Cordyceps has very high nutritional value and a large customer market, with abundant profits. Cordyceps is a target for many merchants to seek profit, in order to increase its supply, many merchants have thought of all kinds of methods, can Cordyceps be cultivated artificially, and can its production be increased so far?

Can Cordyceps be cultivated artificially?

Most Cordyceps are endoparasites in the bodies of insects, and their growth and reproduction are characterized by regionalism. The regularity is extremely significant, generally concentrated in the mountains above the snow plateau or in relatively cold regions. However, traces of Cordyceps can also be found in tropical climates, commonly seen in autumn and spring. Because of its strong vitality and strong adaptability to the ecological environment, coupled with the fact that the majority of the insects it parasitizes are fed on the leaves and roots of green plants, Cordyceps is most numerous in the mountains and brambles. Due to its wide distribution, there are various names. For example, Cordyceps is called Dongchong Xiacao or Dongchong in Sichuan and Gansu provinces, while in Yunnan Province it is called Xiacao Dongchong. The Tibet Autonomous Region habitually calls it Yaza Gongbu, and in some regions of our country, Cordyceps is also called Chunchong Xiacao.

As for the question of whether Cordyceps can be cultivated artificially, only to say that the real Cordyceps sinensis cannot be cultivated manually at present. The one that is cultivated manually now is Cordyceps militaris, also known as North Cordyceps. Its medicinal power is not as good as that of Cordyceps sinensis. And as a medicinal mushroom, its market scope is not large.

Identification of Cordyceps

So how to identify high-quality Cordyceps when buying, and also pay attention to many key points.

Cordyceps should be chosen for its yellow, clean, bright, and plump body, with a yellowish white cross-section, not hollow, with a short stipe, without mold and residue. Cordyceps is composed of two parts: the body and the bacterial stipe (that is, the grass). The body resembles a silkworm, with a surface color ranging from deep coffee to yellow-brown, with 20 to 30 annular lines on the body, the head is brown-red, and the abdomen has 8 pairs of legs, with 3 pairs near the head, 4 pairs in the middle, and 1 pair near the tail end. The real Cordyceps sinensis, when soaked in boiling water, the body becomes swollen and soft, the stipe color deepens to dark brown, and the body and stipe are tightly connected without falling off. When purchasing, it is best to choose those with a plump and fat body, clean and bright, with a yellowish white cross-section, not hollow, a short and strong stipe, and a strong and mellow aroma like mushrooms.

Due to the expensive price of Cordyceps sinensis, with a large amount of medicine and high demand, some illegal merchants go to great lengths to produce counterfeit Cordyceps. Some use earthworms, earth tubers, and other materials to produce counterfeit Cordyceps, making it difficult to distinguish between true and false, even for some Chinese medicine experts who cannot distinguish without relying on professional identification methods. However, with a high level of judgment and careful observation, it is still possible to distinguish them.

False Cordyceps: The color is slightly yellow compared to the real Cordyceps sinensis but not bright, with spots when observed closely, with an odor, the cross-section is milky white with dark spots and a medullary cavity. The other appearance is completely the same as the real Cordyceps sinensis. After boiling water is soaked for 10 minutes, the false Cordyceps will gradually reveal its original shape, with the pale yellow casing falling off, and the false stipe also starting to fall off, separating from the body. Some bodies may turn into green underground stems or earthworms, while others may turn into the body of a silkworm, and the stipe gradually turns into a milky white chive-like shape, with the deep brown color completely fading away. The boiling water soaked in becomes light gray and black, with a slight粘性.

Characteristics of Yan Cordyceps product

1. Originated from a specific place, all of the precious Yan Cordyceps come from Yushu, Qinghai, ensuring the quality of the product;

2. The product has low water content, clean stipes and bodies, crystalline;

3. Carefully selected, fresh and round, with true color and high quality, without any production processing, maintaining the natural characteristics of Cordyceps sinensis.

Looking forward to the detailed introduction that can enhance your understanding of Cordyceps sinensis.