Guangman Xu , Yudie Wang

Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Biological Evidence, 2026, Vol. 16, No. 5   
Received: 10 Sep., 2026    Accepted: 13 Oct., 2026    Published: 22 Oct., 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.

Cultivating medicinal plants under bamboo forests is an important approach to improving the spatial utilization of existing bamboo stands and increasing the overall economic return per unit of forestland. This review focuses on medicinal plant cultivation under bamboo forests and systematically examines the ecological basis of bamboo-medicinal plant systems, including canopy light conditions, temperature and humidity, soil moisture, and competition between bamboo rhizomes and plant roots. Representative intercropping systems, including Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis)-Polygonatum cyrtonema, Moso bamboo-Bletilla striata, Moso bamboo-Paris polyphylla, Moso bamboo-Tetrastigma hemsleyanum, Moso bamboo-Cardiocrinum giganteum, as well as bamboo-ginger and bamboo-turmeric systems, are compared. The effects of intercropping on soil nutrients, rhizosphere microorganisms, medicinal plant growth, medicinal organ yield, and bioactive constituents are also evaluated. The performance of bamboo-medicinal plant systems is jointly determined by bamboo stand density, understory light availability, belowground root competition, soil fertility, and medicinal plant species. Moderate shading and appropriate stand structure can promote the growth of some medicinal plants, whereas excessive bamboo density, nutrient imbalance, and long-term continuous cropping may lead to yield reduction, disease incidence, and fluctuations in medicinal quality. In practical production, bamboo species, stand structure, ecological requirements of medicinal plants, and site conditions should be precisely matched, while product quality, soil safety, labor inputs, and market returns should be considered simultaneously. Future research should strengthen region-specific parameter validation in major bamboo-producing areas of southern China, particularly Zhejiang, Fujian, and Jiangxi, and promote standardized management, digital record keeping, and coordination among family farms, processing enterprises, and marketing entities to improve the overall management efficiency and long-term stability of bamboo forests.

Understory cultivation; Medicinal plants; Bamboo-medicinal plant intercropping; Stand structure; Rhizosphere microorganisms; Medicinal plant quality; Understory economy