When does gorgon nut (qianshi) mature and hit the market, and how much does it cost per jin?
Gorgon nut (Euryale ferox), also known as chicken-head rice, ovate water chestnut, chicken paralysis, chicken-head seed, wild-goose beak seed, chicken head, wild-goose head, black head, swan head, flowing yellow, water chicken head, prickly lotus-pod seed, knife gorgon nut, chicken-head fruit, Su yellow, and yellow seed, is the dried mature seed kernel of the water lily family plant Euryale ferox. So when is its harvest season? In what month does it mature and hit the market? And how much does it cost per jin on the market? According to Uncle Li, a gorgon nut grower in Qujing, Yunnan, gorgon nut is generally harvested in late autumn and early winter.
In what month does gorgon nut mature and hit the market?
Gorgon nut matures and hits the market at different times in different regions. For example, in Suzhou, chicken-head rice (gorgon nut) begins to reach the market successively from mid-August each year. Gorgon nut is extremely popular in the Suzhou area, and its price keeps climbing every year. Currently, the retail market price of chicken-head rice is around 100-150 yuan per jin. Chicken-head rice is entirely hand-shelled and cannot be replaced by machines, so the yield is not high. Especially before the Mid-Autumn Festival, chicken-head rice is in short supply and is the first choice for Mid-Autumn Festival gifts. The method of preparing chicken-head rice is actually very simple; the simpler it is, the better it brings out the deliciousness of gorgon nut. A fine food can achieve a delicious effect without too complicated cooking, and this depends on the ingredient itself. Suzhou chicken-head rice is just such a food; simply boiling it achieves the ultimate delicious effect, and the only seasoning needed is sugar, with no other seasonings required ”
How much does gorgon nut cost per jin?
| Specification | Average market price | Anguo herbal medicine market | Bozhou herbal medicine market | Yulin herbal medicine market | Hehuachi herbal medicine market | Update date |
| Whole kernels Guangdong | 64 | 65 | 64 | 62 | 62 | 2017/11/9 |
| Two halves Guangdong | 58 | 60 | 59 | 58 | 48 | 2017/11/9 |
| Four quarters Guangdong | 49 | 50 | 52 | 42 | 38 | 2017/11/9 |
| Broken kernels Guangdong | 21 | 24 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 2017/11/9 |
| Whole kernels Shandong | 63 | 64 | 63 | 64 | - | 2017/11/9 |
| Two halves Shandong | 58 | 59 | 58 | 58 | - | 2017/11/9 |
| Four quarters Shandong | 50 | 48 | 51 | 48 | - | 2017/11/9 |
| Broken kernels Shandong | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | - | 2017/11/9 |
Appendix: The medicinal benefits and effects of gorgon nut
The benefits of gorgon nut
It stabilizes the kidneys and astringes essence, tonifies the spleen and stops diarrhea, and promotes urination to drain dampness. It treats spermatorrhea, strangury with turbid urine, leukorrhea, incontinence of urine, diarrhea, dysentery, and fixed arthralgia.
The effects of gorgon nut
1. It tonifies the middle and boosts qi and is a nourishing, strengthening food, somewhat similar to lotus seed, but the astringent and calming effect of gorgon nut is stronger than that of lotus seed.
2. For chronic diarrhea (including chronic intestinal tuberculosis, predawn diarrhea, etc.)], take equal parts of gorgon nut, lotus seed flesh, Chinese yam, and white hyacinth bean, grind them into a fine powder, take 30-60 grams each time, add white sugar and steam until cooked, and eat as a snack.
3. Gorgon nut is sweet, astringent and neutral in nature and flavor, and has the effects of stabilizing the kidneys and astringing essence, and tonifying the spleen and stopping diarrhea.