The pseudoginseng, also known as the wild ginseng, is the root of the Lulan plant of the family Amaranthaceae. It is named after its thick and carrot-like main root. Pseudoginseng has a wide range of uses, including medicinal, edible, and ornamental purposes. Let's take a look at the morphology, efficacy, and functions of pseudoginseng with the help of the following pictures!
Pseudoginseng Image
[Identification of Pseudoginseng]
Pseudoginseng is the root of the Lulan plant, also known as wild ginseng or water ginseng. It is also called "wild ginseng" because its main root is thick and resembles ginseng. It is best to harvest pseudoginseng in early summer when the new shoots or leaves are vigorous.
Stem: The whole plant of pseudoginseng is smooth and hairless. The stem and leaves are soft and juicy, with a fleshy texture. It can grow up to about 60 cm tall and has multiple branches at the base. The main root is thick and cylindrical or spindle-shaped, with a brown or black-brown outer surface.
Leaves: The leaves are alternate, with short stalks or almost stalkless. The leaf blades are inverted ovate or inverted ovate-elliptic, measuring 5-7 cm in length and 2-3.5 cm in width. The base gradually narrows, and the apex is acute or obtuse and rounded, with a smooth margin.
Flowers: The inflorescence is cone-shaped and borne on the top of the branching stem. The peduncle is purplish-green or dark green, and the flowers are small, numerous, and pale purple-red, with a diameter of about 0.6 cm. The calyx has two lanceolate sepals that fall off early. The five petals are inverted ovate or elliptic in shape. There are more than ten stamens with slender filaments. The ovary is spherical, and the style is slender with a deeply split stigma, which bends outward. The flowering and fruiting period of pseudoginseng is from May to October.
Fruit: The fruit is a capsule, spherical, with a diameter of about 0.4 cm. When ripe, it is grayish-brown. The seeds are small, black, and flattened.
Pseudoginseng Image
[Efficacy and Functions of Pseudoginseng]
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that pseudoginseng (wild ginseng) has the effects of invigorating the spleen and nourishing the lungs, stopping coughs, and regulating menstruation. It is used to treat spleen deficiency fatigue, diarrhea, pulmonary tuberculosis with coughing and bloody sputum, dizziness, hot flashes, night sweats, irregular menstruation, and excessive vaginal discharge.
1. Medicinal Use: The whole pseudoginseng plant has a sweet taste and a neutral nature. The fresh stems and leaves can be mashed and applied externally to treat swelling and toxins.
- Whole Plant: Diuretic and anti-inflammatory, invigorates the spleen and nourishes the lungs, stops coughs, and regulates menstruation. It is used to treat dysentery, diarrhea, damp-heat jaundice, internal hemorrhoids bleeding, insufficient milk production, childhood malnutrition, vesicular skin diseases, spleen deficiency fatigue, pulmonary tuberculosis with coughing and bloody sputum, and irregular menstruation. It can also be used externally to treat red and swollen eyes.
- Leaves: Promotes lactation and relieves swelling and toxins. It is used to treat urinary retention and swollen hemorrhoids.
2. Edible Use: After washing the stems and leaves, they can be stir-fried or cooked in soup. The young stems and leaves of pseudoginseng can also be pickled with salt to make pickles for convenient consumption.
3. Ornamental Use: Pseudoginseng can be used for flower beds and rockery planting, as well as for potted plants.
Pseudoginseng was originally cultivated as an ornamental plant in gardens. It was introduced to Taiwan more than 80 years ago and has since grown in large numbers. It can be harvested throughout the year except for the coldest one or two months of winter.
Pseudoginseng Image
[Pseudoginseng Cultivation Methods]
1. Site Selection
Choose a site for cultivation that meets the ecological environmental quality standards for pollution-free vegetable production in terms of air quality, water quality, and soil conditions. In the Nanjing area, pseudoginseng is produced in heated greenhouses, allowing year-round production and supply. The planting season for protected cultivation is from mid-March to the end of April, and the market season is from late April to early December. For open field cultivation, it can be planted from April 20th to August, and the market season is from early June to early November.
2. Planting
Pseudoginseng has strong adaptability to soil, but for the production of high-quality and tender stems and leaves, well-drained sandy loam soil should be selected for planting.
Before planting, the soil should be thoroughly cultivated, and 30,000 kg of well-rotted organic fertilizer or 750 kg of specialized organic-inorganic compound fertilizer for leafy vegetables should be applied per hectare. The soil should be turned over to a depth of 15 cm, and then beds with a width of 1.5 m should be constructed, leveling the surface.
The planting rows should be 30 cm apart, with a spacing of 20 cm between plants. Around 100,000 plants should be planted per hectare. After planting, water should be thoroughly applied to promote root development, and watering should be done every 3-5 days until the plants establish. If using tray seedlings, there is no need for a seedling acclimation period, and watering once with root-setting water is sufficient.
3. Management
Pseudoginseng prefers moist soil. Generally, water should be applied every 3-5 days on sunny days to keep the soil moist, which promotes rapid growth and maintains the freshness of the stems and leaves. Pseudoginseng is not tolerant to waterlogging, so drainage should be paid attention to during the rainy season. After each harvest of tender stems and leaves, a top dressing should be applied.
