An Introduction to the Benefits, Effects and Main Uses of Globeflower

Globeflower is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Trollius in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It mostly grows on mountain grassy slopes or in open woodlands at relatively high altitudes in northern China, and in summer it produces golden-yellow flowers whose shape resembles a lotus, which is how it got its name. It is both an ornamental flower and a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, and in folk practice its flowers are often picked, dried in the sun, and steeped in water as a tea.

In terms of its effects, traditional Chinese medicine holds that globeflower is bitter in taste and cold in nature, and is especially valued for clearing heat and detoxifying. It has traditionally been used to help with heat-related symptoms such as sore, swollen throat, mouth and tongue sores, and red, swollen, painful eyes. When the dried flowers are brewed, the liquid is clear in color with a slightly bitter taste and a sweet aftertaste, making it a common herbal tea in some northern regions; it is also often drunk together with chrysanthemum and boat-fruited sterculia seed.

As for its uses and care, globeflower has large, vivid blooms in bright colors, making it suitable for flower beds and borders, and it can also be grown in pots for display. It prefers cool conditions and is strongly cold-hardy, but dislikes high temperatures and waterlogging; it is best planted in loose soil in a sunny spot with good drainage. It can be propagated by sowing seed or by division, and its management is relatively undemanding.

It should be noted that globeflower is easily confused with another common flower, nasturtium; the two belong to different families and genera, and differ greatly in appearance and use, so care should be taken to tell them apart when buying plants or using them as medicine. In addition, globeflower is cold in nature, so people with weak and cold spleen and stomach should not drink it in large amounts over the long term; if it is used as a medicinal herb to improve one's health, it is advisable to use it under the guidance of a professional.