Dendrobium from Jiajiang

Dendrobium from Jiajiang

　　Xiemǎ Township in Jiajiang County is the township with the highest cultivation of authentic Chinese medicinal herb—Dendrobium—in the county. The township has 11 administrative villages, covering an area of 35 square kilometers. Located on the foothills of Mount Emei in the southwestern part of Sichuan, it sits at an altitude of 600–1,300 meters, with an average annual temperature of 13.4°C, annual precipitation of 1,593 millimeters, relative humidity of 50–86%, and a frost-free period of 10 months, making it especially suitable for Dendrobium growth. The township has been cultivating Dendrobium since the early years of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty, boasting over 200 years of cultivation history.

Dendrobium, also known as huángcǎo (yellow grass) or zāiyānghuā (transplanting flower), is a member of the Orchidaceae family and was recorded in the Shennong Bencao Jing (The Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica) as early as the Han Dynasty. With a slightly cold nature and sweet, bland taste, Dendrobium nourishes yin and benefits the stomach, promotes fluid production and relieves thirst. It is commonly used to treat fluid depletion due to febrile diseases, dry mouth and irritability, post-illness deficiency heat, yin impairment leading to dim vision and blurred eyesight, and to nourish the five internal organs weakened by exhaustion and emaciation. It contains 24 essential amino acids indispensable to the human body, making it an important raw material in today’s international beverage market. Recent studies have shown that Dendrobium is also a major source for extracting medications to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, reflecting strong market demand. Well-known products include “Dendrobium Bright Eyes Pills,” “Fresh Dendrobium Dew,” “Xīfēngdòu (Western Dendrobium Stick),” and “Golden Earrings.” Additionally, Dendrobium plants hold considerable ornamental value.

The main varieties of Dendrobium cultivated in Xiemǎ Township include Dendrobium denneanum, Dendrobium nobile, Dendrobium fimbriatum, and Dendrobium candidum. A total of 4,500 acres are planted, yielding 149,000 kilograms of fresh herb annually, accounting for more than half of the province’s total production. In 2001, the township established the “Xiemǎ Township Dendrobium Association.” In 2004, it began preparations to build a “Thousand-Mu Dendrobium Sightseeing Garden.”