Sand Ginger (Wurfbainia Villosa)

Sand Ginger (Wurfbainia villosa)/砂仁

Botanical Description: Sand ginger (Wurfbainia villosa) is a perennial herb in the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). The plant features:

Rhizomes: Creeping on the ground.
Leaves: Lanceolate, 37 cm long and 7 cm wide in the middle section; upper leaves are linear, 25 cm long and 3 cm wide, with a tapering apex and nearly round base. Both surfaces are smooth and hairless.
Bracts: Lanceolate.
Sepals: White, with sparse soft hairs at the base.
Corolla: White, with a lip that is rounded and spoon-shaped; the ovary has white soft hairs.
Fruit: Elliptical, turning purple-red when ripe, with soft spines.

Flowering and Fruiting Periods:

Flowering: May to June
Fruiting: August to September

Historical Context: The term “sand ginger” first appeared in Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing Yao (本草品汇精要), and has since become widely accepted.

Distribution and Habitat: Originally from Yangchun, Guangdong, sand ginger is now distributed in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan in China, and is also found in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and India. It thrives in tropical and subtropical monsoon rainforests with warm and humid climates, is not frost-tolerant, but can endure short periods of low temperatures. It requires partial shade and prefers diffuse light. Ideal cultivation conditions include deep, loose, moisture-retentive loam or sandy loam soils, and it is not suited for clay or sandy soils. It is commonly cultivated or found wild in shaded, humid mountainous areas.

Cultivation: Sand ginger is mainly propagated through clump division.

Ornamental and Medicinal Value:

Ornamental Value: High; it can be appreciated for its flowers in early summer and fruits in mid-summer.
Medicinal Uses: Described in texts such as Yao Xing Lun (药性论) and Kai Bao Ben Cao (开宝本草) as having properties to resolve dampness, promote qi circulation, warm the middle, stop diarrhea, and stabilize pregnancy. It is used to treat conditions such as spleen and stomach qi stagnation, damp obstruction in the middle burner, cold in the spleen and stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, restless fetal movements, and morning sickness. Sand ginger extract has shown potential in inhibiting alloxan-induced diabetes and may have therapeutic value for insulin-dependent diabetes.

Propagation Methods

Sand ginger can be propagated by both seeds and clump division, with clump division being the more commonly used method.

Seed Propagation:

Seed Preparation: Choose full and healthy fruits. Dry the fruits twice before sowing, then ferment them while maintaining a temperature between 30-35°C and adequate humidity. After 3-4 days, wash and rub the fruit skins, then dry them before sowing.
Seedbed Preparation: Select a sheltered area with good wind protection and drainage. Prepare the seedbed by deep plowing and fine raking into beds that are 15 cm high and 1-1.2 meters wide. Apply sufficient base fertilizer, using 15-25 kg of superphosphate and 1000-1500 kg of organic fertilizer (mixed with cow dung or compost) per mu.
Sowing: Sow seeds in spring (March) or late summer to early autumn (late August to early September). Prepare a shelter framework and provide shading as the seedlings emerge, aiming for 80%-90% shading. Reduce shading to 70% once the seedlings have 7-8 leaves.
Fertilization: Follow a principle of light and frequent applications. The first fertilization is when the seedlings have 2 leaves, using 1.5-2 kg of ammonium sulfate (nitrogen fertilizer) dissolved in 1500 kg of water per mu. The second fertilization is when seedlings have 5 leaves, using 3 kg of nitrogen fertilizer in 1500 kg of water per mu. The third fertilization is when seedlings have 8-10 leaves, then continue to apply fertilizer every half month or month after 10 leaves, using 3 kg of nitrogen fertilizer in 1000 kg of water per mu. Keep the soil moist and apply composted cow dung and ash in winter and early spring to enhance cold resistance. Use wind barriers and smoke to protect from cold snaps. Thin the seedlings when they reach 10-15 cm and transplant them when they are 50 cm tall.

Clump Division:

Selection and Preparation: Choose strong plants and cut sections with 1-2 or more buds for planting. Spring planting is preferred, from late March to early April, while autumn planting is from September. Select cloudy days for planting.
Spacing and Planting: Space the plants 65 cm x 65 cm or 1.3 m x 1.5 m. Cover with soil, water, and then mulch with straw. Continue to water regularly and manage the plants carefully.

Cultivation Techniques:

Site Selection and Preparation:
- Sand ginger prefers fertile, loose, and well-drained sandy loam or light clay loam. Suitable areas include broadleaf evergreen forests with ample moisture, and easily drained slopes, valleys, and flat lands. Avoid sandy and heavy clay soils.
- For mountainous planting, clear the land, remove weeds and excessive shade trees, and supplement with additional shade trees if necessary. Dig surrounding drainage ditches to prevent drought and flood.
- In plain areas, prepare beds by making furrows, with bed width of 2.6-3 meters, length of 24-30 meters, and furrow width of 35 cm and depth of 15-35 cm. Shape the bed surface into a turtle-back form to prevent waterlogging and create shade by planting fast-growing crops like bananas and cowpeas as temporary shade, followed by taller trees like white rice trees and fruit trees for permanent shade.
Field Management:
- Before Flowering and Fruiting: Maintain a high shading level of 70%-80% and weed 5-8 times annually, with one weeding per month during the rainy season. Apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, along with additional nitrogen fertilizers, 3-4 times from February to October. Keep the soil consistently moist.
- During Flowering and Fruiting: Ensure the plants receive more sunlight during the flower bud differentiation stage, with an average shading level of 50%-60%. In sandy soils with poor water retention or lack of irrigation, maintain about 70% shading. Weed the area mainly twice a year.

Main Values

Ornamental Value Cardamom has high ornamental value. It can be appreciated for its flowers in early summer and its fruits in midsummer.

Culinary Uses

Cardamom seeds are typically wrapped in cloth and then crushed with a hammer or similar tool to make them into a seasoning. For soups, the seeds can be used whole without crushing. Alternatively, they can be peeled and roasted.
Culinary Benefits: Cardamom has a spicy flavor and a warm nature. It is known to stimulate the digestive system, improve appetite, and balance internal energy.
Common Cardamom Dishes: 1) Cardamom-braised Pork Ribs, 2) Cardamom Crucian Carp Soup, 3) Cardamom Steamed Crucian Carp, 4) Cardamom Steamed Chicken, 5) Cardamom Steamed Pig Kidney, 6) Cardamom Stomach Strips, 7) Cardamom Porridge, 8) Cardamom Wine, 9) Cardamom Crucian Carp Soup.
Not Recommended For: Individuals with a condition of yin deficiency with heat, or women postpartum should avoid consuming cardamom. Those with tuberculosis, bronchiectasis, or dry syndrome should also avoid it.

Medicinal Uses

According to “Yao Xing Lun” and “Kai Bao Ben Cao,” cardamom has properties that help with dampness, promote qi circulation, warm the middle, stop diarrhea, and stabilize the fetus. It is used to treat issues such as spleen and stomach qi stagnation, damp obstruction in the middle jiao, spleen and stomach cold, vomiting and diarrhea, restless fetus, and morning sickness.
Cardamom Extract: It can inhibit diabetes induced by streptozotocin and has certain therapeutic value for insulin-dependent diabetes.
Properties: Spicy and warm; affects the spleen, stomach, and kidney meridians.
- “Yao Xing Lun”: Bitter and spicy.
- “Ben Cao Shi Yi”: Sour.
- “Hai Yao Ben Cao”: Spicy, neutral, salty.
- “Kai Bao Ben Cao”: Warm, non-toxic.
- “Tang Ye Ben Cao”: Enters hand, foot Taiyin meridian, Yangming meridian, and Taiyang meridian, as well as foot Shaoyin meridian.
- “Ben Cao Pin Hui Jing Yao”: Acts on qi, which is yang; has fragrance.
- “Gang Mu”: Spicy, warm, astringent, non-toxic.
- “Ben Cao Jing Shu”: Spicy, warm, non-toxic; enters foot Taiyin, Yangming, Shaoyin, Jueyin meridians, also hand Taiyin, Yangming, Jueyin meridians. Can both ascend and descend, with a tendency to descend.
- “Ben Cao Qiu Zhen”: Mainly acts on the spleen and stomach, also affects the lungs, kidneys, large and small intestines, and bladder.
Functions: Moves qi, regulates the middle, harmonizes the stomach, and strengthens the spleen. Used for abdominal pain, bloating, stomach stagnation, nausea, cold diarrhea, and restless fetus.
Dosage: Oral use: Decoction (not to be boiled for long), 1.5-6 grams; or in pills, powders.
Precautions: Avoid use in individuals with yin deficiency and heat.
Processing: Different processing methods include cardamom, salt-processed cardamom, and ginger-processed cardamom. Store processed cardamom in a dry, sealed container in a cool, dry place.

Chemical Composition

Cardamom seeds contain essential oils including acetyl eugenol, camphor, camphene, limonene, β-pinene, nerolidol, α-pinene, camphor, linalool, α-phellandrene, and guaiol. They also contain flavonoids.
Essential oil content in seeds is about 1.7-3%. Major components include dextrorotatory camphor, camphor, acetyl camphor, linalool, and nerolidol.
Cardamom seeds also contain saponins and complex essential oils with components such as limonene, linalool, and bornyl acetate. Besides a strong aroma and spiciness, these oils have a suppressive effect on the intestines and aid in digestion, qi regulation, and dampness elimination.

Conservation Status

Cardamom is listed among the first batch of protected Chinese medicinal herbs under the Guangdong Provincial Regulation on the Protection of Lingnan Medicinal Herbs. [4]

Habitat and Distribution

Cardamom is found in China’s Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan provinces. It can be cultivated or found wild in shady, moist mountainous areas. [2]

Growth Habits

Climate Preference: Cardamom thrives in tropical and subtropical seasonal rainforest climates that are warm and humid. It is not frost-tolerant and can suffer damage at temperatures as low as -3°C. Ideal growing conditions include an average annual temperature of 19-22°C, with rainfall over 1000 mm and high relative humidity above 90%. It is sensitive to drought and waterlogging, requiring proper shading and preferring diffused light.
Soil Preference: Cardamom grows best in well-drained, deep, loose soils that retain water and nutrients, such as loamy and sandy loams. It does not do well in clay or sandy soils.
Preferred Environment: It is suited to forests with intact vegetation, alongside flowing streams, and in areas rich in pollinating insects.

Main Varieties

Dwarf Cardamom
Amomum villosum Lour. var. nanum H.T.Tsai et S.W.Zhao
- Characteristics: This variety differs from the standard type by being shorter, with a height of 1-1.5 meters, smaller inflorescences, and more slender flower stalks. The ripe fruit is green or slightly brownish.
- Distribution: Found in Funing, Yunnan, China, in shaded, moist forested areas at an altitude of 200 meters. The type specimen was collected in Funing.
- Uses: The fruit is used medicinally with effects similar to cardamom. It treats conditions such as spleen and stomach qi stagnation, indigestion, abdominal pain and bloating, nausea, cold diarrhea, and dysentery. [2]
Xanthioides Cardamom
Amomum villosum Lour. var. xanthioides (Wall. ex Bak.) T.L.Wu et S.J.Chen
- Characteristics: The mature fruit is green with relatively flat soft spines on the fruit skin. Flowering occurs from May to June, and fruiting from August to September.
- Distribution: Found in the southern regions of Yunnan, China (such as Mengla and Cangyuan), and also distributed in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and India. It grows in humid forest understories at altitudes of 600-800 meters.
- Uses: The fruit is used medicinally for treating spleen and stomach qi stagnation, indigestion, abdominal pain and bloating, nausea, cold diarrhea, and dysentery.