This plant that sticks to clothes is toxic but highly valuable, and it has now risen to 10 yuan per jin

When I was a child, my family lived in the countryside. As soon as school was out, I would go play at the edge of the fields with the neighbor kids. Looking back now, those really were wonderful memories. I still remember the various wildflowers, wild grasses, and wild fruits in the fields. Like the common morning glory, which we called "bowl-breaking flower" - each region has a different name for it; my hometown is in southwestern Shandong. There was also the common small muskmelon. Of course, there was another plant I will never forget, one that "sticks to clothes," with prickles on its fruit. Once it stuck to your clothes, just thinking about it was really annoying. Looking back now, I only then learned it is called "cocklebur."

The cocklebur can be considered a kind of weed. No matter how you try to remove it, you can never get rid of it all; instead, it spreads very aggressively. This is all because of its prickly fruit - wherever the tiny fruit sticks, it can survive there. In the countryside, many people raise cattle and sheep, especially on the sheep's bodies, which often end up covered in cockleburs. That is truly quite worrying, and pulling them off is not easy. Also, it often sticks to clothes. This is what annoyed my friends and me the most. Even so, it also felt full of fun. Once in a while, for fun, I would pick cockleburs myself and stick them onto my clothes to make patterns, and I even looked quite proud of it.

Although the cocklebur is a kind of wild grass, its value is not low. Quite a few people may know that it is toxic, and the whole plant is toxic. Indeed, the seed kernel and cotyledons of the cocklebur contain toxic proteins and toxic glycosides, which can damage the heart, liver, and kidneys and cause bleeding. Therefore, children must never be allowed to eat it. In this vast world, there are many species, but most follow one principle. That is, most toxic plants can also be used as Chinese medicinal herbs. The cocklebur is the same.

The roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits of the cocklebur each have different uses. For example, its fruit can be used to dispel wind-dampness and open the nasal passages, and the oil pressed from the fruit is also a premium spice. After the stems and leaves of the cocklebur are pounded into a paste and applied, they also have the effect of treating scabies and insect bites. It is precisely because of so many values of the cocklebur that it, originally a rampant weed, has gradually become known to the public. The cocklebur that is everywhere in the countryside has now reached a market value of 10 yuan per jin. It can be said to be a "very outstanding" weed!

The cocklebur has brought us too many memories. Now that I have taken up growing flowers, I occasionally also pot some wild vegetables and melons and fruits on the balcony. After all, this can carry shadows of childhood and also bring a lot of joy to life. If you also once lived in the countryside, if you now do not have a big courtyard, that does not matter. After all, on a balcony, those few square meters of space can be used to "pot" many things. Purslane, figs, and so on can all be grown in pots.

Finally, thank you for reading! Growing flowers and plants is a pleasure, and it is indispensable in life.

Remember to like and share it~