The best environment for growing Astragalus membranaceus

Many of us should be familiar with Astragalus. It is a common traditional Chinese medicine and has a very good effect on many diseases of the human body, but we may not know much about the cultivation of Astragalus. Let's learn about Astragalus with Xiaobian.

The best environment for growing Astragalus membranaceus

The production bases of domestic astragalus are mainly concentrated in Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Henan, Shandong, Gansu, Qinghai and Ningxia. In view of the fact that Astragalus membranaceus is a deep-rooted plant that likes cold, cool, high dryness and sufficient light, avoid waterlogging and soil adhesion and consolidation, therefore, sandy loam plots with sunny ventilation, high dryness, deep soil layer, loose texture, good ventilation, strong drainage and seepage, low groundwater level and low soil water content should be selected to prevent the occurrence of chicken claw root and rust spot. After the land is built, in late autumn and early winter, soil preparation, weeding, turning about 50 cm deep, winter sun, winter freezing, in order to reduce the harm of disease and Cordyceps. Before the cultivated land, stable manure or compost  2500-5000kg, calcium superphosphate 2500kg-5000kg, superphosphate 25kg-30kg, rake fine and flat, make a border 1.2 to 1.3m wide, and the border surface can be shaped into a turtle back shape. It can also be made into a small high ridge with a row spacing of 40cm to 45cm or a large ridge with a row spacing of 60cm. It can also be made into a platform field with a width of 1m and a height of 70cm. By using the above tillage methods, a good soil condition conducive to root growth and development can be created for Astragalus membranaceus, so that the root system develops well, the main root grows straight and has less bifurcation.

What are the types of Radix Astragali

Because of its wide distribution and wide application, the variety of Astragalus membranaceus is more complex, which can be roughly divided into three categories: Astragalus membranaceus, Radix Astragali and Radix Astragali.

1. Bu Kuiqi: it is mainly produced in Qiqihar (Bukui), Heilongjiang Province, including Gannan, Fufu, Nenjiang, and Astragalus membranaceus in Molidawa, Zhalantun and other places in Inner Mongolia. Its characteristics are: long cylindrical, occasionally branched, straight or slightly curved, long 35~70cm, diameter l~2.5cm, Reed stem incision is round. The central withered space is a black-brown hole, commonly known as "short", but not deep (about 5cm). The surface is grayish black, light and heavy, not easy to break, the cross section is fibrous and powdery; the skin is slightly loose, white or yellowish white; the wood is tight and yellow, which is commonly known as "loose skin and tight meat". Taste sweet, chewing less residue, there are beans ignorant.

2. Ninggutaqi: it is mainly produced in Ningan (Ninggu Pagoda) and Mudanjiang in the east of Heilongjiang Province, including Astragalus membranaceus in Wanda Mountain area, Zhangguangcailing Mountain area and Yanbian area in Changbai Mountain area. its character is similar to that of Bu Kuiqi.

3. Zhengkouqi: produced in Hailar, Zhalantun, Yakeshi, Xinghe, Oroqen Banner, Boketu, Inner Mongolia. The character is similar to that of Bu Kuiqi. Because it used to enter the customs through Dushikou to collect and distribute the old name. It is also a wild product of Astragalus membranaceus. In addition, in the past, Zhengkouqi also included wild Mongolian astragalus produced by Wuchuan, Zhuozi, Zhenghong Banner and Zhenglan Banner in Inner Mongolia.

4. Chongzhengqi: it is produced in Hunyuan, Yingxian and Tianzhen in Yanbei area of Shanxi Province; Daixian, Ningwu, Fanshi and Qinxian in Xinzhou area. Among the cultivated products of Astragalus mongolicus in Jiexiu and Yanggao, the ones with thick and delicate skin are selected, and the latter is "Chongzhengqi" after processing and dyeing. The product is long cylindrical, straight, single branch or between branches, Reed head cut off, tail end trimmed, root head incision is oblate, the center hollow or brown decayed. Long 60~90cm, diameter 1.8~2.8cm at the root head 10cm. The surface is dyed dark blue-black, and the touch hand is dyed blue-black. Soft and tough, the cross section is fibrous, the skin is yellow and white, and the wood is golden, which is commonly known as "Golden Calendar Silver Plate". It is fragrant, sweet, fishy and pure.

Morphological characteristics of Radix Astragali

The plant height of Astragalus mongolicus is 40cm to 80cm. Taproot deep, 1-3.5 cm in diam., Terete, sometimes branched. The surface is light brownish yellow or light brown. Stem erect or semi-erect, much branched distally. Leaves alternate, odd-pinnately compound, leaflets 12-18 pairs, leaf blade small, elliptic or oblong, entire, hairy below. Stipules lanceolate. Racemes axillary, with 5-flowered 15. Corolla butterfly, yellow to yellowish, calyx campanulate, densely pubescent, 5-lobed, stamens 10. The florescence is from May to July. The pod is membranous, swollen, semi-ovoid, smooth and glabrous, containing 5-10 seeds. Seeds reniform, dark brown or brown. The fruit period is from July to September.

Astragalus membranaceus is distinguished by a small number of leaflets, 6-13 pairs, larger leaves, apex obtusely round or retuse, sometimes spinulose, stipules ovate to lanceolate-linear, pods covered with black or white pubescent hairs.

Growth habits of Radix Astragali

Astragalus membranaceus is mostly wild in dry slopes or sparse forests on the grassland. it likes cool climate, cold and drought resistance, and fear of heat and waterlogging. It grows well on sandy loam with deep soil layer, rich humus and strong water permeability. It is not suitable to be planted in clay and strongly saline-alkali land. Avoid continuous cropping, not with safflower, potato, Atractylodes macrocephala, chrysanthemum and other rotation. Astragalus seeds are hard, and in general, the hard seed rate can reach more than 40% and 80%. Direct seeding only grows stems and leaves but does not blossom in that year, can blossom and bear fruit in the second year, and blossoms and fruiting in large numbers after three years. Mainly produced in Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Ningxia, Gansu and other places, Shandong, Hebei can also be cultivated.

If you want to understand the cultivation of Radix Astragali, we should first have a comprehensive understanding of the growth habits and morphological characteristics of Radix Astragali. Only when we have an understanding of it, can we take effective methods to plant it and achieve twice the result with half the effort.