Chinese lovage, Mountain coriander
Ligusticum sinense

Family: Apiaceae

What it is like

An erect herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It has an aroma. It grows 1-1.5 m high. It has a thick, short underground stem. This is 3-8 cm long and 1-2 cm wide. The stems have internodes 5-23 cm long. The leaves have 3 leaflets along the stalk. The leaves near the base are in rings. The leaves on the stem are alternate. They are triangle shaped and 8-15 cm long. There are a few teeth. The flowers are small and white. They are in compound groups in the axils of leaves or at the ends of branches.

It is also used in medicine.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. In China it is cultivated in Huang He between 500-2,700 m altitude. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China

How it is used for food

The young plants before flowering are gathered and cooked as a vegetable. The roots are boiled in water.

Edible parts

Seedlings, leaves, vegetable, roots - tea

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Chuanxiong, Gao ben, Shan yuan sui

Synonyms

Ligusticum harrysmithii M. Hiroe; Ligusticum markgrafianum Fedde ex H. Wolff; Ligusticum pilgerianum Fedde ex H. Wolff; Ligusticum silvaticum H. Wolff;