterized by increased drought resistance.
No significant damage by diseases or pests was noted.
(Honeywood)
The variety was bred in Canada, Saskatchewan. Recommended for cultivation in all zones of the North-West region.
The bush is vigorous, multi-stemmed, the branches initially grow vertically, and during the period of full fruiting they are spreading, forming a wide crown. Produces few root shoots.
The fruits are large, up to 18 mm or more in diameter, from flattened at the base to spherical in shape, dark blue, almost black, with a slight waxy coating, juicy, sweet, with an excellent aroma, very good taste. The fruits are collected in clusters of an average of 9-15 pieces.
The fruits are consumed fresh and used for processing.
It begins to bear fruit 2-3 years after planting. Flowering occurs at the very end of May (4-8 days later than other varieties). The fruits ripen in early August. When ripe, the fruits need protection from birds.
Productivity is high and annual. Winter hardiness is very high.
Resistant to diseases and pests.
Irga(lat. Amelanchier Medik), or Amelanchier, or Korinka, or Medlar, or Armud - a genus of plants of the Rosaceae family (Rosaceae, Rosaceae), deciduous shrub or small tree. There are about 25 species in this genus, growing in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere.
Irga roundifolia, Austria,
It is believed that Latin name The genus Amelanhier is formed from the Provençal word amelanche (amelanche), indicating the honey taste of the fruits, in turn, amelanhier is the Provençal name of the plant, which comes from the name of the fruits of one of the types of serviceberry. The word is possibly of Celtic origin.
In the territory Russian Federation Only one species grows wild and several species are cultivated. The most popular type in garden plots is Irga roundifolia, or oval-leaved [A. rotundifolia (Lam.) Dum.-Cours.-A. ovalis Medic.] (local name currant). It grows wild in the Caucasus and Crimea, occupying the middle mountain zone up to an altitude of 1900 m above sea level, on rocky sunny places, in the undergrowth of light forests, along the edges, forming thickets in places. In the forests of the North Caucasus alone, thickets of serviceberry roundifolia occupy an area of about 7 thousand hectares, the biological yield of fruits is approximately 3 thousand tons.
Morphological characteristics of Irga rotundifolia
Irga is a shrub or small tree up to 3 m high with erect branches. Young shoots are whitish-felt, then bare, shiny, purple-brown in color. The leaves are entire, round or elliptical, 4 cm long, 2.5 cm wide, dense, green above, whitish-tomentose below, turning yellow or dark red in autumn, on petioles 2.5 cm long. The flowers are white or creamy white, 2.6-3.2 cm in diameter, collected in dense corymbose apical racemes of 5-8 flowers. The fruits are spherical, 8 mm in diameter (the size of a black currant), juicy, with delicate skin, first greenish-red, then black with a bluish coating, sweet in taste, edible. The weight of 1 fruit is 0.35 g. In everyday life they are called berries, in botany - “juicy apples”. The fruits are small, the size of a pea, dark purple, with a thick purple bloom when ripe, juicy and tender. Because of not large quantity acids, their taste is sugary-sweet, with a peculiar taste of cinnamon, for which the round-leaved shadberry is often called currant. The fruits ripen unevenly, over the course of about a month, from the ripening of strawberries to the beginning of ripening of cherries.
Biological characteristics
Irga roundifolia blooms in April-May, the fruits ripen unevenly, from June to August; When ripe, the fruits hang on the branches for a long time, so their collection can continue until the beginning of winter. It begins to bear fruit at the age of 3-4 years. The period of full fruiting occurs at 8 years of age. Life expectancy is up to 40 years. Fruiting is regular and abundant, 10-20 year old plants produce a yield of up to 5-10 t/ha.
Irga attracts the attention of fruit growers primarily with its unusual resistance to frost: the plant is not damaged even at temperatures below -40°C, the flowers can withstand -7°C frost. In addition, it is drought-resistant and grows in almost any soil. This is one of the few fruit plants that can tolerate sharp continental climate, giving high and stable yields. However, it loves illuminated places.
One of the attractive features of the plant for fruit growing is the early ripening of the fruits, which ripen at the same time as strawberries.
Chemical composition
Serviceberry fruits contain 17-23% dry matter. Up to 12% sugar, 12-40 mg% vitamin C, a large amount of P-active vascular-strengthening compounds: anthocyanins from 500 to 1600 mg%, catechins - 150-220, flavonol - 50-155, hydroxyroot acid derivatives - 40-150 and vitamin In 2 to 12 mg%, tannins and dyes up to 0.8%, pectin substances - 1.5-3%.
Reproduction of serviceberry
The positive properties of serviceberry include the ability to be pollinated by its own pollen (self-fertility), which largely contributes to obtaining stable yields, its absence of diseases and pests, and ease of reproduction. It is propagated by offspring, grafting, but mainly by seeds. They are selected from ripe berries, stored in the refrigerator and sown at the end of August. Since the seeds are very small - there are up to 200 thousand pieces in one kilogram - it is better to sow in boxes with soil, but you can also directly into the beds. For spring sowing, seeds are stratified for 90-100 days (kept in damp sand at a temperature of 0-2°C). The seedlings sprout in the spring, planting one plant less often. By the autumn of the second year, the seedlings are ready for planting in a permanent place. The bush forms quickly, and at the age of three it already consists of 10-15 branches of different ages extending from the rhizome. It begins to bear fruit early: when planted with root shoots - in the 2-3rd year, when sowing with seeds - in the 4-5th year. For rapid propagation, it is also recommended to graft cuttings early in the spring (March, April) on seedlings and saplings of apple, pear, rowan and, especially well, hawthorn.
Planting serviceberry
The standard planting pattern is 4x2 meters, service life is up to 20 years. You can save a plant for more long time, since bushes live 60-70 years. In a consumer garden, you need to have 2-3 bushes, which means we can only talk about the distance in the row. In order to get the harvest earlier and use the area more fully, first plant 5 bushes, and when the crowns begin to close, thin out one after another. In the commercial garden, as well as in the creative garden, where breeding is done, they are planted more densely - 1 x 1 meter. When closing, the crowns are removed through one plant in the row and through the row. The feeding area of one plant becomes 2 x 2 meters. You can thin out again, achieving a standard pattern, but usually it doesn’t come to that.
To keep the plant in volumes available for protection and harvesting, systematic pruning and crown reduction are required. However, this is a painstaking and time-consuming task. Therefore, it is easier and more expedient to use good quality planting material, ensure intensive plant development in the first two years and limit the service life to 12-15 years. Experienced gardeners are given the opportunity to develop a rational formation system, linking it with the timing of planting use. In the creative garden, breeding dwarf forms of serviceberry is also of great interest.
Saskatoon is planted both in autumn and spring, in holes up to 40 centimeters deep and 0.5-0.7 meters in diameter. The seedling is placed vertically, 3-6 centimeters deeper than it grew in the nursery, to ensure the growth of a large number of zero shoots. For the same purpose, the stems of the seedlings are immediately shortened by 1/3 of their length. The soil is compacted, watered, mulched, then loosened and weeds are destroyed.
Serviceberry fertilizer
To plant seedlings, planting holes measuring 60-70x60-70 cm are prepared. They are filled with a mixture of top fertile soil with 10-15 kg of humus, 300 g of superphosphate and 100 g of potassium sulfate.
When caring for plants to improve the growth of shadberry, fertilizing in the first half of the growing season with ammonium nitrate (20-30 g per 1 m2), infusion of mullein or bird droppings diluted with water 5-6 and 10-12 times, respectively, is effective. Fertilizers are applied to the tree trunk circles. In the 4-5th year, fertilizers should be applied constantly: periodically (once every 2-3 years) 3-4 kg of manure; in years when organic matter is not added, then in the spring, at the beginning of bud break, give 30-50 g per 1 sq. m. m nitrophoska or other complex fertilizer.
In the first 2-3 years, almost all the best ones are left from among the zero shoots, then 2-3 each. From aging branches, low-yielding, broken, interfering with the growth of more productive, deviating and shading neighboring crops are removed.
In a commercial garden, nets are pulled over the bushes (individually or over the entire plantation) with objects (pieces of foil, film strips) hanging from them that shine in the sun and rustle in the wind to protect the harvest from birds.
Despite the fact that irga has been known in culture for hundreds of years, it is still more valued as an ornamental plant than as a fruit plant. Due to its unpretentiousness to growing conditions, it is widely used for lining ravines, all kinds of slopes, as well as for creating protective forest belts and hedges. The multi-trunk nature of the bush increases its snow retention functions, and the flexibility of the branches protects against snow breaker. Moreover, due to the significant density of the bushes, it - a good place for nesting birds. No less valuable is the ability of serviceberry to rapid recovery, for example, when damaged by domestic animals, which willingly eat its leaves and young branches. In addition, it turns out to be a good base for beekeeping, standing out favorably among other plants due to its early flowering, following bird cherry, and the increased quality of honey nectar. And in protective strips around the garden, it can also play a completely unexpected, at first glance, role - to protect ripening berries from birds. The fact is that its fruits are the favorite food of many birds, especially blackbirds. Therefore, if you plant the irgu in the outer rows of the garden protection belt, then the birds will primarily feed on its fruits, and the berries of the garden will become less attractive to them.
Irga is also used in urban landscaping. It is especially beautiful in spring, covered, like bird cherry, with clusters of white and creamy flowers.
When planting irgi, you must remember that it is light-loving and does not bear fruit in the shade. But at a young age, up to about five years, it is quite reconciled with shading. Its root system, although located deeper than that of berry crops, but still generally characterized by a superficial position, and therefore the serviceberry is very responsive to fertilizing.
Scientists and experienced gardeners are looking for ways to use serviceberry as a low-growing pear rootstock. This possibility was also pointed out by I.V. Michurin, who wrote that “one should pay attention to Special attention on the shadberry and test it in different regions of the USSR as a rootstock. Due to its endurance and the easy growth of oculants to it, it can make a whole shift in fruit growing in those places where the dwarf culture of fruit plants is necessary.
Everything that has been said applies primarily to the two most common types of serviceberry in our culture: round-leaved and spiked. Irga roundifolia grows wild in the Crimea and the Caucasus, while Irga spica is an alien from North America. Irga roundifolia is a shrub up to three meters high, taller - up to five. In total, there are 25 species in the genus serviceberry, most of which grow wild in North America. By the way, back in the last century, thanks to the creation of large-fruited and productive varieties, it was introduced into industrial gardens.
It is interesting that, in addition to the usual fruit colors for serviceberry, there are also white-fruited varieties. In our country, among the American species in botanical gardens, as well as in small quantities in landscaping and among some amateur gardeners, the Canadian serviceberry, profusely flowering, low-fruiting, alder-leaved and Yukhatskaya is cultivated. The most decorative of them is the Canadian serviceberry. It stands out for its beautiful, rounded crown with drooping “weeping” branches. In its homeland, this tree, reaching 18 meters, grows in the form of a shrub or small tree. It is especially attractive during flowering, when it is covered with drooping clusters of flowers on long stalks.
Using serviceberry
The leaves and bark contain tannins and are suitable for tanning leather. The wood is very heavy, hard, fine in structure and reddish-white in color, used for small crafts. The stems are used for canes and ramrods. Decorative, used for hedges, good honey plant. Natural plantings have soil-protective and anti-erosion significance.
Irga is widely used in nutrition, it is a good food coloring and goes well with other fruits and berries in compotes and jams, giving them a more pleasant taste.
Nutritional value, dietary and medicinal properties Serviceberries require further study. Gardeners attribute to it a miraculous power that can prevent diseases of the liver and kidneys, heart and stomach, inflammation of the throat and some other diseases. Whether this is true or not is difficult to say. But it is necessary to keep these assumptions in mind during further study.
The abundance of vitamin P makes it possible to recommend serviceberry fruits and juices from them in the diet of older people to strengthen the walls of blood vessels and increase their elasticity, to prevent myocardial infarction and varicose veins. Irga normalizes sleep and strengthens the body. After eating fresh serviceberry berries, children and adults become calmer and more balanced, sleep better and feel better during the day. L.Ya. Sklyarevsky in the book “ Healing properties food plants" writes that the normalizing effect of infusion of irgi flowers on the heart has been experimentally established; High blood pressure also decreases.
Juices, jelly, jam, marshmallows are prepared from the fruits, they are dried, canned and frozen.
Botanical characteristics
Irga roundifolia, translated as Amelanchier ovalis, is also called oval willow, it belongs to the Rosaceae family. This is a small shrub with red-brown shoots. The leaves are elliptical, oval, entire, their color is darkish green, they are slightly whitish below, pubescent, and serrations can be seen along the very edge.
The flowers are whitish-cream, they bloom on the tenth day after the leaves, they are collected in corymbose racemes. The fruits are spherical, and they can also be pear-shaped or oval, dark blue or blackish-bluish in color with a slight bluish bloom.
The pulp of the fruit is sweet, it can be either juicy or slightly dry. The round-leaved willow lives for about forty years; the process of fruiting of this representative of the flora begins in the second year of life.
Plant distribution
Irga is a plant that prefers to grow in the southern territory, but round-leaved irga can also be found in European territory.
Part used
The fruits and leaves of this plant are used for medicinal purposes, and the bark of the round-leaved serviceberry is also used. All these parts contain different components, I will list them: sugars, malic acid, carotene, pectins, vitamin C, B2, microelements include cobalt, copper, lead.
Collection and preparation
In addition to harvesting the fruits, the leaves of this plant are also collected; later they are used to prepare various potions, but first the required amount of this raw material must be dried.
After the leaves are collected, they are sorted to remove the most darkened and damaged specimens. Next, they are placed in a thin layer on the prepared pallet. It can be lined with several layers of paper, this will help prevent the raw materials from becoming damp.
Then the tray is placed in a ventilated place, and do not forget to stir the leaves every day so that they cook better. When it dries, it is put into cardboard boxes, which are taken for storage in a dry room. The shelf life of raw materials should not exceed two years, after which it is not recommended to use them.
Application of round-leaved serviceberry
Traditional healers use this plant as an anti-inflammatory and astringent; they mainly use serviceberry juice; it can be used to gargle when it is painful; in addition, it has a beneficial effect on the digestive process; its use is effective for colitis and enteritis.
In addition, decoctions and infusions are prepared based on the leaves and bark of the round-leaved serviceberry, as they have a medicinal effect in certain pathological processes occurring in the body.
Eating fresh serviceberry berries, like blueberries, has a positive effect on the organ of vision. In addition, they help cope with vitamin deficiency. Juices and compotes are prepared from the fruits, boiled delicious jam and make jelly, as well as jam, pastille, and even wine.
Infusion recipe
To prepare an infusion of round-leaved serviceberry, you will need boiling water, leaves, bark and a thermos. Now I’ll tell you in more detail, dear reader, what exactly you have to do.
So, take 10 grams of leaves and 20 grams of serviceberry bark, these components need to be crushed, so put them in a coffee grinder and it will do the job. Next, the crushed raw materials are immersed in a prepared thermos. Then 300 milliliters of boiling water is poured into it.
After that, the thermos must be closed with the included lid and shaken well. It is then left at room temperature for about eight hours, or overnight. In the morning you can start filtering the infusion.
To strain the drug, it is better to use gauze; it is very convenient to pour the finished broth through it into a clean container, and the settled cake must be squeezed out well, and then you can get rid of it.
Use an infusion prepared from round-leaved shadberry raw materials as needed, not forgetting to consult with a specialist. Its shelf life is only three days, so you need to use it on time and store it only in cool conditions, that is, in the refrigerator.
Compote recipe
From irgi berries you can prepare not only a tasty, but also a medicinal compote that you can drink in winter time, replenishing the body with the necessary chemical compounds. So, you will need a kilogram of ripe fruits, one medium peeled lemon and sugar.
First, cut the lemon into small pieces and wash the berries, then place these ingredients in pre-prepared jars. Next, pour boiling water over them and simply cover with a tin lid without twisting it. When the compote has cooled a little, you need to pour the liquid through a strainer into the pan.
Then you need to add a glass of granulated sugar to the strained liquid, using a glass of sugar per liter of compote. Everything is boiled again and poured back into the jar, and only then the container is rolled up with a sterilized lid and put away for storage.
Conclusion
Now you know more about the round-leaved serviceberry bush, you have seen photos, learned recipes, composition, where it grows, description, application. During the berry season, you must definitely eat these healthy berries fresh, and it is also recommended to prepare them for the winter, you can dry them, or make jam or compote, and you can also prepare serviceberry leaves and make decoctions and infusions from them that can be used with medicinal purpose, just don’t forget to consult a specialist.
Irga deserves special attention. More than 20 species of serviceberry are known, growing in temperate climatic zones of the Northern Hemisphere. Saskatoon has been known as a fruit plant in Europe since the 16th century. It was cultivated in England and Holland; the first industrial plantings were established in the USA and Canada in the 19th century. Now serviceberry successfully decorates estates, gardens, parks and public gardens in many countries of the world from America to Asia. Irga is unusually winter-hardy and hardy. It can easily withstand frosts down to minus 50°C, and the flowers can easily withstand temperatures down to minus 7°C and still set fruit! In addition, serviceberry has rapid growth and amazing unpretentiousness. Even if you grow it just like that, giving the harvest to be eaten by the bird brethren and not looking after it at all, then it will cope perfectly well with its life’s difficulties and will still grow, bloom and produce a harvest.
Irga (Amelanchier) is a genus of fairly large shrubs (sometimes small trees) of the subfamily Maloideae of the Rosaceae family. Like all Rosaceae, in May the entire bush of serviceberry is covered with a white foam of flower clusters reminiscent of bird cherry. The flowers are self-pollinating, which contributes to excellent berry harvests every year, regardless of weather conditions. In summer, the bush is hung with bunches of green, red and almost black berries at the same time. Irga is also good in the fall, when its foliage turns orange-red and purple.
Being a good honey plant, during flowering, serviceberry has a wonderful decorative appearance and can be a decoration for any garden plot.
Irga is a real long-liver of the garden, lives 60-70 years.
It practically does not get sick and is not affected by pests. But sometimes along the edge of the leaf the caterpillar of the shadberry moth makes narrow passages-mines, and the caterpillar of the currant leaf roller at the beginning of summer rolls up the leaf plate in the form of a tube.
Most of all in our climatic zone Common serviceberry (or round-leaved serviceberry) is common; Canadian serviceberry and hair serviceberry are slightly less common.
Irga roundifolia
Irga round-leaved (Amelanchier ovalis Medik.) is a small tree or shrub 2-3 m high. The shoots are straight, thin, weakly branched, gray-brown with felt pubescence. Fruiting begins on last year's growth. The leaves are ovate, dark green above, whitish below. White flowers are collected in racemes. The fruits are the size of a large pea, dark purple, almost black, covered with a waxy coating. The seeds are brown, sickle-shaped, up to 5 mm long and up to 3 mm wide; the fruit contains up to 4% of the total mass. Serviceberry has a well-developed root system; it is located mainly at a depth of 20-60 cm, sometimes penetrating up to 1.5-2 m, depending on soil conditions. The roots of the serviceberry have a diameter twice as large as its crown.Serviceberry berries
The berries are very tasty, sweet, collected in clusters of about 8-12 pieces. They begin to ripen towards the end of June, and not at the same time, but gradually, when there are both ripe and completely green berries on one cluster. Therefore, it is better to harvest the crop in 2-3 doses. In dry, hot summers, the harvest can be harvested in two times, in humid and cool summers - 3-4 times. You can wait for the entire cluster to ripen and collect it at the same time, since the fruits do not fall off when ripe.A sign of ripening is the slight release of juice when the fruit is squeezed with your fingers. The skin of the serviceberry fruit is very delicate, so the collection is carried out in small baskets of 2-5 kg. But the gardener has competitors for this delicacy - birds, especially sparrows. They simply love shadberry and can greatly reduce the size of the harvest. If feeding birds is not part of your plans, take care in advance to protect the berries. Various shiny objects that are hung on the branches as the berries begin to ripen help a lot. New Year's tinsel, foil and even unnecessary CDs are suitable for this. The dazzling glare of such objects is good at scaring away birds.
Types of serviceberry
Irga canadensis
It is distinguished by its tall growth, its bushes reach 6-7 m in height. The shoots are thin, slightly drooping, forming a beautiful crown. The fruits are juicy, tender and sweet, of very high taste. This type of serviceberry comes from the northeastern regions of North America.Irga hairy
By appearance differs little from the round-leaved serviceberry, only slightly taller - up to 5 m. And its fruits ripen 10-14 days earlier. Young shoots are reddish-brown, and old branches are dark gray. When they bloom, the ovoid leaves are covered with a white felt fluff, then become dark green, and in the fall they turn orange-red.Planting serviceberry
The irga reproduces independently by root shoots and seeds. Seeds are selected from the largest, ripe berries and sown in the garden bed to a depth of 1-2 cm in July-August. When planting, you should remember that it is photophilous and will practically not bear fruit in the shade. Young seedlings of serviceberry begin to bear fruit at the age of 3-4 years. Irga annually produces a lot of basal shoots, which can be used for propagation. Young seedlings are planted in spring or autumn. Despite their still modest size, you need to dig a large hole (60x60cm), fill it well with organic matter, and add ash. You can simply apply mineral fertilizers: approximately 150 g of potassium and 300 g of phosphorus. It is better to cut the seedling to about one third of its height, this will promote rapid growth and better survival.Irga care
In the first 3 years, the plant needs timely loosening of the soil and weeding. With the beginning of fruiting, in the 4th year, it may be necessary to tie the bushes with various materials to prevent the shoots from bending too much under the weight of the harvest. With age, the trunks become stable and the need for garter disappears. Due to the abundant annual fruiting of irgi, intensive removal occurs nutrients from the soil. Therefore, it is necessary to add humus to the soil in the root zone. In the summer after fruiting, liquid fertilizing with a solution of mullein or bird droppings will be very useful. In the absence of such, mineral fertilizers can also be used. In the fall, superphosphate (100 g) and potassium salt (50 g per bush) are added to the digging.Despite the high drought resistance of the serviceberry, during the period of filling the berries, abundant regular watering is desirable if the weather is dry.
Pruning serviceberry
It is better to form Irgu in the form of a multi-stemmed bush from strong basal shoots. Weak shoots are completely cut out.In the first 2-3 years after planting, all strong zero shoots are left, and in subsequent years - 2-3 shoots. The formed bush should have 10-15 branches of different ages. Subsequent pruning involves removing excessive basal shoots, weak, diseased, broken and old branches, replacing them with an appropriate number of strong basal shoots. If the growth of branches deteriorates, light rejuvenating pruning is carried out once every 3-4 years on 2-4-year-old wood. For ease of care and harvesting, the height is limited by pruning. Irga generally tolerates shearing easily and, due to the rapid formation of new growth, can even be used as a hedge.
Use of irgi in medicine
Serviceberry berries, as well as its processed products, have medicinal properties. Serviceberry berries are used in the treatment of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases; they have the property of preventing liver and kidney diseases, as well as inflammatory processes in the throat. Berry infusions stimulate the heart muscle and lower blood pressure.The berries are also used as a prophylactic to prevent the development of thrombosis and sclerosis, myocardial infarction and varicose veins. This is due to the high content of vitamin P in shadberry berries, which has a strengthening effect on the walls of blood vessels, increasing their elasticity.
They are also used to normalize sleep and strengthen the body.
The leaves and bark of serviceberry also exhibit medicinal properties due to their high content of tannins. The decoction prepared from them can be used in medicinal purposes as an astringent and enveloping agent for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and in the treatment of festering wounds.
Preparation of medicinal raw materials from serviceberry
Serviceberry berries should be collected as they ripen, until the first frost occurs. The collected fruits can be used fresh for medicinal purposes or processed. It is better to dry serviceberry fruits in the shade, as this preserves cuparins well, which reduce blood clotting and prevent the development of thrombosis.Koru serviceberry for further medicinal use It is better to harvest in the fall, and leaves in the summer. After drying, pieces of bark and leaves are packaged in linen bags or cardboard boxes for further storage. Medicinal raw materials should not be placed in plastic bags. Under such storage conditions, the leaves and bark of the serviceberry may rot, and their medicinal properties will disappear.
Useful properties of serviceberry
The fruits of the serviceberry not only have a unique delicious taste, they are also rich in vitamins, sugar, organic acids and other beneficial substances. For example, they are superior in vitamin C content to grapes, apples, pears, apricots and peaches. Thanks to this they are effective means against hypovitaminosis.Application of serviceberry
Thanks to its outstanding winter hardiness, unpretentiousness, abundant fruiting, resistance to pests and diseases, and simply decorativeness, shadberry is worthy of the attention of gardeners at any time of the year, especially in cold climate zones.Eating: Irgu is eaten fresh, jam and compotes, jellies and jams are made from it, marshmallows and purees are prepared. You can make drinks from fresh and dried shadberry. The berries are also a good food coloring and go well with other fruits and berries in compotes and jams, giving them a more pleasant taste. It is well known that many berries become sour after freezing, but not shadberry! After defrosting, its fruits do not lose their shape and taste and look as if they had recently been removed from the branches. When fresh, irga can be perfectly stored in the refrigerator for several days, without losing its commercial qualities at all.
Recipes from serviceberry
Serviceberry jam
Due to the sufficient amount of natural sugars in the berries, very little sugar is needed to make jam. Unripe berries are washed, immersed in boiling syrup, cooked over low heat for 5-8 minutes, then kept for 5-6 hours and boiled again for 5 minutes. For 1 kg of fruit for pasteurized jam, take 200 g of sugar and 400 ml of water, for unpasteurized jam, respectively, 300 g of sugar and 400 ml of water.Irga contains few organic acids, so it is of interest to process its fruits with other crops, in particular black currants. Good jam obtained by the ratio of fruits by weight: two parts serviceberry, one part currants and two parts granulated sugar.