Can the flowers of the blue flower herb be eaten? Its medicinal value, benefits and cultivation methods
When traveling in Taiwan, China, Fujian, Guangdong or Hong Kong, China, you can always see a small plant by the roadside called "blue flower herb". After blooming, the flowers are small and delicate, mainly purple-blue in color. Its characteristic is that each flower blooms for only one day before withering; after blooming, the stem breaks off, and then the nutrients flow back into the soil, promoting the opening of new flowers.
The symbolic meaning of the blue flower herb is very positive, representing that even though life has all kinds of trials, as long as it keeps renewing itself, there is still the hope and ideal of rebirth. On the flower market, there are potted plants for care and also cut flowers; cut flowers are generally used to decorate and set off the main flowers. For potted cultivation, during care it prefers sunlight by nature, so sufficient sunlight is the key factor for it to bloom more. Therefore, it is recommended that during care it needs at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day to ensure healthy growth and flowering. If the light duration is insufficient, it will affect the number of flowers or prevent blooming.
In terms of temperature, the suitable temperature for the growth of the blue flower herb is 22°C to 30°C. It can tolerate high temperatures and severe summer heat, but its cold resistance is relatively poor. When the surrounding temperature is below 5°C, it is prone to cold damage.
Its flowering period usually has 2 stages. From March it will bloom continuously until October, with the peak flowering period in July to August. If fertilizing during this period, a thin liquid fertilizer can be applied once a month. In particular, it can be applied more in spring and summer, and after autumn it can gradually be stopped.
In terms of soil, the blue flower herb is not very particular. For home care, it is recommended to use fertile soil, such as garden soil, or lightly saline-alkaline soil. As for watering, it can be changed according to the season. In the vigorous growth season, keep the soil slightly moist, while in winter, keep the soil slightly drier.
In addition, besides having good ornamental value, the blue flower herb also has high medicinal value. In medicine, it is bitter in taste and cold in nature, entering the heart meridian and liver meridian. It has effects such as clearing heat and draining dampness, and relieving edema. It can often be used to treat diseases such as heat strangury, icteric hepatitis, and difficult urination.