A Full Analysis of the Benefits and Uses of Stringy Stonecrop: Getting to Know This Common Herb

Stringy stonecrop (Sedum sarmentosum) is a perennial succulent herb in the genus Sedum of the family Crassulaceae. It is distributed across most regions of China and often grows in moist places such as rocky hillsides and the banks of fields and rivers. Its stems creep along the ground and readily root at the nodes, and its fleshy, plump leaves grow in whorls of three, shaped like melon seeds, which is why in some places it is also called melon-seed grass, stone fingernail, or dog-tooth petal.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the whole plant of stringy stonecrop is used as medicine. It is cool in nature and sweet and bland in taste, with the effects of clearing heat and draining dampness, and of resolving toxin and reducing swelling. It is often used for damp-heat jaundice, difficult urination, sore and swollen throat, carbuncles, swellings and sores, and snake and insect bites. In folk practice, the fresh plant is often pounded and applied externally to treat boils and insect bites, and it is also taken internally as a decoction or expressed juice. However, traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes treatment based on pattern differentiation, so specific usage and dosage should be carried out under a doctor's guidance, and it is not advisable to take it in large amounts over the long term on one's own.

Besides its medicinal use, stringy stonecrop is also a rather popular groundcover plant. It has strong vitality and tolerates drought and poor soil, and it is not demanding about soil. It readily survives from cuttings or division, and its stems and leaves spread out along the ground, allowing it to cover bare ground fairly quickly. It is often used for rooftop greening, edging flower beds, and slope protection and soil stabilization, and it is very easy to manage.

It should be noted that stringy stonecrop is rather cold and cool in nature, so people with deficiency-cold of the spleen and stomach should not use it much, and pregnant women and people with special constitutions should consult a professional physician before use. When collecting it in the wild, carefully distinguish it from similar plants to avoid mistakenly harvesting and consuming the wrong plant, so as to ensure safety.