Latest Prices and a Detailed Guide to Growing Bupleurum

Bupleurum is also known as Di Xun, mountain vegetable, mushroom grass, and so on. It is a medicinal herb listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and the medicinal part is the dried root of Bupleurum chinense or Bupleurum scorzonerifolium, plants of the genus Bupleurum in the Apiaceae family. As a medicine it has the effects of harmonising the exterior and interior and soothing the liver and raising yang. It is commonly cultivated in Northeast China, North China, Northwest China, East China, Hubei, Sichuan and other places. Now let us take a look at the price and growing methods of Bupleurum!

How much is Bupleurum per jin?

The price of Bupleurum is about 50 to 70 yuan per jin, but prices vary widely depending on quality, place of origin, market and so on. Bupleurum is a commonly used exterior-releasing medicine; it is dug in spring and autumn, and after the stems, leaves, mud and sand are removed it is dried. According to differences in characteristics it is customarily called North Bupleurum and South Bupleurum respectively. Bupleurum from its place of origin, which is generally of better quality, is about 90 to 100 yuan per jin, home-grown Bupleurum ranges from 40 to 60 yuan, and Bupleurum with stems is around 50 yuan.

Propagation methods for Bupleurum

1. Seed propagation

① Seed treatment: In September of the second year after planting Bupleurum, collect mature seeds, dry them, thresh them and store them. Half a month before sowing, soak the seeds in 50 micrograms per gram of 6-BA solution for 24 hours, then mix 1 part seeds with 3 parts wet sand and store in a container; after about 12 days take them out and they are ready for sowing.

② Sowing method: Spring sowing of Bupleurum is carried out in late March. For drilling, the row spacing is 30 cm; for hole sowing, the row spacing is 23 to 27 cm. Mix the seeds evenly with plant ash and then broadcast them, cover with soil, cover with wheat straw and water. The seeding rate is 1 to 1.5 jin per mu. Autumn sowing is done before the ground freezes, and everything else is the same as for spring sowing.

2. Raising seedlings and transplanting

① Sowing seeds: For Bupleurum seeds, sow the treated seeds by broadcasting or drilling in late March. For broadcasting, make drills on the prepared bed surface, spread the seeds evenly over the bed surface and cover with soil; for drilling, open furrows at a row spacing of 10 cm and sow in rows, then cover with soil, cover with grass and water.

② Transplanting seedlings: Bupleurum emerges about 10 days after sowing. When the root crown diameter is 2 to 3 mm and the root length is 5 to 6 cm, transplant them. On a cloudy day, select thick, disease-free seedlings and transplant them at a row spacing of 25 cm and a plant spacing of 10 cm, digging and planting as you go, and water immediately after planting to ensure survival.

Growing methods for Bupleurum

1. Site selection and land preparation: Bupleurum prefers a warm and humid climate, is cold-tolerant and drought-tolerant but afraid of waterlogging, and is best grown on loam and sandy loam or gently sloping land with deep, loose, fertile soil and good drainage. Before planting, plough and harrow several times, and apply 30,000 kg per hectare of decomposed farmyard manure as base fertiliser.

2. Thinning and final singling: Bupleurum emerges 12 to 15 days after sowing. When the seedlings reach 4 to 5 cm, carry out the first thinning, removing overly dense seedlings and weak, diseased seedlings. When the seedlings reach 8 to 10 cm in height, carry out final singling, with a suitable final stand of 675,000 to 825,000 plants per hectare.

3. Replanting and weeding: If there are gaps in the Bupleurum field, replant them, and water the replanted seedlings promptly. After the plants close their rows, no further intertillage is done; only hand weeding is carried out to avoid damaging the roots and reducing yield. Generally, chemical herbicides are not used for weeding.

4. Rational fertilisation: The first seedling fertiliser for Bupleurum is applied together with intertillage at the first thinning, the second seedling fertiliser is applied together with intertillage at final singling, and the third topdressing is applied when the seedlings are 30 to 40 cm tall. For a separate potassium supplement, an organic potassium fertiliser can be sprayed on the leaves.

5. Clearing ditches and draining moisture: Bupleurum likes to grow in a humid environment, but it is most afraid of water accumulating and soaking within the field. Before the rainy season arrives, clear the bed ditches in good time to ensure smooth drainage in the ditches and reduce the occurrence of field diseases.

6. Removing tillers and pinching off bolting stems: The above-ground part of Bupleurum grows vigorously. Half of the one-year-old plants can bolt and flower, and all two-year-old plants can bolt and flower. Removing tillers and newly grown flower bolt buds in stages and in good time can promote the accumulation and swelling of nutrients in the plant roots.

7. Pest and disease control: In pest and disease control for Bupleurum, follow the principle of not applying heavy-metal pesticides or highly toxic, high-residue pesticides, adhere to prevention based mainly on agricultural measures, and adopt control methods using biological pesticide preparations or highly efficient, low-toxicity pesticides.