Gentian grass, also known as mountain gentian and bitter gall grass, is known as one of the most bitter plants in nature. Its bitter taste is quite surprising, and even people who have eaten bitter melon and coptis find the bitterness of gentian unbearable. This perennial herb grows deep in the mountains and is widely known and utilized by farmers. It has many functions, not only for soup cooking, but also for tea drinking, and has high medicinal value. The cultivation of gentian grass requires patience and time, but the results of the harvest are absolutely satisfactory.
Gentian grass belongs to the gentian family, gentian genus, and its underground rhizomes are yellow in color, slender and numerous. The above-ground stems are red and grow upright. Its leaves are opposite, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, with a slightly tapered tip. Gentian grass usually blooms from August to November, and can be seen even in December. The flowers are very rich and varied in color, with white, light blue, lavender, pink, and even red, in the shape of a cylindrical or tubular bell.
Gentian grass is distributed in all regions of our country and is commonly found in underforests or shrubs. It is adaptable and can survive even in the mountains at higher altitudes. Due to its wide distribution, farmers have easy access to this plant in their daily lives.
The reason why gentian grass is so popular with farmers is mainly because of its three major effects. These three aspects are described in detail below.
1. Use it to make soup
The underground stems of gentian grass play an important role in making soup. In Guangdong, it is a common soup to make pork ribs soup with gentian grass and angelica. In the ancient book "Preparation for Emergencies", there is also a recipe called gentian soup, which uses gentian grass as the main material, supplemented by some other Chinese herbal medicines, which can lead to some diseases. The soup of gentian grass not only has the characteristics of delicious taste, but also has the effect of protecting the liver, which is a delicacy that often appears on the healthy table of rural families.
In addition, the rhizomes of gentian grass can also be prepared into some unique candy biscuits, pastries and other foods, which bring people a different flavor.
2. It is used to make tea
In addition to being used in cooking, gentian can also be used to make tea. Fresh gentian grass is dried and can be cut into pieces to make tea. However, because gentian itself has the characteristics of great bitterness and cold, it is best not to use it for people with weak constitution. However, if the liver fire is strong in winter, you can use some dried gentian grass to make tea, which plays a role in clearing heat and preventing bad breath.
In rural areas, some elderly people who understand the value of gentian often chew the fibrous roots of gentian grass to achieve the corresponding health care effect.
3. It has medicinal value
Gentian grass can not only be used as an ingredient for making tea and soup, but also has a high value in medicinal uses. In the "Shennong Materia Medica", gentian grass is listed as the top grade, and is used for hot knots, nourishing physical fitness and other problems. In addition, Li Shizhen, a medical scientist in the Ming Dynasty, also mentioned in the "Compendium of Materia Medica" that gentian grass can have symptoms such as sore throat and wind-heat night sweats. Gentian grass has a wide range of applications in the field of traditional Chinese medicine and is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine material.
Although the medicinal effects of gentian grass are very significant, it is not easy to grow and harvest. As a perennial plant, gentian grass needs to go through more than 3 years to reach the standard for medicinal use. This also makes the ** of gentian grass relatively high, especially the wild gentian grass is a scarce species, and the supply exceeds the demand.
As one of the most bitter plants in nature, gentian grass not only has a unique taste, but also has rich nutritional and medicinal properties. It is widely recognized and used in rural areas and has become an indispensable part of family cuisine and traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions. However, due to the relative difficulty of planting and harvesting gentian, its market is high, which also limits the scope of its application to a certain extent.
Overall, gentian is a unique and valuable plant that gives people a unique feeling for its bitter taste, as well as a sense of the wonders of nature. Whether it is used to make soup, make tea, or even use as a medicinal herb, gentian plays an important role. In the future development, there is still a lot of potential and space for the cultivation and utilization of gentian grass. Let's explore the mysteries of gentian grass and feel its health and deliciousness!