When Do Waxberries Ripen? A Detailed Introduction to Their Ripening Time

Waxberry (Myrica rubra) is a tree species in the family Myricaceae. Also known as sheng sheng mei, bai di mei and shu mei, it has high medicinal and edible value, and is distributed in East China as well as in Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou and other regions of China. The waxberry originated in China; pollen of the genus Myrica found at the Neolithic Hemudu site excavated in Yuyao, Zhejiang, China, shows that waxberries grew in the region more than 7,000 years ago. The genus has more than 50 species; in China, the known ones include waxberry, mao yangmei (Myrica esculenta), qing yangmei (Myrica adenophora) and ai yangmei (Myrica nana), and commercial cultivation is mainly of the waxberry.

When do waxberries ripen?

Generally in May. Waxberries are mostly picked around the Dragon Boat Festival; in areas with lower altitude and higher temperatures, waxberries ripen earlier. Conversely, they ripen later. However, in high mountain areas at an altitude of more than 1,000 m, they ripen relatively later, some not until late in the fifth lunar month, and a few delayed until the sixth lunar month.

What are the precautions for eating waxberries?

1. Meng Shen: They must not be eaten in excess, as they can greatly damage the teeth and tendons.

2. Rihua Zi Bencao: Avoid raw scallions.

3. Kaibao Bencao: Eating too many causes fever.

4. Benjing Fengyuan: People with blood heat and hyperactivity of fire should not eat too many.

5. Bencao Congxin: Eating too many causes sores and phlegm.