Shanghai, Lu'an Partner on Huoshan Dendrobe

Huoshan dendrobe, native to Huoshan County in Lu'an City, Anhui Province, is regarded as one of "China's top 9 fairy herbs." In recent years, the "fairy herb" has written a new chapter in economic development, thanks to collaborative efforts between Shanghai and Lu'an.

As an extraordinarily rare traditional Chinese medicine, Huoshan dendrobe is a protected wild plant species with long-standing market appeal due to its distinctive medicinal and health-preserving capabilities.

With a long cultivation history, the herb was once on the verge of extinction due to its unique growth habitat and limited resources.

Over three years of paired cooperation, the development and utilization of Huoshan dendrobe has emerged as an important cooperation project between Shanghai and Lu'an.

Huoshan, with support from Shanghai, has created the original facility for conserving Huoshan dendrobe seeds in Qingtangou Village, where emergency protection and rejuvenation are being carried out.

"As a key project of the industrial upgrading program for Huoshan dendrobe, the construction of the base has secured over 10 million yuan (US$1.4 million) in cooperation fund from Shanghai," said Yao Yongzhu, chairman of Huoshan Dendrobe Group.

Shanghai's Qingpu District has worked with the group to promote the preservation of dendrobe's original seeds and construct demonstration planting sites.

Yao said that attempts are underway to develop derivative products through R&D cooperation, with plans for market expansion.

Huoshan dendrobe, a high-value medicinal plant, grows on rocks beneath cliffs, absorbing minerals from the stones. Its active constituents are primarily tiny molecules that are more easily absorbed by the human body. Huoshan dendrobe is a distinct kind with a short, rice grain-like shape, thus the name mihu (rice dendrobe). Its small-molecule polysaccharides, as well as other active components including flavonoids and alkaloids, have potent compound nutritional benefits, such as detoxification and cell repair.

The original seed conservation base is surrounded by mountains, flowing streams, and beautiful foliage. Climbing deep into the mountains along the streams, clusters of Huoshan dendrobe can be found growing on both sides of the stone walls.

The base is located in the remote mountains and may reach a height of up to 644 meters, which is substantially higher than Lu'an City. The large temperature variation between day and night provides a suitable natural environment for Huoshan dendrobe.

Locals discovered pure wild dendrobe in the 1950s. The herb was discovered growing on rocks in steep cliffs.

The conservation base and local dendrobe farmers' professional cooperatives transplanted approximately 15,000 clusters of seedlings propagated from original seeds in the area where wild dendrobe was first discovered, allowing them to naturally multiply.

By 2025, the base will have invested around 60 million yuan to build a 100-mu core original seed planting area and a 900-mu (60-hectare) wild-simulated propagation area. This has resulted in the protection and multiplication of wild Huoshan dendrobe germplasm resources, putting the sector on a fast track to high-quality development.

Yao said that the base is carrying out R&D activities to stimulate industrial development.

The Shanghai-Lu'an cooperation has resulted in a 20 percent growth in the planting area of ​​Huoshan dendrobe, with an output value of 8 billion yuan. This has created jobs for 30,000 people. With the expansion plans, it is likely to reach 10 billion yuan within the next two years.

Huoshan has risen to become China's third-largest manufacturing hub for dendrobe. It received the national geographical indicator approval and quickly dominated the high-end dendrobe product market.

Huoshan County has adopted standardized industrial development criteria with the assistance of Shanghai. To defend this regional identity, it has implemented a full-cycle traceability technology that allows for electronic file management from planting to sales.

With the increased attention on germplasm protection, industrial development and utilization downstream of Huoshan dendrobe have expanded rapidly.

Jiuxianzun, a firm in the downstream industrial chain of Huoshan dendrobe, has received many national health food certifications. These products are available in malls like Shanghai IFC and Beijing SKP, as well as Sam's Club and Costco.

The company has launched deep-processed Huoshan dendrobe products such as buccal tablets, granules, extracts, and juice, in addition to fresh dendrobium powder, wine, and dendrobe skin care products.

The company has established several production hubs in Lu'an, such as wild germplasm conservation bases, seedling acclimatization bases, dendrobe health valleys, and industrial parks. It has also created marketing centers in Shanghai, to create a complete dendrobe industrial chain.

With an eye on Shanghai's booming health sector, the company is encouraging the diversification of Huoshan dendrobe products. Taking advantage of Shanghai's international transportation center status, it is also boosting dendrobe exports, especially in Indonesia.

Since the beginning of paired cooperation between Shanghai and Lu'an in 2022, the two cities' combined efforts have transformed this "fairy herb from remote mountains" into a "golden herb for poverty alleviation," making it a key driver of income growth for residents and rural revitalization.