Dong quai

The biennial deadline

Dong quai is usually grown as a biennial. The first year builds a rosette and a root; the second sends up a flower stem and sets seed. PFAF describes the root as harvested in autumn or winter (PFAF). The usable window is the late autumn after the top dies back.

A plant that bolts in its first year is a loss for root growers: the root turns woody and the energy goes into the flower. Heat, drought and root disturbance can push an early bolt. If it happens, cut your losses and resow in late summer for a proper second-year crop.

Growing it

PFAF gives USDA zone 6–9, a preference for moist soil and a position in sun or semi-shade. In a garden, give it morning sun and afternoon shade, and soil that stays cool and moist without becoming boggy. Dig in leaf mould or compost the autumn before sowing. A site that bakes dry in summer produces thin, woody roots.

Angelica seed loses viability quickly. Sow fresh seed in late summer or autumn, barely covered, and keep it moist through a cold winter; the seed needs chill to break dormancy. Thin to about 45 cm so the crowns have room. In the second year, stake the flowering stems if your site is windy. Do not transplant a long taproot once it has started.

Harvest and drying

Lift the roots in late autumn of the second year, after the foliage has yellowed but before the ground freezes. Water the bed the day before to make lifting easier, then fork deeply and ease the roots out whole. Cut the stem a short way above the crown, wash, and trim the fine side roots.

The roots are strongly aromatic and resinous. Slice them thickly and dry at the lowest setting of a dehydrator, or in a warm, airy room, until brittle. Good airflow matters more than heat. Store in a sealed jar in the dark and use within a year, as the aroma fades.

1. Wait for yellowing foliage in the second autumn.
2. Water, then fork deeply and lift without breaking.
3. Trim the crown and side roots; scrub clean.
4. Slice and dry at low heat until brittle.

Identifying it

The divided, glossy green leaves and flat umbels of tiny flowers place it firmly in the carrot family. The root is thick, pale brown outside and creamy inside, with a sweet, celery-like smell when cut.

The carrot family contains some of the most dangerous lookalikes in the garden, including poison hemlock and water hemlock. Never harvest an umbellifer from the wild or from an unlabelled garden corner. Grow dong quai from named seed in a marked bed and keep the label with the dried root.

Traditional context

Dong quai has a long record in Chinese medicine, usually in multi-herb formulas rather than alone. MSK notes that it has been studied for menstrual and menopausal symptoms, but the evidence is inconclusive. That history is not evidence of effectiveness, and this page gives no dose or preparation for internal use.

The plant also contains furanocoumarins, which can make skin sensitive to sunlight. Gardeners handling the sap on a bright day should wear gloves and wash up afterwards. If you are considering the root as a health product, discuss it with a qualified practitioner who knows your medicines and history.