What Plant Is Baihao? Detailed Guide to Its Cultivation Techniques
Baihao, also known as Meimu and white mugwort, is a herbaceous plant commonly found in October on hillsides, grasslands, riverbanks and woodland areas. Because of its high medicinal value, it is used medicinally, and it can also be used to make baihao wheat rice, brewed as tea, and so on. So what is baihao? What cultivation techniques are there?
I. What Is Baihao?
1. Baihao is a biennial herbaceous plant of the genus Artemisia, in the family Asteraceae, subfamily Tubiflorae, tribe Anthemideae, subtribe Artemisiinae, order Asterales. The plant grows 50-150cm tall, with an upright stem and one main root. The lower part of the stem has obvious longitudinal ridges, while the upper part has many branches and is covered with white fleshy hairs. The branches bear pinnate leaves, and small false stipules grow at the base. It generally begins rapid growth in March to April, and by mid-August it produces head-like inflorescences that are white, hemispherical or nearly spherical, usually with small bracteoles at the base. By September it develops oblong achenes, and by October it produces plump seeds.
2. Baihao is a herbaceous plant with extremely high medicinal value, with effects of clearing heat and draining dampness, stopping bleeding, protecting the liver and promoting bile flow. It can effectively treat jaundice, difficult urination, typhoid, rheumatism and other diseases. In addition, its tender stems and leaves can be used to make baihao wheat rice, or dried and brewed as tea, all of which have good application value.
II. What Cultivation Techniques Are There for Baihao?
1. Site selection and land preparation: What kind of land is suitable for planting?
Baihao is suitable for growing in an environment with loose, fertile soil and good drainage, so when selecting a site, try to choose sandy loam for planting, such as riversides and grasslands, which are good choices. After selecting the site, deep-plow the soil 25cm and apply about 1750 kg of decomposed farmyard manure per mu, then level it and dig a ditch for later drainage and irrigation.
2. Sowing and raising seedlings: When is the best time to sow?
(1) Seed selection: Simply select some seeds with a glossy appearance that are undamaged and disease-free.
(2) Sowing time: February to March.
(3) Sowing method: Baihao can be propagated by seed or by division, among which seed propagation is the most common and simplest. Simply dig some holes in the field bed, sow the seeds into them, then cover with soil and water lightly.
3. Transplanting and planting out: When is the best time to transplant?
(1) Transplanting time: When the seedlings grow to about 10-15cm.
(2) Transplanting method: Dig out the seedlings with soil and roots attached, then transplant them into the soil at a plant spacing of 20cm and a row spacing of 25cm, then water lightly.
4. Post-transplanting management techniques: How to manage them?
(1) Thinning and filling in seedlings: One week after the baihao seedlings are planted out, promptly check the growth of the seedlings. Weak and withered seedlings should be pulled out in time, and crowded seedlings should be transplanted in time to overly sparse soil, so as to ensure uniform growth of the seedlings.
(2) Cultivation and weeding: After thinning succeeds, promptly cultivate and weed to prevent nutrients from being absorbed and to ensure good soil aeration. When loosening the soil, be careful not to damage the roots. Where there are many weeds, they can be pulled out by hand.
(3) Water and fertilizer requirements: When loosening the soil, an appropriate base fertilizer can be applied to ensure the plants have sufficient nutrients. When fertilizing, do not apply concentrated fertilizer, to avoid burning the roots to death.
(4) Pest and disease control: During the growth period of baihao, diseases and pests such as root rot, sclerotinia disease, aphids and cutworms may occur, so preventive measures should be taken in advance. For those already affected by pests or diseases, promptly spray special agents such as chlorothalonil, Bordeaux mixture, trichlorfon and dichlorvos to reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases.
The above is a detailed introduction to what baihao is and its cultivation techniques. I hope it is helpful to everyone.