Yashong is the whole grass with roots of the Sedum plant in the Crassulaceae family. It is mainly distributed in Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, and Yunnan provinces in China. Due to its effectiveness in clearing heat and detoxifying the body, it is often used to treat burns and scalds. Let's learn more about the benefits and uses of Yashong.
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Benefits and Uses of Yashong
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that Yashong has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying the body. It is used to treat heat-toxin abscesses, cellulitis, orchitis, burns, wet sores, bacterial dysentery, and amoebic dysentery.
"Shaanxi Chinese Herbal Medicine": "Clears heat and detoxifies the body. It treats cellulitis in children, bacterial dysentery, amoebic dysentery, burns, and orchitis."
1. Treating cellulitis in children: Take 15g of Yashong, 9g each of Honeysuckle, Forsythia, Dahingye, Dandelion, Danpi, Chishao, and Bajiangcao. Boil with water and drink. ("Qinling and Bashan Natural Medicinal Plants")
2. Treating orchitis: Take an appropriate amount of Yashong. Mash and apply externally. ("Qinling and Bashan Natural Medicinal Plants")
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Plant Characteristics of Yashong
Yashong is an annual herbaceous plant with no hairs and has a fibrous root. The stem is solitary or clustered, 5-30cm tall. The leaves are arranged in a whorl of 3-6, narrow and lanceolate, 8-20mm long, 2-4mm wide, with an acute apex and a gradually narrowing base, entire margin, and no or very short petiole.
The inflorescence is conical or umbel-like, with long branches, and flowers are sparse. The pedicel is 5-8mm long and slender.
There are 5 sepals, narrow triangular to ovate-lanceolate, 1-1.5mm long, with an acute apex. There are 5 petals, white, lanceolate-ovate, 2-3mm long, with an acute apex.
There are 10 stamens, shorter than the petals. There are 5 scales, wide spatulate, 0.5mm long, with a notched apex. There are 5 carpels, nearly erect, elliptic, partially fused at the base, with tiny papillate projections.
The follicles are oblique and bent upward when mature. The seeds are ovoid, 0.4mm long. The flowering period is from May to July, and the fruiting period is from August to September.
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Cultivation of Yashong
1. Propagation by division
Division can be done at any time except in winter. Separate the offshoots that grow from the base of the mother plant and have 2-4 buds. After the cut surface has dried slightly, plant them in suitable pots and keep them in a shaded area for a period of time before normal cultivation.
2. Propagation by sowing
This method is generally used for cultivating new varieties. It is done in early spring. Cover the Yashong seeds with a thin layer of soil and maintain a temperature of 15-18°C. The seeds will germinate in 3-5 weeks. After the seedlings have 1-2 true leaves, transplant them into pots.
3. Propagation by cuttings
This method is done during the growing season, usually from April to September. Take cuttings that are 2-5cm long, let the cut surface dry for 2-5 days, and then insert them into a propagation sand bed. Keep the environment shaded until roots develop. When the leaves are larger, leaf cuttings can also be used, but the cut surface should also be dried before inserting.
