Xihe Pinellia

Xihe Pinellia

Xihe Pinellia is a protected geographical indication product.

　　Xihe County in Longnan City, Gansu Province, known as the "Hometown of Chinese Herbal Medicine for a Thousand Years," is famed as China’s hometown of Pinellia. The county cultivates medicinal plants such as Pinellia, Rhizoma Pinelliae Praeparatum, and Pinellia seeds year-round, developing the Pinellia planting industry and establishing Pinellia associations and cooperatives.

　　Longnan City in Gansu Province, known as the "Hometown of Chinese Herbal Medicine for a Thousand Years," was officially designated as China’s Hometown of Pinellia by the Organizing Committee of the "Promotion Activities for China’s Hometowns of Special Products" under China’s Ministry of Agriculture, which issued a certificate and plaque.

　　Gansu’s Xihe County enjoys a humid climate with ample sunlight, an average annual temperature of 8.4°C, a frost-free period of 149–214 days, sunshine duration of 1,500–1,800 hours, and annual precipitation of 451–734.7 mm. It features a typical continental monsoon climate, making it highly suitable for Pinellia growth. Pinellia is one of the important medicinal plants cultivated in Xihe County. The Pinellia produced here is known for its large size, good shape, white color, and potent properties, making it a premium-quality variety.

　　Pinellia is an important medicinal herb in China’s traditional pharmacopeia, grown only in Asia—primarily in China and Japan. Major producing regions include Gansu, Sichuan, Hubei, and Shanxi, with the best quality coming from Xihe in Longnan, Gansu.

　　The protected geographical indication area for Xihe Pinellia covers the administrative regions of 20 towns and townships in Xihe County, Gansu Province, as proposed in the request document "On Delimiting the Protected Geographical Indication Area for Xihe Pinellia" (Xi Zheng Bao [2007] No. 17) issued by the People’s Government of Xihe County. These areas include Changdao Town, Shibao Township, Shaoyu Township, Suhe Township, Xiyu Township, Han Yuan Town, Xinglong Township, Luhe Township, Shili Township, Heba Town, Luoyu Town, Jiangxi Town, Mayuan Township, Shaijing Township, Liuxiang Township, Shixia Town, Xigao Mountain Township, Daqiao Township, Haolin Township, and Taishihe Township.