What is Madeira vine? Get to know this health-giving vegetable

Madeira vine [Anredera cordifolia (Tenore.) Steen], originally named heart-shaped Madeira vine, also known as Madeira vine, foreign mallow vine, etc., has medicinal effects similar to those of Panax notoginseng and is an important ingredient of Yunnan Baiyao, so some people simply call it "Yunnan Baiyao". It is mainly distributed in China's Yunnan, Sichuan, Taiwan and other provinces, among which Taiwan has a relatively large area of artificial cultivation.

1 Medicinal and health value

Madeira vine is warm in nature and slightly bitter in taste, and has the effects of nourishing yin, strengthening the waist, strengthening the knees, reducing swelling and dispersing blood stasis. It can treat soreness and pain of the waist and knees, bruises and injuries, rheumatoid arthritis, urethritis, diabetes, stomachache, diarrhea, rhinitis, pharyngitis, oral ulcers and other conditions. The stems, leaves and bulbils of Madeira vine are all edible, with a smooth, tender and juicy texture and little fiber. They are rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, carotene and mineral elements such as zinc, iron and calcium. It is a new type of vegetable that combines medicinal and health uses, and it has already been cultivated in many regions of China.

2 Biological characteristics

Madeira vine is a perennial succulent climbing vine. It has tubers underground and succulent climbing stems above ground. The climbing stems have strong twining ability, and adventitious roots often sprout at the internodes. The leaves are alternate, heart-shaped, with inconspicuous veins and a waxy luster; the leaf flesh is thick and rich in water, and breaks easily; at the veins, green bulbils often sprout in tumor-like clusters forming balls, and stem bulbils can also grow at the base of the above-ground stem; spike inflorescences can also emerge above the veins. The flowers are small, drooping and greenish-white, with a flowering period as long as 3 to 6 months, and most are showy but sterile.

3 Cultivation techniques

Madeira vine has simple cultivation techniques, grows rapidly, propagates easily and has strong adaptability to the environment. Its root system is shallow, and it grows well in indoor flower pots, troughs and bare field soil. Indoor pot cultivation can not only provide medicine and health-giving vegetables, but also regulate indoor humidity and beautify the environment, so it is widely cultivated among the people.

Madeira vine likes warm and humid environments and has weak requirements for light. It grows best in sandy loam at 12 to 25°C with sufficient water, shade and good aeration. Low temperatures below 0°C will cause freezing damage, and high temperatures above 35°C will cause disease; therefore, when cultivating indoors, do not place it on a south-facing balcony with direct sunlight, and pay attention to frequent watering, more ventilation and mite damage. Because it grows rapidly (its stems can grow up to 10 cm per day), attention should also be paid to supplementing fertilizer. Organic fertilizer available on the market @#@136@#@ can be applied, and fermented rice washing water, brown sugar water and beer water can also be used for watering.

4 Medicinal and edible methods

Patients can take the tubers, bulbils, stems and leaves of Madeira vine orally, or directly apply fresh Madeira vine leaves, or mash the tubers, bulbils, stems and leaves and apply them to the affected area. Among these, application has a relatively good effect and can directly reach the lesion.

There are many ways to eat Madeira vine, and only 2 are introduced here: 1 Stir-fry: Madeira vine, sesame oil or oyster sauce, stir-fried quickly over high heat and eaten while hot; it is crisp, smooth and tender, with a good flavor. Pork kidney or shredded ginger can also be added and stir-fried quickly for better nutrition. 2 Madeira vine in superior broth: when stewing chicken or pork ribs, add Madeira vine stems and leaves and a small amount of shredded ginger, which can make the chicken soup and pork rib soup delicious and pleasant in texture. No matter which eating method is used, large, thick, dark green leaves without disease spots are best.

In short, every part of Madeira vine is valuable, its medicinal and health effects are remarkable, its economic value is high, and its cultivation techniques are simple, making it very suitable for people to get rich and for home cultivation.