How to grow Cistanche tubulosa medicinal herb? A full breakdown of cultivation techniques
Cistanche is a parasitic plant that attaches to the roots of the desert tree saxaul, drawing nutrients and water from its saxaul host. Long known as the “desert ginseng,” it has extremely high medicinal value and is a traditional precious Chinese medicinal herb. Historically, Cistanche was regarded by the various states of the Western Regions as a treasured tribute to the imperial court, and it is also one of the tonifying medicines used most frequently in prescriptions for tonifying the kidney and strengthening yang through the ages.
Growing environment of Cistanche
It prefers to grow on slightly salinized soft sandy ground, generally growing on sandy land or semi-fixed sand dunes, dried-up old riverbeds, low-lying lake basins and similar sites, where habitat conditions are very poor. The climate of suitable growing areas is arid, with little rainfall, high evaporation, long sunshine hours and large temperature differences between day and night. The soils are mainly gray-brown desert soil and brown desert soil. The host, saxaul, is a strongly xerophytic plant. Cistanche mostly parasitizes the lateral roots of its host at a depth of 30-100 cm. It grows in deserts at an altitude of 225-1150 m, parasitizing the roots of plants in the Chenopodiaceae family such as saxaul and white saxaul.
Cistanche cultivation techniques
Propagation methods
Seed propagation: Dig a seedbed on the east or southeast side of a wild saxaul, 50-80 cm from the host. Seedbeds vary in size, being 1-2 m long, about 1 m wide and 50-80 cm deep; alternatively, where hosts are dense, dig a large seedbed trench surrounding many host plants, sow the seeds in spots on the seedbed, apply camel manure, cattle and sheep manure, etc., and cover with 30-40 cm of soil. Leave a trench or seedbed pit on top to make watering easier. Planted saxaul forests grow uniformly and in rows, so trenches can be opened on both sides of the plants to serve as seedbeds. After sowing, keep the seedbed moist to induce the host roots to extend into the seedbed. Sow in spring or autumn; in the second year, Cistanche parasitizes in some seedbeds and a few emerge and grow, while most emerge, flower and fruit within 2-4 years after sowing.
Cultivation management
Site selection: Cistanche is a psammophyte, so desert hills with sufficient sunlight, little rainfall, good drainage and large day-night temperature differences should be chosen for planting.
Cistanche is a perennial parasitic seed plant and has a certain selectivity for host, soil and climatic conditions. The more suitable hosts are saxaul, red willow, saltcedar and so on. Natural saxaul, red willow, etc. can be used as hosts, or saxaul and red willow can be planted artificially and then inoculated with Cistanche after 2-3 years.
Inoculation methods
1. Inoculating Cistanche in combination with afforestation
When planting trees, place the seed paper horizontally at one end of the planting pit with the water-absorbing paper facing upward, then backfill an appropriate amount of soil, plant the host at the other end of the planting pit, and backfill and firm the soil with footsteps.
2. Inoculating on existing hosts
In areas where the outer root system of wild hosts is dense, dig a pit 40 cm long, 30 cm wide and 40-80 cm deep, put in the seed paper with the water-absorbing side facing upward, and backfill soil to about 10 cm below the pit edge, which helps store snowmelt or rainwater.
3. Inoculating artificially grown hosts
Artificially cultivated saxaul and red willow are spaced 1.5 m apart within rows and 3 m between rows, with a density of more than 140 plants/667 sq m. Trenches can be opened on both sides of the plants as seedbeds; after inoculation, keep the seedbeds moist to induce the host to extend into the seedbeds.
Cistanche is generally inoculated in spring and autumn. After inoculation it begins to grow; a few emerge in the second year, and most emerge and flower and set seed within 2-4 years.
Field management of Cistanche
Management of artificial afforestation areas: In the early stage of host afforestation, a moderate amount of irrigation may be given, but not too much, to ensure normal host growth; afterward, irrigate 1-2 times a year in appropriate amounts according to rainfall. Fertilization is mainly with barnyard manure; chemical fertilizers are prohibited in order to ensure the wild quality of Cistanche.
Management of wild host areas: In desert areas the wind is strong, and host roots are often exposed after being blown by the wind, so attention must be paid to earthing up soil or surrounding the host roots with branches to prevent wind, the seedbeds must be kept moist, and other plants must be pulled out by hand. When Cistanche blooms, artificial pollination should be carried out to increase the seed-setting rate.
Harvesting Cistanche
From April to June each year, when Cistanche emerges it should be dug up promptly, and during digging the integrity of the Cistanche should be preserved as much as possible. To reduce damage to the host plant, when digging, choose to dig a pit around the outside where the Cistanche connects to the host down to the bottom of the Cistanche, and without breaking the connection point between the Cistanche and the host, cut off the upper part 5-8 cm above the connection point, then backfill the soil and tread it down lightly. In this way, after one inoculation of Cistanche, a stable production period of 5-7 years can be ensured.
Drying Cistanche
For Cistanche whose top has changed color, scald the top with boiling water or cut off the discolored top, then place the Cistanche on a clean concrete ground or other non-metal utensil to dry in the sun, turning it 2-3 times a day to prevent mildew, and once it is completely dry (moisture content below 10%) it can be collected and packaged.
Pest and disease control of Cistanche
Saxaul powdery mildew: mostly occurs in July-August and damages tender branches; it can be sprayed with a 300-fold dilution of a biological preparation or a 4000-fold dilution of 25% triadimefon; saxaul root rot: mostly occurs at the seedling stage and damages the roots; during occurrence, a 1000-fold dilution of 50% carbendazim can be used to drench the roots;
Seed maggot: occurs during the emergence and flowering period of Cistanche; the larvae damage tender stems and can bore into the base of underground stems; a 800-fold dilution of 90% trichlorfon or a 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate can be sprayed on the aboveground parts or used to drench the roots;
Great gerbil: gnaws on host branches or roots, causing the host to die. Poison bait can be used to lure and kill them, or they can be trapped and killed.
At present, the price of Cistanche on the market is still relatively stable, without major fluctuations. The general price of Cistanche is around 200 yuan/kg. Cistanche prices differ by place of origin, and the prices of Cistanche from different places of origin are all different. The Cistanche tubulosa from Xinjiang is relatively cheaper than the oil Cistanche from Inner Mongolia, and the efficacy of oil Cistanche is also much better than that of Cistanche tubulosa. In addition, since things are precious when they are rare, oil Cistanche from Alxa League in Inner Mongolia is now rarely available, and in many places it costs over a thousand yuan per jin.