Plants in the countryside can be divided into two categories: evergreen and very green, and in winter, evergreens are like a touch of green vitality. Although most of the plants begin to turn yellow, it does not mean that there is a lack of greenery in winter. Plantains, wild wormwood, wild lettuce, wild chrysanthemums and other plants are evergreen all year round, but the most conspicuous of them is the sour mold. The rhizomes of the sorrel are thick and the plants are so large that they can be seen from a distance. I remember 20 years ago, when my family raised pigs, every time I went out to pull pigweed, my favorite thing to collect was sorrel molds. Its plants are tall and dense, clustered together, and it only takes about 10 plants to fill the basket. The sorrel is called a sorrel because it smells like sheep's hooves, while in the countryside people are more inclined to call it earth rhubarb because of its yellow rhizome. In addition, sorrel molds are also called wild spinach, blue cabbage or sour slippery. It belongs to the perennial erect herbaceous evergreen of the family Polygonaceae and the sorrel genus. The rhizomes of sorrel molds are stout and thick, yellowish in color, and the stems are erect and grow to a meter tall. The leaves are oblong, the margins are wavy, and the leaves are alternate. The sorrel mold blooms between May and August, and its seeds are round and black. The "Compendium of Materia Medica" once recorded: "sour mold is also found in flat land, and its roots, leaves, and flowers are similar in shape to sheep's hooves, but the leaves are smaller, and the taste is sour, and the difference is that the roots are red and yellow." This description is talking about the plant Rhubarb. Currently, this plant can be found in various provinces of China, and it is commonly found on roadsides, fields, and wetlands. In my hometown, it is also ubiquitous, both in front of and behind the house. Still, don't underestimate this plant, after all, not everything that pigs eat is worthless. In fact, the value of sorrel molds is very high, which is mainly reflected in three aspects.
1. The stems and leaves of the sorrel mold are edible. In fact, in rural areas, the young leaves of many plants can be eaten as wild vegetables, whether it is the common plantain or wild wormwood, it can be eaten as wild vegetables. The sorrel mold is no exception, and its young leaves can be eaten raw or used for stir-frying. However, as living conditions improved, the number of people eating wild vegetables gradually decreased. But in ancient times, the situation was completely different. In times of famine, people would pick the young leaves of wild plants for food. There is a relevant record in the Ming Dynasty's "Materia Medica". In fact, Weihai City and Shandong Province have a tradition of eating sour molds. However, due to the sour taste of sour molds, it is usually eaten with sugar, which is both sour and sweet, and it is appetizing.
2. Sour mold is a natural herb with medicinal value. Sorrel can be said to be a plant with both medicinal and edible uses. Its young leaves are edible, while the rhizomes can be used as medicine, which has extremely high medicinal value. According to the National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicine, the rhizome of the sorrel mold has the effects of cooling blood, detoxifying, laxative and killing insects. For example, when encountering poor urination in the countryside, farmers who understand the value of sorrel molds will collect the rhizomes of rhubarb in the yard and use it, which is also recorded in the "Hunan Medicine Chronicle".
3. Sour mold is a high-quality feed. The sorrel plant is tall and has a thick rhizome, making it a high-quality forage crop. Some people even grow it on a large scale by hybridizing acid molds to expand production. Therefore, each plant has its own unique value, as there is an old saying in the countryside: "If there are no weeds in the countryside, all that will be used is treasure", whether it is plantain or sorrel.
To sum up, it is very important to understand the sorrel mold plant. The next time you see it, don't admit it. However, it is very easy to identify an acid mold, and you can't be wrong as long as you see it. But in order to avoid confusion, I recommend a book on Chinese herbal medicine, which has a high-definition** and a detailed introduction. Whether you are an adult or a child, you can take this book with you when you go out in the wild, it will not only increase your enjoyment, but also increase your knowledge. If you have anything to say, please leave a comment in the comments section below and let's join the discussion. Finally, both land and plants contain extremely rich vitality and value, and in rural areas, we need to better understand and make good use of these precious resources.