I wonder if you've ever seen this plant?
In fact, as long as people mention it, they will hate it because it is an "alien species".
But now, this plant has become a "fragrant bait" in people's eyes, and even a "cash cow" for many people.
What's going on here?
A major "pest grass" in Southeast Asia: sunflower potato
The scattered plants in the picture are the "sunflower potatoes" that people hated so much in the 70s.
Speaking of this name, you may feel very unfamiliar, but if you talk about its other names such as "Fuji Sanqi" and "Yangluo Aoi", it is estimated that many people will exclaim: it turned out to be it.
Just from its name, it can be seen that this is definitely not a native plant of the mainland, and generally with the word "foreign", it is basically an alien species, and the sunflower potato is no exception.
In fact, the sunflower potato is a wild plant native to Southeast Asia.
Judging from the appearance, in fact, the sunflower potato does not have any characteristics that people can remember at a glance, but it looks very similar to ginger.
According to relevant records, in the seventies of the twentieth century, the sunflower potato was introduced to the mainland from Southeast Asia as an ornamental plant.
In the beginning, we only planted a small amount in some areas, after all, they are also very picky about the growing environment.
But what people didn't expect was that after the sunflower potato came to the mainland, there was no such thing as being unaccustomed to the soil and water, but it was very adaptable to the environment here, and then it began to "grow wildly".
Generally speaking, when plants grow to a certain extent, their growth rate will become a little slower, but the sunflower potato is a very unique existence.
You know, this is a winding vine, and its biggest feature is that it is branched and entangled.
It is no exaggeration to say that where there is a sunflower potato, it will soon appear within a radius of dozens of meters.
Not only that, but its breeding method also catches people off guard.
Under normal circumstances, there is a process for plants to reproduce, but for the sunflower potato, it is not only easy to reproduce on its own, but can even be carried by humans to reproduce.
It can be said that as long as the buds of the potatoes fall to the ground, then they can take root and sprout, even if they are buried deep in the ground, they will still be able to grow new plants after a few years.
I have to say that its vitality is really very tenacious, but it also has a very big impact on people's lives.
Whether it is on the roof of people's houses or in the fields, you can basically see the figure of sunflower potatoes, and it grows in a winding way, so all people's crops are tightly encircled.
What's even more hateful is that even if people get rid of all the potatoes today, they will only wilt for a few days, and it won't be long before they "come back".
In addition, it also has its own "special function", which can inhibit the growth of neighboring plants around it, which makes people "miserable".
In this way, people have no way to go to normal farmland, so it is said that the sunflower potato has become the most hated plant by people.
But what people didn't expect was that the sunflower potato, which has such tenacious vitality, turned out to be a "failure case" of invasive species.
Why it became a "cash cow"
In 2010, both the sunflower potato and the Canadian goldenrod were included in the "Second Batch of Invasive Alien Species and List of China", but the outcomes of the two were very different.
In comparison, the Canadian goldenrod can be said to be more powerful.
As an alien species, it is able to directly squeeze out the local plants, not only competing with them for sunlight and fertilizer, but even ending the life of other plants.
It can be said that the Canadian goldenrod does not grow anywhere, and it is a very typical "ecological killer".
The only solution to this problem is to eliminate it according to the normal process.
It can be said that the Canadian goldenrod makes everyone shout and beat it with its strength.
However, as an invasive plant, the sunflower potato has a different fate from the Canadian goldenrod.
Although it was hated by people at the beginning, but gradually, the identity of the sunflower potato has changed, and even become a "cash cow" for many people, what is going on?
In the process of chance, people found that sunflower potatoes can be eaten, whether it is soup or stir-frying, etc., as long as we can think of cooking methods, almost all of them are suitable for sunflower potatoes.
It can be said that even if the sunflower potato is "lawless", it will not escape the fate of being served on the table in the end, which is also the final "destination" of most invasive alien species.
The leaves of the sunflower potatoes are very delicious when used for stir-frying, and even taste better than the greens we usually eat.
If people just pick and eat it themselves, it is not enough to make the sunflower potato a cash cow for people.
And what really makes it popular is its nutritional value and medical value.
According to relevant data, the sunflower potato itself is very rich in carbohydrates, rich in protein and various vitamins and other nutrients, which is definitely not inferior to other nutrients.
Not only that, the sunflower potato also has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying and promoting intestinal peristalsis, which also makes its value rise all the way and become a very valuable Chinese medicinal material.
It can be said that the sunflower potato has got rid of people's disgust with it by its own strength, and even made people look at it with admiration.
Today, it is still cultivated by hand
Due to the various advantages of sunflower potatoes, it has also made its reputation spread, and many people have begun to grow sunflower potatoes.
In addition, the growth and reproduction rate of the sunflower potato itself is very fast, so it can be regarded as a plant with a particularly high yield.
The cultivation of sunflower potatoes requires no technology at all, just need to find a vacant land and water it from time to time, and its own adaptability is very strong, so there is no need to worry about its growth.
Compared to other plants, the ripening rate of the sweet potato is simply a wild one, and people can pick it several times a year.
What's more, the picking of sunflower potatoes is also very convenient, people only need to pick a part of the leaves.
But the value of the sweet potato is not only the leaves, but also its buds and rhizomes.
It is said that the price of the young leaves of the sunflower potato on the market is about 20 yuan a catty, and the young shoots on its stem are as high as 80 yuan a catty.
Although its price is not cheap, it is still in short supply in the market, which is enough to see its popularity.
In spite of the planting process, it is also necessary to pay great attention to the growth of the sunflower potato, and do not let it overflow, otherwise it will be difficult to deal with at that time.