Before reading the article, please click "Follow" to facilitate discussion and sharing, Xiaobian will continue to update, thank you for your support
In nature, rich and varied landscapes, resources and organisms make up ecological diversity. From timber and minerals to water as we know them, they are all part of natural resources. But have you ever considered that there are still huge groups of plants in this vast natural world? According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 500,000 cultivated species worldwide, which is a staggering figure.
Different plants play different roles in ecosystems, and they influence each other and may even cause concern to humans.
Therefore, we need to look at these wild plants in a different light, while also understanding their characteristics and potential value. One of them, a plant that was hated in the early 70s and is now a "cash cow", has aroused widespread interest.
This special plant is the sunflower potato, also affectionately known as the "cash cow". There is a certain value in it, but how is this value discovered? Let's dive in.
The harm and spread of sunflower potatoes
Fallen potatoes were first introduced from Southeast Asia to other regions in the 70s of the 20th century.
However, it was soon included in China's Second List of Invasive Alien Species because of its unusually rapid growth. In just a few months, the sunflower potato can reach a height of 3-6 meters, which is shocking. It spreads mainly through self-propagation as well as human carrying.
The plant's underground tubers, broken branches and roots all have the potential to reproduce, occupying the surrounding land and allowing the buds to grow quickly and form new plants once they come into contact with the soil. Its flooding has caused serious harm to the surrounding ecosystem, and some plants even secrete some allelopathic substances, which indirectly inhibit the growth and reproduction of other plants and disturb the ecological balance.
Why is the sunflower potato now a "cash cow"?
Although the sunflower potato is an invasive plant notorious for its rapid multiplication and difficulty in removal, its potential value is also remarkable. First of all, after special processing, sunflower potatoes can become a delicious wild vegetable that can be used for purposes such as cooking. Its rhizome is similar to artichoke and can also be made into a delicacy after treatment.
More importantly, sunflower potato has the characteristics of a variety of Chinese medicinal materials and is widely used in the preparation of traditional Chinese medicine. In addition, wild sunflower potatoes can also be used for greening and planted in parks or scenic areas to add natural beauty.
However, it is necessary to control its growth rate to avoid excessive flooding.
Development of sunflower potatoes
Nowadays, cultivated sunflower potatoes are becoming increasingly popular because they are relatively easy to manage and maintain. In general, within a month after planting, the harvest can begin, and if it is extended to the second month, the yield of the plant will be greater. It is known that a single larch potato can pick hundreds of leaves, and it can be picked almost all year round.
These leaves have economic value, and roots and rhizomes can also be sold, so it has been suggested that this invasive plant can also become a "cash cow" if properly handled.
The cultivation of sunflower potatoes is usually carried out in spring, autumn and winter, and the use of stems or pearl buds, tubers and other methods for cuttings propagation, these methods can obtain a high survival rate.
An invasive plant of the early 70s, the sunflower potato, is now attracting attention for its versatility. Although it once harmed the ecosystem, with proper management and processing, it has morphed into a valuable resource. This story not only tells us to put various creatures in nature in perspective, but also reminds us that seemingly harmful things may have surprising value in different perspectives.