The meaning of Bai Ji is to heal wounds, a healing herb
Bai Ji, Buddleja alternifolia, genus Buddleja. Leaves alternate on branches; leaves on flowering branches or short shoots are very small, elliptic or obovate. Flowers numerous, forming clustered or paniculate cymes; flowers fragrant; calyx bell-shaped, calyx lobes triangular-lanceolate; corolla purple-blue; stamens inserted on the middle of the inner wall of the corolla tube, filaments very short, anthers oblong; ovary long-ovoid, hairless, stigma ovoid. Capsule elliptic; seeds numerous, narrowly oblong, grayish-brown, with short wings around the margin. Flowering period May-July, fruiting period July-October.
Bai Ji
Buddleja alternifolia is native to China, widely distributed in the provinces of the Yangtze River basin. It is found in southern Shaanxi, Lianyungang, Nantong, Nanjing, Jurong, Yixing, Liyang, Shanghai, southeastern Gansu, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan and Guizhou.
The aboveground part of Buddleja alternifolia has no obvious main trunk, grows in clumps, and has a very strong branching ability; the root system is well developed, especially the main root growing toward the ground is almost equal to the aboveground part. The slope direction of the growing area is south slope or southeast slope, and the slope gradient is 250-350. The annual precipitation is within 350mm, the annual average temperature is 5°C, the frost-free period is 120 days, the climate is dry and windy, the air humidity is low, the soil layer is very thin or even the rock is exposed, and the growing conditions are very poor. However, Buddleja alternifolia grows robustly and luxuriantly, and because livestock refuse to eat it, it is not damaged, and its ability to survive on its own is strong.
Bai Ji
Landscape value:
Buddleja alternifolia is a kind of terrestrial orchid, with purple-red flowers arranged in orderly fashion, set off by verdant leaves, dignified and elegant. The flowers also come in white, blue, yellow and pink, and can be used to arrange flower beds. They are suitable for planting in clumps beside flower paths and rocks, or as ground cover plants under sparse forests, and can also be potted for indoor viewing.
Edible value:
The tubers contain mucilage and starch, etc., and can be used as paste material, and can also be used as medicine.
Bai Ji
Plant culture:
Volume 9 of "Xiangzu Biji" by Wang Shizhen of the Qing Dynasty: "In the bingzi year, when I was sent on a mission to Shu, I saw Buddleja alternifolia flowers in the mountain road, and thus got the line 'The west wind all day brings misty rain, and all over the empty mountain bloom Buddleja alternifolia flowers.'" Zhao Shuli's "Jin Zi": "This enthusiastic young helper was experienced, and without asking me how to do it, he put the gold paint at the bottom of the bowl, poured a little water, and ground it with Buddleja alternifolia."