Yangbi Large Bubble Walnut

Yangbi Large Bubble Walnut

The Yangbi Large Bubble Walnut is a protected geographical indication product.

　　　　The Large Bubble Walnut (also known as Yangbi Walnut, Cotton Walnut, Tea Walnut, or Hemp Seed), originally from Yangbi County, is now widely distributed across prefectures (cities) such as Dali, Lijiang, Nujiang, Baoshan, Lincang, Chuxiong, Honghe, Kunming, Qujing, Jingdong, and Changning, as well as in parts of Guizhou and Sichuan provinces. It is an early high-quality asexual variety from Yunnan and Guizhou, with over 300 years of cultivation history. In 1979, it was recognized as one of the national superior varieties at the National Science and Technology Collaboration Conference. In 2004, the Yangbi Large Bubble Walnut passed the origin mark registration evaluation, and its dried fruit has been certified as organic.

　　The nut is flat and round, slightly pointed at the base and rounded at the top. Its vertical diameter is 3.87 cm, horizontal diameter 3.81 cm, lateral diameter 3.2 cm, with an average of three diameters at 3.5 cm. The shell surface is large with shallow pits, the suture line is narrow, slightly raised in the middle, tightly closed, and bluntly pointed at the tip. The inner septum and transverse diaphragm are degenerated, membranous, making it easy to extract the kernel—often whole. The kernel is plump, sweet and fragrant without astringency, and yellowish-white in color. The single fruit weighs 12.3–17.1 g, the shell is 0.4–0.9 mm thick, the kernel weighs 6.0–9.4 g, the kernel rate is 53.2%–76.56%, the kernel contains 67.3–75.3% fat (with unsaturated fatty acids accounting for 89.9%), and protein content ranges from 13.43–17.32%.

　　The tree is vigorous, with an upright and open growth habit, reaching over 30 meters in height and a crown spread of up to 734 meters. The crown is semi-spherical, with a diameter of about 15 m. The branching ratio at fruiting stage is 1:1.36, mainly bearing fruit on medium and short fruiting branches, with a medium branch rate of 94.1%. Each fruiting branch produces 2–4 fruits, averaging more than 2.3 fruits per branch. The yield of kernels per square meter of crown projection area can exceed 340 g. The highest single-tree yield reaches 37,000 fruits, equivalent to 488.4 kg. At the fruiting stage, a single tree can produce 75 kg of nuts, with potential yields up to 111 kg.

　　Young trees begin to bear fruit between 5–7 years. Under good site conditions and with scientific management, fruiting can begin as early as 3–5 years after planting. In areas around 1,900 meters above sea level in Yangbi County, bud sprouting occurs in mid-to-late March, male flowers bloom and release pollen from late March to early April, and female flowers bloom in mid-to-late April. On the same tree, female flowers usually open about 10 days after male flowers wither. By the White Dew solar term, typically early September, the nuts mature, and leaf fall begins from late September to early October.

　　This variety is highly resistant to stress, long-lived, and high-yielding. Century-old trees still produce abundantly, exhibiting excellent yield traits and the highest nut quality. It is an outstanding variety excelling in both fruit and oil production, and is currently the most widely cultivated variety for commercial walnut production in southern regions like Yunnan.

　　- Yangbi Walnuts - The Qing Dynasty Anhui native Tan Cui wrote in *Dian Hai Yu Heng Zhi*: "Among walnuts, those from the Yangbi River are the best—their shells are so thin they can be cracked with your fingers." Yangbi County, located west of Dali, is famed for its walnut production. If you visit Yi households in the mountainous areas of Yangbi, they will surely serve you the traditional dish of walnuts dipped in honey. This is a sweet, delicious treat that moistens the lungs and dissolves phlegm. Yangbi walnuts are large, have thin shells, thick kernels, rich flavor, and high oil yield, making them one of the province’s important export goods. The lush, verdant walnut forests cover the valleys and hills of the Yangbi mountain region. The walnut trees are sturdy and tall, with many century-old specimens. In Gaofa Brigade, Pingpo Commune, there stands a two-meter-circumference walnut tree, majestic and shade-providing, covering half an area. It typically yields over 200 pounds of walnuts annually and can produce nearly 70 pounds of oil. This tree is known as the “Walnut King.” Walnut kernels are high in oil and can be pressed for oil, edible either raw or roasted. Traditional festival foods in the Dali area, such as Yuanxiao for Spring Festival and mooncakes for Mid-Autumn Festival, use Yangbi walnut kernels as filling—crispy, sweet, and delicious. Yangbi walnuts also make a great gift for family and friends. (Dali)