Xichou Yanghe

Xichou Yanghe

Xichou Yanghe is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Xichou Yanghe belongs to the ginger family and is a perennial herbaceous plant. It grows to about 1.5 meters in height, with sturdy stems, well-developed roots, and vigorous growth. This nutrient-rich vegetable is both edible and medicinal. It contains various amino acids, proteins, and abundant dietary fiber, offering health benefits such as regulating blood and menstruation, relieving coughs and expelling phlegm, reducing swelling and detoxifying, as well as aiding digestion and strengthening the stomach. It has proven especially effective in treating constipation and diabetes, making it highly valuable medicinally.

　　Yanghe resembles small bamboo shoots or large shallots, with a tender red sprout growing in the center, surrounded tightly by layers of purplish-red petals, making it very visually appealing. From June to September each year, bright red fruits emerge from the base, taking 10–15 days to grow before they can be harvested. After the first batch is picked, a second batch soon appears like stars emerging from the soil, and generally 3–4 batches can be harvested. Each fruit weighs 10–15 grams, with larger ones exceeding 30 grams. Each planting hole can yield dozens, even nearly a hundred fruits. Typically, the first-year harvest can exceed 1,000 kilograms per mu, with yields increasing year by year, and high yields reaching over 2,000 kilograms per mu.

　　Yanghe is highly adaptable. It tolerates waterlogging and drought, and grows best in deep sandy loam. It can be planted in mountainous areas, plains, hills, courtyards, and even intercropped in orchards. Before planting, the soil should be deeply tilled and enriched with ample base fertilizer, ensuring it is loose. Yanghe is planted using rootstocks, with a spacing of 60 × 60 cm between plants and rows, at a density of 1,500–1,800 plants per mu, using around 100 kilograms of seed roots. Planting is done in spring or autumn (spring from mid-to-late March, autumn in late October).

　　There are many ways to prepare Yanghe. It can be sliced or shredded and stir-fried with meat or chili peppers, resulting in a fresh color, crisp texture, and fragrant taste. It can also be boiled or stewed, then shredded and served cold, or pickled into kimchi. It is widely favored by consumers.

　　The production area of Xichou Yanghe covers nine towns (townships) within Xichou County, Wenshan Prefecture, Yunnan Province, including Xisa Town, Benggu Township, Lianhuatang Township, Xinmajie Township, Xingjie Town, Bailin Township, Fadou Township, Dongma Township, and Jijie Township. The total planting area is 50,000 mu, with an annual output of 75,000 tons. Its geographical coordinates are between 104°22′ to 104°58′ east longitude and 23°05′ to 23°37′ north latitude, with the highest elevation at 1,962.9 meters and the lowest at 645 meters, resulting in a relative elevation difference of 1,317.9 meters. The Tropic of Cancer crosses through the county. To the southeast it borders Malipo County, to the southwest it faces Maguan County across the Panlong River, to the northwest it adjoins Wenshan and Yanshan counties, and to the northeast it looks toward Guangnan County across the Dama River. The county seat is 87 kilometers from the prefectural capital Wenshan, 410 kilometers from the provincial capital Kunming, and 96 kilometers from the Tianbao National Port.