The leaves of purple oil wood are the tender leaves of the plant Santalum album, which belongs to the family Anacardiaceae. It is mainly used in traditional medicine to eliminate dampness and has a good effect in treating summer dampness. Let's take a look at the benefits and cultivation methods of purple oil wood leaves.
【Characteristics of Purple Oil Wood Leaves】
Purple oil wood leaves are the leaves of Santalum album, an evergreen tree in the family Anacardiaceae. They are often referred to as false Toona or purple leaves because they resemble the leaves of Toona sinensis.
The tender leaves of purple oil wood have soft grayish-yellow fuzz on them. The leaf stalks are narrow-winged and have grooves on the upper side. The pinnately compound leaves are opposite, with leathery leaflets that are elongated oval or inverted egg-shaped and relatively small.
The base of the leaf is slightly asymmetrical, wide-wedge-shaped, with smooth edges and slightly curled. The midrib on both sides is covered with very fine soft hairs, and the upper side has a slight gloss.
Purple oil wood leaves can be used as a medicinal ingredient. The bark of purple oil wood is called purple oil wood bark in traditional Chinese medicine and also has good medicinal value.
【Benefits of Purple Oil Wood Leaves】
Purple oil wood leaves can be used to eliminate dampness. Boil 9-15g of purple oil wood leaves in water to make a decoction, and then take it orally to eliminate dampness. It is especially effective for people with heavy summer dampness.
Drinking the decoction of purple oil wood leaves can effectively treat some gastrointestinal discomfort in daily life, such as indigestion, diarrhea, and dysentery. It also has a certain therapeutic effect on conditions like rubella and eczema.
Purple oil wood bark is an important medicinal material. After drying and grinding the purple oil wood bark into powder, apply it on wounds to effectively stop bleeding. It has a miraculous effect on treating traumatic bleeding.
Purple oil wood bark has anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, and astringent effects. Boiling the top twigs with leaves in water is an effective remedy for diarrhea. When the leaves are dried and finely ground, they can be used as raw materials for temple incense. The oil in the fruit has a tooth-strengthening effect and is effective against certain types of tinea.
【Cultivation of Purple Oil Wood Leaves】
Purple oil wood leaves grow in limestone mountain forests or shrubs at altitudes of 580-2700m and are distributed in southwestern China, Guangxi, Tibet, and other regions.
They prefer a warm and humid climate with abundant sunlight and well-drained soil. It is suitable for cultivation in deep and fertile sandy loam soils with rich humus content because the main roots of the plant penetrate deep into the soil.
Purple oil wood leaves are cultivated using seeds. Harvest mature and plump fruits, dry them, and store them in sand. Sow the seeds in March the following year, in furrows with a spacing of 30cm between rows and 5cm between seeds. After covering the seeds with soil, water them to keep the soil moist.
Purple oil wood leaves thrive in a warm and humid climate and are suitable for cultivation in sunny and well-drained areas. Due to the deep roots of the plant, it is best to plant them in deep and fertile sandy loam soils with rich humus content.
