Longxi County in Dingxi, Gansu Province, is honored as the Hometown of Astragalus in China and known nationwide as “China Medicine Capital”. It is the classic Daodi producing region of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus. The Authorized Geographical Indication Herb Base is situated within the officially defined protected origin zone of Longxi Astragalus, adhering strictly to geographical indication management specifications for standardized ecological cultivation of authentic Longxi Huangqi.
As a protected Geographical Indication Product, Longxi Astragalus obtained original origin registration certification in 2003 and was designated an Agricultural Geographical Indication Product in 2016. The “Longxi Astragalus” geographical indication trademark is recognized as a China Well-Known Trademark. Only Astragalus cultivated within the designated township administrative regions of Longxi County qualifies for official GI marking, which effectively distinguishes genuine Daodi Longxi Astragalus from products grown in other regions.
The unique terroir of Longxi lays an irreplaceable foundation for high-quality Astragalus cultivation. The planting zones sit at an altitude of 1600–2700 meters, featuring temperate continental monsoon climate, sufficient sunshine and prominent temperature differences between day and night. Local loessial soil and dark loam soil feature deep, loose texture with abundant trace minerals, perfectly matching the growth characteristics of deep-rooted Astragalus. Low industrial pollution ensures clean water and soil environment, satisfying the strict ecological requirements for Daodi medicinal herb planting.
Dating back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the famous herbal work Collection of Commentaries on the Classic of Materia Medica recorded: “The finest Astragalus originates from Longxi, pale yellow-white and sweet-tasting.” After over 1,500 years of inheritance, Longxi Astragalus forms its iconic trait described as “golden rim, silver core and chrysanthemum-shaped cross-section”. Test data confirms that core active ingredients including astragaloside IV and calycosin-7-O-β-D-glucoside in Longxi Astragalus far exceed the limits specified in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, making it widely acknowledged as top-grade “premium Astragalus”.
All farmland inside the Authorized Geographical Indication Herb Base implements unified standardized management in line with GI product technical regulations:
- Certified local germplasm: Adopt selected improved Longxi Astragalus varieties, eliminate hybrid foreign seedlings to preserve stable genetic traits of Daodi Huangqi.
- Scientific crop rotation system: Rotate Astragalus with grain and leguminous crops to relieve continuous cropping obstacles, suppress soil-borne diseases and reduce chemical input.
- Green field management: Prioritize organic fertilizers, adopt ecological pest prevention, strictly restrict banned pesticides to control pesticide residue.
- Standardized growth cycle: Maintain full natural growing cycle to guarantee sufficient accumulation of active medicinal compounds.
- Standard primary processing: Inherit traditional kneading technology, carry out low-temperature drying to avoid excessive sulfur treatment.
- Full-chain traceability: Each batch of GI-certified Longxi Astragalus supports QR code traceability covering seedling source, field archives, harvesting records and quality inspection reports.
Supported by GI certification, the base also aligns production standards with GAP Chinese Medicinal Herb Base norms. It forms a complete industrial coordination system together with Daodi Chinese Herb Planting Base and medicinal seedling breeding bases across Longxi. Longxi County hosts more than 100,000 mu of Astragalus planting area, occupying a dominant share of national Astragalus output. GI-certified Astragalus raw materials are supplied to TCM factories, dietary supplement brands and exported to Southeast Asia, Europe and North America.
The Authorized Geographical Indication Herb Base acts as the core demonstration carrier for protecting the authenticity of Longxi Astragalus. The geographical indication system builds an official quality threshold, preventing counterfeit Astragalus from other producing areas from passing as Daodi Longxi Huangqi. Integrating historical herbal heritage, unique alpine terroir and modern standardized cultivation, the base continuously delivers safe, high-potency, origin-verified authentic Longxi Astragalus for global herbal and health industries.
