“I always remember how my grandmother used to say: ‘Viburnum praised itself, saying that I am good with honey,’ and she happily treated us to pies with these berries. For us, viburnum was a real delicacy, especially after it had hung in the cold for some time — the bitterness disappeared, and the berries could be stored in bunches all winter. Grandma also had her secret — viburnum in sugar. These sweet little berries, covered in powdered sugar, looked simply delightful. As soon as you put them in your mouth — they melt, and their sourness refreshes. We always asked for more. Since then, the viburnum bushes have remained an unchanged part of our garden,” recalls Marina Fedorenko, a resident of Kara-Balta.
At present, bright clusters of viburnum berries can be purchased at the markets of the Jayil district for a price ranging from 30 to 40 soms per bunch.
Biologist Irina Stezhko noted that viburnum has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times. There are about two hundred species of this plant in the world flora, of which approximately ten are found in Kyrgyzstan. The most well-known and widespread is the common viburnum — a large shrub that bears fruit generously every year. Fresh frozen viburnum berries can help with stomach ulcers, colitis, and other digestive system diseases. All parts of the plant have beneficial properties, but the most valuable is the bark, which contains many organic acids, the glycoside viburnin, tannins, and resins. Preparations based on viburnum bark are used in medicine to stop internal bleeding. Folk healers use it to treat nervous disorders and insomnia. Veterinarians also find the bark useful for treating respiratory diseases in cows and goats. As an ornamental plant, viburnum serves excellently as a green fence, and it is propagated by cuttings, division of the bush, or layering.
