Content
- Worth knowing about the leaves of the sunhat
- Diseases of the sun hat
- Use as a medicinal plant
- The essentials in brief:
- Tips & Tricks
The leaves of the sunhat can detect diseases
Worth knowing about the leaves of the sunhat
Both genera of the sun hat are very decorative and easy to care for, but only the red sun hat, in Latin Echinacea, is considered a medicinal herb. In addition to the flowers, the stems and leaves are dried for tea or processed into a tincture.
Diseases of the sun hat
Although the Echinacea is quite easy to maintain, but unfortunately also quite vulnerable to pest infestation. Therefore you should check your perennials regularly. If a white layer forms on the leaves or flowers, this is a sign of infestation with mildew. This fungal disease occurs preferably in the period from June to September and in dark locations.
Sprinkle the affected leaves with a mixture of nine parts of water and one part of milk or whey, possibly with a chemical solution. Very severely affected leaves cut off best. But do not dispose of the plant cut on the compost, where the fungal spores could survive and later be passed on to other plants.
If your coneflower gets brown leaves, it could be responsible for small leaflets. Remove the affected leaves and dispose of them with household waste. Also a burning of the leaves is possible. In case of repeated infestation, think about the use of an insecticide.
Use as a medicinal plant
Like all other parts of the sunhat, the leaves are also used for healing purposes. From July to October, during flowering, all aerial parts of the plant (flowers, leaves and stems) can be collected. If you would like to use Sonnenhut for a tea preparation, then dry the plant matter as quickly and gently as possible. You can also make a tincture from it.
The essentials in brief:
Tips & Tricks
From the leaves, flowers and stems of the Echinacea, you can make a tea for the prevention of flu and colds, as well as to improve the immune system.