Pseudo ginseng

Subject: Purslane family Pseudo ginseng

Alternative names: native ginseng, native Korean ginseng, native Korean ginseng, ginseng leaf, ginseng Grass, Bosch orchid, Taiwan ginseng, Oriental ginseng, ginseng grass, cotinus orchid?

Origin: Tropical America

Perennial herb, the whole plant is smooth and hairless, and the stems and leaves are soft and soft. Juice, up to about 60 cm high, with many branches at the base; leaves alternate, with short stalks, obovate-lanceolate, sharp apex, attenuate base, about 5-8 cm long, entire edge; inflorescences conical, top Raw or axillary, purple-red flowers, slender pedicel; 5 petals, many stamens; spherical capsule, about 0.4 cm in diameter, with small seeds.

Blooming period: May, June, July and August

Other uses

Edible: wash the stems and leaves and stir-fry or make soup directly edible. Wash the young stems and leaves and pickle them with salt to make pickles for ready use.

It is named after its main root which is thick and shaped like ginseng. Some people also call it "native ginseng". False ginseng was originally a garden ornamental plant and was introduced to Taiwan about 80 years ago. It is now widely naturalized in low-altitude mountains, wastelands, gardens or other inhabited corners of the province. The population is extremely large, except for the coldest winter. Except for two months, it can be collected at any other time. If it is used for feeding, it is best in early summer when new seedlings are strong or new leaves are growing.