Darcy

What is Poria? Poria also known as Fu Ling (茯苓) and WolfiPoria Extensa, is a fungal growth that is widely used throughout Asia for its medicinal properties. In China, the fungus is known as fu ling and its usage in Chinese traditional medicine dates back over 2000 years. Poria is a ‘wood decay’ fungus with […]

What is Mucuna Pruriens? Mucuna pruriens, also known as velvet bean, cowhage, or cowitch, is a legume that grows in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. It is a climbing shrub that produces white or purple flowers, and forms bean pods that create intense itching upon physical contact due to a protein called mucunain on their

What is Lion’s Mane Mushroom? Hericium erinaceus, also known as Lion’s Mane, yamabushitake, satyr’s beard, monkey’s head, bearded tooth (and various other names that refer to its peculiar appearance) is a medicinal and culinary mushroom that grows in North America, Europe, and Asia. Lion’s Mane grows on decaying hardwood trees and logs, gradually decomposing the

What is Turkey Tail Mushroom? Turkey Tail Mushroom is the common name for a fungus called Tramates versicolor, Coriolus versicolor, or sometimes Polyporus versicolor, which is an older name. You may also find Turkey tail under its Chinese and Japanese names, yun zhi and kawaritake, respectively. Turkey tail is one of the most-studied medicinal mushrooms

What is Estafiate? “Estafiate” is one of the many common names for Artemisia ludoviciana, which is also known as white sagebrush, prairie sage, Mexican wormwood, and Louisiana sage, among other names. Despite its Latin name ludoviciana, which means Louisiana, subspecies of Estafiate can be found all over North America. Estafiate usually grows from 1-2 feet

What is Skullcap? Skullcap is a flowering plant from the mint family, it can be found worldwide, but it grows predominantly in temperate zones. Skullcap flowers are usually blue or pink, but they can be found in a variety of colors and are said to resemble a type of medieval helmet, hence the common name.

What is Longan Fruit? Longan, scientifically known as Dimocarpus Longan or Euphoria Longan, it’s chinese name is Long Yan Rou. Longan is a fruit-bearing tree that grows in subtropical and tropical climates. It belongs to the same family (Sapindaceae) as the more widely known lychee. Both trees are native to southern China, India and the Indochina

What is Cistanche? Cistanche (肉苁蓉) is a plant from the parasitic family Orobanchaceae, that grows in deserts and arid regions all over the world. Several unique varieties of Cistanche with potential medicinal properties exist in China, growing primarily in Gansu, Shaanxi, and Qinghai provinces, and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Cistanche is a small, cone-shaped

What is Dragons Blood? Dragon’s Blood is a vivid red resin that is derived from a variety of different plant genera, including Croton, Dracaena, Daemonorops, Calamus rotang and Pterocarpus. It has been utilized by people from all four corners of the globe and the history of its use dates back several thousand years. In medieval

What is Tongkat Ali? Tongkat Ali, commonly known as Eurycoma Longifolia, Malaysian Ginseng, Pasak Bumi and occasionally Longjack, is a tree native to areas of Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. It is not related to true Panax Ginseng, and differs in its medicinal properties. Many parts of Tongkat Ali, specifically the roots