Wild sweet potato, also known as wild yam, is a wild plant that can be used medicinally. Its entire plant can be used, and its fruit resembles a loquat and can be eaten directly. The wild sweet potato vine can be used to prevent wind and fix sand, making it a very valuable green plant. Let's learn about the medicinal value of wild sweet potato below.
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Medicinal Value of Wild Sweet Potato
1. Wind Dispelling and Temperature Reduction
The entire wild sweet potato plant can be used medicinally, and its most important effects are dispelling wind, reducing temperature, and promoting blood circulation;
In traditional Chinese medicine, it is often used to treat diseases such as irritable bronchitis, rheumatism, bone pain, and edema. It can be taken orally after decoction or applied externally.
2. Hemostasis and Detoxification
Wild sweet potato has a good hemostatic effect. When people have bleeding that won't stop due to accidental injury, they can directly crush the wild sweet potato and apply it to the injured area to achieve a good hemostatic effect;
In addition, it can also be used to treat snake bites. The method of use is the same as above, and it should be changed once a day, which can quickly eliminate toxins in the body.
The young fruit of wild sweet potato is green, and when it ripens, it turns pale red. It is fragrant and sweet as honey. As a nutritious and healthy fruit, it can be eaten fresh or processed into dried fruit.
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Price and Yield of Wild Sweet Potato
Wild sweet potato is suitable for cultivation as a fruit crop, which can turn traditional single-season orchards into double-season orchards. The fruits can be made into jams, juices, etc.
In 2018, the price of wild sweet potato was generally around 25-35 yuan per kilogram, and it could reach around 35 yuan per kilogram on some shopping websites. Wild sweet potato is abundant in the wild in rural areas, and many people born in the 1970s and 1980s have childhood memories of digging wild sweet potatoes in the mountains.
As the wild sweet potato becomes less and less common, it becomes more valuable. The price may vary in different places. The price of wild sweet potato is generally around 25-35 yuan per kilogram, and it can reach around 35 yuan per kilogram on some shopping websites.
Since the wild sweet potato bears fruit in May and matures in June, and it starts to rot around mid-June, the fruiting cycle of the sweet potato is very short;
In addition, most places cannot rotate planting within a year, although some local areas can. Therefore, the yield per mu (about 667 square meters) cannot be estimated. However, the yield per mu for some farmers is around 1,600 kilograms.
Wild sweet potato image
Cultivation Methods of Wild Sweet Potato
Wild sweet potato has the characteristics of cold resistance, drought resistance, shade tolerance, and poor soil tolerance. Even if it is planted in barren sand or the gaps between stone slabs where no grass grows, it will grow vigorously and lushly;
During the fruiting period (June to October), which is after the Dragon Boat Festival, the fruits can be harvested. Even if they are more than 20 meters away from the wild sweet potato, they can still emit a strong fragrance, hence the name "fragrance everywhere".
The artificial cultivation area of wild sweet potato is small, and the yield is low. It mainly comes from natural growth. It has great potential for increased production. Wild sweet potato can also be cultivated as a fruit crop, suitable for intercropping in orchards to turn traditional single-season orchards into double-season orchards.
Wild sweet potato reproduction is very easy. In practical production, it is often propagated by cuttings. The best period for cutting propagation is from early March to early April when the temperature rises. Take 1-year-old branches, 10-15 centimeters long, and the cutting substrate can be any fine sand or loam.
During the seedling stage, attention should be paid to watering and weeding. It has strong resistance and is suitable for extensive management. After planting, there is no need to frequently replace or regularly trim.
