丹參
Salvia
Salvia miltiorrhiza · dān shēn
- Part used
- Root
- Origin
- Shandong and Shaanxi
- Harvested
- Autumn, after the plant dies back
- Colour
- Deep brick red, unusual among roots
- Found in
- Not currently in one of our bars
What it is
Salvia is the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza, a member of the sage family. What sets it apart is the colour — the root is a deep brick red running all the way through, dark enough that broken pieces stain the hands. Cut sections show a fine radial grain.
In the tradition
The name dān shēn pairs dān, meaning cinnabar red, with shēn, the character used for ginseng and other roots held in high regard. It was among the more expensive roots in a traditional cabinet, and was recognised on sight by its colour alone.
Where it comes from
Province
Shandong · Shaanxi
Terrain
Low hills and sloped fields
Altitude
300–1,200 m
Soil
Loose, sandy, free-draining
Climate
Warm summer, long dry autumn
Harvest
Autumn, after die-back
Sloped fields in the Shandong hills, where the soil drains fast enough to keep the root dry through autumn.
Shandong and Shaanxi are the principal growing regions. The root wants loose, well-drained soil and a long dry autumn; ground that holds water produces a paler root with a thinner outer layer.
Roots are lifted in autumn once the top growth has died back, then washed, trimmed of fibrous side roots, and sun-dried. Colour is the grading standard — the darker and more even the red, the higher the grade.
What's in it
Contains tanshinones and salvianolic acids.
In our range
Not currently in one of our bars.
This page describes a plant and its place in Chinese herbal tradition. It is not a description of what our products do, and nothing here is medical advice.
