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How to Identify Real vs. Fake Gastrodia elata? A Few Practical Methods for You

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"Parrot beak, concave navel, ringed dots and dried ginger skin outside, remember the rosin-like cross-section." This is the mnemonic for identifying real vs. fake Gastrodia elata. In this mnemonic, the rosin-like cross-section is an important basis for judging the authenticity of Gastrodia elata: it is long-oval, slightly flattened, wrinkled, sometimes curved. One end has a residual stem base or a reddish-brown withered bud (called the parrot beak), and the other end has a round navel-shaped scar (commonly called the concave navel). The outer skin is pale yellow or earth yellow, slightly transparent or opaque, with horizontal ring lines formed by dot-like protrusions. The texture is hard, not easy to break, and the cross-section is slightly flat and horny. The taste is slightly pungent and sweet, and when chewed it is crisp

"Parrot beak, concave navel, ringed dots and dried ginger skin outside, remember the rosin-like cross-section." This is the mnemonic for identifying real vs. fake Gastrodia elata. In this mnemonic, the rosin-like cross-section is an important basis for judging the authenticity of Gastrodia elata: it is long-oval, slightly flattened, wrinkled, sometimes curved. One end has a residual stem base or a reddish-brown withered bud (called the parrot beak), and the other end has a round navel-shaped scar (commonly called the concave navel). The outer skin is pale yellow or earth yellow, slightly transparent or opaque, with horizontal ring lines formed by dot-like protrusions. The texture is hard, not easy to break, and the cross-section is slightly flat and horny. The taste is slightly pungent and sweet, and when chewed it is crisp and somewhat sticky. Those with a hard and heavy texture, a parrot beak, and a bright cross-section without a hollow center are "winter Gastrodia"; those with a light and spongy texture, a residual stem base, a dull cross-section, and a hollow center are "spring Gastrodia". The main types easily confused with Gastrodia elata are as follows:

The root of Bauhinia variegata is long-conical, clearly thick at the top and thin at the bottom. Some are slightly curved, and some are branched. The outer skin is pale yellow or grayish yellow, but there are no horizontal ring lines; the texture is hard, and the cross-section forms a horny layer. The taste is bland, irritating to the throat, and after taking it it has the effect of clearing heat and soothing the throat.

Yangjiao Gastrodia is oval, some already flattened, with both ends pointed like goat horns, and a residual rhizome at the top. The outer skin is grayish yellow or grayish brown, with obvious segments and irregular wrinkled grooves. The texture is hard, extremely difficult to break, and the cross-section is horny like goat horn, with a hollow center. Its taste is slightly sweet.

After the root of Dahlia pinnata is peeled and processed, it is long spindle-shaped, some slightly curved or flattened, and the exterior is grayish white or yellowish white. It has wide longitudinal grooves, and both ends are slightly pointed and fibrous. The texture is hard, not easy to break, with a woody core or cavity in the middle, white or light brownish yellow. The taste is bland, and when chewed it sticks to the teeth. This product is sometimes fraudulently called "Sichuan peeled Gastrodia".

The tuber of potato, after steaming and drying, is oval or long-oval. Its surface is yellow, with irregularly distributed sunken eye buds. There are no dot-like segments, and the cross-section is relatively flat, light yellow, horny, and slightly glossy.

The root of Canna edulis is very similar in appearance and size to Gastrodia elata, and also has segments, but its surface is covered with a layer of white powdery substance, the texture is soft and easy to break, and the cross-section is granular, pinkish white, and lusterless.

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