Goosegrass is a common weed that often grows in shrubs. It grows like a trumpet flower, with sprawling vines that spread widely. However, goosegrass has high medicinal value and can be used to treat warts and also consumed as a wild vegetable.
【Biological characteristics of Goosegrass】
Goosegrass is a common weed in rural areas, with small white flowers and fruits similar to bean pods. After the fruits ripen, the pods split open, and the seeds inside are a bit like dandelion seeds, with fluffy hairs that fly everywhere with the wind. The white latex in its roots and stems and leaves can be used as medicine, with the effects of dispelling wind and toxins, promoting digestion and strengthening the stomach.
Goosegrass is a vine weed similar to trumpet flowers, climbing up and causing harm to many entangled plants.
The flowers of goosegrass are clustered and white; the fruits are long and can be mistaken for green beans if not careful. After the fruits ripen, they dry up and split open, and the hairy seeds fly out and land in the soil. They will germinate again the following year, with a particularly strong reproductive ability.
【Medicinal value of Goosegrass】
When the stems and leaves of goosegrass are broken, white latex will flow out. This white latex is toxic but contains many medicinal ingredients, such as alkaloids and cardiotonic glycosides. It is a very good traditional Chinese medicine and can be used to treat warts.
Simply apply the juice of goosegrass on the warts. After each application, the warts will peel off. After several repetitions, the warts will be completely removed.
Goosegrass is not only effective in treating warts but also a good wild vegetable for health. It has the effects of dispelling wind and toxins, promoting digestion, and relieving pain. In spring, its tender leaves can be harvested, blanched with boiling water, and then rinsed with cold water several times to remove bitterness. It can be seasoned with salt, chicken essence, sesame oil, and other condiments for cold salad.
【Differences between Goosegrass and Bristly Foxtail Fruits】
Isn't goosegrass familiar? Bristly foxtail and goosegrass are sister plants and look quite similar.
If you look at the leaves alone, it can be a bit confusing and difficult to distinguish. But when you look at their fruits, the difference becomes clear. The fruits of goosegrass are slender, resembling the grass roots we ate as children. In contrast, the fruits of bristly foxtail are much larger. With these two images for comparison, it becomes clear, right?
Like bristly foxtail, when goosegrass fruits mature in late autumn, they also turn yellow-brown, the pods split open, and the seeds float away with silvery threads in the wind.
