Lianzhou Dragon Whisker Grass

Lianzhou Dragon Whisker Grass

　　【Dragon Whisker Grass】In towns such as Xingzi and Dalu Road in Lianzhou City, there is a rare type of soil in southern China—purple soil. This soil is suitable for growing dragon whisker grass. Dragon whisker grass is a perennial gramineous herbaceous plant, over 1 meter tall, flowering in early summer, and propagates through root extension and seed dispersal. Its leaves are long and slightly curved, resembling “dragon whiskers,” hence the name. In the past, people used it to twist grass ropes, make straw sandals, or burn as fuel. Starting in the 1950s, it was used in papermaking. Its fiber cells are long and thin, making it an excellent raw material for producing thin paper. In the 1980s, the typing paper produced by Lianxian Paper Mill ranked first in provincial product evaluations of its kind. However, the annual yield of dragon whisker grass is only about 3,000 tons. Apart from meeting local production and living needs, it is also sold to Jiangmen Paper Mill, where demand still exceeds supply. Therefore, relevant city departments have taken measures to increase planting area, protect the ecological balance of the Xingzi Basin, reduce soil erosion on purple land, and establish a sustainable dragon whisker grass base. By 1995, 6,456 hectares of dragon whisker grass had been planted (or cultivated).