What Chinese medicinal herbs have high economic benefits (what Chinese medicinal herbs have good prospects for planting now)

In some mountainous areas, wild Chinese medicinal materials are extremely abundant, and collecting herbs was once an important source of income for some farmers.

In recent years, due to over-exploitation and resource depletion of some wild precious Chinese medicinal materials, prices have continued to rise. Many local farmers have begun to explore the cultivation technology of "wild to domestic" Chinese medicinal materials.

Currently, the more successful ones include Polygonum cuspidatum, Fagopyrum serrata, Polygonatum officinale, Bletilla striata, Polygonatum sibiricum, Glehnia littoralis, and Acorus calamus.

1. Japanese knotweed

Polygonum cuspidatum, commonly known as "sour sticks" in rural areas, is widely distributed in rural areas and mainly grows in loose and moist soil beside rivers and streams in low and medium mountains. Its roots are used as medicine, and its young stems can be eaten as vegetables.

Modern research has found that Polygonum cuspidatum is rich in resveratrol. Resveratrol can be extracted from Polygonum cuspidatum, and "resveratrol capsules" can be produced with resveratrol as the main raw material.

It is a lipid-lowering health product that has been very popular among consumers in recent years. It also has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and cardiovascular protection effects, and therefore has attracted people's attention.

Its yield is relatively high. In loose and fertile land, the yield per mu in two years can reach more than 10,000 jin. Although the product price is low, it is relatively stable. The problem is that the roots are deep in the soil, making it difficult to dig. The cost of manual digging is high, so it is best to use mechanical digging.

2. Golden Buckwheat

Golden buckwheat is also known as bitter buckwheat, buckwheat angelica, buckwheat Panax notoginseng, golden lock and silver opening, thief bone, iron fist, wild yam, wild southern buckwheat, etc. It is a national second-level protected plant.

However, it was more common and larger in Zhushan County in the past. It was mainly distributed beside valley streams in middle and low mountains with fertile, loose and moist soil. Its rhizomes were used as medicine, which had the effects of clearing away heat and detoxifying, promoting blood circulation and eliminating carbuncle, and dispelling wind and dampness.

In recent years, the market demand for golden buckwheat has increased significantly, but the number of wild resources has sharply decreased due to rising prices and large-scale harvesting. At present, farmers in some townships have begun to explore "wild to domestic" cultivation, covering an area of ​​about 1,000 acres.

From the trial planting results, it can be seen that golden buckwheat can be propagated using the underground rhizomes and basal stem nodes of wild plants, and the planting technique is simple.

Generally, as long as the land is properly selected, the plants grow vigorously and are highly competitive with weeds, have few diseases and pests, are relatively easy to manage, the underground rhizomes are relatively shallowly distributed, excavation is more labor-saving, and the yield and benefit are stable, the market prospects are promising in recent years.

3. Tongcao

Tongcao is the stem pith of the Araliaceae plant Tongtu wood. This plant is widely distributed in the eastern and southern mountainous areas of Zhushan County and has a large number.

It mainly grows on warm, sunny slopes and prefers deep, loose, fertile and moist soil. The dried stems and pith of Tongcao are used as medicine, which has the effect of promoting water and removing dampness.

It is currently planted more frequently in some mountainous areas. Its advantages are abundant wild resources and easy planting and management. Generally, densely growing wild cycads can be dug up and planted in scattered areas. Seeds can also be collected for seedling cultivation, and the planting cost is relatively low.

The disadvantage is that it is rather labor-intensive to extract the pith of the thrush, but the labor intensity is not high and it is suitable for left-behind women and the elderly in rural areas who have poor physical strength.

In recent years, the number of new drugs developed with Tongcao as raw material has continued to increase, which has greatly stimulated the market demand for Tongcao. Therefore, the product price is relatively high, remaining at around 200 yuan per kilogram all year round, and the market prospects are promising.

4. Bletilla striata

In the past, it was a common wild Chinese medicinal material in Zhushan County. It prefers warm, humid environment and is not resistant to high temperature and strong light. It is mainly distributed in the loose, breathable and organic-rich soil under the forests in the valleys of high mountains and second-high mountains.

The underground bulb of Bletilla striata is used as medicine, which has the effects of astringent hemostasis, swelling reduction and tissue regeneration. In the past, Bletilla striata was only used as a traditional medicinal material, and the dosage was small, so it was not paid much attention. In recent years, the use of Bletilla striata has been greatly expanded.

As its uses expanded, Bletilla striata became very popular, and market demand began to surge, driving prices to continue to rise. In just a few years, the price per kilogram soared from less than 20 yuan to over a thousand yuan.

Wild resources were soon exhausted, and many farmers began to dig up wild Bletilla striata for artificial cultivation. Because Bletilla striata seed propagation is difficult and underground corms are slow to propagate, the area was small in the early days.

5. Polygonatum

Because its underground rhizome looks similar to ginger, it is commonly known as "tiger ginger" and "earth ginger" in Zhushan County.

It is mainly distributed in high mountains and secondary high mountain areas with an altitude of more than 600 meters. It is commonly found under forests, in thickets or in the shade of hillsides. It likes loose, fertile soil with high humus content.

In the past, Polygonatum sibiricum was mainly used as medicine, the market demand was not large, the purchase price was low for a long time, and the wild resources were relatively abundant.

In recent years, as people's health awareness continues to increase, most of the polygonatum is used to produce health foods, or as a raw material for wine, medicinal food (stew, porridge). The market demand for it as food is increasing, and currently accounts for 70% of the total market demand.

Due to the increase in market demand, wild resources in Zhushan County have been harvested in large quantities in recent years, market prices have continued to rise, and a small number of farmers have begun to explore "wild to domestic" cultivation.

Polygonatum sibiricum can be propagated by underground rhizomes or by seeds on the ground. Although the market prospects are promising, it has high requirements for environmental conditions.

In addition, the growth rate is slow. It usually takes three years from planting to digging up rhizome reproduction, and seed reproduction takes even longer. Currently, the planting area is still small and the price is relatively stable.