Bell heather or bog bell heather belongs to the heather family and is also known as swamp heather, spring heather or topp heather.
Occurrence and cultivation of the bell heather
Bell heather has antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant and anticancer effects and is used for bronchitis, bladder diseases, cough and fever. Bell heather (Erica tetralix) is a dwarf evergreen shrub that grows between 15 and 20 centimeters tall. The leaves are needle-shaped and reach a length of three to six millimeters. They stand sparsely from the stem and curl over at the edge. The inflorescence is composed of up to fifteen individual flowers, the sepals are about three millimeters long and four-parted. The corolla has an ovate-cylindrical shape and is pink in color. Through it are enclosed the eight stamens. Bell heather is very similar to Irish heather and snow heather, respectively, except that the pistil as well as the stamens are hidden. This could also be an indication that the plant is mainly effective in space-occupying diseases. The flowering period of the bell heather is between June and September. After pollination, the flower crown remains, so that for a long time it looks as if the plant is blooming. Spontaneous self-pollination is very common, but relatively rarely the bell heather is pollinated by butterflies, bumblebees or bees. However, the main pollination is carried out by the so-called thunderflies, insects belonging to the group of bladderworts. In this process, the eggs are laid by the females in the petals of the crown, where the larvae subsequently develop. The adult insects are also found in the flowers, although these are mainly winged females. The fruits of the bell heather are hidden in the crown. They are dry capsules, the seeds of which are very small. The heather is found mainly in Portugal, Spain, Denmark, England and northern France. To some extent, it also grows in Poland and in the northwestern German lowlands, respectively. The bell heath prefers above all bog woods, bristle grass meadows and dwarf shrub heaths, where the soils are nutrient-poor, acidic and peaty. In addition, it also settles on the banks of heather moors, heather ponds, in forest clearings or in sand pits. Especially on rain moor sites, which have been partially drained, so-called moor heaths are formed. Due to drainage and reforestation, the plant is already endangered in many places and larger stands can very often only be found in nature reserves. As an ornamental plant, however, the bell heath grows quite easily in nutrient-poor garden soils. It thrives very well in bright locations without direct sunlight. With too much sun, the flowers dry out very quickly and then fall off. Nevertheless, the care of the bell heather is relatively uncomplicated. It is best to use lime-free water for watering, as the plant is quite sensitive to lime. If the temperature drops below minus five degrees, the bell heather will freeze. Therefore, before the first frost, it should be stored in a place with three to ten degrees.
Effect and application
Bell heather has antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant and anticancer effects and is used for bronchitis, bladder diseases, cough and fever, and also against colon cancer. Already the inhabitants of many wetlands used to use the plant for diseases accompanied by fever. They also ate the shoots as a vegetable or consumed the flowers with their vitamin– and protein-rich pollen. Famous physicians such as Pietro Matholi or Hieronymos Bock also praised the bell heather as a remedy. However, heather plants are used medicinally less as individual remedies, but rather in a balanced recpture. Bell heather contains arbutin, ursolic acid, saponins and flavones. Ursolic acid is an anti-inflammatory, the same applies to the active ingredient arbutin or its cleavage product hydroquinone, which is the main active ingredient of many medicinal plants used for urinary tract diseases. Hydroquinone shows its antibacterial effect especially in infections of the urinary apparatus. Arbutin in higher doses causes vomiting and nausea, is carcinogenic, mutagenic and liver damaging. For this reason, remedies containing arbutin are contraindicated during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.Nevertheless, hydroquinone and arbutin have a very good effect on escherischia bacteria. In addition, bell heather contains oleanolic acid, which is used in chronic renal failure, campesterol, cholesterol, sitosterol, stigmasterol and sitostaniol, respectively. However, these ingredients are present only in small concentrations.
Health significance, treatment and prevention.
For a tea, one to two teaspoons of the dried flowers are poured over hot water. The drink must infuse for a few minutes before it is strained and used for fever and inflammation. In addition, it also helps to expectorate and against colon cancer. Bell heather also produces a honey that is very dark and has an extremely strong flavor. Furthermore, bell heather is also available as a flower essence, which should help to appear courageous and develop more self-esteem. To do this, put two drops of the essence in an amber glass bottle with a pipette insert and fill it up with 1/4 cognac and 3/4 water. 4×4 drops are then taken daily. In very acute conditions, two drops of the flower essence are added to a glass of water, which should then be drunk in sips throughout the day. Externally, the plant can also be used for a poultice. For this, the cooled tea is used, with which a compress is soaked. This can then be placed on an eczema or inflamed skin area.
