Schisandra Berries (dried)

COMMON NAME Standardized: schisandraOther: northern schisandra, schizandra   BOTANICAL NAME Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill.Plant Family: Schisandraceae   OVERVIEW Chinese folklore says that Schisandra can "calm the heart and quiet the spirit", and it has a long history in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Schisandra, also known as Magnolia vine due to its ability to grow upwards in a creeping fashion, is a native to Northern China, Russia, and parts of Korea. An ornamental plant found in many fine gardens throughout the world, schisandra is a woody vine with oval pink leaves and bright red berries. The most popular use can be recorded in China and Russia. Its Chinese name is wu-wei-zi, which means five taste fruit. Schisandra has a usually sour, sweet, bitter, warm, and salty taste, hence the name "five taste". Russian hunters have consumed it for centuries as a tea to help with fatigue. PARTS USED The whole berry or powdered berry. TYPICAL PREPARATIONS Asian users take 1 teaspoo