Pigweed is the whole plant of the ferns Pteridium aquilinum or Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum. It has a bitter and cold taste and belongs to the liver and kidney meridians. It has the functions of clearing heat, dispelling wind, diuresis, and reducing swelling. Who is suitable for pigweed? Let's take a look at the planting methods of pigweed together!
【Morphological Characteristics of Pigweed】
Pigweed: Pteridium aquilinum, perennial herb, reaching a height of 20-50 cm. The roots are dense and light brown. The rhizomes are horizontal, yellow-brown, and densely covered with light brown scales.
Leaves are nearly sessile; petiole is slender and weak, with scales at the base, purple-black, shiny, and about the same length as the leaf blade; leaves are 1-3 pinnate, with 3 pinnate in the lower part.
2 pinnate in the middle, 1 pinnate in the upper part: pinnules are 8-13 pairs, alternate, with a stalk, the largest pair near the base, the 2-pinnate compound leaves have small stalks, and the terminal pinnules are about 3-3.5 mm wide;
Mostly fan-shaped, wedge-shaped at the base, with small stalks, the upper edge often has irregular deep lobes, the lobes are blunt, and the infertile lobes also have small teeth. The leaves are thin and membranous, light green, smooth on both sides, with obvious veins.
The sporangial covers are folded downward from the edges of the pinnules, usually 3-7 per pinnule, rectangular, brown, with white edges, membranous, sporangia are round to oblong-rectangular, slightly curved, stalkless, and the spores are tiny and pale yellow.
Pigweed grows in rock crevices along streams or near houses and walls at an altitude of 100-2800m. It is distributed in East China, Central South China, Southwest China, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, and other places.
【Planting Methods of Pigweed】
1. Adequate moisture
Pigweed generally needs to keep the soil moist, and pay attention to keeping the moisture adequate during its growth period. Increase the air humidity appropriately in dry weather. It should not be allowed to be water-deficient in summer. Daily watering should not be wet for a while and then dry, which will cause the leaves to turn yellow.
2. Suitable temperature
Pigweed does not have very strict temperature requirements, but still pay attention to high temperatures in summer and low temperatures in winter. Generally, in winter, as long as the indoor temperature is above 5 degrees Celsius, in summer, keep it in a cool and ventilated place at around 25 degrees Celsius. Direct sunlight will directly sunburn the leaves.
3. Soil requirements
The soil fertility should not be too poor. Pigweed generally grows in sandy soil rich in humus. You can also buy potting soil for cultivation. Fertilize every month, apply fertilizer to the roots, and timely repot and change the soil in the spring when it needs to grow each year.
【Efficacy and Function of Pigweed】
1. Relieve asthma and resolve phlegm
Pigweed has the effect of relieving asthma, resolving phlegm, softening hardness, and dispersing masses. It can treat bronchitis, asthma, cough due to lung heat, hemoptysis, pneumonia, and other conditions.
2. Detoxify and anti-inflammatory
Pharmacological studies have shown that plants of this genus have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities. They are commonly used in the treatment of snake and insect bites, upper respiratory tract infections, mastitis, women's bleeding, postpartum stasis, and other conditions.
3. Diuresis and relieve stranguria
Pigweed enters the small intestine and bladder meridians, can diurese, relieve stranguria, and reduce swelling. It can be used clinically to treat urinary tract infections, lymph node tuberculosis, dysentery, and abdominal pain.
4. Treatment of hypertension
Pteridium aquilinum contains a large amount of flavonoids, which are used in clinical practice for adjuvant treatment of hypertension, with effects such as preventing cerebral hemorrhage, preventing cardiovascular organ diseases, and anti-mutation.
