Shan qin
Ostericum sieboldii

Family: Apiaceae

What it is like

An erect herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 1 m high. The stems are hollow and branched towards the ends. They have ridges. The leaves both at the base and along the stem are divided 3 times. They are on slender leaf stalks that form sheaths around the stem at the base. The last segments are oval and 3-12 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. They have teeth. The flowers are white and in compound heads 4-8 cm across made up of about 20 flowers. The fruit are 4-6 mm long by 4 mm wide and have ribs and wings.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in forest ravines between 600-1,200 m altitude in north China.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Siberia

How it is used for food

The young plants are eaten as a spring vegetable.

Edible parts

Seedlings, leaves, vegetable

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Angelica miqueliana Maximowicz; Ligusticum nipponicum Wollf;