Touch-me-not-scented geranium gives off an apple fragrance when touched, and it can both repel mosquitoes and be eaten as a vegetable

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The world is vast, and nothing is too strange to exist. This saying also applies very well to the plant kingdom. Some plants can respond to external stimuli in their own way, such as Mimosa pudica, which closes its leaves as soon as you touch it, and Nepenthes, which quickly closes up if an insect flies in and then "eats" the insect. Today we are talking about a peculiar plant that gives off an apple fragrance when touched. It is not only fun, but also has a mosquito-repelling effect, and can even be eaten as a vegetable.

This plant is called "Pengpengxiang" (touch-me-not-scented geranium), a very plain name that reveals its special feature as soon as you hear it. Pengpengxiang is an introduced plant native to Africa and southern Europe, with the scientific name Pelargonium odoratissimum (apple geranium). Because it gives off a rich scent when touched, smelling just like the fragrance of apples, many people also call it "apple-scented herb."

At first, people appreciated it as an ornamental plant. Placed indoors, it gives off a faint fragrance that makes people feel refreshed when they smell it. Later, people discovered that Pengpengxiang has many other uses, such as being edible.

Because the leaves of Pengpengxiang are very fragrant, it can be used as a aromatic herb. When making soup, adding a few Pengpengxiang leaves can enhance the fragrance of the food. Some people eat it like lettuce, washing it clean and eating it directly as a cold salad, and it is said to have a unique flavor. Some farmers who grow Pengpengxiang pick its leaves, boil them in clean water, and drink it as tea. Its effect is similar to mint, and drinking it can relieve gastrointestinal bloating.

Farmer friends who grow Pengpengxiang say that summer is the peak sales season for Pengpengxiang, because it also has a very good function, namely its mosquito-repelling effect. Placing a few pots of Pengpengxiang at home can both clear heat and relieve summer discomfort and drive away mosquitoes and insects. In addition, Pengpengxiang also has itch-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects. After crushing it and applying it to mosquito bites, it can effectively relieve the discomfort.

Dear readers, have you ever seen this Pengpengxiang, which can both repel mosquitoes and be eaten as a vegetable?

Text/Hemu Report, Images/Internet

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