The Efficacy and Effects of the Resurrection Fern (Selaginella), Its Cultivation Methods, and Its Medicinal Value

Resurrection fern is a Chinese medicinal herb, also known as Selaginella or stone cypress. It is a perennial fern whose entire plant can be used as medicine, and it has particularly high medicinal value, as it can be used for the prevention and treatment of some common human diseases. Many people are not very clear about the efficacy and effects of the resurrection fern. How exactly should the resurrection fern be cultivated? And what medicinal values does it have? Below I will give you a comprehensive understanding.

I. The Efficacy and Effects of the Resurrection Fern

1. Invigorating blood and regulating menstruation

The resurrection fern has the important effect of invigorating blood and regulating menstruation. It can accelerate blood circulation and also prevent purpura. It can usually be used for the treatment of many common conditions such as amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea in women, as well as traumatic injuries and blood stasis swelling and pain, and its therapeutic effect is also particularly outstanding.

2. Stopping bleeding

The resurrection fern is a Chinese medicinal herb that can stop bleeding. It can accelerate platelet aggregation and stop bleeding quickly. When people experience external bleeding from trauma, grinding the resurrection fern and applying it externally can stop the bleeding. In addition, this Chinese medicinal herb can also be used for the treatment of many common conditions such as hematemesis, hemafecia, and hematuria in humans, and its therapeutic effect is also very obvious.

3. Preventing gastric ulcers

The medicinal efficacy of the resurrection fern is particularly outstanding. It can relieve spasms and pain and also eliminate inflammation. It can usually be used for the prevention and treatment of many common conditions such as gastric ulcers, gastritis, and stomach pain in humans. It can accelerate the healing of ulcers and reduce the occurrence of gastric ulcers.

4. Preventing and fighting cancer

The resurrection fern is a Chinese medicinal herb that can prevent and fight cancer. The natural medicinal components it contains can prevent the cancerous transformation of human tissue cells and also inhibit the regeneration of cancer cells. Moreover, it can inhibit the activity of various viruses in the human body and reduce the damage these viruses cause to human tissue cells. Taking an appropriate amount regularly can significantly reduce the incidence of cancer.

5. Whitening and lightening spots

Whitening and lightening spots is also an important effect of the Chinese medicinal herb resurrection fern. It can inhibit pigment deposition and also nourish and whiten the skin. Usually, grind the resurrection fern, mix it evenly with egg white to make a mask, and then apply it externally to the facial skin.

6. Relieving spasms

The apigenin contained in the resurrection fern has a moderate antispasmodic effect on smooth muscle.

II. How to cultivate the resurrection fern?

1. The resurrection fern likes to grow in a warm and humid environment, and it also has a certain tolerance to drought, shade, and poor soil, so this plant is still relatively easy to grow. The placement location needs to have smooth ventilation and no direct sunlight. It can be placed on a windowsill or in other indoor locations for care.

2. Avoid sunlight. The resurrection fern does not like long-term direct sunlight, especially intense exposure. Usually, it only needs scattered light or soft light to ensure normal growth. Therefore, in daily care, attention should be paid to taking necessary shading measures in a timely manner in the growing environment.

3. Temperature assurance. The resurrection fern grows best in a temperature environment between 22°C-28°C. In high-temperature summer weather, in addition to taking shading measures, ventilation should also be strengthened and water sprayed appropriately to maintain moisture and lower the temperature. In winter, it is usually necessary to ensure that the temperature in the growing environment is above 10°C to maintain normal growth, and the temperature must remain above 0°C for it to overwinter safely.

4. Scientific watering. During the growing season, the resurrection fern prefers a moist growing environment and has certain requirements for both potting soil humidity and air humidity, so as to ensure the plant maintains good growth. Usually, water only after the potting soil becomes dry. It is also relatively drought-tolerant. During periods of drought, the leaves will curl inward, and after receiving water they will quickly return to a normal growth state.

5. Reasonable fertilization. The resurrection fern does not depend heavily on fertilizer, since this plant is relatively tolerant of poor soil. However, in order to keep it growing well during the growing season, liquid fertilizer can usually be applied once every 2 weeks, with the concentration controlled at about 30%, mainly nitrogen fertilizer, supplemented by phosphorus and potassium fertilizer.

6. Timely repotting. Resurrection fern grown as a potted plant is usually planted in a shallow pot, and after being grown in a pot for a long time, it needs timely repotting and soil replacement. If the original pot has enough growing space, then we only need to replace the soil. Repotting is usually carried out in spring. When repotting, simply replace the old soil with new potting soil.

III. The Medicinal Value of the Resurrection Fern

The resurrection fern is not only an ornamental plant, but also a valuable medicinal plant. It is an astringent hemostatic agent and can be used to treat bleeding from traumatic injuries and knife wounds.

[Alternative name] Bu Si Cao.

[Source] The whole plant of the Crassulaceae plant Hylotelephium verticillatum.

[Plant morphology] Hylotelephium verticillatum is a perennial herb, 40-100 cm tall. Fibrous roots are fine. Stems are erect and unbranched.

Leaves are in whorls of 3-5 or opposite, oblong-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 4-8 cm long, 2.5-3.5 cm wide, apex acute, base cuneate, margin with wavy sparse teeth, often pale white beneath, almost sessile.

Corymb terminal, flowers dense, top semicircular-spherical, 2.5-6 cm in diameter; sepals 5, lanceolate, about 1 mm long; petals 5, yellow-white, pale green to white, oblong-elliptic, 4-5 mm long; stamens 10; scales strip-shaped cuneate; carpels 5, oblong.

Flowering period July-September.

Grows in alpine slopes among grass or among stones by ditches.

Distributed in Sichuan, Hubei, Anhui, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, and Northeast China and other regions.

[Collection] Collected in summer and autumn, washed and used fresh.

[Nature and flavor] Bitter and astringent, neutral.

[Functions and indications - effects of Huan Hun Cao] Detoxification, reducing swelling, stopping bleeding.

Treats trauma, unnamed swelling and toxin, snake bites, and scorpion stings.

[Usage and dosage] External use: mash and apply or squeeze the juice and apply.

[Selected formula] To treat snake bites: fresh Huan Hun Cao, Tu Da Huang, Xian Mao Shen, and alum each in appropriate amounts, mash into a paste and apply to the wound.