Detailed Explanation of Cimicifuga Planting Methods and Technical Points
Cimicifuga, a traditional Chinese medicine name. Aliases: Longyan root, Zhouma, Kulongya root. It is the rhizome of perennial herbaceous plants of the genus Cimicifuga in the Ranunculaceae family, namely Cimicifuga heracleifolia, Cimicifuga dahurica, or Cimicifuga foetida. Perennial herb, 1-2 m tall. The rhizome is irregularly block-shaped, much branched, nodular, with hollow stem scars, blackish-brown on the surface, and many fine fibrous roots. The stem is erect, with sparse soft hairs.
Cultivation Techniques
Seed Propagation
Cultivation techniques use seed propagation. After the seeds are harvested, if stored dry indoors for 2 months, the germination rate is below 10%; after 1 year of storage, most cannot germinate. After collecting seeds, treat them with moist sand stratification at low temperature (-5°C) for 2 months to increase the germination rate. Sowing and raising seedlings can be done in both spring and autumn. Autumn sowing is from mid-October to early November; spring sowing is from mid-April to early May. Open furrows along the bed at a row spacing of 20 cm x 25 cm, sow the seeds evenly in the furrows, cover with soil, and press lightly. During the seedling period, pay attention to watering, weeding, topdressing, and shading. Raise seedlings for 1 year, then transplant in autumn after the aboveground parts wither or before they turn green in spring, opening holes at a row spacing of 40-50 cm and a plant spacing of 25-30 cm, and plant them out in the field, then water once thoroughly after planting.
Artificial Cultivation
Land Selection and Land Preparation
Choose semi-shaded and semi-sunny hillside land at an altitude of about 1000 m with deep soil and rich humus, or flat sandy loam soil with good drainage. After choosing the land, remove field debris and deep plow 30-40 cm. Apply base fertilizer, 1000-2000 kg per mu, break up clods, rake fine and level, and make beds 20 cm high and 100-130 cm wide. The transplanting land can also be made into large ridges 60-70 cm wide.
Propagation Methods
Seed Collection and Treatment: Because Cimicifuga has a long flowering period, the seeds mature over different lengths of time. When the fruit matures, the valves split naturally and the seeds fall with the wind. Therefore, collect them as they mature. When the fruit begins to turn yellow from green, the pericarp begins to dry, and the valves are about to split, cut off the fruit cluster. After drying, the pericarp will all split open. Remove the pericarp and impurities, dry the seeds again, and then they can be sown in autumn. If sowing in the following spring, mix the seeds with fine sand at 1:3 for sand storage, water to keep moist, and store outdoors at low temperature. Note that old seeds from the previous year cannot be used in cultivation, because after the seeds are harvested, if stored dry indoors for 2 months, the germination rate is below 10%, and after 1 year of storage, most cannot germinate.
Sowing: Both spring and autumn are suitable. In spring, from late March to mid-April. When sowing, first open furrows along the bed on the bed surface at a row spacing of 20-25 cm, with a furrow depth of 4-5 cm. Sow the seeds evenly in rows in the furrows, cover with fine soil 1.5-2 cm, press lightly, and in dry soil water once thoroughly with a watering can, then cover the bed surface with a layer of straw to retain moisture. In autumn, from mid-October to early November, the sowing method is the same as in spring.
For spring sowing, when the temperature is 15-20°C, seedlings emerge in 18-20 days. Remove the straw from the bed surface gradually, keep the seedbed soil moist, and in drought, water with a watering can in the morning and evening. Because seedlings are afraid of strong light, use a simple reed curtain for shade above the bed surface. After the seedlings grow for 1 year, transplant them. The transplanting time is after the aboveground parts wither in autumn or before they turn green in spring. In the prepared field, open holes at a plant spacing of 30 cm and a row spacing of 45 cm, with a hole depth of 15 cm, plant 1 seedling per hole, cover with soil to about 4-5 cm above the terminal bud, and water once thoroughly after planting.
Field Management
If drought occurs, water in time to keep the soil moist and promote seedling growth. During the seedling stage, cultivate and weed frequently, and the hoeing depth should be shallow to prevent damaging the rhizome. At the same time, in combination with loosening the soil and weeding, apply an appropriate amount of nitrogen fertilizer according to seedling growth in June-July. Two-year-old Cimicifuga bears fewer fruits and the seed quality is poor. In the early bud stage, the inflorescence can be cut off to benefit rhizome growth. After that, cultivate and weed 1-2 times each year. In the rainy season from July to August each year, properly earth up toward the roots to prevent water accumulation. This is because in the hot and rainy summer season, plants often die from root rot.
Harvesting and Processing
Cultivated Cimicifuga can be harvested after 4 years of growth, mainly in autumn. When harvesting, choose a sunny day, first cut off the withered branches, stems, and leaves of the aboveground parts, dig out the rhizome, remove the soil, wash clean, sun-dry until 80% dry, then singe off the fibrous roots with fire, continue sun-drying until completely dry, and rub off the outer skin and remaining fibrous roots. It can be packed in gunny bags, about 20 kg per piece, and stored in a dry and ventilated place.
Pest and Disease Control
Cimicifuga has very few pests and diseases, with only a small number of white grubs, mainly damaging the rhizome, generally occurring in May-June, which can be controlled by drenching the roots with 800-fold 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate. Among diseases, there is gray leaf spot, which damages leaves and occurs in August-September. Before onset, spray Bordeaux mixture at 1:1:120 to prevent it, and in the early stage of onset, use 65% zineb 500-fold solution for control.