by Eric Brand

This is a nice specimen of wild Dang Shen. I put a pen in there to give it a sense of scale. These roots are much, much larger than the cultivated product, and the "lion's head" (shi zi tou) characteristic of Dang Shen is clearly evident.

These wild roots were purchased in China by Eric Brand, photographed by Eric, and authenticated by Prof. Zhao Zhongzhen, one of the world's leading experts in Chinese herbal identification. They have a strong odor and are easily distinguished from the average cultivated product.