Ground lotus belongs to the banana family and is endemic to southwest China. It is only the farmers in central Yunnan, especially in the Zixishan region, who cultivate the ground lotus traditionally. It has multiple uses and some of these were recorded during a recent investigation among the local communities of Yi, Miao and Han. Ground lotus is used as a fodder for pigs. In addition, it is used for erosion control, as a vegetable, for ornamental purposes, for weaving, and for wine making.
Every family cultivates several dozen to thousands of ground lotus plants.
It is usually cultivated on the land margins or ridges between fields. The ground lotus is burned in winter when the leaves have dried up, because, after burning, the crops grow better the following year. Beekeeping Beekeeping is a traditional activity and is very popular in the Zixishan region. Bee hives can be frequently observed in the fields and on the walls of all kinds of buildings in and near the villages. The bee is regarded as a wild species, native to the region.