Lemon leaves: how to distinguish from an orange, how they look in the photo, what are the beneficial properties, what to do with them, how to collect and prepare?

Lemon. We say this word, and it becomes sour in the mouth! But the acid is pleasant, refreshing, reminiscent of a delicious cake or snack.

We know almost everything about this plant, but not many use its amazing qualities fully. What kind? It turns out that lemon leaves are healthier than the fruit!

In our article, you will learn how to distinguish them from orange leaves, how to properly collect and harvest lemon leaves. We will also talk about the beneficial properties and applications in cosmetology and medicine.

Description of appearance, how they look in the photo

Lemon leaf is beautiful by its usualness and naturalness. Its upper surface is light green in color, shiny, similar to smooth, well-polished skin, along which dark veins pass in clear lines. But the bottom surface is matte, of a deep green hue, warm to the touch.

Interestingly, if you look at the leaf in the light, you can see the accumulation of essential oils in the form of spots - clusters of "lemon wealth". Sufficiently large leaves, 10-15 cm long and 5-8 cm wide, are either round-oval, or egg-like, oblong and slightly elongated, sharpened at both ends.

A distinctive feature of the leaves of all citrus fruits is the presence of lionfish - leafy petioles. In most types of lemon, such lionfish are absent. The leaf seems simple, but it is only an appearance: the leaf plate is one, not divided into segments, which in complex leaves from the petiole fall separately.

Lemon generally loses leaves on average once every three years, but they fall not with the petiole, but separately, the petiole - later. Most likely, during the evolution, all but one of the shares disappeared, and the origin of the leaf is complex.

This is what lemon leaves look like:

How to distinguish from orange and other plants?

Orange leaves are large, dense, leathery, dark green with bright stripes, ovoid or heart-shaped, with the obligatory presence of lionfish (they are either oval or round). It should be noted that orange leaves may fade due to a common disease - chlorosis. Often, needles grow on the trunk next to the petiole (sometimes up to 10 cm).
And tangerine leaves are lanceolate (pointed, elongated), smooth, with wavy edges, lionfish are poorly developed, narrow, long.
The grapefruit leaves are large, oval - closer to round, without sharp tips, dense, leathery, lionfish long (up to 2 cm), similar to half drops.
The kumquat leaves are narrow and elongated, the remaining features are the same as all citrus fruits.
The smell of almost all plants of this species is close to mint, but the lemon has a sharper, sour, “jasmine”, it can not be confused with any other.

Useful and healing properties

Chemical composition	Useful and healing properties for the body	Possible harm	Contraindications
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) (content 14 times greater than in the fetus).	Has an antimicrobial effect. Improves the digestive system. It plays an important role in the body's absorption of vitamins and minerals. It is a participant in redox processes.	It is quickly broken down in the body, but in case of an overdose there may be an allergic reaction in the form of: skin rash; diarrhea; profuse urination. Increases blood viscosity.	Thrombophlebitis.
Vitamin A (Retinol) Absorbed with Fat.	Positive effect on eyesight. Strengthens the immune system: protects against infections of the respiratory and genitourinary tract, digestive tract and flu. Facilitates the course of chickenpox, measles, AIDS. Restores the skin, mucous membranes with psoriasis, burns, wounds, acne. Powerful antioxidant.	An overdose causes: nausea vomiting migraine; peeling of the skin; enlarged liver.	During pregnancy, it is taken only as directed by a doctor, as it can lead to the appearance of congenital defects of the fetus.
Vitamin B.	Normalizes the work of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Used during stress, depression, emotional overload. Participates in cell growth and energy metabolism. Strengthens the immune system, increases resistance to various diseases.	An allergic reaction in the form of urticaria. Overdose can lead to anaphylactic shock.	Erythrocytosis. Thromboembolism. Pregnancy. Breast-feeding.
Vitamin P (rutin).	Reduces the fragility of capillaries, protects against fungi, parasites, dangerous bacteria. Increases the effectiveness of useful elements. Strengthens the immune system. It is effective for hypertension, varicose veins, circulatory disorders. Relieves swelling. Mandatory for the effective action of vitamin C.	No.	No.
Essential oils: terpene, citral, a-limonene, geranilacytate. Used as a decoction or infusion.	They increase efficiency, invigorate, relieve fatigue. They clear the airways of pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Used in aromatherapy during inhalations and massages. They have an antispasmodic, vasodilating effect on the bronchi and treat external dermatological and fungal diseases.	Smell can cause an allergic reaction.	Pancreatitis The increased acidity of gastric juice. Gastritis. Gastric or duodenal ulcer. Individual intolerance to citrus.

There are practically no contraindications for the use of leaves, thanks to the very useful substances contained in them.

What to do with them, how to apply in medicine and cosmetology?

Due to the content of vitamins and essential oils that are vital for humans, lemon leaves are widely used in cooking, medicine (including folk) and cosmetology.

Important! The use of this plant can cause an allergic reaction.

Medical recipes

Recipe for a decoction of fresh or dried lemon leaves (possesses antipyretic and analgesic effect, it is used as an antiviral agent during gargling):

Take a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh (or dried) lemon leaf greens.
Brew in boiled, but already cooling water (200 ml), cover, let stand for 8-10 minutes.
The drink should be consumed warm or hot. Better with honey.

It is better to brew such tea in a thermos and not boiling boiling water so that the destruction of vitamin C does not occur.

Recipe for grated leaf greens (relieves headache, nausea, minimizes intoxication and a hangover, improves vitality, improves mood):

Cut the leaves from the tree, rinse thoroughly with warm water, dry.
Finely chop, can be rubbed in a mortar or rubbed with a wide blade of a knife.
Put in the form of small slides in a place of stay of a person.
You can change the green of the leaves as the essential oils are exhausted.

Lemon Tincture Recipe (normalizes the work of the heart, strengthens the immune system):

Finely chop 1 cup of leaves.
Pour greens with 250 ml of 70% alcohol.
Put the container with tincture in a cold, dark place for 1.5 -2 weeks.
Take 50 drops every day.

Honey Blend Recipe (used for vitamin deficiency):

Grind in a mortar 1 cup finely chopped leaves.
Mix with a glass of fresh honey.
Use on an empty stomach every morning for 1-2 tablespoons.

Beauty treatments:

The cooled broth of fresh lemon leaves is an excellent whitening product for the hands, décolleté and face. They can wipe parts of the body by dipping a cotton pad in the decoction, while using not only the decoction, but also the greens themselves.

How to collect?

It is best to collect lemon leaves when they become glossy, from those branches that need to be pruned. According to gardeners, the best raw materials for various recipes are leaves from the tops of branches, which should be cut with sharp scissors along with cuttings.

How to prepare?

There are several ways to procure:

Dry, previously subjected to fermentation to preserve the beneficial properties and substances. For this:
1. Wash the foliage, dry it, lightly dry it, and then twist it into small tubes and roll it in your hands until juice and oil stand out.
2. After that, put it in a pan (if there is pottery, it is better to put it in it), squeeze it so that the mass releases more juice, cover and leave for fermentation in a warm, dark place for 7-9 hours at an optimum temperature of 22-27 degrees.
3. Then put in one layer of tube on a baking sheet and at a temperature of 100 degrees, dry for 1-1.5 hours to a state of fragility.
4. It is better to dry in a linen bag in a well-ventilated place.
To freeze. To do this, put the finely chopped leaf greens into bags and place in the freezer. Use as decoctions.
Make a mixture with honey.