Detailed Explanation of Key Points for Honeysuckle Harvesting and Processing Techniques
Honeysuckle is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, with the flower buds used medicinally. It has the functions of clearing heat and detoxifying, dispersing wind and reducing swelling, and is mainly used to treat wind-heat common cold, sore and swollen throat, pneumonia, dysentery, painful swellings and sores, erysipelas, cellulitis, and other conditions. The harvesting and processing techniques of honeysuckle have a great influence on its yield and quality. The harvesting and processing techniques of honeysuckle are introduced as follows:
Flowering period. Honeysuckle generally blooms in the 3rd year after planting. The flowering time of honeysuckle is relatively concentrated, with a flowering period of about 15 days. The first batch of flowers is generally picked in mid-to-late May, and then one batch is successively picked every 1 month, with 4 batches of flowers harvestable in one year.
Harvesting standard: Pick when the flower buds turn from green to white, the upper part swells, and the lower part is still green. The honeysuckle picked at this time is called "er bai hua" (two-white flower); honeysuckle harvested when the flower buds have completely turned white but have not yet opened is called "da bai hua" (large white flower). Harvesting too early leads to poor quality and low yield; harvesting too late, when the flower buds have fully opened, reduces their medicinal value.
Harvesting time: Within a day, flower buds picked early in the morning before 9 a.m. while the dew has not yet dried have the best quality. Picking at this time does not damage the immature flower buds and the flowers have a strong fragrance and good color.
Post-harvest processing: After honeysuckle is picked, it must be processed promptly, then dried in the shade or by heat before storage. The shade-drying method is: spread the honeysuckle thinly on bamboo mats or wooden utensils and dry it in the sun promptly. Spread it out before 10 a.m., place it in a cool, shady place during the strong midday sunlight, and dry it in the sun again in the afternoon when the light is not strong. When drying, use a bamboo rack or wear gloves to turn the flowers; do not touch them directly with hands, to prevent the honeysuckle from turning black.
The heat-drying method is: place the honeysuckle on mats, put 2 to 3 stoves indoors, and set up exhaust windows or exhaust holes. At the beginning of drying, the temperature should not be too high, controlled at about 30°C. After drying for 2 hours, the indoor temperature can be raised to about 40°C; at this time the fresh flowers gradually release water vapor. After 5 to 10 hours, raise the room temperature to 45°C-50°C and dry for another 10 hours, so that most of the moisture can be expelled. Finally, raise the room temperature to 55°C-60°C to make the flowers dry thoroughly quickly. Heat-dried flowers are of better quality than shade-dried flowers. However, note that during heat drying the flowers must not be turned, and drying must not be stopped midway, otherwise the flowers will deteriorate.
After honeysuckle is dried by heat (or in the shade), pack it in wooden boxes or cardboard boxes, with moisture-proof paper laid at the bottom, and store it in a cool, dry place.