Wolfberry grass is a traditional Chinese medicine that has heat-clearing and detoxifying properties. It is mainly used for colds, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, and eczema. Wolfberry grass is primarily propagated through seeds and is a widely distributed plant with a preference for wet environments, found in most regions of China. Let's take a look at the cultivation methods and uses of wolfberry grass.
Image of wolfberry grass
【Biological habits of wolfberry grass】
Wolfberry grass grows in wetlands, ditches, and shallow waters, as well as on roadside wastelands. It is widely distributed throughout the country and can grow in wet and shallow water conditions in temperate and subtropical climates.
It prefers acidic to neutral soil but can also tolerate salt and alkali. In the grasslands of the Songnen Plain in northeastern China, where there is high salinization near lakes, it often becomes a subdominant or dominant species in wet plant communities of grass, sedge, and knotweed families.
Wolfberry grass often forms pure communities as a dominant species, but it can also be part of a community as a companion species or subdominant species.
During the budding stage, the fresh grass stems and leaves of wolfberry grass have a ratio of 1:1.24. After fruiting, the lower leaves gradually turn yellow and fall off. In plant communities dominated by wolfberry grass, if it is mowed once during the flowering period, the fresh grass yield can reach 37.5-75 tons per hectare.
Image of wolfberry grass
【Cultivation methods of wolfberry grass】
Wolfberry grass has strong seed reproductive abilities. A well-developed plant can produce hundreds to thousands of seeds, and the dry weight of a single seed is about 3.82 grams.
The seeds are large and light, with hooked spines, and are easily shed after maturity. They can be spread by wind and water flow, as well as by attaching to animals and humans.
In temperate regions, it germinates in May-June and starts to grow stems in about a week. It flowers in July-August and bears fruit in August-September.
In subtropical regions, it germinates after late April and branches out in mid-June to mid-August. It flowers in mid-August to mid-September and bears fruit in September-October, maturing by mid-November (after frost). Its growth period is 150-195 days.
The mature seeds of wolfberry grass are in a dormant state and can only germinate and sprout the following year. The depth of the malt in the soil is 2-4 cm. Seeds that do not germinate easily in deep layers can maintain their germination ability for up to two years.
Wolfberry grass has strong regenerative abilities, and roots can easily grow from the lower stems. There are bud axils in the leaf axils of the base stems. After the aboveground parts are damaged, the bud axils sprout new regenerative branches. As long as the stubble is suitable during the growth period, cutting it 2-3 times will not affect its regeneration.
Image of wolfberry grass
【Uses of wolfberry grass】
Before flowering, the branches and leaves of wolfberry grass are tender and juicy, but they have a slight odor that most livestock and poultry avoid. However, when chopped and steamed, pigs enjoy eating it, and geese, ducks, and chickens also consume it.
The green or dried grass after frosting can be fed to cattle, sheep, horses, and camels. Processed into hay powder, it can be used as a raw material for compound feed.
The nutritional composition of wolfberry grass is higher in dry hay, with a higher crude protein content and lower crude fiber content. Its seeds contain high levels of crude fat and abundant crude protein. It is non-toxic and can be used as forage.
Among miscellaneous grasses, wolfberry grass is a higher species. After removing the odor, it is more suitable for sheep and pig utilization. Wolfberry grass has tall clumps, many branches, and abundant leaves.
However, due to its volatile oil content and odor, its fruits easily adhere to sheep, affecting the quality of their fur, which reduces its value and makes it a low-grade forage. In addition to being used as feed, wolfberry grass can also be used as a green manure plant.
The dry hay of wolfberry grass contains 0.11% volatile oil and 2.01% tannin. The leaves contain 160g/kg of cellulose, and the fruit has an oil content of 23.78%. It also contains flavonoid components such as luteolin-7-glucoside. Therefore, the whole plant is used as medicine and can nourish Yin, moisten the lungs, and clear heat and detoxify.
