Cornus officinalis Seed Prices and Detailed Planting Methods

Cornus officinalis, also known as Shanyurou, Tianmuzi, Shizaoer, etc., is a deciduous tree or shrub of the genus Cornus in the family Cornaceae. After the mature dried fruit is pitted, it becomes the precious medicinal material Shanyurou, which has the effects of nourishing the liver and tonifying the kidney and securing the kidney and astringing essence. It is suitable for symptoms such as soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, seminal emission and spermatorrhea, and dizziness and tinnitus caused by deficiency of the liver and kidney. Now let us take a look at cornus officinalis seed prices and planting methods together!
How much is a jin of cornus officinalis seeds?
The price of cornus officinalis seeds is about 20 to 30 yuan per jin, but prices vary due to differences in seed quality, variety, place of origin, and market. Cornus officinalis is a positive tree species of the warm temperate zone. Its suitable growth temperature is 20 to 30°C, and it has strong cold resistance and can withstand a brief low temperature of -18°C. It is relatively shade-tolerant but also likes sufficient light. It is suitable for planting in well-drained, organic-rich, fertile sandy loam soil. Propagation methods include sowing, layering, cuttings, grafting, etc. In production, seed propagation and grafting propagation are mainly used. For sowing propagation, the seed quantity used is 0.9 to 1.5 jin per mu.
Sowing Methods for Cornus officinalis
1. Land preparation and fertilization: Before sowing cornus officinalis, the nursery land must be deeply plowed and finely harrowed, leveled and finely prepared, ensuring it is loose, fine, flat, free of tree roots, and free of stones and tiles. The plowing depth should be more than 20 cm. Importantly, decomposed farmyard manure should be applied in combination with deep plowing.
2. Seed collection: For cornus officinalis seeds, select excellent mother trees that grow vigorously, are in the full fruiting period, and have no alternate bearing. In September to October, pick fully mature fruits that are large and plump, free of diseases and insect pests, undamaged, and deep red in color. Remove the flesh from the picked fruits.
3. Seed treatment: Rub cornus officinalis seeds with 5% alkaline water for 5 minutes, then scald them with boiling water while stirring as the boiling water is poured in. After the water cools slightly, rub for another 5 minutes. Soak in cold water for 24 hours, then take the seeds out and sun-dry them for 8 hours. Repeat for at least 3 days. When 90% of the seed shells have cracks, mix them with wet sand and store them in sand.
4. Sowing method: For spring sowing and seedling raising of cornus officinalis, carry out the work around the Spring Equinox. Before sowing, open shallow furrows about 5 cm deep on the seedbed at a row spacing of 30 cm, evenly scatter the seeds into the furrows, cover with 3 to 4 cm of soil, and keep the soil moist. Seedlings can emerge in 40 to 50 days.
Planting Methods for Cornus officinalis
1. Planting density: Cornus officinalis is preferably planted at 30 to 50 plants per mu. If intercropped with other shrubs or trees, only about 20 plants can be planted. The overall layout is best arranged in a square pattern. Cultivation land with good conditions should be sparser, while cultivation land with poor conditions can be denser.
2. Planting time: Plant cornus officinalis during the dormant period. At this time, both temperature and moisture are in a gradually rising stage, making it the most suitable planting period. It is generally carried out from December to January of the following year. After January, the survival rate of transplanting decreases significantly.
3. Planting method: Cornus officinalis seedlings should be lifted on cloudy days, with soil kept around the roots. Before planting, trim the root system and dip it in mud slurry to protect the seedlings from damage. The root system must not be exposed to the sun or wind. In each prepared planting hole, apply 2 kg of barnyard manure, mix it evenly with soil, and then plant.
Management Techniques for Cornus officinalis
1. Expanding holes and banking soil: After cornelian cherry is planted, expand the holes and bank soil in a timely manner, enlarge the tree basin, mature the soil, create good soil conditions for the root system, and increase the range for absorbing nutrients. In the first few years of young tree growth, carry out hole expansion and soil improvement outside the planting holes to a depth of 30 to 40 cm.
2. Reasonable interplanting: In the 3 to 4 years after cornus officinalis is planted, the gaps between its plant and row spacing can be used to interplant short-stalked crops, green manure crops, or other herbaceous medicinal materials, but the density should not be too high.
3. Cultivation and weeding: In the first 3 years after planting cornus officinalis, cultivation and weeding can be carried out 2 to 3 times per year as conditions permit. For comprehensively managed garden land, this can be combined with interplanted crops. During operation, care should be taken not to damage young trees and roots.
4. Timely fertilization: Fertilization of cornus officinalis should be carried out at the right time and reasonably according to its growth habits, growth vigor, and fruiting amount, and attention should be paid to the combined application of organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer, the combined application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers, and the combined application of soil fertilization and foliar spraying.
5. Shaping and pruning: After cornus officinalis is planted, shaping and pruning can adjust the tree form, improve the utilization rate of space and light energy, regulate the balance among various parts of the tree, and achieve the goals of early fruiting, more fruiting, stable yield and high quality, and increased economic benefits.
6. Timely flower thinning: Cornus officinalis has a large flowering amount and consumes a lot of nutrients, thereby reducing the fruit-setting rate and causing alternate bearing. For this reason, in a heavy fruiting year, in addition to heavy pruning in winter and controlling flower quantity, flower thinning can be carried out when it blooms in March.
7. Reasonable irrigation: After cornus officinalis is planted and during the flowering and young fruit stages of mature trees, or when drought occurs in summer and autumn, water promptly to keep the soil moist, ensure the survival of seedlings, and prevent drought-induced flower and fruit drop that causes reduced yield.
Pest and Disease Control of Cornus officinalis
1. Angular leaf spot: Angular leaf spot damages leaves. Before germination in spring, clear away fallen leaves under the trees to reduce sources of infection. Starting in June, spray 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture once a month for a total of 3 sprays. Dithane zinc at 400 to 500 times can also be sprayed.
2. Anthracnose: Anthracnose damages fruits. By mid-June, black fruits and half-black fruits occur. In the early stage of the disease, spray 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture. In the middle stage, spray 50% carbendazim at 800 to 1,000 times in the upper and middle ten days of each month.
3. Powdery mildew: Powdery mildew damages leaves. During control, plant reasonably densely so that the forest is ventilated and light-permeable and the plants are kept vigorous. In the early stage of the disease, spray 50% thiophanate at 1,000 times.
3. Fruit-boring moth: The fruit-boring moth bores into and eats the flesh. For control, during the peak emergence period of adults, spray 2.5% deltamethrin at 5,000 to 8,000 times or 20% fenvalerate at 2,000 to 4,000 times.
4. Bagworm: Bagworm larvae bite and eat leaves. During the occurrence period, spray 10% fenvalerate at 2,000 to 3,000 times, or spray 90% trichlorfon at 800 to 1,000 times, or 40% omethoate at 1,000 times.
5. Mulberry looper: Mulberry looper (also called inchworm) larvae bite and eat leaves. In July, during the peak larval period, promptly spray 2.5% rotenone at 500 to 600 times or 90% trichlorfon at 1,000 times on 1st to 2nd instar young trees for control.
6. Leafhopper: Adult leafhoppers pierce and suck young branches and leaves. Spray 50% phosphamidon emulsion at 2,000 times, 40% dimethoate at 600 times, or pyrethroid pesticides at 5,000 to 8,000 times.
7. Slug moth: Young slug moth larvae gnaw the leaf mesophyll, while older larvae mostly feed along the leaf margins. During the larval stage, spray deltamethrin at 5,000 to 8,000 times, 90% trichlorfon at 800 times, or spray 80% dichlorvos at 1,000 times or 50% malathion at 1,500 times.
8. Carpenter moth: In the newly hatched larval stage, spray 50% parathion emulsion at 400 times on the tree trunk to poison the larvae. After the larvae bore into the xylem, inject 40% dimethoate at 50 times or 80% dichlorvos at 50 times into the worm holes and seal them with clay to kill the larvae.
9. Scale insect: In the nymph stage, spray 50% parathion emulsifiable concentrate at 1,500 times or 40% omethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 1,000 times, once every 7 to 10 days for a total of 3 sprays. Alternatively, drill holes at the base of the tree and inject 40% omethoate.