Chinese herbal medicine, also known as "Dao Sheng Gen" or "Liang Tou Cao", is the root of the plant Rubus corchorifolius. It has the effects of promoting blood circulation, stopping bleeding, and dispelling wind and dampness. Let's learn about the benefits, functions, and cultivation methods of Chinese herbal medicine.
[Morphological Characteristics of Chinese Herbal Medicine]
Chinese herbal medicine is also known as "Rubus corchorifolius", "Da Wu Pao", "Wu Sha Mei", "Cai Zi Pao", "Hui Tou Long", "Liang Tou Cao", "Liang Tou Mang", "Wu Pao Dao Chu San", "Dao Sheng Gen", "Wu Long Mao", etc. It is distributed in rural areas of southern provinces in China and mainly grows on slopes, thickets, and wasteland.
Chinese herbal medicine has a unique characteristic, which is the presence of adventitious roots that grow along the vine.
Around April, Chinese herbal medicine will bloom and bear fruit. The fruit looks like raspberries, but there are slight differences. It has a sour and sweet taste and can be eaten raw.
The fruit can be eaten raw, used to make candy and wine, and can also be used as a medicinal herb. It is a tonic and can treat soreness and pain in the waist and legs. The root has the effects of stopping bleeding and relieving pain, and the leaves can improve eyesight. The root bark can be used to produce acorn gel.
(The fruit, root, and adventitious roots that grow along the vine are used as medicinal herbs. The root and adventitious roots can be harvested at any time, and the fruit should be picked when it is almost ripe and dried in the sun.)
[Cultivation of Chinese Herbal Medicine]
1. Soil cultivation
Chinese herbal medicine can be planted in spring or autumn. It is best to plant in early April in spring and before the arrival of frost in autumn.
The cultivation mainly involves loosening the soil and weeding. In spring, the soil in the rows should be loosened and weeds in the rows should be removed. In summer, the cultivation should be done based on the degree of soil compaction and weed growth.
After the fruit is harvested, the soil should be loosened once and cultivated twice, because the soil in the rows becomes compacted and weeds grow vigorously during the berry harvesting process.
3. Harvest and storage
The harvest of Chinese herbal medicine should be done at the right time, neither too early nor too late. Generally, it should be harvested one to two days after maturity. The berries should be picked with the fruit stalk and part of the stem.
The harvested Chinese herbal medicine berries are best stored in a refrigerator at a temperature close to 0°C and a relative humidity of around 90%. Under such temperature and humidity conditions, they can be stored for about a week.
