Coastal White Polygonum Multiflorum

Coastal White Polygonum Multiflorum

　　Coastal White Polygonum Multiflorum, locally known as He Shou Wu or White He Shou Wu, and simply referred to as Shou Wu, originates from the plant Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight of the Asclepiadaceae family. It is a traditional Chinese plant used for food, medicine, and cosmetic purposes. Ninety-five percent of the national production of white Polygonum multiflorum (Cynanchum auriculatum) comes from Binhai County in Jiangsu Province. Local farmers have a long history of cultivating this plant, making the region famous as China’s renowned “Hometown of Shou Wu.”

　　III. Geographic Scope

　　The protected geographic area for Coastal White Polygonum Multiflorum is within Binhai County, Jiangsu Province. It borders the Yellow Sea to the east, the Subei Irrigation Main Canal to the south, the border between Funing and Lianshui counties to the west, and the Zhongshan River to the north. The geographical coordinates are: longitude 119°37′ to 120°20′ east, latitude 33°48′ to 34°23′ north. The total protected production area covers 40,000 hectares, with an annual yield of 480,000 tons and sales revenue of 1.2 billion yuan. It involves 11 towns (districts). The specific protected areas include: Binhai Port Town, Binhai Port Economic Zone, Binhuai Town, Batan Town, Baju Town, Jiepai Town, Binhai Modern Agricultural Industrial Park, Tianchang Town, Dongkan Town, Chentao Town, and Binhuai Farm.

　　IV. Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features: “Coastal White Polygonum Multiflorum” root tubers are long cylindrical or spindle-shaped, slightly curved, with a brownish-yellow, relatively rough outer skin marked by distinct horizontal striations. The flesh is off-white with a slight yellow tint. Fresh tubers have a faint aroma, a dense and crisp texture when eaten raw, a mildly sweet and slightly bitter taste without astringency. Sliced pieces are milky white, with a crisp texture and a mildly bitter taste that turns slightly sweet. The powdered form is white, appearing as irregular plum-blossom-shaped granules, with a fine texture that becomes semi-transparent when mixed with boiling water. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Coastal White Polygonum Multiflorum is a plant that serves both medicinal and dietary purposes. Its root tubers contain 5.2% total C21 steroidal glycosides, 3.3% lecithin, and 62.5% total starch, of which 13.1% is amylose—indicating a high content of active ingredients, good medicinal potential, low amylose content, high amylopectin content, high viscosity, and good taste, making it suitable for consumption. 3. Product Quality and Safety Requirements: Meet the quality and safety standards of pollution-free agricultural products.