Blue cornflower

Description: An annual plant, sometimes a biennial, with branched stems reaching up to 20-80 cm. Basal leaf blades lanceolate, with entire margins sparsely toothed-pinnate-lobed. 12-13 mm capitulum, oval shaped. Disc florets violet-blue, ray-florets dark blue, white or pinkish sometimes. 3-4 mm achene, 3-4mm tufts.

Distribution in Kosovo: Broadly distributed in fields planted with wheat etc. and grassy places in uncultivated land.

Parts used:  flowers (head), Cyani flos, rarely leaves.

Harvest time: May to July.

Drying: is done in the oven at temperatures of up to 40-450C or in places that have good air circulation. Ratio: 5:1.

Therapeutic category: tonic, digestive and diuretic (antocianidin).

Uses: flowers have been used as dyes of different teas and lotion to remedy irritable eyes. Traditionally used for the regulation of blood pressure, menstrual disorders and leaves are used to treat rheumatism.

Preparation and dosage: 1 g of dry mass in a cup of boiling water. Dried flowers are part of natural herbal teas in particular in the traditional medicine.

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