The Latest Polygonatum Planting Techniques and Methods Tutorial

Polygonatum is the dried rhizome of the Liliaceae plants Polygonatum sibiricum, Polygonatum cyrtonema, or Polygonatum kingianum. According to differences in medicinal material characteristics, it is commonly called “chicken-head polygonatum” and “ginger-shaped polygonatum”. Polygonatum is neutral in nature and sweet in taste. It has the effects of tonifying the spleen and moistening the lungs, replenishing qi and nourishing yin. Polygonatum sibiricum is mainly produced in provinces and regions such as Hebei, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi Province. Polygonatum cyrtonema is mainly produced in provinces such as Guizhou, Hunan, Yunnan, Anhui, and Zhejiang. Polygonatum kingianum is mainly produced in provinces and regions such as Guizhou, Guangxi, and Yunnan.

Morphological Characteristics

Polygonatum is a perennial herb. The rhizome is horizontal, fleshy, and pale yellow, with the tip sometimes protruding like a chicken head. The stem is upright, 50-90 cm tall. The leaves are whorled, 4-6 per whorl, linear-lanceolate, 8-15 cm long and 0.4-1.6 cm wide, with curled tips. The flowers are axillary, usually 2-4 small flowers, drooping, with the common peduncle 1-2 cm long; the perianth is tubular, white to pale yellow, 0.9-1.2 cm long, with 6 shallow lobes at the tip; there are 6 stamens, and the filaments are relatively short, 0.5-1 mm long; the style is 1.5-2 times as long as the ovary; the berry is spherical and black when mature. The flowering period is May-June, and the fruiting period is July-September. The main characteristics of Polygonatum cyrtonema are: the stem is 40-100 cm tall; the leaves are alternate, elliptical, ovate-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, with 3-5 veins. The pedicel bears 2-7 flowers, arranged in an umbel on the common peduncle; the perianth is yellow-green, 1.8-2.5 cm long; the filaments have small papillae or fine hairs, and the apex swells to form a sac-like protrusion. The main characteristics of Polygonatum kingianum are: the stem is 1-3 m tall, with the tip often twining; the leaves are whorled, 4-8 per whorl, linear to linear-lanceolate, 6-20 cm long and 0.3-3 cm wide, with acuminate and climbing-curled tips. The pedicel bears 2-3 flowers, not umbellate; the perianth is pink, 1.8-2.5 cm long; the berry is red when mature.

Growth Habits

Polygonatum grows wild in shady and humid mountain shrub thickets and grassy areas at forest edges. It is cold-resistant, and seedlings can overwinter in the field, but it is not suitable for growing in dry areas. Seed germination takes a relatively long time, with a germination rate of 60%-70%, and the seed lifespan is 2 years.

Cultivation Techniques

1. Site Selection and Land Preparation

Choose a moist plot with sufficient shade. The soil should preferably be loam or sandy loam with a loose texture and good water retention. Before sowing, first deep-plow once. While preparing the land, apply 2000 kg of farmyard manure per mu, plow it into the soil as base fertilizer, then rake finely and level, and make beds 1.2 m wide.

2. Propagation Methods

① Rhizome propagation: In late autumn or around late March in early spring, select healthy, pest- and disease-free plant rhizomes 1-2 years old, choose the young and tender parts at the tip, cut them into several sections, each with 3-4 nodes, let the wounds dry slightly, and plant them at a row spacing of 22-24 cm, plant spacing of 10-16 cm, and depth of 5 cm. After covering with soil, press lightly and water. Thereafter, water once every 3-5 days to keep the soil moist. When planting in late autumn, cover with some barnyard manure and grass after freezing to keep warm.

② Seed propagation: After the seeds mature in August, select mature and plump seeds and immediately carry out sand storage treatment: mix 1 part seeds with 3 parts sandy soil evenly. Store in a 30 cm deep pit in a shady place and keep moist. Wait until late March of the following year, sieve out the seeds, evenly broadcast them in shallow furrows on the bed surface at a row spacing of 12-15 cm, cover with about 1.5 cm of soil, press lightly, water, and cover with a layer of grass to retain moisture. Remove the covering grass before emergence. When the seedlings are 6-9 cm tall, thin them appropriately where too dense, and transplant after 1 year. To meet the shade conditions required for Polygonatum growth, corn can be planted on the bed ridges.

3. Field Management

In the early growth stage, cultivate and weed frequently, once each in April, June, September, and November every year. Shallow hoeing is advisable, with appropriate hilling; in the later stage, pulling weeds is sufficient. If drought occurs, or if planted in a relatively sunny and dry place, timely watering is needed. Each year, combine cultivation and weeding with topdressing. After the first 3 cultivations, apply 1500 kg of farmyard manure per mu, mix evenly with 50 kg of superphosphate and 50 kg of cake fertilizer, open furrows between rows and apply, then cover with soil to cover the fertilizer. Polygonatum avoids waterlogging and prefers shade, so attention should be paid to drainage and intercropping with corn.

Pest and Disease Control

1. Black spot disease: Mostly occurs in spring, summer, and autumn, damaging leaves. Control methods: Clear the garden at harvest and eliminate diseased residues; spray 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture in the early stage, once every 7 days, for 3 consecutive times.

2. White grubs: The larvae cause damage, harming the roots, biting off seedlings or gnawing on seedling roots, causing broken seedlings or root cavities, and the damage is severe. Control methods: Use 75% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate to dress seeds at 0.1% of seed weight; or during the field occurrence period, drench with 90% trichlorfon 1000-fold solution.

Harvesting and Processing

Generally harvested in spring and autumn, with better quality when harvested in autumn. For cultivated plants, harvest in autumn after the aboveground parts wither in 3-4 years. Dig out the rhizomes, remove the aboveground parts and fibrous roots, wash off the soil, steam in a steamer until oily and glossy, then take out and sun-dry or oven-dry, or boil in water, then remove and sun-dry or oven-dry.

Seed Preservation Techniques

Polygonatum can be propagated by rhizomes and seeds, but in production it is better to use rhizome propagation. In late autumn or around late March in early spring, select healthy, disease-free plants, dig out the underground rhizomes, and use them directly as propagation material for planting.