When does the wild sweet potato ripen, and what are its effects and benefits?

Wild sweet potato, also called sweet potato puff, is a multi-purpose plant that combines food, medicinal, landscaping and ornamental uses. It is produced in Hunan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, Gansu and other places, and is also distributed abroad in northern Vietnam and Laos. So, when does the wild sweet potato ripen? What are its effects and benefits?

When does the wild sweet potato ripen?

The wild sweet potato has characteristics such as cold resistance, drought resistance, shade tolerance, barren tolerance and waterlogging tolerance. Even if planted in barren sand or stone crevices where not a blade of grass grows, it will still flourish with abundant branches and leaves, full of green; whether in the scorching summer or the icy and snowy winter, it spreads like brocade all year round, with green leaves like shade; whether growing on mountain ridges exposed to the scorching sun or under ancient forests, the leaf color is always emerald green and full of vitality; whether in low-lying land or arid mountain ridges, it can adapt to circumstances and stay evergreen throughout the four seasons. The wild sweet potato is picked during the fruit ripening period (June to October) after the Dragon Boat Festival. Even from more than 20 m away from the wild sweet potato, one can smell a rich fragrance, lush and delightful, so it is also called "fragrance all over the ground."

What are the effects and benefits of the wild sweet potato?

1. The wild sweet potato is suitable for landscaping in parks or places prone to trampling by visitors, and can withstand trampling by many visitors.

2. The wild sweet potato can also be cultivated as a fruit and is suitable for interplanting in orchards, turning traditional single-season orchards into double-season orchards. It can also be used as a hanging bonsai for fruit and foliage viewing; its flexible, emerald-green stems and vines are elegant and graceful, presenting the beautiful scene of “ten thousand strands hanging down like green silk ribbons.”

3. The whole plant of the wild sweet potato can be used as medicine. Dispelling wind and removing dampness as well as dredging meridians and activating collaterals are its most important effects. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is often used to treat bronchitis, rheumatic bone pain, edema and many other diseases that trouble people. During treatment, it can be decocted for internal use or directly used externally.

4. The wild sweet potato has a good hemostatic effect. When people are accidentally injured and bleed continuously, it can be directly pounded in the wild and applied externally to the injured area, which can produce a good hemostatic effect. In addition, it can also be used to treat venomous snake bites. The method of use is the same as above, replacing it once a day, which can quickly make the toxins in the body disappear.