ヒルガオは旺盛に増殖するので、雑草として扱われますが、じつは薬用で、食べられる野草でもあり、日本に自生する美しい花です。
Bindweed grows vigorously and is treated as a weed, but it is actually a medicinal and edible wildflower, and it is a beautiful flower that grows naturally in Japan.
【仮名】ヒルガオ
【和名】昼顔
【英名】Bindweed
【学名】Calystegia japonica
【誕生】06/ 25, 07/ 17
【開花】05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10月
【花色】Pink
ヒルガオ
ヒルガオの名前の由来
ヒルガオはヒルガオ科の多年草で、日本に古くから自生する蔓性植物です。『万葉集』では、「美しい花」という意味で容花（かおばな）と呼ばれていました。しかし、遣唐使が中国からアサガオ（朝顔）を持ち帰って以来、ヒルガオと呼ばれるようになりました。朝から花を咲かせて夕方にしぼむのでヒルガオです。
ヒルガオは蔓性の雑草
普通の蔓性植物は双葉が出た後、本葉を出してから蔓を伸ばします。しかし、ヒルガオは本葉が出る前に蔓を伸ばし、旺盛に地下茎で増殖します。野原や道端などで一度増えると駆除が難しいため、大半は雑草として扱われます。英語でもBindweed（巻き付く雑草）と呼ばれています。庭の中で鑑賞用に栽培されるアサガオとはずいぶん対照的ですね。
ヒルガオを生薬に利用
このように地味で厄介者なヒルガオですが、実は薬用植物であり、旋花（せんか）という生薬になります。夏の開花期によく伸びた茎葉を刈り取って水洗いし、刻んで干します。利尿、強精強壮、疲労回復、糖尿病、高血圧予防によいとされています。煮出してお茶代わりに飲むと疲労回復に、お風呂に入れると神経痛にもよいそうです。
ヒルガオは食べられる野草
さらに、ヒルガオの花や蕾はアクが少ないため、生食も可能な野草として知られています。若い蔓や葉は、軽く茹でてお浸しや和え物に。葉は天ぷらや油炒めに。花は湯にくぐらせて酢の物に。
ヒルガオの花言葉
ヒルガオの花言葉は「絆」「優しい愛情」「友達のよしみ」のほか、「情事」もあります。これは蔓の絡まる様子から想起される官能的なイメージによるもの。そのため、ヒルガオは不倫を主題にした某ドラマのタイトルにも用いられました。
ヒルガオは美しい自生種
ヒルガオによく似たセイヨウヒルガオは同じヒルガオ科の外来種です。ヒルガオは日本の自生種なのに、何かと厄介者扱いされたりして、少し気の毒な野草ともいえます。美しい花なだけに、なおのこと、そう思われます。
Bindweed
Origin of the name of bindweed
Convolvulaceae is a perennial plant of the Convolvulaceae family, and is a vine that grows naturally in Japan for a long time. In “Manyoshu”, it was called Kaobana, which means “beautiful flower”. However, since the envoy to Tang brought back the morning glory from China, it has come to be called bindweed. It is bindweed because it blooms in the morning and deflate in the evening.
Bindweed is a vine weed
Ordinary vines develop their true leaves and then grow their vines after the two leaves have emerged. However, bindweed grows its vines before the true leaves emerge and proliferates vigorously on the rhizome. Most of them are treated as weeds because it is difficult to remove them once they increase in fields and roadsides. It is also called Bindweed in English. This is in stark contrast to the morning glory that is cultivated for viewing in the garden.
Use bindweed as a crude drug
Although bindweed is sober and troublesome like this, it is actually a medicinal plant and is a crude drug called senka. The foliage that grows well during the summer flowering season is cut, washed with water, chopped and dried. It is said to be good for diuresis, tonicity, recovery from fatigue, diabetes and prevention of hypertension. It is said that boiling it and drinking it instead of tea is good for relieving fatigue, and taking a bath is good for neuralgia.
Bindweed is an edible wild grass
In addition, bindweed flowers and buds have less lye, so they are known as wildflowers that can be eaten raw. Lightly boil young vines and leaves for soaking and seasoning. Leaves for tempura and stir-fry in oil. Dip the flowers in hot water to make them vinegared.
Bindweed flower language
The flower language of bindweed includes “bond”, “gentle affection”, “friend’s goodness”, and “affair”. This is due to the sensual image reminiscent of the entwined vines. Therefore, bindweed was also used in the title of a certain drama on the theme of adultery.
Bindweed is a beautiful native species
Bindweed, which is very similar to bindweed, is an exotic species of the same Convolvulaceae family. Although bindweed is a native species of Japan, it can be said to be a little pitiful wildflower because it is treated as a troublesome person. It seems that it is even more so because it is a beautiful flower.
