Dorothy FarrarTurkish dragon head
The Turkish dragonhead is a plant that can reach heights of between 20 and 40 centimeters and is characterized by charming blue-purple flowers. In addition to being attractive in the garden, it also serves to promote health, which will also be considered in more detail below.
General overview
The Turkish scorpionfish – in Latin Dracocephalum moldavica – belongs to the genus of scorpionfish, which in turn belong to the mint family. This plant is also known as Moldavian scorpionfish or Moldavian balm .
It is a plant up to 40 cm high that usually flowers in July and August. The inflorescences are then what are known as pseudowhorls consisting of four flowers.
The fruits of the plant can grow to about 2.5mm long. The name of the Turkish dragon head, meanwhile, does not quite suggest what is really behind it. Because the Turkish dragon head got its name solely because of the shape of the blue-violet flower. It can be prepared as a drink and has a very calming and balancing effect and is therefore by no means dragon-like.
occurrence and cultivation
The Turkish dragon head found its way from Istanbul – then Constantinople – to Central Europe in the 16th century and has since found its place in the local gardens. Whether in rock gardens, perennial gardens or in flower beds, it makes an attractive impression as an ornamental plant and also forms a pleasantly fragrant bee pasture. The Turkish scorpionfish owes its wide distribution to its positively intended undemanding nature, because it does not need any special climatic conditions to feel good.
However, it likes the warmth and therefore grows particularly well on calcareous soils that receive as much sunshine as possible. Weakly acidic soil, waterlogging and a high proportion of clay in the soil have proven to be rather unsuitable. The optimal cultivation of the Turkish dragon head should take place in April or May. A distance of about 20 centimeters and a maximum depth of the seed of 3 centimeters should be observed.
Application and effect
Turkish scorpionfish smells like lemon balm and has long been used like it, probably associating it with it. After drying, however, the Turkish scorpion fish retains more of its aroma than lemon balm. The healing effects are due in particular to the essential oils contained . The leaves and shoot tips of the Turkish scorpion fish contain up to 0.5 percent essential oils, which are made up of different substances.
Citral makes up 30 percent, geranyl acetate 45 percent, geraniol 11 percent and other substances form, for example, 3.2 percent neryl acetate and 0.4 percent nerol. In order to achieve the best possible effects, the sprout at the time of flowering offers the perfect time for harvesting. The medicinal use of the Turkish scorpion fish is in the form of a prepared tea to which the herb is added. It is best to use 1 to 3 teaspoons of Turkish scorpion fish to prepare the tea. About 150 ml of hot water are then poured over this. The tea should then be covered for around 10 minutes before the herb is strained out and the tea is enjoyed.
The tea should be taken several times a day, with the drink being freshly prepared each time. There is also no need to prepare pure tea from the Turkish dragon head. It can also be added to your own existing tea blends without any problems, in order not only to benefit from the healing effect, but also from its attractive aroma. It is not uncommon for it to be used to make liqueurs or as a spice for other drinks, cakes or desserts. The healing effect remains and gives a lot of room for experiments. Wherever you use and process the Turkish dragon head, you will achieve a positive effect, a pleasant taste and sometimes a color note.
What does the Turkish dragon head help against?
Importance to health
The Turkish scorpionfish – prepared as a tea – has a calming , balancing and antispasmodic effect similar to that of lemon balm . This plant is therefore particularly often used in folk medicine for problems with the stomach or abdominal pain and cramps. Taking a tea prepared with the Turkish dragonhead stimulates the activity of both the bile and the liver . As a result, a higher level of gastric juice is formed and it is precisely this fact that causes cramps in the intestine or stomach to resolve more quickly.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.