Sweet Sorghum

Sweet Sorghum

　　Sweet sorghum, commonly known as sweet kaoliang, is a variant of sorghum with a long history of cultivation on Chongming Island. It was already recorded in the Chongming County Annals compiled during the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty, making it one of Chongming’s local specialties.　

　　Sweet Sorghum (4 images) Characteristics of Chongming Sweet Sorghum

　　　　Chongming sweet sorghum has green stalks with long internodes, juicy and sweet flesh, a crisp texture, and is convenient to eat.

　　Varieties of Chongming Sweet Sorghum

　　　　Its varieties include nearly ten types such as Green Husk, Yellow Husk, Black Spike, Red Spike, Sugar Sorghum, and Sorghum Millet. The original “Qijiacun” sweet sorghum from Jiangkou Town, which grows up to thirteen nodes, is renowned for its tender, sweet taste. Sweet sorghum contains various nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, iron, calcium, and phosphorus; it also has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying. Children who eat three sweet sorghum stalks a day during the summer can avoid or reduce the occurrence of “heat boils.”　 　　In recent years, Chongming farmers have cultivated a new variety called “Sugarcane Sorghum.” It combines the sturdy stalks of sugarcane with the sweet, crisp characteristics of sweet sorghum, making it a unique treat on the island.