Astragalus root comes from a perennial plant that is found
across much of northern China and Mongolia. The herb is a staple
of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) , where it has been used
for centuries as a superior (Fisch. Ex Link) Bunge Common name:
Astragalus Synonyms: Membranous milkvetch, Huang qi The Plant:
Astagalus is one of the largest genus of flowering plants,
containing over 2,000 species. These members of the legume
family are found all over the world (400 of them in the United
States) in many sizes and shapes. Astragalus herb is a sprawling
perennial that grows 1 1/2 feet tall and has small, yellow, pea-
like flowers. The plants are generally four years old before the
long, woody root is dug and dried in the sun. "Huang qi," the
pinyin name for astragalus is derived from Huang, meaning yellow
(taken from the internal color of the root) and qi, meaning
leader, which refers to the importance of astragalus root as a
leading Chinese herbal tonic. This leading, or superior, tonic
herb has been known an