Nutri Herb

Herb Library:  Astragalus

Botanical Names

astragalus membranaceus, astragalus propinquus, astragalus mongholicus

Common Names

bay chi, bei qi, milk vetch, goat's thorn, hwanggi, huang qi, locoweed, ogi

Plant Description

Astragalus is the broad genus term used to describe about 2000 species of this plant which is part of the legume, or pea family. It is a perennial flowering plant that grows about 16-36 inches tall and is part of the natural habitat of parts of China, Mongolia, and Korea.

Parts of Astragalus Used in Dietary Supplements

The yellow-colored dry roots of the Astragalus plant, usually harvested from 4 - 7 year old plants, are commonly used in herbal supplements.