North America's notoriously infamous invasive weed became a healing herb after invading China

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Hemu Report aims to share and popularize information about various plants and their uses, for reference only. If medicinal use is needed, it is recommended to consult a professional physician to avoid problems!

China is vast in territory and rich in resources, with abundant wild vegetation, especially in rural areas, where all kinds of wild grasses are countless. Most farmer friends are very fond of these wild grasses, because there is a saying in rural areas: "Wild grasses are treasures." This is indeed true. For example, some common wild grasses such as dandelion, plantain, and purslane can not only be eaten as wild vegetables but also used as herbal medicine to treat illnesses, so when used correctly, they are treasures. However, in rural areas there are also many wild grasses that farmer friends once hated, especially those invasive wild grasses from abroad. Below, the author introduces one such plant.

Whenever spring arrives, all kinds of wild grasses begin to grow around rural houses, in vegetable gardens, along roadsides, in farm fields, and in mountain forests. Most farmers do not care about wild grasses growing in other places, but the wild grasses growing in farm fields are what farmer friends care about most, because these wild grasses harm crops, and farmer friends pay close attention to them, uprooting them as soon as they are found. Among them is one wild grass that gives many farming farmer friends a headache and makes them hate it deeply: spotted spurge.

Speaking of spotted spurge, when the author first saw it, he even misidentified it, always thinking it was garden spurge or milkweed. In fact, spotted spurge really does look very similar to these 2 wild grasses, though there are still subtle differences.

Spotted spurge is one of the field weeds that many farmer friends hate. It is a wild grass native to North America, where it was already a very "notorious" harmful weed, listed on the North American continent as one of the most common and most difficult-to-mow weeds in farm fields. Spotted spurge invaded China around 1940. It likes to grow in farm fields, has well-developed roots and stems, grows close to the ground, reproduces quickly, and is very difficult to remove. If not pulled out in time, it easily spreads. It is a "malignant weed" in fields of dry-season crops such as peanuts, so it is often hated by farmer friends, who pull it out whenever they see it.

However, such a hateful harmful weed in fields actually has considerable uses. Previously, the author also always thought that spotted spurge had no use other than harming crops. Later, an old farmer in the village told the author that spotted spurge is actually also a very good Chinese herbal medicine.

The author also consulted relevant materials. According to "Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicines in Shanghai," the whole plant of spotted spurge can be used as medicine, and when used medicinally it is also called "blood tendon grass." Its taste is pungent and its nature is neutral, and it has the effects of stopping bleeding, promoting urination, strengthening the stomach, invigorating blood, and detoxifying. It can be used to treat jaundice, dysentery, diarrhea, urinary tract infections, bloody stool, bloody urine, uterine bleeding, hemorrhoid bleeding, infantile malnutrition, bruises and swelling, blocked breast milk in women, snake bites, head sores, skin sores and toxins, traumatic bleeding, and many other symptoms, thus also becoming a folk healing herb.

Therefore, although spotted spurge is very hateful, it still has considerable value; as long as it is used in the right place, its value changes.

The author reminds: although spotted spurge has quite good medicinal value, it also has a small problem, namely that the whole plant of spotted spurge is toxic. Therefore, the author suggests not using spotted spurge casually, and best to consult a professional physician to avoid problems.

Dear friends, have you seen spotted spurge? You are welcome to leave a message and exchange thoughts!

Text/Hemu Report, images/Internet

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