Niudachang Pseudostellaria heterophylla (Tai Zi Shen)

Niudachang Pseudostellaria heterophylla (Tai Zi Shen)

　　Niudachang Village is located in Niudachang Town in the northwest of Shibing County, Guizhou Province. The local soil is slightly alkaline with abundant humus, making it suitable for the growth of most plants, including medicinal herbs. Currently, Pseudostellaria heterophylla (commonly known as Tai Zi Shen) is the village’s flagship crop. Its products are known for their high plumpness, bright yellow color, and excellent quality, making them highly favored among professionals in the medicinal herb industry.

　　In 2011, the planting area of Pseudostellaria heterophylla in Niudachang Town reached 30,000 mu, with an annual output of 3,500 tons and a production value of around 100 million yuan. The town ranked first in the country in terms of production. Through the cultivation of medicinal herbs, the town now has 8 households with assets over 1 million yuan, 36 households with assets between 500,000 and 990,000 yuan, and 219 households with assets between 100,000 and 490,000 yuan. Among the Pseudostellaria heterophylla growers, 50% of households earn an income exceeding 100,000 yuan.

　　The Pseudostellaria heterophylla from Niudachang Town obtained national GAP certification in 2004. Currently, the annual planting area is stable at over 25,000 mu, making it a national standardized cultivation base for Pseudostellaria heterophylla. The town’s annual commercial trading volume of Pseudostellaria heterophylla exceeds 1,500 tons, accounting for more than one-third of the national total output, earning it the reputation of the “Medicine City of Southwest China.”