What is the difference between Tongcao and Tongjingcao? A quick guide to tell them apart

Although Tongcao and Tongjingcao differ by only one character in name, they are different species. So, what is the difference between Tongcao and Tongjingcao?

1. What is the difference between Tongcao and Tongjingcao?

Different varieties: Tongcao is the stem pith of Tetrapanax papyrifer, a plant in the Araliaceae family, while Tongjingcao is the whole plant of Aleuritopteris argentea, a plant in the genus Aleuritopteris of the family Pteridaceae; different effects: Tongjingcao has the effects of activating blood and regulating menstruation, relieving cough, draining dampness, and detoxifying and reducing swelling; Tongcao is a traditional Chinese medicine for draining dampness and resolving dampness, mainly used for: damp-warmth with red urine, strangury with painful urination, edema with scanty urine, and insufficient lactation.

2. Cultivation methods of Tongcao

1. Site selection and land preparation

For Tongcao cultivation, choose mixed wood forests with convenient irrigation and good drainage, valley areas and gentle slope areas in secondary forest mountainous regions, with a slope not exceeding 10-15 degrees, and fertile brown forest soil or sandy soil. Carry out land preparation before sowing.

2. Propagation techniques

Tongcao is propagated by seed. The suitable planting time is from April to October. Choose a rainy day or a sunny afternoon when the sun is slanting, open furrows at a row spacing of 20-25 cm and sow in drills. The plant spacing can be determined according to soil fertility, intensity of management, and difficulty of drainage and irrigation. After the seeds are sown in the furrows, cover with 2-3 cm of soil and press firmly.

3. Field management

After sowing Tongcao, keep the soil moist, and pay attention to drainage during the seedling growth period. When the seedlings are more than 30 cm tall, set up frames to support the vines. When using artificial frames, various branches can be built into fence supports, and small trees or shrubs such as Vitex trifolia and Tephrosia candida can be used. Apply farmyard manure 2-3 times each year during the growing period.

4. Pest and disease control

Tongcao has fewer diseases during the growing period, mainly insect pests. The larvae of the Akebia swallowtail butterfly bite leaves and stems from July to September. During the occurrence period, spray with 500-800 times dilution of 90% trichlorfon. Aphids damage the leaves; spray with 2000 times dilution of 40% dimethoate emulsion.

5. Harvesting and seed retention

In autumn and winter, cut the base of Tongcao, remove the head and tail and young branches, scrape off the coarse outer bark of the woody stem, and sun-dry. During drying, straighten the vine stems. When they are about 70-80% dry, sort and bundle them by diameter thickness, then continue drying until finished. For seed retention, select seeds that are large, plump, and free of pests and diseases.

Although Tongcao and Tongjingcao sound very similar in name, their effects are different, so everyone must not confuse them.