Diding grass, also known as purple heart, is used as a dried herb for medicinal purposes. It is mainly distributed in Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi and other regions in China. Diding grass can be said to be a traditional Chinese medicine for clearing heat and detoxification in folk medicine, and it is particularly effective when used in combination with other detoxifying herbs. Let's now learn about the efficacy and function of diding grass.
Picture of diding grass
【Efficacy and Function of Diding Grass】
In traditional Chinese medicine, diding grass is believed to have the efficacy of clearing heat and detoxification. It is used to treat high fever, restlessness, influenza, infectious hepatitis, nephritis, scrofula, parotitis, carbuncle, and other suppurative infections.
1. "Liaoning Commonly Used Chinese Medicinal Herb Manual": "Bitter and pungent, cold."
2. "Plateau Chinese Medicinal Herb Treatment Manual": "Cold in nature, bitter in taste, slightly toxic; enters the heart and spleen meridians."
3. "Liaoning Commonly Used Chinese Medicinal Herb Manual": "Clears heat and detoxifies. Treats abscesses, boils, lymph node tuberculosis."
4. "Hebei Chinese Medicinal Herb Manual": "Treats acute infectious hepatitis."
5. "Plateau Chinese Medicinal Herb Treatment Manual": "Anti-inflammatory and detoxifying. Treats jaundice hepatitis, high fever and restlessness."
Picture of diding grass
【Combination and Application of Diding Grass】
Diding grass combined with chrysanthemum: has the function of clearing liver and improving eyesight. Used for symptoms such as liver heat, redness, swelling, and pain in the eyes.
Diding grass combined with wild chrysanthemum: enhances the function of clearing heat and detoxification. Can be used for snakehead boil, red thread boil, and abscesses with redness and swelling.
Diding grass combined with dandelion: has the function of detoxification, diuresis, dispersing stasis, and resolving abscesses. Can be used for breast abscess, carbuncle, and abscesses.
Diding grass combined with honeysuckle and wild chrysanthemum: enhances the function of clearing heat and detoxification. Can be used for boils, breast abscess, intestinal abscess, erysipelas, and other hot and toxic ulcers.
Diding grass combined with dandelion and yin chen hao: has the function of clearing heat, expelling dampness, promoting bile flow, and reducing jaundice. Can be used for jaundice, high fever and restlessness.
【Cultivation Methods of Diding Grass】
1. Propagation method
Diding grass is propagated by seeds, with about 3-4 kilograms of seeds needed per mu. It is usually intercropped with gramineous plants. After the gramineous plants such as corn are ridged, shallow hoe the ground in the rows.
Spread the seeds evenly in the rows, use a large hoe to push once, bury the seeds firmly, water them, and keep the bed surface moist. The seeds will germinate in about 30 days.
Picture of diding grass
2. Cultivation techniques
(1) Field management
Since diding grass is a shade-loving plant, after germination, it needs to be watered frequently and well managed. When the main autumn crops are ripe for harvest, be careful not to bury the diding seedlings. Before freezing, water with freezing water and apply compost to the circle.
After thawing in the next spring, smash the manure blocks and level the ground. From Qingming to Guyu, when the new leaves have not yet covered the ground, apply 10-15 kilograms of urea per mu, and water after application. Stop watering after the start of summer to prevent stem and leaf rot and reduce yield.
(2) Main diseases and pests
Around the time of Jingzhe, when the seedlings turn green, there is often a black caterpillar of a lepidopteran chewing on the tender shoots of diding grass, causing great harm. It can be sprayed and killed with Bacillus thuringiensis (No. 3 wax moth bacteria) at a concentration of 500-1000 times;
Or use 2500 grams of spore powder mixed with 15-25 kilograms of fine soil per mu to make toxic soil, and sprinkle it in the field to kill pests.
