Black steppe: A shrub with small white flowers

shrub with small white flowers

The black steppe is a kind of shrub, a plant that does not grow very tall and has flowers that are very beautiful in an ornamental way, but It also has other types of characteristicsas it has important aromatic components, and it is even used medicinally for different stomach conditions.

When we talk about cistus monspeliensis, we refer to a shrubby plant that belongs to the cistacea family and depending on where we see its characteristics, it can receive this scientific name, or the denominations of black steppe, Moorish steppe, mosquera steppe, jagz, black jagz or black rockrose, among others.

Features

solitary shrub called Black Steppe

Among its more general characteristics, we can say that this plant usually has about a meter in height and that it is a species very tolerant to different types of inclement weather, highlighting its normal development even in drought conditions or with the poorest and most nutrient-deficient soils.

One point to take into account is that, although it can withstand a certain degree of low temperaturesit is not frost resistant. In principle, this is used as an ornamental plant, but in most places where we see it, it has surely grown wild and is also widely used in different ways as a medicinal plant in traditional disciplines.

The black steppe es an evergreen shrub that is characterized by a deep green hue and it has a strong balsamic aroma, or it can also be interpreted as labdanum aroma.

In its largest specimens, this black steppe can show measurements close to two metersbut these are essential cases, since you will generally see them with a measurement close to one meter in height.

Regarding the shape of its leaves, these are elongated and narrowlinear and lanceolate, which have the same intense green color as the entire plant and on the underside you will be able to distinguish that three veins are displayed, of a color somewhat paler than the leaf.

When the summer begins to end, the leaves begin to darken to dark brown tones and in some cases they will turn completely black, due to severe droughts or the constant heat it has received during this stage. It is of this characteristic that occurs at that time of year that this plant is also usually known by the name of black steppe.

Yes to this plant great ornamental potential is recognizedThis has to do with its small flowers, which do not usually exceed three centimeters in diameter, which occur in some species of clusters that are generated by their tops. In each of these tops there can be between 2 and 10 flowers and these are usually covered by long hairs.

The flower is composed of five petals They also have a hair coverage similar to that of their tops and in the center you can see their totally yellow flower bud that gives it a very colorful appearance and similar to what can be a sunflower flower.

Its fruits are presented in the form of small capsule, with an opening of 5 valves that are located at its apex. It has a large number of seeds, is rough in texture and has the shape of a tetrahedron.

Habitat of the black steppe

The cistus monspeliensis It can be found in different habitats and heights, ranging from sea level to approximately 1200 meters of altitude. The variety of habitats in which it can be found, responds to its condition of resisting and developing even in the soils that have a lower amount of nutrients.

In reference to the soils, for this shrub to develop, these They can be both basic, that is, limestone, and more acidic soilslike those of slates, which means that no matter the pH of the place where it is grown, it will surely grow in the best way.

If you are near land in which there are other exponents of trees such as the oaks o the cork oaks, as well as where silica is found in large quantities, this plant will develop and reproduce generating large fields of black steppe.

Its cultivation is generally ornamental and one of the characteristics that makes it very common in urban areas is that it is very tolerant of limesomething that is not so common in this type of shrub.

The entire Mediterranean region can be taken into account as the zone of growth and influence of the black steppe, being present in the largest islands belonging to the Balearic Islands, in Madeira and in the Canary Islands.

In the peninsula, you will be able to see specimens distributed throughout all the Mediterranean provinces and Toledountil reaching Catalonia, but it is also in the entire area of ​​Andalusia and Sierra Morena where high densities of this are detected.

Outside of Spain, it is found mainly in France (De Montpelier is precisely his name), but also in countries like Albania, Malta, Algeria, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and even in the United States.

Properties

Cistus Monspeliensis also called white rockrose

As we have already told you, has a special characteristic that is to be ornamentalbut to this other properties are added, which makes it used both aromatically and medicinally.

The anti-inflammatory and antidiarrheal properties of the black steppe are known in the world of medicine. It has also been concluded that this plant contains flavonoidsof which it is considered that they act in an antioxidant way.

It has also been given importance as a factor to scavenge free radicals and as a protection in DNA divisionbut all this has been taken into account by using a certain dose that should not be exceeded.

All these studies that found the antioxidant properties of the plant have led the scientific community to the conclusion that It is indicated as a photoprotector of skin tissue It is also very useful for treating all kinds of conditions in humans related to oxidative stress.

In the world of natural medicine, Extracts from the cistus monspeliensis to achieve an improvement in conditions of the respiratory tract and oral problems, as well as it is used as an accelerator of healing, as an antiseptic and as a protection against the appearance of ulcers.

Black steppe: A shrub with small white flowers

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