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Amaranth (lizard, whatley, devil seeds). Legends, myths, symbolism, description, cultivation, methods of application

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Content

1. Photos, basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism
2. Basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism
3. Botanical description, reference data, useful information, illustrations
4. Recipes for use in traditional medicine and cosmetology
5. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing

Amaranth (lizard, whatley, devil seeds), Amaranthus. Photos of the plant, basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism

Basic scientific information, legends, myths, symbolism

Sort by: Amaranth (Amaranthus)

Family: Amaranths (Amaranthaceae)

Origin: Amaranth originates from Central and South America, where it has been grown and used for food since prehistoric times. It is currently grown in various regions of the world.

Area: Amaranth is distributed throughout the world, but is most widely used in warm climate regions such as Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Chemical composition: Amaranth contains proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins A, C and B, calcium, iron, phosphorus and numerous other nutrients. It is also rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals such as saponins, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds.

Economic value: Amaranth is used as food in the form of leaves and grains, and as animal feed. Amaranth grains can be used to make flour, porridge and bread, and the leaves can be cooked as a vegetable or used in salads. In addition, amaranth is used in medicine as an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent. Currently, research is being carried out on the use of amaranth in the production of biodiesel and bioplastics.

Legends, myths, symbolism: In ancient Greek mythology, amaranth was associated with the goddess Aphrodite, who was the goddess of beauty and love. Amaranth symbolized eternal beauty and immortality. It was also used in rites to honor the gods, especially in temples dedicated to Aphrodite. Among the Mayans, amaranth was a symbol of life and immortality. They used it for food and to produce a sacred drink that was used in ceremonies to honor the gods. In Chinese culture, amaranth was considered a symbol of longevity and prosperity. It was used in rituals to honor ancestors and gods. In general, amaranth symbolizes eternal beauty, immortality, life and health.

Amaranth (lizard, whatley, devil seeds), Amaranthus. Description, illustrations of the plant

Amaranth (lizard, whatley, devil seeds). Legends, myths, history

Amaranthus retroflexus

At the end of the XNUMXth - beginning of the XNUMXth century, the Spanish conquistadors, who rushed to conquer the American continent, faced an amazing and original people who created a powerful, highly developed state on the territory of present-day Mexico.

The culture, religion, worldview, way of life of the Aztecs were so outlandish that they were neither accepted nor understood by the newcomers. Quite quickly, a strange civilization was destroyed, but the stories of the Spaniards about what they saw to this day excite the imagination of mankind.

Overseas settlements were buried in the luxurious flowering of many picturesque plants; temples, dwellings, and clothes were decorated with them. The mirror of the reservoirs reflected floating gardens, which the Europeans failed to recreate. The botanical collections numbered thousands of unprecedented species, plantations, among other plants, cultivated sweet potato, maize, whatley, which served as the main source product for the preparation of exotic dishes.

The cult of plants was felt in everything. Poets composed poems for them and sang in songs, babies were called by the names of their favorite flowers. The rulers constantly equipped expeditions in search of new species, and the right to own a single copy was defended in battles. Tribute was collected from the conquered peoples with flowers, seeds and plants.

But most of all, the Spaniards were shocked by the rituals of sacrifice to the main deity Uitzilopochtis. Like the Christian custom of communion, associated with the use of flesh and blood, the American natives used a mixture of outley flavored with dark honey and human blood for ritual worship.

The ceremony included the obligatory eating of the mash, which was done with reverent pleasure, causing the Europeans to shudder and thus sealing the fate of the plant in America. It was declared diabolical, a ban was imposed on cultivation on pain of death, mercilessly suppressing the slightest attempt to comply with religious canons. So, undeservedly for a long time, the woutli was forgotten - cartilaginous amaranth, or white-seeded.

A lot of time has passed since then, the plant has long been rehabilitated and now occupies the minds of scientists around the world, admiring the large number of unique beneficial substances contained in it.

Exotic culture came into vogue in the Middle Ages.

It was sung by poets, recreated in their creations by architects and artists. Amaranth entered the design of garden landscapes.

Author: Martyanova L.M.

Amaranth. Classification, synonyms, botanical description, nutritional value, cultivation

Amaranthus cruentus

Celosia cristata L., an ornamental plant widely used in horticulture - cockscombs - is a vegetable in India. In the Madras region, its leaves and young shoots are eaten like spinach.

C. argentea L. (Congo) is used in the same way. In the same place, two other types of annual cellosia, C. laxa Schum, serve as a spinach vegetable. I Thon. and C. trigyna L., a small grass closely related to amaranth, grows in tropical parts of Asia and Africa; utilized as a vegetable in India.

The genus Amaranthus (Amarantus) has about 50 species, mainly used in ornamental gardening. Some of them, however, are also used as vegetables. So, in India, juicy succulent young stems of A. gangeticus L. are eaten.

There are varieties of this amaranth: viridis - very common in culture, with green leaves and inflorescences; albus - white, widely cultivated in Bengal; giganteus - giant, used like asparagus mainly by Europeans.

Amaranthus caudate

In China, A. Blitum L., A. caudatus L., A. panlculatus L. are grown as vegetables.

In Martinique, A. spinosa L. (under the names "spicy incense" and "pork spinach") is bred for culinary purposes.

In California, A. Palmeri Sereno Watson is cultivated as a spinach plant.

Amaranth seeds in some places serve as cereals. In India, for example, the species A. frumentaceus Roxb is used for this purpose.

The leaf buds of Aerna tanata Jussieu are eaten in India. The buds of young plants of Cyathula prostrata Blum are used in the same way in West Africa.

In the Congo, India and other countries, the leaves of Alternanthera sessilis. R. Br. eat with fish.

Author: Ipatiev A.N.

Amaranth, Amaranthus. Methods of application, origin of the plant, range, botanical description, cultivation

Amaranth is used for food, its leaves remain tender, do not coarsen for a long time. In taste and appearance, they resemble spinach (it is no coincidence that the plant is sometimes called African or Indian spinach). One of the favorite dishes of the inhabitants of many African countries is amaranth leaves boiled in lightly salted water and seasoned with palm oil.

Vegetable amaranth has been used by residents of tropical countries for a very long time. The Dutch botanist and plant systematist Rumphius, who lived and worked for 50 years in the Netherlands East Indies, wrote about amaranth in the Travnik published in 1736: "... this herbaceous vegetable plant is distributed throughout the world, especially in the East Indies. and the West Indies; but Europeans have better vegetables."

Rumphius would probably be surprised to know that today amaranth is sold in the street markets of Amsterdam. Currently, amaranth occupies an important place among vegetable crops cultivated in the tropics.

The amaranth plant has an upright stem, often thick and succulent; in some varieties it is ribbed.

Amaranth leaves vary quite a lot in shape. Their color can be green or purple. The inflorescence - an ear resembling a brush - is formed either at the top of the plant or in the axils of the leaves.

Numerous flowers are very small, bisexual. Up to 50 thousand seeds are formed in each inflorescence.

Amaranth is a green vegetable crop from the Amaranth family (grain species are also known in the genus Amaranthus, but they are not considered here). 100 g of fresh amaranth leaves contain 15 g of dry matter, 5,2 g of protein, 1 g of fiber, 340 mg of calcium, 4,1 mg of iron, 7,7 mg of carotene, 120 mg of vitamin C, 85 mg of folic acid, and also thiamine and riboflavin. The energy value of 100 g of leaves is 43 kcal.

Up to 1 kg of amaranth leaves can be harvested from 2 m4 of land, and the growing period lasts only 1-2 months. High crop productivity is associated with increased efficiency of photosynthesis.

An important property of amaranth is resistance to many diseases and pests that affect leaf vegetable crops, which makes it convenient for growing in crop rotations with other crops.

Most amaranth species are represented by annual weeds with a relatively short period of development. Some species are grown in home gardens and for sale. In Southeast Asia, it is mainly tricolor amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L), in Africa - crimson amaranth (Amaranthus cruentis (L.) Sauer.), in the Caribbean - twilight amaranth (Amaranthus dubius Mart ex Tell).

Some varieties of amaranth are short-day plants, due to which they do not bloom for a long time in the summer, and harvesting can be carried out several times during one season.

Since amaranth seeds are very small, they are often mixed with sand before sowing to ensure uniform sowing.

Vegetable amaranth in the tropics is grown during the rainy season at a relatively low temperature. With the use of irrigation, the crop can be cultivated in the dry season. The sowing rate is 3-10 g of seeds per 1 m2 of ridge (1,5-2 kg/ha). Sometimes amaranth is grown through seedlings.

To protect the seeds from being washed away during heavy rains, the ridges after sowing are mulched, for example, with dried grass.

Harvesting begins as soon as the plants reach a height of 15-20 cm.

Authors: Baranov V.D., Ustimenko G.V.

Amaranth. Interesting plant facts

Amaranthus tricollor

Recently, during excavations in Central Mexico, American archaeologists found amaranth seeds, which were about five thousand years old. How important the cultivation of grain amaranth played in the Aztec state at the time of the appearance of the Spanish conquistadors is evidenced by the surviving lists of tribute that the provinces paid to the emperor.

More than 70 gallons of amaranth grain were brought into the capital in a year, along with 000 gallons of beans and 81 gallons of corn. From the accounts of eyewitnesses from the time of the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards, we know about the ritual use of amaranth at the main festival of the Aztecs in honor of their military gods. On the square, large figures were constructed from amaranth flour and corn grains mixed with honey and agave juice. At the end of the holiday, the priests broke these figures into pieces, like "the meat and bones of the gods", and distributed them to the faithful, who ate them with reverence. Consumption of other food on this day was forbidden.

In Central Europe, in ancient times, blue amaranth was bred for the production of flour. A large number of seeds of this plant are found in excavations from the time of pile buildings.

Amaranth is a magnificent plant with bright red, purple or golden flowers that stand like pillars of fire above green foliage. Its grains are only slightly larger than a grain of sand, but one plant produces about half a million of them and therefore can become a food product for millions of people. So why has amaranth been forgotten?

It turns out that the Spanish conquistadors actively destroyed it, calling it the "devil's plant", since it was used in the traditional Indian religion to "exorcise evil spirits." Today, amaranth survives only in the isolated mountain valleys of Latin America. However, we are witnessing his second birth. In 1972, Australian plant physiologist John Downton discovered that amaranth grains contain much more protein than wheat, corn, rice and other grains. This protein is rich in the amino acid lysine to the same extent as milk, while the lysine content of other grains is low.

Amaranth is resistant to disease, drought, and heat. It adapts well to new conditions, including those that are unbearable for other plants.

The amaranth (shiritse) family is represented by 65 genera and 850 species, distributed mainly in the subtropical regions of the globe. All of them are ancient crops. Today, the culture of amaranth as a cereal plant, in addition to Central and South America, is carried out in China, the Himalayas and in the mountains of India. Porridge, cakes, cakes, refreshing drinks are prepared from amaranth flour, as well as fried and eaten as flakes, which are not inferior in taste to corn flakes.

However, amaranth has not only food value, but is also widely used for decorative purposes due to its bright color, unusual shape of inflorescences, and diversely colored foliage. The most famous species is celosia - a cock's comb, the inflorescence of which is similar to a cock's comb and is represented by a large number of garden forms: white, yellow, pink, crimson, bright red, purple and even variegated. The cock's comb was imported to Europe from Africa back in the Middle Ages , and during the Renaissance it was widely cultivated in European gardens. The leaves and young shoots of the plant were eaten, and celosium oil was obtained from the seeds.

In our gardens, the most common species are: tailed amaranth (the so-called fox tail) with long, almost meter long carmine-red or bright green inflorescences; and also sad amaranth and crimson amaranth, known as panicled amaranth, with straight blood-red flowers.

Amaranth - lamaranthos" - an unfading flower (from the Greek "a" - not, "maraino" - to fade, "anthos" - a flower) is so named because it really never fades.

Author: Krasikov S.

Shiritsa (amaranth), Amaranth. reference Information

Shiritsa is a malicious weed of vegetable gardens, orchards, fields. The Latin name comes from the Latin word for "unfading". In Ukraine, 9 species of amaranth grow, differing in approximately the same nutritional qualities. More often than other species are found: white amaranth, upturned amaranth and zhmindovidny amaranth.

Young green amaranth before flowering is soft, domestic animals willingly eat it, seeds are suitable for livestock and poultry feed.

One amaranth plant produces 400-500 thousand seeds. Ripe seeds are scattered on all sides from inflorescences swayed by the wind. The grains are small, black, shiny. They are collected together with inflorescences, which are spread on the canopies and dried, and then beaten out with sticks. After cleaning the seeds from the husk, they get cereals that resemble semolina not only in appearance, but also in taste.

Young plants with only 5-6 leaves go to the table for unleavened salads. To give salads a more piquant taste and spiciness, sorrel leaves, shepherd's purse, wild radish, dandelion, goutweed, nettle, etc. are added to the greens of amaranth.

In the Caucasus and Central Asia, amaranth greens are used to make soups, borscht, okroshka, as a substitute for spinach. In the Volga region, seeds were previously collected and brought down on cereals, from which various cereals were cooked, mainly dairy.

Young leaves and shoots of amaranth are boiled in salt water, rubbed through a sieve, passed through a meat grinder. The resulting puree with vegetable oil, boiled chopped eggs and green onions completely replaces spinach.

Milk porridges are prepared from the groats of amaranth, it is used for seasoning soups, as a side dish for meat and fish dishes. Groats are mixed with grain flour when baking donuts and pancakes to give them splendor and friability.

Shiritsu has long been cultivated in the mountainous countries of Central America as a mealy and cereal crop. Today, amaranth is occasionally grown in southern China and India.

Author: Reva M.L.

Amaranth (lizard, whatley, devil seeds), Amaranthus. Recipes for use in traditional medicine and cosmetology

Ethnoscience:

• For the treatment of diabetes: take an infusion of amaranth leaves regularly. To prepare the infusion, pour 1 tablespoon of chopped amaranth leaves with 1 cup of boiling water, leave for 15-20 minutes and drink 2-3 times a day. Amaranth can help lower blood sugar levels.
• For the treatment of anemia: eat amaranth seeds. They are high in iron, which can help increase blood hemoglobin levels.
• For the treatment of gastritis: prepare a decoction of amaranth leaves and stems. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tablespoon of chopped amaranth leaves and stems, leave for 10-15 minutes and drink the resulting infusion 2-3 times a day before meals. Amaranth can help reduce inflammation and irritation of the stomach lining.
• For the treatment of arthritis: Apply amaranth seed oil to sore joints. To prepare the oil, grind 1 cup of amaranth seeds and pour them with 2 cups of vegetable oil (such as olive or sesame), insist for a week and strain. The oil can help reduce inflammation and soreness in the joints.

Cosmetology:

• Mask for the face: mix 2 tablespoons of ground amaranth seeds with 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 tablespoon of milk. Apply the resulting mask on your face for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with warm water. This mask will help moisturize and nourish the skin, improve its texture and color.
• Shampoo: Mix 2 tablespoons of ground amaranth seeds with 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Use the resulting shampoo to wash your hair. Shampoo will help clean hair, moisturize it and improve texture.
• Body cream: Mix 1 cup of ground amaranth seeds with 1 cup of coconut oil and 10 drops of lavender essential oil. Apply the resulting cream to the skin after a shower or bath. The cream will help moisturize and nourish the skin, reduce inflammation and irritation.
• Hair oil: mix 1 cup of ground amaranth seeds with 1 cup of olive oil and infuse for a week. After that, strain and use the resulting oil to massage the scalp and hair. The oil will help moisturize and nourish the scalp, improve hair growth, reduce hair loss and brittleness.

Attention! Before use, consult with a specialist!

Amaranth (lizard, whatley, devil seeds), Amaranthus. Tips for growing, harvesting and storing

Growing amaranth can be an interesting and rewarding activity.

Tips for growing, harvesting and storing amaranth:

Cultivation:

• Amaranth prefers sunny locations and well-drained soils. It can also be grown in pots on the window.
• Amaranth plants are low maintenance and drought tolerant.
• Amaranth crops are carried out from late April to early May. Seeds can be sown both in open ground and in pots.
• The distance between plants should be about 20 cm.
• Amaranth plants can be harvested 80-100 days after sowing.

Workpiece:

• Amaranth leaves and stems can be eaten as a substitute for spinach, watercress, green onions and other vegetables. Leaves and stems can be harvested throughout the summer.
• Amaranth seeds can be used to make bread, porridge, pudding and other dishes. The collected seeds should be doused with water and dried in the sun. Store seeds in a dry place.
• Amaranth flowers are used for decorative purposes and as a seasoning for salads.

Storage:

• Amaranth leaves and stems can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.
• Dried leaves and stems can be stored in airtight containers for several months.
• Amaranth seeds can be stored in airtight containers in a dry place for several years.

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