Qichun Celery

Qichun Celery

Qichun celery is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Also known as "Qicai," it is alternatively called "Kuicai," "Dongkui," or "Chukui." It is abundantly produced in the region, and the name of Qichun County is derived from this.

　　Qichun celery is divided into "land celery" and "water celery." Land celery has a slight medicinal taste, commonly referred to as "medicinal celery," and comes in red and white varieties. It features a bluish-green color, a refreshing aroma, crisp and tender stems, and is rich in protein, sugar, minerals, and carotene. It is both a commonly used vegetable and a staple seasoning, offering medicinal benefits such as nourishing blood and essence, improving circulation and qi, lowering blood pressure, and treating children’s vomiting and diarrhea. The roots of white celery, when decocted in water, can also treat painful urination.

　　Qichun Celery

　　Geographical Scope

　　The geographical scope includes the cultivation areas along both banks of the Qih River in Qichun County. Qichun is located between 29°59′–30°41′ north latitude and 115°12′–115°55′ east longitude. It lies on the northern bank of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, at the southern foot of the Dabie Mountains, on the eastern edge of eastern Hubei. The county borders Huangmei, Wuxue, and Susong (in Anhui Province) to the east, is adjacent to Xishui County to the west, shares boundaries with Yingshan and Taihu (both in Anhui Province) to the north, and faces Yangxin and Huangshi across the river to the south. The maximum east-west span within the county is 38 kilometers, and the maximum north-south span is 76 kilometers. Also called Qicai, Qichun celery is distributed across 15 towns and subdistricts in the county, with a total production area of 2,000 hectares.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features: Qichun celery differs from celery grown elsewhere. Qichun celery lacks a main stem; instead, it has a large, bulbous root made up of white stems, from which branches and leaves sprout in an umbrella-like formation. The leaves are fine and the stems are slender. Qichun celery has a jade-green color and is crisp, tender, and fragrant when cooked. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Qichun celery is highly nutritious. First, it contains 1.55–1.7% crude protein and 1.3–1.4% crude fiber. Second, its vitamin C content ranges between 185–195 mg/kg. Third, it is rich in various mineral elements such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, zinc, and magnesium. Qichun celery also has high medicinal value. According to *Compendium of Materia Medica*, Qichun celery is primarily used to treat "female hemorrhage, nourish blood and essence, protect blood vessels and boost qi, and promote health and appetite." Modern traditional Chinese medicine also confirms that Qichun celery offers significant health benefits and medicinal properties. 3. Safety Requirements: Qichun celery must comply with the standards set by the People's Republic of China's agricultural industry standard NY5089—2005 for pollution-free leafy vegetables.