The stork, or crane, as it is called otherwise, belongs to the genus of annual plants of the geranium family. Depending on the place of growth, it has a large number of local names. These include, for example, the "cord", the "rake", the "rake", the "bushy", the "small rake", the "needle", the "wild carrot", the "magpie needles", the "worm" and the "sock". The stork is a herbaceous plant with stem root; extended, rough, covered with hairs and branched from the base, the stem does not reach more than sixty centimeters in height; the cirrus, alternate, long-leaved and pubescent leaves have stipules.
Stork flowers have purple or lilac pink petals, often with pronounced dark veins. The fruit is a brown wedge-shaped, pubescent achene that ends with a spiral appendix. The plant generally blooms from May to September, the fruit ripens from June to October.
It grows as a weed plant in the fields, near houses and roads, in cultivated plant crops. It prefers sandy soils. It is widely found in the Urals, in Siberia, in the European part of the Russian Federation.
Very often, the stork is confused with Robert's geranium similar to him. The differences of geraniums are found in a strong unpleasant smell, larger leaf and stem size. Robert Geranium prefers humid and humid places.
As a result of the investigation, it was possible to discover that preparations prepared with stork grass have a broad spectrum of action. It can include hemostatic, astringent and anticonvulsant medicinal properties of the plant. Tincture based on the aerial part of the stork when used internally has the property of reducing the permeability of the blood vessel walls, has a pronounced hemostatic effect, relieves the central nervous system and the cerebral cortex.
In addition, it is recommended to use stork flower tincture as a mild sedative for insomnia, especially in children and the elderly, and to wash suppurative wounds. The stork is also used for the preparation of various cosmetics. The decoction of the plant is widely used in folk medicine to reduce cold symptoms, with pneumonia, swelling, pleurisy, gynecological diseases, hemorrhoids and angina. Stork baths are recommended to treat pediatric diathesis, as well as fright and seizure conditions.
It is known to use dried stork grass in the form of finely ground powder to spray wounds on animals. In addition, the stork since ancient times is considered one of the most useful foods for sheep. It is a good honey plant.
