Pseudostellaria heterophylla
Pseudostellaria heterophylla (Miq.) Pax
Pseudostellaria heterophylla, known commonly as hai er shen (Chinese: 孩兒參, kid ginseng, child ginseng), tai zi shen (Chinese: 太子參, crown prince ginseng), and false starwort, is a eudicot species in the family Caryophyllaceae.
No ratings yet — be the first!
Gallery
Pseudostellaria heterophyllaPseudostellaria heterophylla
Pseudostellaria heterophylla
Pseudostellaria heterophylla
Pseudostellaria heterophylla
Pseudostellaria heterophyllaPseudostellaria heterophyllaPseudostellaria heterophyllaOverview
Pseudostellaria heterophylla, known commonly as hai er shen (Chinese: 孩兒參, kid ginseng, child ginseng), tai zi shen (Chinese: 太子參, crown prince ginseng), and false starwort, is a eudicot species in the family Caryophyllaceae. It is used in Chinese medicine and herbalism and is proclaimed to tonify the qi and generate yin fluids. It has been labeled as an adaptogen.
Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/15/2026
It is known as the "ginseng of the lungs". The plant is a low growing plant of the pink family that is grown in Southern China in the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei, and Shanxi.
Updated by lebachungtdh@gmail.com · 10/15/2026
Life cycle
From seed to productSeed tuber
Healthy **seed tubers** are cut into pieces with 2–3 eyes (or small tubers planted whole) and set in moist soil.
Tuber sprouting
Eyes break dormancy and shoots emerge while the root system develops.
Growth & flowering
The plant blooms with **small white flowers, April–May**; pollination is by insects and wind.
New tubers & harvest
Foliage dies back and reserves move into the underground storage organ; **tubers lifted in summer as the foliage dies back**.
Uses
- It is used in Chinese medicine and herbalism and is proclaimed to tonify the qi and generate yin fluids.
Conservation
Pseudostellaria heterophylla has not been assessed by the IUCN Red List (NE). As a medicinal plant, it benefits from sustainable collection and propagation to protect wild genetic resources.
References
- 1Wikipedia – Pseudostellaria heterophylla — Wikipedia,
- 2Kew POWO – Pseudostellaria heterophylla — Plants of the World Online (Kew),
- 3Wikidata – Q5237220 — Wikidata,