Mucuna Seed Price, Planting and Blooming Time, Cultivation Methods, and Benefits

Mucuna, also known as niumateng, evergreen mucuna, and daxueteng, is deep purple and called hedouhua, also known as queerhua. It is an excellent vine for trellises and vertical greening. So how much does mucuna seed cost per jin? When is it planted and when does it bloom? How is it grown? What benefits does it have? According to the Jiujiang nursery base, mucuna seed prices are around 26 yuan/jin, but prices vary slightly by variety and batch.

When is mucuna planted and when does it bloom?

Planting:

Generally, in late autumn, select vigorous 1- to 2-year-old branches (with 3 to 4 buds), cut them into cuttings, dry them in the shade, and store them in sand. By early the following spring, begin cutting before the sap starts flowing. For softwood cuttings, the time is generally from May to September. The method of taking cuttings is basically the same as for hardwood cuttings, but a small number of leaves should be retained, generally 1 leaf or half a leaf, and no more than 2 leaves. Cuttings should be taken and inserted promptly.

Blooming:

Mucuna blooms each spring during the period from early January to early February, but because temperatures and environments differ by region, the blooming period also differs. In southern China, most mucuna flowers bloom around the New Year period, while north of the Yangtze River the weather is relatively cool, and most bloom during the period from early February to mid-March. The flower forms vary, and the flower color is also partly affected by temperature and soil conditions, so it differs. Mucuna can be used in park greening construction, residential area greening, scenic tourist areas, green spaces, and more. It can be planted in large masses to form landscape flower seas, or planted as single specimens to form standalone features, and can be paired with landscape stones for a unique scene. In addition, mucuna can also be planted as mucuna hills, mucuna gardens, mucuna valleys, mucuna roads, and so on.

How is mucuna grown?

1. Sprouting and waking the seeds: as with most seeds, soak them in clean water, then remove the seeds and place them in a ventilated spot, keeping the seeds moist at all times.

2. Choose the planting soil: mucuna seeds have strong adaptability and extremely strong drought and cold tolerance, and they are not strict about soil, though most are grown mainly in well-drained humus soil. Just choose a plot of level ground with ample sunlight for sowing.

3. Sowing method: prepare the land in advance, remove weeds, apply fertilizer, water, and keep sowing depth at about 1—2 cm. Sow the seeds in cups and bags filled with nutrient soil, cover with grass, and spray water frequently to keep them moist.

4. Tending and management: mucuna is shade-tolerant and likes light and a warm, humid climate, so when tending mucuna be sure to keep the soil moist, and just check on it from time to time.

5. Mucuna is not strict about soil, but cultivation is most suitable in well-drained calcareous soil. When planting, bury 2 to 3 plants per hole, and practice “deep digging and deep burying.”

6. In terms of management, apply fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium at 1:1:1 in spring and autumn, and stop fertilizing in summer and winter. In summer, before the branches and leaves have covered the wall, spray water frequently to lower the temperature, to prevent the aerial roots from being scalded by excessively high wall temperatures. For 1- to 2-year-old seedlings, autumn growth should not be too vigorous; before winter begins, the autumn shoots should be appropriately shortened and sufficient freezing water should be applied.

What benefits does mucuna have?

1. Mucuna promotes blood circulation and nourishes blood, and frees the meridians and invigorates the collaterals. It treats rheumatic joint pain, bruises and injuries, blood deficiency, irregular menstruation, and amenorrhea.

2. Mucuna grows rapidly, has thick vines, and dense leafy shade. Its inflorescences hang from twisted old stems and look like small birds, strange, beautiful, and attractive. It is an excellent shade-providing and flowering vine in southern regions. It is suitable for climbing greening on large trellises, green corridors, walls, and more. It can be used for vertical greening on retaining walls, steep slopes, rock faces, and more, and can also be shaped into landscape shrubs of different forms, and can also be used for screening and concealment greening. It can also be used for slope protection greening along expressways, forming a unique landscape. Because of its tenacious life, it can coil around trees, climb rocks, and squeeze through crevices, and can also be used in gardens for configuration among mountain rocks, stacked stones, and woodlands, with considerable natural wild charm. This tree species can be promoted for planting in areas south of the Yangtze River.