Where is codonopsis produced? A complete overview of the main production areas nationwide

Codonopsis production areasThere are many, and those produced in different places differcodonopsisTheir effects and functions also differ to some extent. So when selecting codonopsis, we can also choose based on production areas we are familiar with, but it is still best to do the preliminary preparation work first. Let us learn together about the different production areas of different codonopsis.

Lu Dangshen

[Lu Dangshen]

Mainly produced in Pingshun, Lingchuan, Changzhi, Huguan in Shanxi and Xinxiang in Henan, etc. Its form is slender roots, thick texture and pure taste, yellow skin and red flesh, bright color, three to five leaves, pine flower head, pale yellow flowers, aromatic flavor. If a root is cut crosswise, bright star-like dots can be seen, namely the “tiger head, phoenix tail, chrysanthemum heart”, and the heaviest can reach about 400 grams, known as the “king of codonopsis”.

Xi Dangshen

[Xi Dangshen]

Mainly produced in Dingxi, Minxian, Wenxian, Lintan in Gansu and Sichuan, Shaanxi, etc. Those produced in Wenxian, Gansu and Pingwu, Sichuan are also called “Wen Dangshen”, and those produced in Fengxian, Shaanxi are also called “Feng Dangshen”. Its form is a cylindrical root, relatively thin at the end, 8--20 cm long, about 5-13 mm in diameter. The root head has many warty protruding stem scars, commonly known as "lion's coiled head", each stem scar appearing as a sunken dot. The surface is grayish yellow or light brownish yellow, with obvious longitudinal grooves, and near the root head there are tight ring-like wrinkles, gradually becoming sparser and accounting for about half of the whole. The lenticels are transversely long, obvious, slightly protruding, about 0.3-0.8 cm long. At the places where branch roots have fallen off, dark brown gelatinous matter is often seen, formed by the internal milky sap overflowing and drying. The texture is slightly hard and brittle, easy to break. The broken surface has a white phloem, with fissures, and a pale yellow xylem. The odor is distinctive, and the taste is slightly sweet. Those with fat, thick and solid roots, tight skin, many transverse wrinkles and sweet taste are better.

Chuan Dangshen

[Chuan Dangshen]

Mainly produced in Aba in Sichuan and Hubei, Shaanxi, etc. Also known as Tianning Dangshen, Wushan Dangshen, single-branch Dangshen. Campanulaceae, Codonopsis genus, a perennial herbaceous plant with milky sap. Apart from the leaves being densely covered with soft hairs on both sides, the whole plant is nearly smooth and hairless; the leaves are ovate, narrowly ovate or lanceolate, and the flowers are solitary at the branch tips, alternate or nearly opposite with the petioles; the calyx is almost completely not adnate to the ovary, and is entirely lobed, the corolla is superior, bell-shaped, pale yellow-green with purple spots inside, shallowly lobed, the lower part of the capsule is nearly spherical, and the seeds are numerous, elliptical, small and smooth, brownish yellow. It flowers and fruits from July to October.

Thesecodonopsis production areasAlthough they are in different places, they are all largely similar in having the effects of tonifying the middle and boosting qi, promoting fluid production and nourishing blood. They are used for shortness of breath, cough and asthma caused by deficiency of lung qi, weak speech, low and weak voice, damage to fluids from febrile disease, shortness of breath and thirst, blood deficiency and sallow complexion, dizziness and palpitations, and other effects.

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What is the difference between Lu Dangshen and codonopsis?

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