What is Gualou? A Detailed Guide to Gualou Cultivation Methods

Gualou, also known as Trichosanthes kirilowii and Lougua, is a perennial herbaceous plant commonly found in deep mountain forests and crevices of rocky cliffs overgrown with thorns. Because its rhizome, fruit peel, fruit, and seeds all have high medicinal value, it is widely used as a medicinal plant and can now be seen in pharmacies. So what is Gualou? What are its cultivation methods?

I. What is Gualou?

1. Gualou is a perennial climbing herbaceous plant in the order Cucurbitales, family Cucurbitaceae, genus Trichosanthes. Its stems are thick and much branched, with white fleshy hairs. Its tuberous roots are thick and large, pale yellow and cylindrical. Its long leaves are broadly ovate-cordate with 3 to 5 shallow or deep lobes. Its flowers are white with many filaments, thick and hairless. Its fruits are ellipsoid to spherical, with orange-yellow flesh inside, and its seeds are flat and ellipsoid.

2. Gualou is a perennial herbaceous vine that prefers to grow in shaded areas on hillsides, in grass, or by field edges at altitudes of around 200 to 1800 m. It is currently distributed in Liaoning, Shaanxi, Gansu, East China, North China, Central South, and Southwest China, and is widely used as a medicinal plant.

3. Gualou is a medicinal material with extremely high medicinal value, with effects of moistening the lungs, resolving phlegm, fighting bacteria, fighting cancer, and delaying aging. Regular consumption can help remove phlegm and treat chronic ulcers, angina, and other conditions. At present, many people stir-fry it to eat or boil it in water to drink.

II. What are the cultivation techniques for Gualou?

1. Site selection and land preparation: Sandy loam soil is best for planting.

Gualou is suitable for growing in deep, loose, fertile soil with good drainage, so when choosing a site, try to choose deep sandy loam soil for planting. After selecting the site, plow the soil deeply and apply about 5000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure per mu, then dig a ditch 30 cm wide and 0.5 m deep every 1.7 m for later planting.

2. Sowing and raising seedlings: Sowing in March to April is best.

(1) Selection and treatment of seedlings: Select 2- to 3-year-old tubers with an undamaged appearance, no disease, and a white cross-section, then cut them into small segments and apply a little plant ash to the cut surfaces.

(2) Sowing time: March to April.

(3) Sowing method: Plant the treated seedlings in the ditch at a spacing of 1 m between plants and 1.2 m between rows, then cover with soil and water lightly.

3. Field management techniques: Reasonable watering and fertilizing

(1) Water requirements: Gualou does not have high water requirements. Generally, during drought, just dig a ditch about 12 cm from the roots and water lightly.

(2) Fertilizer requirements: Gualou has relatively high fertilizer requirements. Generally, in the first year after planting, organic fertilizer can be applied once as a top dressing. By the second year, apply organic fertilizer once when the seedlings are about 30 cm tall or during the flowering period.

(3) Intertillage and loosening the soil: Half a month after planting Gualou, intertillage and loosen the soil according to the sprouting condition to help the seedlings emerge.

(4) Trellising and guiding the seedlings: When Gualou grows to 30 cm, the excess vines can be removed, and a trellis should be set up every two or three rows. Insert a stick beside each plant to guide its climbing growth.

(5) Pest and disease control: During the growth period, Gualou may be affected by pests and diseases such as the melon worm, yellow squash beetle, and aphids, so preventive measures should be taken in advance. For those already affected by pests or diseases, pesticides such as Lvjiada or dichlorvos can be used for control.

The above is a detailed introduction to Gualou and its cultivation techniques. I hope it is helpful to everyone.