Purple oil wood leaves, also known as fake sumac or purple leaves, are the tender leaves of the fragrant wood plant. The original plant is the fragrant wood, and the tender leaves are used medicinally. They are usually harvested in spring, and can be used fresh or dried. Purple oil wood leaves have the effects of clearing heat, dispelling dampness, and relieving stagnation. They are commonly used for dysentery, diarrhea, food stagnation, eczema, and rubella. They are distributed in the limestone forests or shrubs of southwestern China, Guangxi, Tibet, and other regions. Let's learn more about purple oil wood leaves below.
I. Morphology of Purple Oil Wood Leaves
Fragrant wood, also known as: Meijiang (in the Dai language).
Evergreen tree, about 15-20 meters tall. Even-pinnate compound leaves, alternate; 6-15 cm long, leaf axis with narrow wings, 3-8 pairs of leaflets, thick and leathery, elliptical or rectangular-ovate, 1.5-4 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, entire margin, concave at the tip, wedge-shaped at the base, shiny green on the upper surface. Conical axillary inflorescences; small flowers, no petals, dioecious; male flowers with 1-5 pink sepals, hairy, 3-5 stamens; female flowers with 2-5 sepals, 1-celled ovary, stalkless. The fruit is spherical, red when ripe, with a network pattern on the surface. The bark of this plant (purple oil wood bark) is also used medicinally.
II. Habitat of Purple Oil Wood Leaves
Grows in limestone forests or shrubs at an altitude of 580-2700 meters. Distributed in southwestern China, Guangxi, Tibet, and other regions.
III. Efficacy of Purple Oil Wood Leaves
It has a slightly bitter and astringent taste, and a cool nature. It has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, dispelling dampness, and relieving stagnation. It is commonly used for dysentery, enteritis, diarrhea, ulcers, eczema, rubella, and food stagnation.
1. "Sichuan Common Chinese Medicinal Plants": "Promotes Qi circulation and relieves pain. Used for abdominal pain, diarrhea, dysentery, cracked feet, and other conditions."
2. "Yunnan Chinese Medicinal Plants": "Clears heat and detoxifies. Mainly used for dysentery, enteritis, diarrhea, ulcers, eczema, rubella, and food stagnation."
Internal use: Decoction, 3-5 qian. External use: Crush and apply as a poultice.
IV. Cultivation and Planting
Harvesting and storage: Harvest the tender leaf tips in spring and use them fresh or dry them.
Biological characteristics: Prefers warm and humid climates, abundant sunlight, and well-drained soil. It is suitable for cultivation in sandy loam soil with deep soil layers and rich humus content.
Cultivation techniques: Propagation by seeds. Harvest ripe and plump fruits, dry them, and store in sand. Sow in March the following year, sow in furrows, with a row spacing of 30 cm and a seed spacing of 5 cm. After covering with soil, water and keep the soil moist. Transplant when the seedlings reach a height of 35-40 cm. Plant with a row spacing of 300 cm x 300 cm.
