Columbine is a garden plant that comes in many colorful variations. Its 70 to 75 species grow mainly in the northern hemisphere. Its seeds contain prussic acid, making it mildly poisonous.
Occurrence and cultivation of columbine
Columbine is a garden plant that comes in many colorful variations. Its 70 to 75 species grow mainly in the northern hemisphere. Columbines or Aquilegia in the technical name belong to the buttercups. They occur in the northern hemisphere and are thus native to the countries of Europe, northwest Africa and parts of Asia. In Germany it is found mainly in the south, where it grows in sunny and shady places. It prefers sandy or calcareous soils. In the vernacular it is also known as Frauenhandschuh, Frauenschühli, Jovisblume, Kapuzinerhüttli, Pfaffenkäpple or Venuswagen. Columbines are perennial plants and bloom for three to five years. Depending on which variety occurs, they grow between 30 and 90 centimeters high. They form a widely branched root system that is difficult to remove once it has spread. The roots are strong, fleshy and tough. They anchor themselves very firmly in the soil. The foliage leaves form rosettes and are close together. Smaller leaves grow scattered on the stem. The flowers have a wide color spectrum from blue-violet tones to red, money and white. They bloom in April and in May. They may bloom again in the fall, provided the wilted flowers are removed. Between July and August, the seeds mature and are dispersed over a large area by the wind. Wild columbine is a protected species.
Effect and application of columbine
Columbine contains cyanogenic glycosides, prussic acid, especially in the seeds, which makes it dangerous if taken carelessly. It should be noted that eating a fresh columbine or even just parts of the plant will cause vomiting, diarrhea, heart trouble, drowsiness and nausea. Touching it can cause skin irritation. If the plant is carefully dried or heated, its poison becomes ineffective. Then it can be used as a medicinal plant. The leaves and flowers, when dried, can be used as a tea, which has diuretic and diaphoretic effects. Thus, the metabolism is boosted and the balance of the water balance is stimulated. Thus, it helps against gout, rheumatism and loss of appetite. It can also be used for digestive problems and blood purification. For the preparation of the tea, the plant parts should be collected between June and October and then dried. The amount of two teaspoons of the herb is enough for one cup. If it is now brewed with boiling water, the tea can be drunk after ten minutes of infusion. As an ointment for skin problems or as components of a tincture for a wash, columbine has an astringent effect. Its active ingredients thus contract the skin. Due to its additional antiseptic, anesthetic and wound cleansing properties, it ensures accelerated healing. In case of infestation with skin parasites, the seeds can be dried and crushed. Applied to the skin, they help fight the parasites. To prepare the tincture, 500 grams of the dried herb is needed. This is put into a liter of 68 percent alcohol. Then the bottle is closed and placed in a warm environment for two weeks. After this time, its contents can be filtered. From the remaining tincture, 20 drops should be put on a piece of sugar, which is then eaten. If this is repeated every three hours, an improvement will occur. If there is a louse infestation, the seeds of columbine can also be used for this purpose. However, since there are other plants that work better and faster, this application is little known.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
Columbine has positive effects as a medicinal plant. However, it is rarely used. Other plants have a greater and faster effect, so they are preferred in most cases. In the Middle Ages, columbine was mostly used against ailments of the liver such as jaundice. But it was also used for problems with the gall bladder, skin, stomach and digestion, as well as various skin growths such as fistulas, boils, burrs or ulcers. The seeds, leaves, roots and flowers were used to make ointments and tinctures. Hildegard von Bingen recommended the columbine, for example, against fever and cradle cap.In these cases, the leaves should be crushed so that the juice can then be added to wine. This mixture makes the temperature drop when taken regularly. Another application describes it against problems with the lymph glands, which swell strongly and thus cause pain. Either leaves in this case should be taken as mother tincture of columbine or eaten raw to allow regression. When coughing up a lot of mucus, they should additionally be soaked in honey and then eaten. Another use of columbine at this time is as an aphrodisiac. In ancient times, it was associated with the fertility goddess Freya, because its flower shape is reminiscent of the Venus chariot. From the root and the seed is prepared a potion that is supposed to help against impotence in men. If taken regularly, he can resume his marital duties, according to Tabernaemontanus, a 16th century physician. Again, columbine should be used only after medical advice and not self-medication. Due to the prussic acid it contains, it has a rapidly toxic effect and can be life-threatening.
