"Some people say that there are roots of Polygonum multiflorum that look like humans, and you can become an immortal after eating them." This is Lu Xun's sentence in "From Baicao Garden to Sanwei Bookstore", and I believe many people are deeply impressed by it.

In fact, in rural areas, Polygonum multiflorum is really a very common plant. Polygonum multiflorum grows on many roadsides in rural areas, near old houses, and even in the yards of some people. But most people are not interested in it because everyone does not know its value, which is a pity.

Little do we know that Polygonum multiflorum is a precious Chinese medicinal material. It is as famous as ginseng and Ganoderma lucidum , and is also called the "four major immortal herbs" of ancient folk. Today, let's take a look at the underrated "treasure plant" - Polygonum multiflorum!

Introduction to Polygonum multiflorum

Polygonum multiflorum also called Polygonum multiflorum , Purple Via , Goblin , Night Gangli , etc. It is a perennial entangled vine plant in the Polygonum family . This plant often grows in shrubs, hillside forests, or between rock gaps on the edge of the ditch. It is widely distributed in my country, including in East China, Central China, South China, and .

The characteristics of this plant are also very obvious. Its vines are very developed and can extend several meters away. The leaves are oval or long ovate, the base is heart-shaped or near-heart-shaped, the top is gradually pointed, the two sides are rough, and the edges are all. The roots are thicker, generally oblong, and the surface is dark brown.

Polygonum multiflorum flowering period is from August to September every year. It is a conical inflorescence, terminal or axillary, with white flowers, while the fruiting period is from September to October. It is an oval shaped lean fruit , dark brown. Because Polygonum multiflorum has low requirements for the growth environment, people who have lived in rural areas should have seen it.

The legend of Polygonum multiflorum

There is a folk legend about the name Polygonum multiflorum. In ancient times, there was a farmer named He. Because he accidentally received guidance from an expert, he used the rhizomes of a plant in his yard to soak in wine and drink it, and insisted on taking it for a long time. Later, after living a hundred years old, my hair was still black and shiny, and I was in good spirits.

When others asked him the reason, he said that there was nothing else that just used the rhizomes of this plant to soak in wine and drink. So this unknown plant was named "Polygonum multiflorum" by villagers.

There were many legends about Polygonum multiflorum in ancient times, but they all had mythological colors. It is said that eating it can prolong life and even become an immortal. Among them, the reason why Zhang Guolao in " Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" was that he became a god because he had taken Polygonum multiflorum for thousands of years.

Because of these reasons, the efficacy of Polygonum multiflorum prolonging life has been widely circulated among the people, and has also been included in Materia Medica as a drug by later doctors. From then on, Polygonum multiflorum, ginseng, Ganoderma lucidum, Cordyceps sinensis were also called the "Four Great Immortal Grass".

The value of Polygonum multiflorum

Although Polygonum multiflorum is not as powerful as the legend in the mythology, it can indeed be used as medicine and has a high medicinal value. It is recorded in many ancient medical books, among which the "Compendium of Materia Medica" by Li Shizhen and points out that the root block of Polygonum multiflorum can be used as medicine, which has the effects of calming the mind, nourishing blood, activating the collaterals, and detoxifying.

It is also said among the people that Heshou Polygonum multiflorum has the effect of blackening hair. This is true. After the preparation, Heshou Polygonum multiflorum has the effects of nourishing essence, blood, blackening hair, strengthening muscles and bones, and is also a relatively common and precious Chinese medicinal material. and modern medicine has also proved that Heshou Polygonum multiflorum has very high medicinal value .

However, it should be noted that the newly dug Polygonum multiflorum is also called Polygonum multiflorum multiflorum. Only after it is fabricated can it be called " Polygonum multiflorum ". The value of Polygonum multiflorum and Polygonum multiflorum is also completely different.

Although Polygonum multiflorum is very common in rural areas, few people dig it. Polygonum multiflorum is not highly valued among the people. This is because Polygonum multiflorum is different from ginseng, Ganoderma lucidum, Cordyceps sinensis and other drugs. is slightly poisonous and cannot be eaten directly.

means that you cannot dig out Polygonum multiflorum and eat it raw, otherwise it will cause the body to intolerate. Moreover, if the amount you eat is not properly controlled, poisoning will occur. So it is usually made into medicinal wine or Polygonum multiflorum.

In addition, Polygonum multiflorum has another disadvantage, which is that it is not easy to store, and once it is dug out, it will easily rot. Other drugs like the ones that can be stored for a long time as long as they are dried. It is generally for these reasons among the people. Even though Polygonum multiflorum is very common in life, few people take it seriously. is because Polygonum multiflorum that has not been processed is likely to be toxic, and improper consumption will cause poisoning.

So because it is too troublesome, more people don’t know how to fabricate and use it to soak wine, so they are not interested in digging it. But if it is a wild Polygonum multiflorum that has been around for a long time, the price is not low. Wild Polygonum multiflorum grows very slowly. A 5-pound Polygonum multiflorum will grow for about four or five hundred years, which shows its rarity.

In addition, in recent years, some people have specially dug out Polygonum multiflorum and planted it as a bonsai. It is also very beautiful. Because of its extensive management, it is easy to grow and has good ornamental value. If there is one in your yard or near the house, don’t let others dig it out and protect it.

Warm reminder: Some human-shaped Polygonum multiflorum on the market are planted in molds, and the artificial planting grows very fast, and it will grow very big in a few years.