Purple Oil Wood Leaf
Purple oil wood, also known as purple leaf, is a medicinal plant that can be used for its leaves and bark. It has the effects of anti-inflammatory, detoxification, astringent, and antidiarrheal. It has great value whether used in decoction or as a powder. Let's learn about the benefits of purple oil wood leaves.
【Appearance of Purple Oil Wood Leaves】
Purple oil wood leaves are evergreen trees that mainly grow in the river valleys and slopes of southwestern China, Guangxi, Tibet, and other places. They belong to shade-loving trees.
Because the leaves of purple oil wood look like Chinese toon, they are also called false toon or purple leaves.
Purple oil wood leaves belong to the family Anacardiaceae. They are evergreen trees. The young leaves of purple oil wood have soft gray-yellow hairs on them.
The leaf axis has narrow wings with grooves on the upper side. The odd-numbered branches have pinnate compound leaves that alternate, and the leaflets are leathery, elongated or obovate-elliptic, and relatively small.
The base is slightly asymmetrical, wide-wedge-shaped, entire, slightly rolled back, and has very fine hairs on both sides of the midvein, with a slight gloss on the upper side.
【Medicinal Uses of Purple Oil Wood Leaves】
Purple oil wood leaves can be used to extract aromatic oil, which is commonly used as a powder called "incense". It is also a good feed for pigs. The whole plant has a strong pepper aroma and can purify the air and repel mosquitoes and flies.
Purple oil wood leaves can also be used to remove dampness. Boil 9-15g of purple oil wood leaves with water to make a decoction, and then take it orally to remove dampness. It is effective in treating excessive dampness in the summer.
Drinking a decoction of purple oil wood leaves can effectively treat some gastrointestinal discomforts in daily life, such as indigestion, diarrhea, and dysentery. It also has a certain therapeutic effect on patients with rubella and eczema.
Making a paste of purple oil wood leaves and applying it on the face can shrink and tighten large pores, reduce wrinkles, and make the skin appear delicate. It can inhibit the activity of tyrosinase and hydrogen peroxide, reduce melanin, and effectively remove free radicals, resulting in comprehensive whitening effect.
【Cultivation of Purple Oil Wood Leaves】
1. Biological Characteristics
It prefers warm and humid climate with sufficient sunlight and well-drained soil. It is suitable for cultivation on sandy loam with deep soil and rich humus.
2. Cultivation Techniques
It is propagated by seeds. Harvest mature and plump fruits, dry them, and store them in sand. Sow the seeds in March of the following year, open furrows, with a row spacing of 30cm and a seed spacing of 5cm. After covering the soil, water it to keep the soil moist.
Transplant when the seedlings are 35-40cm tall. Plant at a row spacing of 300cm × 300cm.
