Codonopsis pilosula
Encyclopedia
Codonopsis pilosula also known as dang shen or poor man's ginseng, is a perennial
species of flowering plant
native to Northeast Asia
and Korea
and usually found growing around streambanks and forest openings under the shade of trees.
. The roots are harvested from the plant during the third or fourth year of growth and dried prior to sale.
The root is also used as a gentler and more economical substitute for Panax ginseng.
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
species of flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
native to Northeast Asia
Northeast Asia
Northeast Asia and Northeastern Asia refers to the northeastern subregion of Asia. Though the precise definition of Northeast Asia changes according to context, it always includes Japan and the Korean Peninsula, and is sometimes used to refer to these two regions exclusively.-Definitions:The...
and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and usually found growing around streambanks and forest openings under the shade of trees.
Growth
The plant is shrubby and dense and has a tendency to climb, producing heart shaped leaves, light green five pointed bell shaped flowers with prominent yellow or light purple veins. The plant can grow up to 8-10 feet in height with roots 1-3 cm thick.Traditional uses
The roots of C. pilosula (radix) are used in traditional Chinese medicineTraditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
. The roots are harvested from the plant during the third or fourth year of growth and dried prior to sale.
The root is also used as a gentler and more economical substitute for Panax ginseng.
Varieties
- Codonopsis pilosula var. handeliana -
- Codonopsis pilosula var. modesta -
- Codonopsis pilosula var. volubilis -
Further reading
- Winston, David & Maimes, Steven. “Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief,” Healing Arts Press, 2007. Contains a monograph on Codonopsis pilosula (Dang shen)and health benefits.