Cistanche

Cistanche deserticola, C. phelypaea

root · infusion

Fleshy stems of a plant parasitic on saxaul roots, dried in slices and simmered in soups, as a tea or steeped in wine.

Origin

Deserts of Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and the Gobi

Where to find it

It is sold sliced and dried in Chinese, Korean and Japanese herbal shops; it is now cultivated to spare the wild populations.

Season (United States)

March to May

Preparation

A handful of dried slices simmers for an hour or more in the soup, or about ten minutes as a tea.

Molecules

In small amounts, not counted Insoluble fibers

Did you know?

It is called “desert ginseng”: it lives under the sand, emerging only in spring to flower.