Winged fruit chrysanthemum, also known as bitter lettuce, wild lettuce, mountain horse grass, etc., is a herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family and lettuce genus. Its plant shape resembles a Bagua Array, which is very distinctive. Stems, branches, leaves**, strip-oblong or inverted-lanceolate-elliptic. When young, it resembles lettuce leaves and even exudes milky white juice. The flowering and fruiting period is from April to November, and the flowers are light yellow, similar to sunflowers, and the fruits are oval, black, and have broad wings on the edges. Winged fruit is widely distributed and has its presence in basically all major provinces. It is often found on hillside edges or in wilderness, but it is also commonly found on sidewalks or roadsides in rural areas.
The young stems and leaves of winged chrysanthemum can be eaten as an ingredient. It can be stir-fried and has a slightly bitter taste, a bit like bitter horsetail. It can also be used to steam steamed buns or make dumplings. However, when picking winged chrysanthemum, you need to pay attention to stay away from the planting area and try to choose a remote place to pick. Because the growing area is often sprayed with pesticides, there is a risk of pesticide residues. In addition, after picking the young leaves of the winged fruit chrysanthemum, it should be brewed with boiling water many times to ensure that it is safe to eat. The remaining young leaves can be dried and drunk in tea or boiled water. Winged fruit is rich in calcium, even higher than many vegetables, and is considered a high-calcium plant. At present, some places in the north have begun to artificially grow winged fruit chrysanthemum and eat it as a wild vegetable. It should be noted that the similarity between winged fruit chrysanthemum and poison lettuce is very high, and special attention is required when picking.
The Chinese medicine name of winged fruit is mountain lettuce, which has both medicinal properties and can be eaten as a wild vegetable. Mountain lettuce has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling blood and dampness, invigorating blood and relieving pain. In rural areas, those who understand the value of this plant often dig lettuce to soak in water or stir-fry vegetables to prevent fire.
In addition to being used as an ingredient and medicinal herb, the plant can also be used as a high-quality feed. Its young stems and leaves contain nutrients such as high protein, and are very popular with animals such as pigs, cows, and sheep. In the ponds of the countryside, it is common to see farmer friends picking the young grass of the winged fruit to feed the fish, as it is considered to be a very high-quality bait.
As a common rural herb, winged fruit is considered a weed by some, but it actually has a variety of roles and values. Understanding and correctly understanding the importance of Pterodium is very important for its conservation and rational utilization. Especially in the current situation of the gradual decline of rural plants, we should pay more attention to the protection and rational use of rural plants. In their daily lives, if farmers can be good at discovering and using the plant resources around them, they can not only increase their own economic benefits, but also enrich the dishes on the dinner table and improve the quality of raising animals. At the same time, it is also necessary to pay attention to the protection of the ecological environment of these plants, and avoid over-picking and damaging the root system of plants.
Summary: As a common Asteraceae plant, Wingfruit not only has ornamental value, but also rich edible, medicinal and feed value. Its young stems and leaves are edible, with a slightly bitter taste, and are widely picked and utilized in rural areas. Winged fruit chrysanthemum also has medicinal value, which can clear away heat and detoxify, cool blood and promote dampness, invigorate blood and relieve pain. In addition, its plants are favored by farmers as high-quality feed. The protection and rational use of rural plants can not only increase the economic benefits of farmers, but also contribute to the improvement of the ecological environment. Therefore, we should correctly understand the value of Wingula chrysanthemum, actively protect and utilize it, and become one of the important resources in agricultural development.