Fern root medicinal properties. Fern: benefits and harms to human health

01.08.2020

Greetings to all those who are not indifferent to their health!

Today we'll find out what is fern useful for... Often people mistakenly do not attach importance to important things. So, for example, at a glance common plant keeps secrets great history and of great value to our body.

In the article you will find answers to many questions regarding the fern. You will learn: how is it useful, what properties are attributed to it by experts and how to use it correctly.

The fern is an unusual plant with which ancient legends are associated, and the leaves are somewhat reminiscent of the open wings of a proud eagle. This plant has been growing on the planet for 400 million years.

To our time, more than ten thousand species of fern have come down to us. Of course, not all of them are beneficial to humans, there are also poisonous or simply useless varieties.

The composition of this plant is rich in trace elements necessary for our body. Even in ancient times, people understood the value of ferns. All parts of this plant are used in cooking, medicine and cosmetology. In addition, it is a low-calorie product that is quite easily absorbed due to the proteins included in the composition.

This plant has long been an important part of the diet of the peoples of eastern cultures. In order to find out what the fern is useful for, first we will briefly familiarize ourselves with chemical composition... Ferns contain a variety of saponins, alkaloids and essential oils.

Young shoots saturated with a vitamin complex of groups A, B, E and PP are very useful. It also contains fats and flavonoids. This is far from full list useful substances. The chemical composition differs depending on the variety, age and individual part of the plant (leaves, rhizome, "snails").

It is strictly forbidden to use fern without pretreatment. A fresh plant can cause food poisoning, vomiting, nausea and general intoxication of the body.

The most popular is the bracken fern. He's very helpful. This plant grows in almost all countries. Only young shoots are used for food, the leaves of which have not yet blossomed. With age, the bracken becomes poisonous and of course it can no longer be used in cooking.

strengthening the immune system
normalization of work of cardio-vascular system
improving the functioning of the thyroid gland
normalizing blood sugar levels
improving blood composition
positive effect on the endocrine system
strengthening of bone tissue
normalization of the digestive tract
increasing the efficiency of the body
improving metabolism

The usefulness of the fern is difficult to overestimate. In addition to the above, its use contributes to the removal of toxins, toxins and radionuclides from the body. The active components of the plant help to cope with stress, and there is also a beneficial effect on the state of the nervous system.

In addition, this component is also useful in personal care. It is often used in cosmetology. Bracken sprout contains substances that slow down the aging process, which means that its regular use will help keep young and fresh appearance.

In ancient times, people often used the leaves of this plant to make various amulets to protect themselves and their homes from evil spirits and damage. Nowadays, the most common way to use the fern is through cooking. It is useful, of course, only if it is prepared correctly.

Salting of ancient plants for the winter is popular. For this, petioles of one of the edible fern varieties are used - bracken or ostrich. The method of preparation resembles salting of mushrooms and takes place in three stages with breaks for several weeks. After processing, bracken stalks taste like mushrooms, and the second type of fern looks more like sauerkraut.

Before preparing a fresh plant, of any variety, it must first be boiled in salt water for ten minutes. Then the water is drained, and useful product stewed, marinated, fried, etc.

A salad made from this ancient plant is very useful. For its preparation, fern leaves are soaked in water for a day, after which they are cut and boiled for thirty minutes. Then fried onions with meat are added to it. Season all this with soy sauce and simmer. Chilled salad is served on the table.

Fern cabbage soup, special roasting, delicacies and other dishes are also popular. Rice with the addition of this plant is very beneficial for health, it is widely popular among the eastern peoples. There are actually a lot of cooking variations. Therefore, everyone can find something to their liking.

Fern is not always useful for everyone. It is recommended that you seek the advice of your doctor or an experienced herbalist before eating it. There are a number of contraindications:

It is strictly forbidden to use this plant during pregnancy.
The presence of serious diseases of internal organs is a powerful argument for refusing to use ferns.

Overdose of this product is very dangerous. In some cases, convulsions, vomiting and nausea are possible. Dizziness, lowering blood pressure, malfunctions of the cardiovascular system, etc. If alarming symptoms ignored for a long time, even lethal outcome is possible.

In any case, fern is useful, but only if you consume it in moderation and follow all the advice and recommendations of experienced professionals. It should also be remembered that decoctions alone are not enough to maintain health. It's important to give up everyone bad habits and lead a healthy lifestyle. Only in this case you will be able to maintain your health for many years.

If we talk about health, then see also Now there are many different techniques and techniques for creating an ideal body and maintaining healthy way life. It is important to remember that not all of them are universal, and what works well for one person may, on the contrary, harm another.

If you find here useful information, share the article with your friends in social networks... Take care of yourself and your health. Good luck to you!

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Fern - herbaceous plant, representative of the Osmundov family. Scientists consider North China, Korea, and the Far East to be its homeland. There is a fern in the forests of Russia, Ukraine, Finland, Central Asia, Mexico. The plant is a green stem with pinnately dissected leaves (see photo). The fern is considered one of the oldest plants on the planet, dating back to the Devonian period. Compressed fern wood, according to scientists, became the material for coal.

In order to understand what this plant is, it is necessary to trace the stages of its development: the stem of the fern grows underground, in the spring young leaves called frond begin to form, then the leaves grow and most of all resemble a huge snail, the leaves unfold and become like a hook ... The fern does not bloom, but reproduces by spores.

Its scientific name Pteridium aguillinum(bracken fern) the plant received due to the resemblance to the wing of a huge bird (with Greek preton translates as "wing", aqulia means "eagle").

There are many interesting legends associated with the fern. People were very wary of this plant, because it looked very mysterious. Our ancestors did not understand how this plant reproduces if it never blooms. People expected the flowering of the fern as a special holiday. According to a well-known belief, a person who finds a flower of this plant on the holiday of Ivan Kupala will be able to become incredibly rich, since on this night the earth itself opens and reveals hidden riches. In Russia, they believed that this plant opens any locks and that not a single secret can be hidden in front of the fern. According to an ancient legend, the fern appeared thanks to the goddess of love Venus, supposedly she dropped her beautiful hair, and this amazing plant grew from it. Another legend says that the girl fell off a cliff, and a spring appeared in that place, and her hair became a plant, similar to the wing of a bird.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of the fern are due to its valuable chemical composition. The plant is rich in alkaloids, starch, essential oils, flavonoids, tannins. Fern shoots contain carotene, tocopherol (vitamin E), riboflavin, or vitamin B2. The presence of alkaloids makes the plant beautiful anesthetic.

Fern contains a large amount of proteins, similar to those of cereals, which are easy to digest and have a positive effect on the body. With regular use, the plant has a positive effect on growth processes.

Fern has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system, tones up the body. There is evidence that the plant helps to remove radionuclides from the human body.

For medicinal purposes, the rhizome of the plant is used, which is harvested in September. Fern is effective for varicose veins, sciatic nerve inflammation, and cramps in the gastrocnemius muscle. For these diseases, the course of treatment is 3 weeks.

Cooking use

Fern has been used in cooking since ancient times. For food purposes, only two types of fern are used - bracken and ostrich. The so-called rachis, or plant shoots, are edible. And its young leaves are added to salads, fried, pickled, used instead of seasoning. Fern shoots taste like mushrooms. Due to the large presence of proteins, the plant was loved by the inhabitants of Japan, Korea, Of the Far East... Calorie content of this product is 34 kcal per 100 grams.

There are two types of fern preparation: boiling and canning. Anyway, before preparing the plant, its shoots must first be boiled... You should not neglect this stage and fry fresh rachis: this way you ruin the dish, because the fern will taste bitter. The leaves are washed in salted water. When the water boils, after a few minutes it is drained, the plant is washed and again filled with salted water. Next, the fern is boiled until tender. Shoots should not break, it is enough to bring them to a state where they will bend easily. The cooked plant is thrown into a colander and used according to recipes.

A popular fern cooking option is salting... Thanks to salting, the product can be stored for a long time, moreover, you get an excellent "semi-finished product", which can be very quickly turned into amazing tasty dish... The plant is thoroughly washed, then placed in a glass jar and covered with salt, the fern is folded in layers, sprinkled with table salt. Next, the container with the plant is pressed down on top with something heavy and placed in a cool place for 14 days. After two weeks, it will be necessary to drain the brine, and transfer the shoots to another container. Moreover, the plant is folded again in layers with the difference that the layer that was on top should be at the very bottom... The fern is again poured with brine with a minimum salt content of 22%. In this form, the fern can be stored for several years.

On sale there is a specially harvested fern for food purposes. The purchased product must be soaked in clean water for several hours to remove excess bitterness and salt. During this time, it is better to periodically drain the water and fill the plant with new water. After two hours, the fern is transferred to a saucepan and boiled for about 15 minutes without adding spices. In parallel, you need to cut the onion and meat. Next, meat and onions should be fried on vegetable oil... After heat treatment, the fern is cut into small pieces and fried along with the rest of the ingredients. At the end of cooking, add 1 tbsp to the dish. l. soy sauce. The dish is served hot.

The famous recipe for this plant is “ fern in korean". Onions and carrots, cut into strips, are stewed on olive oil until golden. Fern sprouts are added to the vegetables in the pan and mix thoroughly. The resulting mass is again thoroughly mixed and seasoned with seasoning for cooking carrots in Korean. Next, the vegetables are stewed until tender for 15 minutes.

Fern benefits and treatment

The benefits of the plant have long been known folk medicine... Fern is used as pain reliever for joint pain, headache. For rheumatism, it is recommended to take warm baths with fern broth. Also, decoctions of the plant are effective for jaundice, diseases of the intestines and spleen. Outwardly, the plant is used for eczema, abscesses, scrofula. Fern root powder relieves intestinal and spleen congestion.

Fern rhizome decoction can be prepared at home. To do this, boil 10 grams of crushed rhizomes for 10 minutes in 200 ml of water. Take the broth should be 1 tsp. together with bee honey. Sometimes the broth is mixed with flour and taken by dividing the "dough" into 10 parts. Fern is a potent remedy, drugs on the basis of which cannot be taken without medical indications. After taking the plant, be sure to put an enema and take a saline laxative. Other types of laxatives are strictly prohibited.

Outwardly, fern broth is used as baths or rubdowns. In order to prepare a bath with a decoction, you will need 50 grams of rhizomes per 3 liters of water. The broth is infused for several hours, and then poured into a cool bath.

Fern harm and contraindications

The plant can cause harm to the body with uncontrolled use. Fern is best used under the supervision of a phytotherapist or attending physician, since the plant is poisonous.

Fern is contraindicated for pregnant women.

Contraindications to its use are also fever, anemia, tuberculosis, liver and kidney diseases, ulcers, chronic diseases.

In case of an overdose, the patient should wash out the stomach and immediately seek medical help.

Fern remains one of the most mysterious plants. The first thing that comes to mind is a beautiful legend about one night on the holiday of Ivan Kupala. Young people go in search of the mysterious fern flower, which, according to legend, blooms for just a moment on this very night.

Its age exceeds 400 million years. Once upon a time, the entire planet was covered with huge ferns, but now they have changed, diminished and some of the species have become houseplants.

Today, there are about 10,000 fern species, of which only 2,000 grow in Russia.

Growing indoor ferns is not difficult. It is enough to adhere to a few rules. The first and foremost is the great whimsy of the fern in the water. The soil in the pot should be constantly moist, and the air in the room should not be very dry.

For a fern, temperatures above +22 and below +10 C are destructive. It is better to place the flower on a window on the east or west side. The scorching sun will not burn its leaves, and moisture will not evaporate so quickly.

It is necessary to spray the fern during the day with soft, well-settled water. Additionally, you can humidify the air by placing a container of water next to it.

Today, among flower growers, such types of ferns as maidenhair Ruddy, nephrolepis Pelley, Cyrthomium, Davallia, classic fern and many others are common. They differ from each other in a rosette and a sheet plate.

When placing a fern next to other plants, make sure that there is enough room for its leaves. It is imperative to remove damaged leaves, and then new and beautiful ones can grow in their place. Some fern species reproduce by spores, but mainly by dividing the root with several leaves.

Garden plant species

Indoor fern decorates your interior well, but in addition to growing it at home, there are also types for planting on the site. The most common of them is the common ostrich.

IN wildlife it can be found near swamps and in damp forests. In the garden, it multiplies quickly enough and forms lush thickets. During growth, young fern leaves gradually straighten, and by mid-June they form a large green funnel.

A month later, spore-bearing shoots grow in the middle of the plant, which are widely used by flower growers to draw up floristic compositions. It grows well both in the shade and in a sunny area, the main thing is that the soil around it is always moist.

The male fern fern is also widespread. Its mature leaves reach a length of 1.5 meters and well shade the necessary areas of the garden. It reaches its enormous size only in the third year of life. It is his flower that they are trying to find on the night of Ivan Kupala.

There are other types of fern, which are able not only to decorate, but also to delight with their useful properties. So, for example, the bracken fern is famous for its rhizomes, which contain many useful properties.

In folk medicine, its dried roots are used to treat cough, scrofula, joint pain, prostatitis and to get rid of worms.

The beneficial properties of the fern are due to its valuable chemical composition. The plant is rich in alkaloids, starch, essential oils, flavonoids, tannins.

Fern shoots contain carotene, tocopherol (vitamin E), riboflavin, or vitamin B2. The presence of alkaloids makes the plant an excellent pain reliever.

Fern contains a large amount of proteins, similar to those of cereals, which are easily digested and have a positive effect on the body. With regular use, the plant has a positive effect on growth processes.

Fern has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system, tones the body. There is evidence that the plant helps to remove radionuclides from the human body.

For medicinal purposes, the rhizome of the plant is used, which is harvested in September. Fern is effective for varicose veins, sciatic nerve inflammation, and cramps in the gastrocnemius muscle. For these diseases, the course of treatment is 3 weeks.

Cooking use

Fern has been used in cooking since ancient times. For food purposes, only two types of fern are used - bracken and ostrich. The so-called rachis, or plant shoots, are edible.

And its young leaves are added to salads, fried, pickled, used instead of seasoning. Fern shoots taste like mushrooms. Due to the large presence of proteins, the plant was loved by the inhabitants of Japan, Korea, and the Far East. The calorie content of this product is 34 kcal per 100 grams.

There are two types of fern preparation: boiling and canning. In any case, before preparing the plant, its shoots must first be boiled. You should not neglect this stage and fry fresh rachis: this way you ruin the dish, because the fern will taste bitter. The leaves are washed in salted water.

When the water boils, after a few minutes it is drained, the plant is washed and again filled with salted water. Next, the fern is boiled until tender. Shoots should not break, it is enough to bring them to a state where they will bend easily. The cooked plant is thrown into a colander and used according to recipes.

A popular option for cooking fern is salting it. Thanks to salting, the product can be stored for a long time, moreover, you get an excellent "semi-finished product" that can be very quickly turned into an amazingly tasty dish.

The plant is thoroughly washed, then placed in a glass jar and covered with salt, the fern is folded in layers, sprinkled with table salt. Next, the container with the plant is pressed down on top with something heavy and placed in a cool place for 14 days.

After two weeks, it will be necessary to drain the brine, and transfer the shoots to another container. Moreover, the plant is folded again in layers with the difference that the layer that was on top should be at the very bottom. The fern is again poured with brine with a minimum salt content of 22%. In this form, the fern can be stored for several years.

On sale there is a specially harvested fern for food purposes. The purchased product must be soaked in clean water for several hours to remove excess bitterness and salt.

During this time, it is better to periodically drain the water and fill the plant with new water. After two hours, the fern is transferred to a saucepan and boiled for about 15 minutes without adding spices. In parallel, you need to cut the onion and meat.

Next, meat and onions should be fried in vegetable oil. After heat treatment, the fern is cut into small pieces and fried along with the rest of the ingredients. At the end of cooking, add 1 tbsp to the dish. l. soy sauce. The dish is served hot.

The famous recipe for this plant is "Korean fern". Onions and carrots, cut into strips, are stewed in olive oil until golden brown.

Fern sprouts are added to the vegetables in the pan and mix thoroughly. The resulting mass is again thoroughly mixed and seasoned with seasoning for cooking carrots in Korean. Next, the vegetables are stewed until tender for 15 minutes.

The benefits of the plant have long been known to folk medicine. Fern is used as pain reliever for joint pain, headache.

For rheumatism, it is recommended to take warm baths with fern broth. Also, decoctions of the plant are effective for jaundice, diseases of the intestines and spleen. Outwardly, the plant is used for eczema, abscesses, scrofula. Fern root powder relieves intestinal and spleen congestion.

Fern is a potent remedy, drugs on the basis of which cannot be taken without medical indications. After taking the plant, be sure to put an enema and take a saline laxative. Other types of laxatives are strictly prohibited.

Fern harm and contraindications

The plant can cause harm to the body with uncontrolled use. Fern is best used under the supervision of a phytotherapist or attending physician, since the plant is poisonous.

Fern is contraindicated for pregnant women.

Contraindications to its use are also fever, anemia, tuberculosis, liver and kidney diseases, ulcers, chronic diseases.

In case of an overdose, the patient should wash out the stomach and immediately seek medical help.

Ferns are among the most ancient and most diverse in species composition plants on earth - there are over 10 thousand species. Consideration of all is not possible and expedient within the framework of one publication.

In this regard, it is most logical to dwell on such a variety as the male shieldworm, which grows abundantly in moderate climatic zone... Preparations from the thyme were used in official medicine in some countries (including the USSR).

Currently it is used only in veterinary practice due to the high toxicity of raw materials. However, traditional medicine is still actively using fern roots for the preparation of anthelmintic drugs.

Modern cosmetology has also adopted this plant, using its oil and extract in the composition of regenerating and anti-aging creams. The use of fern in home cosmetology will be discussed here.

Phloroglucides - has a refreshing effect with a moderate analgesic effect. Some organic acids (for example, flavaspidicic acid) are derivatives of phloroglucides, which make the cell membrane more permeable to the active substances of the fern.
Tannins - make the leather less susceptible to negative impacts environment.
Essential oils - about 1%.
Phenol.
Wax.
Starch.

Most of the biologically active components of the fern are readily soluble in alcohol and alcohol solutions. In this regard, the preparation for future use is most adequate as an alcohol tincture, which, diluted up to 30 degrees, can be used as a skin lotion.

pharmachologic effect

Under the action of organic acids, phloroglucides penetrate deeply into skin cells, promoting their regeneration and renewal.

They have shown high efficiency in the treatment of acne and epidermal lesions of various etiologies, having a cleansing and anti-inflammatory effect.

Tincture. It is prepared from the following ratio of the aboveground part and rhizomes: 3 to 1. 100 grams of finely cut raw materials are placed in a glass container and poured with alcohol (90%). Cork tightly with a lid and put away in a dark place.

Shake vigorously once every three days. After 12 days, the tincture must be filtered and poured into another glass container. Store in a dark place. Shelf life is 1 year. For cauterization and treatment of acne and acne, use undiluted, applying the drug with a cotton swab locally to problem areas of the skin three times a day. The course of treatment is one month.

When using the tincture as a tonic and refreshing lotion, dilute to 30% with cold running water (when using spring water precipitation may occur, which is normal).

Fern juice. Obtained from the aerial part of the plant You can use a juicer. Ten drops of juice are added to creams that have a rejuvenating and regenerating effect to improve the penetration of active ingredients into skin cells. You can also use the juice to add to face masks.

Important!

When working with raw materials and fern preparations, you need to be careful, since the roots contain a number of toxic compounds. In this regard, it is important to avoid ingestion of the product in large quantities.

It is advisable to harvest rhizomes in the spring on initial stage the appearance of fern sprouts or late autumn- with the beginning of the withering away of the aboveground part. Fern leaves are harvested from early June to late August.

Fern harvesting and storage

Despite the outward beauty of the fern, harvesting for medicinal purposes begins in early spring or late autumn. Exclusively bare fern roots are used.

The root is extracted from the ground, completely cleaned of dirt and additional protection. The core of the root must have a pistachio green color, otherwise the root has no healing properties... After collection, useful roots are dried and used within a year.

Household use

This plant has a characteristic appearance, while there are about ten thousand of its varieties. Many beliefs and signs are associated with the fern, it is one of the most ancient representatives of the flora on our planet, it is widespread in different parts of the globe.

The culture refers to vascular plants, never blooms and has an unusual structure. The fern does not have what is usually called leaves, instead it has fronds, or flat branches: a complex of branches located at a single level. The stem of the plant is underground. Not only spores, but also rhizomes participate in reproduction - this method is called vegetative. Fern is also characterized by spore and sexual species.

Views

Most known species of this plant:

Name	Features of the	Photo
Orlyak ordinary	Outwardly, it is very similar to an eagle's wing. It grows mainly in forests, but can spread to forest edges, glades, and occasionally lives in limestone. When cultivated in the garden, the development of the fern should be limited, since due to its powerful rhizome, it penetrates deep into the ground and occupies a large area there, which makes it difficult to get rid of unwanted bushes. The bracken has a specific smell that repels insects. This species is able to benefit a person: the rhizome of the plant is perfectly soaped, therefore, if necessary, it can replace soap. The presence of nutrients makes the fern suitable for human consumption.
Common ostrich	Highly beautiful plant, in the shape of a funnel, consisting of long openwork leaves, shaped like ostrich feathers. This fern prefers shade and lives close to a source of moisture. They love to use the ostrich in landscape design because of its attractive appearance, and young shoots are eaten. It is widely used in medicine - both official and folk
Female fern (or female fern)	A plant with large, triple-feathery leaves - a typical inhabitant northern forests, but due to its appearance it resembles a representative tropical flora... The name "female" is ritual and comparative. Kochedyzhnik has many varieties, which allows breeders to cross them to develop new varieties. It finds application in medicine, landscape design
Shield (or male fern)	Unlike the female fern, the fern has less finely feathery leaves, but stronger. Loves damp and unlit areas. The rhizomes of the thyme are dug up and then dried for medicinal purposes.
Nephrolepis	Tropical fern, which is a large plant. The rhizome is short, the leaves are long and scaly, hanging downward. Nephrolepis is used in pharmacology. The flower is in demand among indoor plant lovers.

Fern as a houseplant

Fern's beneficial properties, such as its ability to absorb dust, make it good option for breeding and growing at home. Almost all types are unpretentious in care, but nephrolepis is considered the most popular indoor representative. Pots of this fern are usually placed on high surfaces so that the leaves can hang freely.

The benefits of the plant for flower growers also lie in the possibility of using its roots as a substrate for growing orchids.

Nephrolepis root is used in the treatment of inflammation, and its juice is an effective tool in the treatment and prevention of skin diseases and burns. The medicinal properties of the kochedyzhnik lie in its ability to have a calming effect on nervous system.

Many experts recognize that fern is beneficial to health. But the uncontrolled use of plant infusions can harm the body. There are contraindications to the use of fern-based products, such as anemia, stomach ulcers, pregnancy. You should not be treated with a plant yourself, you must first consult a doctor.

Cooking applications

Since ancient times, fern has been used in cooking. Edible species there are only 2 representatives - the bracken and the ostrich. Young shoots and leaves of a flower are used in food. They can be used for salads, as a seasoning or as a main course - fried tastes like mushrooms. The plant contains a large amount of proteins, and its caloric content is about 34 kcal per 100 g of product.

Regardless of the option for using the fern, first you need to boil it. This is done so that the shoots do not give off bitterness. The fern is boiled in several stages: first, the plant must be washed in slightly salted water. After boiling, you should drain it, rinse the raw material again and fill it with salted water. In this case, you need to cook the fern until tender. It is easy to define it - the shoots should bend easily. When the plant is cooked, you need to let the moisture drain from it and use it according to the chosen recipe (for example, add to any salad to taste).

Salted use is common. Salted fern is stored longer, this cooking method is effective way preservation of a product, from which any dish can be prepared in the future. To do this, you must thoroughly rinse the plant and put it in a glass jar in layers, sprinkling each new one with salt. Then the container with the fern should be pressed down on top with something heavy and left for 2 weeks in a cool place. After that, you need to get the jar, drain all the brine and transfer the plant to another dish. Layers are laid out in the opposite order. Then the raw material is again filled with brine with a salt content of no more than 22%. This canned fern can be stored for up to several years.

Signs and superstitions

The unusual appearance of the plant has given rise to many legends and beliefs. People treated him with caution, since the fern never blooms, which is why no one could understand how it reproduces. A well-known sign is associated with this feature. It is believed that the fern blooms once a year, on the night of the holiday of Ivan Kupala. Some believe that a person who finds its buds will become rich, since at this time the earth itself reveals and reveals the riches hidden in it.

It was believed that not a single secret could be hidden in front of the fern, since it reveals the whole truth. There is a legend explaining the appearance of the plant. According to her, the goddess of love Venus once dropped one lock on the ground, and a fern grew out of it. Another legend tells about a girl who fell from a cliff into a pond, a source allegedly appeared at the place of her death, and her hair turned into this plant.

Today, there are two opposite views on the maintenance of a fern in the house. According to some, it is beneficial, others talk about its negative impact on a person. Positive qualities include:

beneficial effect on the atmosphere in the room, as well as on its inhabitants;
the ability to establish relationships between people of different ages;
scaring away evil spirits;
attraction of monetary luck.

It is advised to put it next to household appliances because of its ability to absorb radiation.

Opponents of keeping this plant in the house believe that the fern brings misfortune and disease, sucks vital energy out of a person.

Lovers of comfort in the house and indoor flowers are increasingly giving preference to home fern.

What attracts them to this amazing plant? Unusual appearance or useful properties?

Description and characteristics of indoor fern

The fern belongs to the fern family that are found throughout the world. Indoor fern is an unpretentious and ornamental plant with wide and spreading leaves.

One of characteristic features fern is the lack of seeds. Despite this, the plant has the ability to reproduce due to the presence of special spores (soruses) near its roots.

The appearance of the fern is very different from the usual indoor flowers. The leaves of the plant look like dissected feathers. Indoor ferns are usually light green in color and can be up to 1 meter tall.

The benefits of indoor fern

The fern has many beneficial properties. The root of this plant is widely used in folk medicine, and the amazing leaves are used in cooking.

Common indoor fern is excellent at absorbing dust and purifying the air. In addition, the flower neutralizes the electromagnetic rays that come from the TV, computer monitor, microwave oven. By placing a pot of this plant in close proximity to a source of electromagnetic radiation, you can get rid of headaches, fatigue, and many other consequences of using electronics.

Fern in treatment: properties and benefits

In addition to absorbing electromagnetic rays and dust particles, fern is widely used in folk medicine, as it has an analgesic, diuretic and laxative effect, and also removes all harmful toxins from the body.

Particular attention is paid to the root of this plant. From different parts of the home fern, various remedies are prepared for the treatment of helminthiasis, removal of tapeworm and tapeworm.

With the help of fern varicose veins are treated, as well as increase immunity and strengthen the body. Salted fern shoots perfectly relieve stress and have a beneficial effect on the nervous system. Fern root powder is used to correct inguinal hernia in men.

It should be noted that the fern has a lot of useful qualities, therefore it is used in the treatment oncological diseases, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, oophoritis, ulcers, rheumatism and migraine.

How to care for a fern so as not to harm it?

Having decided to purchase an indoor fern, you need to take into account that it, like any plant, needs a list of conditions important for successful development and life. The fern will not thrive in a home that does not meet the following conditions:

Lighting;
Air temperature;
Regularity of watering;
Air humidity.

For home fern optimal temperature is 15-24 degrees. If the temperature of the fern habitat in the house is below 12 or above 25, then the plant is most likely to wilt.

Air humidity is an important factor for fern life. The plant will feel good in a space with 40-60% air humidity. In order to increase the humidity in the room, you can purchase a special air humidifier, but it is enough just to regularly spray the leaves of the plant.

As for watering, it all depends on the season and the humidity in the house. Basically, the fern is watered 1-2 times a week, but you can also focus on the moisture of the soil: when the soil in the flowerpot is dry, you can water it. It should be noted that such an amount of watering is optimal, since dry and too moist soil can lead to disastrous consequences for the plant. Excessive watering, for example, will cause flower roots to rot. Also, the fern needs to be watered exclusively with "soft" water. To do this, let the water brew for several days at room temperature.

Florists often love to fertilize their plants, but does the fern need it? Sure. To fertilize this flower, it is enough to add mineral or organic fertilizers once a month. It is important to take into account that the fern is not fertilized during the winter season.

If we consider the issue of lighting, in which this plant will live comfortably, then it is important to consider that the fern does not like direct sunlight. Due to excessive sunlight, the leaves of the flower can fade and turn yellow. The best place for a fern is a flower stand. It provides diffused sunlight that is comfortable for this plant.

The fern signals the need for transplanting with light green leaves, but such signs are often found only in young shoots. Usually, the plant is transplanted every two to three years in the spring, when the flower ceases to fit in its pot.

Fern species

The fern family includes more than a thousand varieties of this plant. But which ones can you grow at home? The following types of fern are adapted for life in close proximity to people:

Nephrolepis

This type of fern is famous for its unpretentiousness. It performs well the decorative function of indoor plants, forming a lush and spreading bush. Also, one of the advantages of this type is rapid growth.

Blehnum

This species of the fern family resembles a palm tree and requires a lot of space in the house.

Maidenhair

This species is also called "Venus hair", as it has rather thin stems and small leaves. Unlike the brethren described above, it needs careful care and self-care.

What harm can a fern do?

A common indoor fern doesn't do much harm. The only moments are an allergic reaction to this flower, which is quite rare, and the release of carbon dioxide. As for the second statement, this paragraph applies to all indoor plants, since absorbing oxygen, they release carbon dioxide, which can provoke headaches and dizziness in humans. To avoid harmful influence you can very simply - do not put the flower in the bedroom.

If an indoor fern standing in a flowerpot does not do much harm, then eating or treating home flower, can be harmful to human health, and also has contraindications. It is important to note that the fern is a poisonous plant.

It should be noted that taking tinctures and decoctions based on indoor fern can lead to intoxication of the body. Fern poisoning is characterized by the appearance of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and fainting. In case of a sad outcome of using the plant, it is necessary to quickly remove it from the body and clear the stomach.

It is strictly forbidden to take home cactus for food or for treatment purposes if the following factors are present:

Pregnancy
Diseases of the kidneys and liver
Age up to two years
Tuberculosis
Weakened immune system
Anemia
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the acute stage of development