A Detailed Look at the Benefits and Effects of Blackberry Lily: A Traditional Medicinal Herb for Clearing Heat, Detoxifying and Soothing the Throat

Blackberry lily (Belamcanda chinensis) is a perennial herb in the Iris family, genus Belamcanda, and the part used in medicine is its dried rhizome; it is also known among the public as wushan, flat bamboo, and other names. It is distributed across most provinces in China, commonly found on hillsides, in grasslands and along forest edges, and the rhizomes are generally harvested and processed for medicinal use only once they have grown thick and plump.

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, blackberry lily is bitter in taste and cold in nature, enters the lung meridian, and has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, dissolving phlegm and soothing the throat; it is mostly used for sore, swollen throat and for cough with copious phlegm and wheezing. In classic formulas such as Shegan Mahuang Tang, blackberry lily is an important medicinal herb. It should be noted that these uses come from traditional medicinal experience, and how exactly to take it should follow the guidance of a professional physician.

Besides its medicinal value, blackberry lily is also quite ornamental. Its flowers are mostly orange-red, with purple-brown spots scattered across the petals, shaped like dancing butterflies, and they mostly bloom in summer, making it suitable for accenting flower borders and courtyards. Blackberry lily is cold- and drought-tolerant, is not demanding about soil, and is relatively low-maintenance; planted in a sunny spot with good drainage, it is more likely to grow vigorously.

There are also points to note when using blackberry lily. Because its medicinal nature is on the cold side, people with deficient cold of the spleen and stomach, or who easily have diarrhea, generally should not use much of it, and pregnant women should weigh its use under a physician's guidance. In addition, blackberry lily looks similar to closely related plants such as iris, so before use as medicine it needs to be carefully identified to avoid mistakenly collecting or using the wrong plant; only in this way can its value be better brought into play.