Features
To have a mother and stepmother straight unbranched stems covered with scale-like leaves. The plant has a long and highly branched rhizome. Long petioles are rounded heart-shaped leaves, outer side smooth, green, with an inner whitish and pubescent. Basal leaves sometimes reach a diameter of 25 cm and resemble small leaves of burdock. Stems grow to 10-25 cm and end with a flower basket.
Mother and stepmother blooms in early spring, when the snow begins to descend. Its Golden yellow flowers can coexist with still not melted snow, in late may or early June the fruits are ripe. Mother-and-stepmother very sun-loving, she chooses the non-shaded areas and prefers clayey and loamy soils. Although this plant is considered one of the most unpretentious, covered with a dense turf soils it does not grow.
Reproduction
The main method of reproduction is vegetative, with a long white underground rhizomes, however, the mother-and-stepmother can reproduce by seeds. She quickly grabs all available territory, and its leaves often form dense cover so that other weeds in her Bush almost never occur. After maturation of the mother-and-stepmother resembles a dandelion, its oblong achenes, pubescent with soft hairs, fly with the breeze.
Application
Flowers and leaves are slightly different in their composition, they contain malic and tartaric acid, cartoned, vitamin C, as well as organic and mineral salts. Decoctions and infusions mother-and-stepmother is used as a disinfectant, anti-inflammatory or antiallergic drugs. Flowers are harvested in spring and the leaves in June, they are then dried in a cool and dark areas. Drugs made are successfully used in cosmetics.
How to deal
Gardeners and horticulturists are familiar with this weed, the fight against it is constant. When plowing or digging of land rootlets mother and stepmother germinate quickly, occupying all the space around. There are two ways of dealing with this weed. The first of these is a thorough cleaning of the ground when digging, it is necessary to get rid of all the roots, remove even the smallest. During the spring and summer is recommended to periodically dig up the plant.
The second method of struggle - the use of a solution against weeds, for example, "Roundup". As soon as the first flower stems, watered them with a solution. When the grass turns yellow, it will happen in about 10-14 days, you can start digging and shaping the beds.
