[Huoxiang flower] A detailed introduction of Huoxiang flower

Patchouli flower, also known as Hexiang, Cangao, mountain fennel, etc., every summer, people often use this plant to relieve the heat, and then let's learn more about this plant.

Patchouli belongs to tubular flower order, Labiatae perennial herb, stem erect, 0.5-1.5m high, quadrangular, 7-8mm thick, leaves heart-shaped to oblong-lanceolate, Corolla light purple-blue, about 8mm, mature nutlets ovate-oblong, about 1.8mm long, about 1.1mm wide, florescence June-September, fruiting September-November.

Patchouli perennial herbs. Stem erect, 0. 5-1.5 m tall, 4-angled, 7-8mm thick, covered with very short fine hairs in the upper part, glabrous in the lower part, with fertile branches in the upper part. Leaves cordate-ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 4.5-11cm long and 3-6.5cm wide, tapering upward, apex caudate-long acuminate, base cordate, sparsely truncate, margin coarsely dentate, papery, olive green above, subglabrous, slightly pale below, puberulent and punctate glandular; petiole 1.5-3.5cm long. Verticillate inflorescences are many-flowered and form dense cylindrical spikes on the main stem or lateral branches. The spikes are 2.5-12cm long and 1.8-2.5cm in diameter.

Bracts at the base of inflorescences no longer than 5mm, ca. 1-2mm wide, lanceolate-linear, long acuminate, bracts similar in shape, smaller, ca. 2-3 mm long; verticillate inflorescences short pedunculate, pedunculate ca. 3mm, glandular puberulent. Calyx tubular-obconical, ca. 6mm long, ca. 2mm wide, puberulent by glands and yellow small glands, more or less dyed light purple or purplish red, throat slightly oblique, calyx teeth triangular-lanceolate, the latter 3 teeth about 2.2mm, the first 2 teeth slightly shorter. Corolla purplish blue, ca. 8mm, puberulent, crown tube base width ca. 1.2mm, slightly exceeding calyx, widening upward, to throat width about 3mm, limb 2-lipped, upper lip straight, apex emarginate, lower lip 3-lobed, middle lobe wider, ca. 2mm long, ca. 3.5mm wide, spreading, margin undulate, base wide, lateral lobes semicircular. Stamens protruding from Corolla, filaments fine, flattened, glabrous. Style subequal to stamens, 2-lobed, filiform, apex equal. Disk thickly annular. Ovary lobes apically tomentose. Mature nutlets ovate-oblong, ca. 1.8mm, ca. 1.1mm wide, ventral angled, apex hispidulous, brown.

Growth habits: Huoxiang prefers high temperature and sufficient sunshine, and grows poorly in the shade. The area with an annual average temperature of 19-26 ℃ is more suitable for growth. When the temperature is higher than 35 ℃ or lower than 16 ℃, it grows slowly or stops. Like to grow in wet, rainy environment, afraid of drought, the annual rainfall is required to reach more than 1600mm. It likes rain in the seedling stage and the environment with high humidity in the growing period (but if the soil moisture is too high, the roots will rot and die). Irrigation should be paid attention to in areas with less rainfall. Seedlings like shade, need to build a shed or cover grass, adult plants can grow in full light. The roots are hardy and can survive the winter in the north, and the next year they turn green and grow patchouli; the aboveground parts are not hardy, and a large number of leaves fall after Frosts Descent, and gradually die. The requirements of the soil are not strict, the general soil can grow, but the soil layer is deep, fertile and loose sandy loam or loam is better. For fear of stagnant water, if you plant in low-lying land that is prone to stagnant water, the roots will rot and die. The life span of seeds is 2-4 years, so the seeds can be sown every other year. Light is needed for seed germination, the optimum temperature for germination is 18-22 ℃, and the germination days are 7-10 days.

Plant culture

A long time ago, there lived a family in the mountains. Brother and sister Huo Xiang depended on each other. There are only two sisters-in-law in the family. On weekdays, sisters-in-law are considerate to each other, go to the fields together every day, do housework together, and live a harmonious and beautiful life. One summer, when the weather was hot and humid for days, my sister-in-law suffered from heatstroke and suddenly fell ill. She was very uncomfortable with fever, cold, headache, nausea, tiredness and fatigue. Huo Xiang hurriedly helped her sister-in-law to bed and said, "I'm afraid you're suffering from heat. It's not difficult to cure this disease. There are fragrant herbs on the back hill of our family that can cure this disease." Let me hurry up the mountain and pick it up and cure you as soon as possible. " My sister-in-law read that her sister-in-law was young and it was inconvenient to go out, so she was advised not to go. Huo Xiang ignored it completely and insisted on going into the mountains.

My sister-in-law affectionately called this fragrant herb "Huoxiang" and asked everyone to plant it in front of the house, at the back of the house and by the side of the road so that it could be used at any time. Since then, the reputation of Huoxiang grass has spread more and more widely, and many patients with heatstroke have been cured. Because of the herbs, for a long time, people added a "grass" head to the word Huo and wrote Huoxiang as "patchouli".

The above is the whole content of the detailed introduction of Huoxiang flower that I have summarized for you. I hope this article can help you all. Please continue to follow us.