Xiaomin Yu

1 Chun'an Zhonghe Agriculture and Forestry Development Co. Ltd., Chun'an, 311701, Zhejiang, China
2 Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Medicinal Plant Research, 2026, Vol. 16, No. 3   
Received: 19 Mar., 2026    Accepted: 30 Apr., 2026    Published: 15 May, 2026

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Polygonatum spp. are important medicinal-and-edible plant resource in China, with abundant nutritional components and considerable potential for functional development. With the increasing demand for health-oriented products and the transformation of the traditional Chinese medicine industry, the utilization pattern of Polygonatum resources is shifting from conventional medicinal material production toward medicinal-food product development and ecological cultivation. However, the sustainable development of the Polygonatum industry is restricted by several challenges, including the decline of wild resources, weak germplasm foundations, incomplete cultivation technology systems, and insufficient integration across the industrial chain. This study explores the integrated development of medicinal-and-edible utilization and understory cultivation of Polygonatum, analyzing its major nutritional components and bioactive compounds, the current status of medicinal-food product development, and the limitations affecting industrial development. Considering the biological characteristics of Polygonatum, including its perennial growth habit, shade tolerance, and adaptation to forest ecosystems, this study further discusses understory cultivation models and the effects of ecological factors on yield formation and quality improvement. Based on these analyses, strategies are proposed to enhance resource utilization and industrial value through the selection and genetic improvement of high-quality germplasm, establishment of green standardized cultivation systems, advancement of processing technologies, construction of an integrated industrial chain of “understory cultivation-product processing-brand marketing”, and integration with forest wellness tourism and ecological industries. In the future, the Polygonatum industry should develop toward high-value product innovation, ecological industrial system construction, and digital precision management to promote resource conservation, industrial upgrading, and sustainable utilization.

Polygonatum; Medicinal and edible utilization; Understory cultivation; Industrial integration; Resource utilization