What kind of leaves are used for zongzi in southern China, and what other common varieties are there?

In another week it will be the Dragon Boat Festival, and I believe many neighbors will take advantage of this week to wrap zongzi. Although many people eat a lot of zongzi, they do not know much about zongzi leaves. In fact, there are not only many varieties of zongzi leaves, but the zongzi used in the north and south are also quite different, mostly using local plants as materials. So what kind of leaves are used for zongzi in southern China? Let us find out together.

What kind of leaves are used for zongzi in southern China?

Generally, people in southern China mostly use indocalamus leaves to wrap zongzi, and some also call them palm leaves. It is said that the indocalamus leaves picked in Huangshan, Anhui, contain a special fresh fragrance and are commonly known as "Huizhou summer indocalamus." Indocalamus is a species unique to the south of the Yangtze River. In ancient times it was used as outer packaging for wrapping salt or tea, and it can also be made into bamboo hats.

The ancient poem "Green indocalamus hat, green straw rain cape, in the slanting wind and fine rain there is no need to return" describes a bamboo hat made from indocalamus leaves. Later, people also used indocalamus leaves to wrap zongzi. They carry a faint bamboo-leaf fragrance and are convenient to obtain, making them one of the most popular zongzi leaves in the south.

What other varieties of zongzi leaves are there?

1. Phrynium leaves

Phrynium leaves look similar to banana leaves, appearing like a smaller version of banana leaves. Their distribution area is similar to that of banana leaves, mainly warm and humid tropical regions. Phrynium leaves stay green all year round and have a unique fragrance, making them most suitable for wrapping savory zongzi.

2. Oak leaves

Oak leaves are a kind of tree leaf from the north. The leaves are very beautiful and are mainly used in rural areas of a few regions such as western Henan and southern Shaanxi. Although they are not well known in our country, abroad, especially in Japan and South Korea, oak leaves are quite popular.

3. Zongba leaves

These are generally zongzi leaves from regions such as the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. They look like smaller banana leaves and belong to the lily family, genus Aspidistra. Their rhizomes can be harvested throughout the year.

4. Reed leaves

Reed leaves are especially abundant in rural areas of northern China, so many people in northern regions use reed leaves as zongzi leaves to wrap zongzi for convenience and to use local materials. But reed leaves are thin and long, so using them to wrap zongzi is relatively difficult, and generally 3 to 4 leaves are needed to wrap one zongzi.

5. Pandanus leaves

They can be used to make all kinds of pandanus zongzi and Korean-style bamboo shoot salad with pandanus sprouts. In Zhongshan and Maoming in Guangdong, local people use pandanus leaves to wrap zongzi.

Generally speaking, the leaf most used for wrapping zongzi in the south is the indocalamus leaf, also called palm leaf, which is the leaf of the indocalamus plant, while in the north reed leaves are used more. In rural areas, basically every household wraps zongzi to eat on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival. The Dragon Boat Festival is coming soon, so hurry and buy some zongzi leaves to wrap zongzi.

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