Verbena, a flower with magical properties (Aloysia triphylla or Lippia citriodora).

 The family Verbenaceae comprises 175 genera and 2,300 species in tropical and subtropical regions.

Herbaceous, perennial (over five years) deciduous shrub 1-3 m tall, with a strong smell of lemon. Dark gray shoot quickly wooded.

It smells ... lemon, lifts the mood, sweetens the senses, and banishes extra pounds, while its name is ... analogous to a queen! Your acquaintance with her will last for a long time!

At first, you will be enchanted by the tiny flowers adorn this beautiful deciduous shrub, sometimes white, purple, or light green.

Then, your sense of smell will capture refined lemonades to cool the space pleasantly, while when you boil its lanceolate green leaves, you will taste on your palate a pleasantly sour taste that will give you well-being.

 The Louisa herb, with the Latin name "Lippia citriodora," belongs to the family Verbenaceae (which includes about 250 species) and originates from America.

The beautiful Louisa is a medicinal flower that takes care of our good health in many ways, such as a decoction or oil, since its flowers and leaves benefit the human body.

Climate - soil:

It thrives in hot sunny areas, while at shallow temperatures, it dies. Therefore, soils with slightly acidic soils are required.

Verbena, Requires soils rich in organic matter and well-drained.

 Propagation: Transplants: Transplants are taken in early March.

The cuttings are essentially first or second-year shoots (12-15 cm long) taken from the mother plants.

 The cuttings are wetted and then immersed in rooting hormone (the lower part of the cut shoots h = 2 cm), then placed by two-thirds on a rooting substrate.

Rooting lasts four weeks.

Planting distances of 80-100 cm between rows and 60-70 cm between plants.

The best time to plant Verbena is in the field from mid-April to mid-May.

 Cultivation care: Weed control: With cuttings or ground cover. 

Field preparation:

 Plowing, and then harrowing.

 Fertilization: The use of nitrogen fertilizer increases leaf production.

 Irrigation: An irrigated crop requires one watering every 10-15 days. The soil must be kept moist.

 In Autumn, the shoots are cut at 10-15 cm, above the ground, after the leaves the first fall.

The rest of the plant is covered with straw and protected from low temperatures.

Collection - Yield: The collection takes place in early summer, with the beginning of flowering. We may have a second harvest, usually in late August-early September, but the quality could be better. 

The second year reaches total production.

Dry weight production can reach 400-500 kg/acre.

 What does it help?

 * For stomach and digestive system diseases, its decoction is beneficial and helps when we suffer from indigestion, flatulence, neuralgia, and colic of the stomach and intestines. * Stops diarrhea and bleeding * Helps lose weight and eliminate cellulite and excess fluids. * It is an effective tonic, but at the same time, soothing. * It is antipyretic. * It is a diuretic and is recommended in cases of nephrolithiasis. * Helps detoxify the body. * Relieves migraines. * Fights terrible breath. * Louise hot infusion is famous for its aphrodisiac properties. * Use the herbal infusion to wash and cleanse your face. * Its oil helps wounds to heal. * Beneficial with poultices in nerve pains, nerve headaches, and earaches. * The plant's essential oil is also used in the perfumery, confectionery, distillery, etc.

The main ingredients in Louise essential oil (Verbena ) are citral (30-35%), nerol, and geraniol. Louisa extract also contains verbascoside glycoside.

 Diet

Louisa's beneficial properties help detoxify and eliminate unnecessary fluids from the body and the burning of cellulite.

 It is one of the most famous herbs for treating obesity. Frequent use helps to increase metabolism and regulate appetite and diuresis - which is why it is a good choice for those who suffer from fluid retention.

 Also, it helps significantly in tightening the skin.

Choose to drink a cup of decoction about 20 minutes before your meals. 

Try to keep it for 1-2 months, take a break of 2 weeks, and continue depending on the pounds you want to lose.

 If you want, you can also use it as a compress.

Bad breath

If you feel or have been told that your mouth smells bad, drink a Louisa decoction.

Of course, bad breath is a symptom for many reasons, such as oral, dental, respiratory, or gastrointestinal problems.

Until he finds the final solution, leave Soak 50 grams of Louisa leaves for 15 minutes in 1 liter of cold water and then boil them for a few seconds.

 Let them sit for another 10 minutes to dissolve the plant's essential oil in the water.

Drink 3-4 cups of this "tea" during the day, and you will find that the stench will be fought.

Infusion Preparation Instructions:

 After the water in the kettle boils, remove from the heat, add the herb's recommended dose, and leave it covered for 5 minutes. Then, strain it and drink it.

Decoction:

The decoction is suitable for the stiff leaves and roots of herbs.

In this case, boil the herb with water for 5 minutes, strain it, and drink it.

 Essential oil Louise can be easily found in pharmacies or organic stores.

But you can make your essential oil if you have a small steam distiller.

Just a few drops of a cotton ball help the wounds to heal, and the bruises heal.

But do not overdo it because Louisa has a very high camphor content and can bring you the opposite results.

 Its essential oil is obtained by steam distillation.

The distillation must be done immediately because the essential oil content is shallow, so we want to limit evaporation (essential oils are volatile).

 The main components of the essential oil are citral, methyl heptane, carvone, limonene, dipentene, linalool, terpineol, borneol, nerol, geraniol, geranyl acetate, etc.

Properties-uses:

Louisa leaves, and flowers have antispasmodic, antipyretic, diuretic, and sedative effects. 

They are also used as a decoction and aromatic agent in alcoholic beverages. 

They are used in perfumery, soap making, etc.

Aromatic proposal Louise with lavender for calm days and nights

Ingredients 5-6 leaves Louisa 1 1/2 teaspoon lavender 1 cup natural mineral water one tablespoon honey.

 Instructions Boil the natural mineral water to the required degrees (100 ° Celsius) and add the Louisa leaves and the lavender flowers.

 Let them take off their aroma for 4-5 minutes, and after straining them and serving them in your favorite cup, add the honey.

Could you relax and enjoy it.

A few more secrets

I will tell you a secret but do not tell it anywhere.

You can even make the one-liter drink and put it in the fridge.

This way, you will enjoy your relaxing drink icy even in your office during the day.

 Make ice cubes from the drink you prepare and not from water; this way, you will keep the taste of your drink unchanged.

Info - Tips.

Mild antioxidant supplements with Louis extract protect neutrophils from oxidative damage, reducing the signs of muscle damage from regular exercise with running without impeding cellular adaptation to exercise.

Aloysia citriodora extract exhibits antioxidant properties that can play an essential role in modulating GSH reductase activity in lymphocytes and erythrocytes and protecting plasma from oxidative damage from exercise.

Louise extract containing 25% of verbascoside glycoside exhibits strong antioxidant capacity, especially in a lipophilic environment, higher than expected, as estimated by the pure antioxidant ability of pure verbascoside, possibly due to synergistic effects.

 The ability of verbascoside to act as an effective free radical scavenger in lipophilic environments has also been demonstrated. 

Verbascoside-enriched extracts can have exciting applications in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, or functional foods.

 Although some "in vitro" toxicity to human verbascoside lymphocytes with the involvement of PARP-1 and p53 proteins has been reported, subsequent "in vivo" trials have reported no toxicity at high oral doses.

Its consumption in a decoction is said to help with muscle spasms, stomach aches, menstrual cramps, and anxiety, and as an antipyretic.

Synonyms of Louisa is also Verbena triphylla L'Hér., Verbena citriodora Cav., Lippia triphylla, Lippia citriodora, Aloysia citriodora (Cav.) Ort.hierba luisa, cedron. 

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