Scattered Flowers Artemisia selengensis

Scattered Flowers Artemisia selengensis

Scattered Flowers Artemisia selengensis is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Artemisia selengensis, also known as sweet wormwood, water wormwood, or fragrant mugwort, is a perennial herbaceous plant. It grows wild in wet areas such as barren beaches and, due to its strong adaptability and low susceptibility to pests and diseases, has been cultivated into a pollution-free, nutrient-rich green vegetable.

　　Scattered Flowers Artemisia selengensis is an off-season wild vegetable obtained through protected cultivation of wild large-leaf Artemisia selengensis. The edible part is the tender above-ground stem, which is 16–22 cm long and 0.4–0.6 cm thick, with a distinctive fresh fragrance. Commercial Scattered Flowers Artemisia selengensis features fresh, pale green stems with a unique refreshing aroma, easily breakable by hand. Compared to naturally grown stems, these are sturdier, more fragrant, brighter in color, shorter in internodes, and contain little to no coarse fiber. It offers benefits such as dispelling rheumatism, strengthening the spleen and stomach, calming liver heat, preventing constipation, aiding digestion, and enhancing the body’s immune function. According to the Xishui County Annals, Scattered Flowers Artemisia selengensis has a thousand-year cultivation history and is a renowned product of eastern Hubei. During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhou Yu trained his navy at "Cehu Lake" (named after Sun Ce’s military drills in Xishui’s Scattered Flowers area) and often gathered wild vegetables like Artemisia selengensis, water caltrops, and water bamboo for his soldiers to boost their health. The production area of Scattered Flowers Artemisia selengensis borders the Yangtze River, is surrounded by water on three sides, and is far from industrial zones with no nearby pollution sources. The planting area has deep, fertile soil that retains moisture and nutrients well. Since 2010, the Xishui County People’s Government has implemented multiple preferential policies to vigorously develop Artemisia selengensis production. The current planting area exceeds 8,000 mu, with an output of over 12,000 tons.

　　In 2000, Xishui County introduced Artemisia selengensis to Yushan Village in Scattered Flowers Town for greenhouse cultivation trials. After more than a decade of exploration, experimentation, demonstration, and promotion, the planting area has expanded to 210 hectares, with a yield of 6,000 tons per hectare and an annual output value of 30 million yuan. The product is in high demand and sold annually to major cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Wuhan, Shanghai, and Huangshi. The optimal sowing period for Scattered Flowers Artemisia selengensis is late July to early August, with harvesting generally every month, yielding 3–4 crops per year.

　　Additionally, our province has included three agricultural products in this batch of protected listings, the other two being Hongshan Chicken from Suixian and Quxiang Silk Cotton Tea from Zigui.

　　Geographic Scope

　　The production area of Scattered Flowers Artemisia selengensis is located in the southwestern part of Scattered Flowers Town, Xishui County, Hubei Province, distributed around Cehu Lake. It spans from Xianv Miao Village in the east to Zeche Di Village in the west, Yushan Village in the south, and Honglian Chao Village in the north. The geographic coordinates of the production area are between 30°15′46″–30°17′35″ north latitude and 115°06′40″–115°10′46″ east longitude. The area is 8 km wide from east to west and 3 km long from north to south, with a suitable planting area of 850 hectares for Artemisia selengensis.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features: Scattered Flowers Artemisia selengensis is an off-season wild vegetable obtained through greenhouse-protected cultivation of wild large-leaf Artemisia selengensis, available from December to March of the following year. The edible part is the tender above-ground stem, 16–22 cm long and 0.4–0.6 cm thick, without lateral branches or coarse fiber, and with low lignification. The color is pale green, and it has a distinctive fresh fragrance. Commercial Scattered Flowers Artemisia selengensis consists of tender stems with leaves removed, leaving only unopened inner leaves, bundled and packaged. The stems are fresh, pale green, and fragrant, easily breakable by hand. Compared to naturally grown stems, they are sturdier, more fragrant, brighter in color, shorter in internodes, and contain little to no coarse fiber. They can be cut into inch-long pieces and stir-fried or cooked with other meats. After cooking, the color remains crisp green, the texture is crispy but not mushy, the aroma is rich, and it is easy to chew and digest, offering a refreshing taste. 　　2. Internal Quality Indicators: The internal quality of Scattered Flowers Artemisia selengensis is similar to that of common Artemisia selengensis, providing benefits such as dispelling rheumatism, strengthening the spleen and stomach, calming liver heat, preventing constipation, aiding digestion, and enhancing the body’s immune function. 　　3. Quality and Safety Standards: The growing environment of Scattered Flowers Artemisia selengensis meets the requirements of the "Pollution-Free Vegetable Growing Environment Conditions" (NY/T5010-2002), and its quality strictly adheres to the "Pollution-Free Green Leafy Vegetables" standard (NY5089-2005). During production, agricultural inputs are used rationally, and the use of highly toxic pesticides banned by the state is strictly prohibited. Pesticide and fertilizer use must comply with the "Pollution-Free Fertilizer Use Guidelines" (NT/T5017-2001) and the "Pollution-Free Pesticide Use Guidelines" (NY/T5018-2001). The pesticide safety interval is strictly enforced, and products are only allowed on the market after passing pesticide residue tests.