Bracken fern in Yun County

Bracken fern in Yun County

　　Bracken fern, also known as dragon claw vegetable or willow-leaf vegetable, is commonly referred to as “juji” after maturing. It belongs to the Pteridaceae family and thrives in shallow mountainous areas, often found in sparse mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests.

　　Bracken fern generally grows to a height of about 10–100 cm, with long, horizontally spreading rhizomes covered in fine dark brown hairs. In early spring, the newly emerged leaves are tightly curled in a trifurcate shape. The stalks and leaves are tender, covered with white fuzz, marking the optimal time for harvesting. The petioles are 30–100 cm long, and the leaves are triangular, measuring 60–150 cm in length and 30–60 cm in width, with 2–3 levels of pinnation. The lower pinnae are opposite, and the brown sporangia are continuously arranged along the leaf edges, covered with double indusia.

　　Juji (mature bracken) is widely distributed across the mountainous regions of Yun County, growing in patches at varying stages. Due to land cultivation, it can mostly only be found in dense thickets on mountaintops. Among bracken ferns, the main types include common bracken, sweet bracken, tree bracken (also called water bracken), and small yellow bracken (less commonly consumed). A folk rhyme praises bracken: “What has seeds but doesn’t grow from a tree? What has no seeds yet forms a forest? An abacus has seeds but doesn’t grow from a tree, while juji has no seeds yet forms a forest.”

　　According to scientific research by experts, 100g of fresh bracken fern contains 0.43g of protein, 0.39g of fat, 3.6g of carbohydrates, 0.45g of organic acids, and various vitamins. Bracken can be used to make maltose, biscuits, lotus root starch substitutes, and pharmaceutical additives. Regular consumption may help treat conditions such as high blood pressure, dizziness, uterine bleeding, and arthritis, and it also has preventive effects against measles and influenza. Its properties are described as sweet, cold, and astringent, with no toxicity, affecting the large intestine and bladder meridians.

　　The mature rhizomes of bracken are thick and rich in starch, hence called juji powder or suo powder, which can be made into noodles or sheets for consumption. The young shoots are tightly curled like fists, hence also nicknamed “fist vegetable.”

　　Bracken fern is a wild vegetable that has been enjoyed by the people of Yun County throughout history. When preparing it, remove the aged roots, blanch in boiling water for 1–2 minutes, soak in clean water for ten minutes to remove bitterness, then chop and stir-fry with oil, salt, and seasonings. Because of its slightly astringent taste, it has astringent properties and can help treat rectal prolapse.

　　Bracken fern is highly nutritious: 1. Brackenin has certain inhibitory effects on bacteria and can be used to treat persistent fever, enteric heat toxins, eczema, and sores, offering excellent heat-clearing, detoxifying, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory benefits; 2. Certain active components in bracken can dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure; 3. The coarse fiber it contains can promote gastrointestinal motility, helping relieve flatulence and improve bowel movements; 4. Bracken helps cleanse the intestines and detoxify the body, and is traditionally used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, and urinary blockages, often with positive results; 5. Bracken can be made into sheets to serve as a starchy food substitute, nourishing the spleen, benefiting qi, strengthening the body, and enhancing disease resistance; 6. Recent scientific studies have shown that bracken also has certain anti-cancer properties.