Harvest begins for income-boosting medicinal fruit in C China's Henan

A tourist displays the freshly picked ripe fruit of the Cornus officinalis medicinal plant, which has entered its harvest season in Xixia county, central China's Henan Province. (People's Daily Online/Huo Yaping)

As Shan Zhu Yu — the dried ripe fruit of the medicinal plant Cornus officinalis — enters harvest season in Xixia county, central China's Henan Province, the scenic Funiu Mountain is witnessing a lively blend of farming and booming agritourism.

In early winter, Funiu Mountain is adorned with vibrant red fruit that hangs like lanterns from the trees. Local villagers, equipped with bamboo baskets and small carts, weave through the orchards while tourists enjoy picking ripe fruit from the branches, creating a symphony of joyful chatter and the hum of machinery.

Xixia county has cultivated Shan Zhu Yu for over 50 years, with a planting area covering 250,000 mu (16,700 hectares). This year, the county is expected to produce more than 3,600 tonnes of the fruit, with a direct economic output surpassing 200 million yuan ($28.28 million).

A tourist picks the ripe fruit of the Cornus officinalis medicinal plant, which has entered its harvest season in Xixia county, central China's Henan Province. (People's Daily Online/Huo Yaping)

The industry has created new income sources for over 100,000 residents across nine townships in the county's mountainous areas.

Notably, Xixia accounts for half of China's total Shan Zhu Yu production and two-thirds of Henan Province's output.

The ripe fruit of the Cornus officinalis medicinal plant hangs from a branch in an orchard in Xixia county, central China's Henan Province. (People's Daily Online/Huo Yaping)

In recent years, Xixia has adopted a development model featuring close collaboration among companies, professional cooperatives, production bases and farming households to further enhance its industrial chain.

As a result, the fruit has become a key ingredient in renowned traditional Chinese medicines and won favor with consumers for its bright color, plump texture and potent medicinal properties. This growing demand has blossomed into a vital industry that benefits both farmers and the local economy.

The branches of the Cornus officinalis medicinal plant are laden with ripe fruit in an orchard in Xixia county, central China's Henan Province. (People's Daily Online/Huo Yaping)

Tourists pick the ripe fruit of the Cornus officinalis medicinal plant, which has entered its harvest season in Xixia county, central China's Henan Province. (People's Daily Online/Huo Yaping)

A tourist picks the ripe fruit of the Cornus officinalis medicinal plant, which has entered its harvest season in Xixia county, central China's Henan Province. (People's Daily Online/Huo Yaping)

Photo shows ear pendants featuring Shan Zhu Yu, the medicinal fruit of the Cornus officinalis plant. (People's Daily Online/Huo Yaping)

A worker processes the ripe fruit of the Cornus officinalis medicinal plant at a local production workshop in Xixia county, central China's Henan Province. (People's Daily Online/Huo Yaping)

A man inspects facilities in a traditional Chinese medicine manufacturing workshop, where Shan Zhu Yu, the medicinal fruit of the Cornus officinalis plant, is used to produce medicines. (People's Daily Online/Huo Yaping)

Villagers sell Shan Zhu Yu, the medicinal fruit of the Cornus officinalis plant, in Xixia county, central China's Henan Province. (People's Daily Online/Huo Yaping)