Alfalfa

Alfalfa

　　Alfalfa is a specialty of Yangxin, renowned both domestically and internationally for its sturdy stems, lush flowers and leaves, tender growth, high yield, and rich nutritional content. According to Li Shizhen’s *Compendium of Materia Medica*, “Alfalfa originally came from Dayuan and was brought back to China by the Han envoy Zhang Qian, but now it can be found growing in fields everywhere.” Yangxin has a long history of alfalfa cultivation, with large-scale planting already underway by the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty.

　　Alfalfa is a perennial herbaceous plant of the legume family, characterized by a well-developed root system, strong adaptability, salt-alkali resistance, windbreak and sand-fixation capabilities, and soil improvement properties. It can be harvested two to three times a year. Yangxin alfalfa contains up to 18% plant protein, with fat, vitamins, lutein, and other nutrients also significantly higher than those of white-flowered alfalfa and similar varieties from other regions. It serves as an ideal feed for livestock and poultry. Mixed feed primarily made from alfalfa stems and leaves can increase milk yield and improve milk quality in dairy cows; when fed to sheep, it enhances wool quality and contributes to improved reproduction and fattening rates across various types of livestock. Alfalfa flowers are an important ingredient in premium beverages and high-end cigarettes. Beverages made with alfalfa flowers have special effects such as lowering blood pressure, detoxifying, refreshing, and strengthening the spleen. Trace elements in alfalfa flowers chemically interact with harmful substances in tobacco, thereby reducing the damage tobacco causes to the human body.