- Harrow: origin and characteristics
- The most beautiful species and varieties
- Planting and caring for restharrow
- Harvest, use and effect of restharrow
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The restharrow is a bee-friendly perennial for the garden and has been valued for its medicinal properties for thousands of years. We present the flowering, pretty shrub in more detail.
As a true wild bee magnet, the restharrow (Ononis) should not be missing in your garden. The thorny restharrow thrives in sandy and sunny locations in particular. In this article you will learn how to cultivate the small shrub with the many flowers in your garden, what types there are and how the plant is used as a medicinal herb.
Harrow: origin and characteristics
The genus of resthocks (Ononis) belongs to the legumes and is therefore in the same plant family as, for example, the pea (Pisum sativum ) and the kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). The approximately 88 species of restharrow are mainly found in the Mediterranean region, and they are particularly common in Morocco and Spain. Only three species are native to Central Europe: the thorny rest-hallows (O. spinosa), the round-leaved rest-hallows (O. rotundifolia) and the yellow rest-hallows ( O.natrix). The most common is the thorny panther, also known as women's warfare, a thorn or spiny herb. Since this is the only one in Germany that can be cultivated well, it is the main subject of this article.
The thorny restharrow (Ononis spinosa subsp. spinosa) is a perennial, 10 to 80 cm high subshrub. This means that the shoots near the ground become slightly lignified and that the rest of the harrow sprout from these lignified shoots after the winter. The red stems form a nice contrast to the dark green leaves, are only woody at the base and with their sharp thorns give this restharrow species its name. The three-part pinnate leaves are alternately arranged on the stems. The flowers of the restharrow appear from April to September and are located as moderately dense flower clusters in the leaf axils. The relationship to the pea can be seen from the flowers, becausethe restharrow, like peas and beans, has butterfly flowers.
The pink flowers of the thorny restharrow give off a very sweet, almost unpleasant scent during the flowering period and thus attract many bees: 15 different species of wild bees use the thorny restharrow as a source of pollen. But not only bees like the restharrow. It is also the main food source for the caterpillar of the Common Blue (Polymmatus icarus), a rare butterfly. After flowering, small, hairy, kidney-shaped pods form. The up to 60 cm deep taproot, which is used as medicine in naturopathy, is particularly characteristic of the thorny restharrow.
The most beautiful species and varieties
- Thorny Restharrow (Ononis spinosa): The thorny shrub may appear a bit rough in spring, but this impression is gained from June to September broken by the multitude of pink blossoms.
- Yellow Restharrow (Ononis natrix): The flower color of the Yellow Restharrow is also in accordance with its name. The shrub, up to 70 cm high, is used exclusively as an ornamental plant in Mediterranean gardens. Red veins can be seen on the still closed flowers, which are located on the underside of the petals. The yellow restharrow only grows on dry, calcareous, warm and permeable, preferably stony soil. Therefore, the extension only makes sense in certain places.
- Creeping Restharrow (Ononis spinosa subsp. procurrens): Also known asOnonis repens, the creeping restharrow is a subspecies of the thorny restharrow and a real bee pasture: Ten wild bee species collect pollen in their pink flowers. As the name suggests, the Creeping Acorn is suitable as an uncomplicated soil cover, best on stony, dry and well-drained soil in full sun.
- Round-leaved restharrow (Ononis rotundifolia): This species also grows as a small shrub and has pink flowers. Unlike theirsConspecifics, it has spoon-shaped leaves. In addition, the round-leaved restharrow also feels comfortable in partial shade - in contrast to its conspecifics, who like it in full sun. However, the soil should still be dry and well drained.
- Bocks-Harrow (Ononis spinosa subsp. hircina): Also a subspecies of Thorny restharrow is the buck restharrow, which is also known under the names Ononis arvensis and field restharrow. Among farmers it is considered a stubborn weed. The pink flowers give off a strong fragrance.
Planting and caring for restharrow
The thorny rest-harrow likes sunny and dry locations. In order for the restharrow to thrive, the soil should be permeable, lean and humus-rich. A slightly loamy sand would be ideal. But even stony and gravelly ground doesn't bother the restharrow. It is best to add a nutrient-poor and loose soil to the existing garden soil to improve the site conditions for the restharrow. For example, our Plantura organic herb and seed soil is suitable for this. The loose and airy structure makes it an ideal substrate for the restharrow. In addition, the soil contains some lime fertilizer, which is needed for good growth. If the garden soil is particularly heavy, it is advisable to add sand or expanded clay to ensure optimal drainage. This also applies to pot planting. Waterlogging is not tolerated by the restharrow. If the soil is rather acidic, you should provide the selected location with additional lime fertilizer to create optimal growth conditions.
The restharrow can be established either by sowing or by planting in the garden. Sowing takes place in autumn. It is better to sow too much than too little, because the chances of germinating next spring are not very high. However, some seeds may not germinate until the following year. The sowing should be kept evenly moist and the young plants should initially grow in semi-shade. Since sowing requires a little patience and finesse, restharrows are more commonly planted: from March to October, the young perennials are planted 50 cm apart. Up to four copies can be accommodated in one square meter.
Tip: The restharrow is ideal for greening dry southern slopes.
Like other perennials, restharrow should be planted after thePrune back to a few inches above the ground during the growing season. You can do this step in winter after the flowers have faded. However, it is advisable to wait until the beginning of March, because the small legumes of the restharrow serve as food for many birds over the winter.
Tip: Like all other legumes in the soil, the restharrow enters into a symbiosis with nodule bacteria and can thus fix nitrogen from the air. Therefore, it does not need additional fertilization. However, make sure that there is a sufficient supply of lime in the soil.
Harvest, use and effect of restharrow
The thorny restharrow was already used as a medicinal plant by the ancient Romans. The strong taproot of the restharrow contains most of the ingredients. This can be dug up in late summer to autumn and then hung up to dry. Preparations from the restharrow root are considered diuretic. This means that water excretion via the kidneys is increased and harmful germs are excreted from the urinary system more quickly. Accordingly, for example, a tea made from restharrow root is used for bladder infections. For this, the finely chopped restharrow roots are poured over with boiling water. The container in which the infusion is prepared should be well covered to prevent the medicinally active ingredients from evaporating.
The kidney cleans our blood, which means that harmful substances are filtered out and the formation of new red blood cells is stimulated. Restharrow is used to improve kidney function. In naturopathy, blood purification and the associated detoxification are said to have a variety of positive effects, including stimulating digestion and improving general he alth.
The young shoots of the restharrow can be harvested from April to June, the leaves until October. The green has a mild taste and can be added to a salad, for example.
Warning: People who suffer from edema (water retention) caused by heart failure should avoid preparations made from thorn restharrow!
For more shrubs that bees like restharrows, check out our article on insect friendly perennials and shrubs.