Osmanthus in Xianning

Osmanthus in Xianning

Osmanthus in Xianning is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Osmanthus belongs to the Oleaceae family and is an evergreen shrub or small tree. Thanks to long-term careful cultivation, there are many varieties, the most common being Golden Osmanthus (with orange-yellow flowers), Silver Osmanthus (with yellowish-white flowers), as well as Red Osmanthus and Four Seasons Osmanthus. It is a precious ornamental and aromatic plant in China. The flowers can be used to extract essential oils or as flavoring for food and sweets. Xianning County has long been known as the “Hometown of Osmanthus.” The Golden and Silver Osmanthus produced here are renowned both at home and abroad for their thick petals, crystal-clear color, rich fragrance, and excellent quality. The local people have made significant contributions to accelerating the development of osmanthus production through field-tested methods such as “layering propagation” and “tender branch layering.” There are now over two hundred thousand osmanthus trees in the osmanthus-producing region, yielding more than ninety thousand kilograms of osmanthus annually, with products selling well in domestic and international markets.

　　The osmanthus from Xianning City enjoys nationwide fame and has a long cultivation history. Xianning in Hubei Province ranks first in osmanthus resources across the country and is widely recognized as the “Osmanthus Hometown of China.”

　　　　According to historical records, over 2,300 years ago during the Warring States period, the poet Qu Yuan wrote the beautiful lines “Pour osmanthus wine and pepper sauce” and “I ride my fragrant osmanthus boat” as he passed through Xianning. Five hundred years ago, there was already a tradition of brewing osmanthus wine among the people. Xianning still has a small number of thousand-year-old ancient osmanthus trees.

　　　　Folklore says that the osmanthus tree originated from seeds scattered by Chang’e (the Moon Goddess). The legend of Chang’e is widely spread in Xianning. It is said that Chang’e was born on Zhongtai Mountain in Damu, Xianning, while Houyi lived in Muzi’ao, Baidun. The two met through the Jade Rabbit and got married under the osmanthus tree. In August 2009, the Hubei Folk Artists Association awarded Xianning’s Xianning District the title of “Hometown of Chang’e Culture.”

　　　　Osmanthus is an evergreen tree belonging to the Oleaceae family. It is called “Gui” (osmanthus) because the shape of its leaf veins resembles a “gui” (a mineral pattern), and also known as “Muxi” (wood rhino) because of its fine and dense wood grain resembling rhinoceros horn. Common varieties include Golden Osmanthus, Silver Osmanthus, Red Osmanthus, and Four Seasons Osmanthus. Osmanthus has high ornamental value, with graceful branches, golden blossoms, and a far-reaching fragrance, making it one of China’s top ten famous flowers. Osmanthus is not only a valuable ornamental plant for gardens but also a key raw material for the processing of fragrances, food, and medicinal products. With its mild nature and sweet taste, osmanthus helps resolve phlegm and disperse blood stasis. Osmanthus seeds help dispel cold, break up stagnation, resolve phlegm, promote saliva, warm the stomach, soothe the liver, and benefit the kidneys. Osmanthus twigs can relieve surface cold, warm meridians, and unblock yang energy, offering extremely high medicinal value. Especially, natural osmanthus-based aromatic products are highly sought after in the international market.

　　　　Xianning ranks first in osmanthus resources nationwide, and its reputation as the “Osmanthus Hometown” is well-known across the country. The city leads the nation in five major resource indicators: number of osmanthus varieties, number of ancient trees, base area, yield of fresh osmanthus, and osmanthus quality. Osmanthus is distributed across 45 towns in 6 counties and districts of the city, including nearly thirty varieties from four major osmanthus groups: Golden, Silver, Red, and Four Seasons Osmanthus.

　　　　In recent years, the municipal Party committee and government, in the process of building a distinctive agricultural industry with “four townships and six sectors,” have adopted a strategy of “focusing on both development and protection” of resources, promoting the healthy development of the osmanthus industry. There are currently 1.5 million osmanthus trees with a ground diameter of over 5 cm, covering an area of more than 50,000 mu. In particular, the city has 2,000 ancient osmanthus trees over a hundred years old, accounting for 91% of the national total of 2,200. In 1963 and 1983, the state twice named Xianning as the “Hometown of Osmanthus.” In 2000, Xianning District was again named the only “China Osmanthus Hometown.” Leveraging its undisputed resource advantages, the city has won numerous national honors. According to a special survey on osmanthus, compared with 1999, there has been substantial growth in osmanthus area, yield, output value, taxes, and farmers’ income, indicating significant progress in the osmanthus industry.

　　　　Xianning District’s Osmanthus Town, long known as the “Hometown of Osmanthus,” is famous for its large area, wide variety, high yield, superior flower quality, and abundance of ancient osmanthus trees. The area is home to nearly one million osmanthus trees of nine varieties, including Golden, Silver, Iron, Red, Four Seasons, and Laurel Osmanthus, producing over 200,000 kilograms of osmanthus annually. Currently, there survives an ancient “Osmanthus King,” the oldest of its kind, standing 29 meters tall, with a crown covering 154 square meters and the largest branch measuring 48.7 cm in diameter. It is over 600 years old, remains lush, and can produce more than 150 kilograms of fresh flowers. Now, centered around Osmanthus Town, an osmanthus corridor stretching 29 kilometers along the Maqiao-Baidun Highway and the Xianning-Tongshan Highway is under development. Plans also include the construction of an osmanthus eco-tourism area, featuring the Golden Osmanthus Garden, Silver Osmanthus Garden, Red Osmanthus Garden, Hundred Osmanthus Garden, an Osmanthus Exhibition Hall, and resort villages.

　　　　Since the 1980s, the traditional osmanthus processing industry has entered a new stage of development, fostering a series of well-known brands. Products such as Osmanthus Crisp Candy, Osmanthus Cake, “Ganshui Brand” Osmanthus Wine, Osmanthus Honey Wine, and Osmanthus Extract produced in Xianning District have repeatedly won provincial and ministerial-level awards for excellence. In recent years, newly developed osmanthus-based beverages such as Osmanthus Rice Wine and Osmanthus Dew have shown promising market potential.