Effect:
water-driving, diuretic, stone-dissolving, rheumatism-effective, weakly disinfectant, anti-inflammatory, astringent, diuretic, pain-relieving, anticoagulant, antibacterial, blood-purifying (juice)
Areas of application:
Dropsy, persistent cystitis, cystitis, gout, kidney stones, kidney semolina, promotes metabolism and cell renewal, vitalizes the whole body, edema, rheumatism, arthritis, painful joints, swelling in the joints, sore muscles, cellulitis, obesity, rash, eczema, Lichen, foot sweat, stomach cramps, stomach pain, flatulence, diarrhea, frostbite, burns, chilblains, supports the immune system, promotes hair growth, dandruff, vitamin deficiency
Plant parts used:
Buds, young leaves, bark, juice
Collection time:
Spring
To find:
Downy birch (Betula pubescens) grows predominantly on waterlogged soil.
Lower birch (Betula Pendula (verrucosa)) grows everywhere on rather acidic sandy, stone and clay soils.
Ingredients:
Bertulin (birch dock), acids, tannins, essential oil, dyes, baking soda, bitter substances, resin, flavonoids, saponins, vitamin C
Other:
☕ Tea: 2 teaspoons of leaves are poured with 1/4 liter of boiling water and strained after about 10 minutes. 3 cups per day are sufficient.
Birch is a deciduous tree and grows up to 9 meters tall. However, the yellow birch and paper birch reach up to 24 meters. There are over 60 species of birch trees worldwide. They often grow in stands. Birch trees often have multiple main trunks, giving the tree an irregular shape. Some look bushy, others have a round crown. The bark of the birch tree can be very diverse. The paper birch tree has thin, white bark that peels off in paper-like strips. The bark of the yellow birch curls into small strips of bronze-colored bark. The black birch has a scaly, black-gray bark. The leaves of the birch are alternate, toothed and pinnately veined. The leaves are oval or triangular, broad at the base and pointed at the end. The birch tree has male and female flowers on the same tree. The male flowers appear in late summer and remain on the tree. The female flowers are smaller green catkins that form at the end of the branch. After pollination, they become cone-shaped, open and fall apart.
🛑 Birch leaves are considered safe for external and internal use. However, pregnant or breastfeeding mothers should consult their doctor. Some people are allergic to birch and therefore should not use it. Birch leaves can increase salt retention in the body and increase blood pressure in sensitive people. Anyone who tends to have high blood pressure or takes diuretics or water tablets should avoid birch. Please drink plenty of water when using birch.
The birch tree increases the amount of urine 5 to 6 times. Since there are no side effects, this is an alternative to other products for pregnant women and the elderly.
Fresh young birch leaves are suitable as a substitute for salad. Birch, dandelion, garden cress, watercress, Gundermann and so on are ideal for a spring salad.
Birch sap is obtained by drilling a hole about 3 to 4 cm deep in an older birch tree. Then you put a tube into the drill hole and place a collecting vessel made of glass or porcelain underneath. Depending on the size of the birch tree, up to 4 liters per day can flow from the borehole. Since the tree also suffers from this, the drill hole should then be closed again with tree wax.
Betulinic acid from birch is being actively researched as a cancer drug. The Schillerporling slate, which grows on birch trees, contains betulin and converts it into betulinic acid.