Quanjiao Chrysanthemum

Quanjiao Chrysanthemum

　　   Chrysanthemum is a specialty of Quanjiao. Commonly known as “Mountain Tea Chrysanthemum,” “White Chrysanthemum,” or “Sweet Chrysanthemum,” it is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family, with flowers used medicinally. The flower stamens are golden yellow, and the petals are crystal-clear snow white, earning it the reputation of being the “Golden-Cored Five-Petal.” Quanjiao Chrysanthemum has medicinal and health-preserving values such as clearing heat and detoxifying, protecting the liver and improving eyesight, relaxing tendons and promoting blood circulation, preventing illness and enhancing health, and prolonging life. It ranks first among China’s four famous chrysanthemums (Quanjiao Chrysanthemum, Hangzhou White Chrysanthemum, Huizhou Chrysanthemum, and Bozhou Chrysanthemum). Quanjiao Chrysanthemum is one of the main traditional Chinese medicinal herbs in our county. Its purchase volume accounts for about half of the total medicinal herb purchases in the county, and its production makes up about 60% of the national Quanjiao Chrysanthemum yield, being exported to countries and regions such as Japan, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, and the United States.

　　      The cultivation of Quanjiao Chrysanthemum began in Quanjiao. According to the 1985 *Quanjiao County Annals*, after the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, a farmer surnamed Zhu from Hexi Village in the western part of the county started planting Quanjiao Chrysanthemum. From then on, it gradually expanded to areas such as Sanhe and Machang. In 1930, the yield of Quanjiao Chrysanthemum in Quanjiao reached 2,000 jin (approximately 1,000 kg); in 1953, the yield reached 14,000 jin; in 1965, the planting area was 7,000 mu (approximately 467 hectares), and the yield reached 760,000 jin.

　　      Quanjiao Chrysanthemum plants are 80–90 cm tall, with main stems around 0.5–0.9 cm in diameter, appearing purplish-green. The entire growth period lasts about 10 months, sprouting in late February and being harvested at the end of October. Each plant produces approximately 110–220 flowers, with about 80–150 being effective blooms.

　　      The active components of Quanjiao Chrysanthemum are uniquely superior. According to testing and analysis conducted by the China Pharmaceutical University in 2001 on the nutritional and pharmacological components of Quanjiao Chrysanthemum, its intrinsic composition distinguishes it from other types of chrysanthemums, and quantitative analysis confirms the uniqueness of its medicinal and health values. Its main components include volatile oils, flavonoids, amino acids, and trace elements. Among them, there are 67 types of volatile oil components, with major components such as cineole, borneol, and eucalyptol significantly higher than in other chrysanthemums. The total flavonoid content is 32%–61% higher than that of other chrysanthemums. Among the 17 types of amino acids present, it is rich in eight essential amino acids for humans, including methionine, glutamic acid, and lysine. It also contains 10 types of naturally occurring trace elements, seven of which are essential for humans—iron, copper, zinc, cobalt, magnesium, strontium, and selenium—especially with selenium content being 8.3–50 times higher than in other chrysanthemums. The activity of these naturally occurring trace elements is stronger than that of simple inorganic salts, making them more suitable for supplementing human trace element deficiencies.

　　      Although Quanjiao Chrysanthemum is abundantly produced in Quanjiao, because after the Tang Dynasty, Quanjiao came under the jurisdiction of Chuzhou, the name “Qu” (from Chuzhou) replaced “Quan” (from Quanjiao).