Detailed Explanation of the Cultivation Techniques for the Chinese Medicinal Herb Glehnia littoralis

Plant characteristics:

Glehnia littoralisis a herbaceous plant, divided into small-leaf Glehnia and large-leaf Glehnia. Small-leaf Glehnia does not set seed in the same year, while large-leaf Glehnia sets seed in the same year but has low yield. The plant height is nearly 1 chi. The leaves are pinnately divided. The compound umbel inflorescence is borne at the apex of the stem and branches, with small, white flowers. The schizocarp is spherical or elliptical, with five angled ribs, and after maturity has brown downy hairs. The main root is slender, cylindrical, up to about 1 chi long, rarely has lateral roots, and the bark is yellowish-brown. The root is used as medicine.

Growth habits: Strong drought resistance, prefers a warm and sunny environment, cold-tolerant and able to overwinter in the field, fears waterlogging, and is not demanding about soil, with fertile sandy soil being best.

Cultivation methods:

Propagated by seed, divided into autumn sowing and spring sowing. For autumn sowing, use 8-10 kg of seed per mu; for spring sowing, use 40-50 kg of seed per mu (stored in sand). For autumn sowing, apply sufficient base fertilizer before the ground freezes, deep plow, prepare the land and make beds, rake level, and open shallow furrows half a cun deep at a row spacing of 5-6 cun. Scatter the seeds evenly into the furrows, cover with soil and bury firmly, rake level and water. Before the ground freezes, irrigate heavily once. For spring sowing, newly harvested seeds must undergo vernalization treatment before the ground freezes in the same year. The method is to dig a pit about 1 chi deep in a shady spot, with length and width depending on the amount of seed. Mix the seeds evenly with sand and soil at a ratio of 1:3, place them into the pit, water, and cover the surface with 5-10 cm of soil. The following year, dig them out from Qingming to Guyu, sieve out the soil thoroughly, and sow. Sowing is the same as for autumn sowing. Keep the ground moist before emergence.

Field management:

When the seedlings are 1 cun tall, thin them to a plant spacing of 1 cun. Do not water as much as possible unless it is very dry. Pay attention to the prevention and control of pests and diseases.

Harvesting and processing:

From the Autumn Equinox to the Cold Dew solar term, dig and harvest when the leaves turn orange-yellow. Wash the soil off the dug Glehnia roots, put them in boiling water and boil until the skin is easy to peel, then remove, peel, and dry in the sun for medicinal use. Generally, the yield of dried goods is 450-500 kg per mu.