Classification and Origin
Category: herbal infusions and dried flowers (代用茶, dàiyòng chá) — outside the botanical category of tea from Camellia sinensis
Panax notoginseng, Araliaceae family.
umbel inflorescence, harvested before flower opening.
Origin: Wenshan Prefecture, Yunnan Province, PRC.
Type: floral tea substitute, herbal infusion (代用茶, dàiyòng chá).
Facts
harvesting inflorescences is also an agronomic technique: by removing buds (摘蕾, zhāi lěi), the plant is helped to "invest" in the root.
the flower 三七花, the root 三七, and ginseng 人参 are not the same thing, despite phonetic similarities.
pseudoginseng is an independent species, not a variety of true ginseng.
Wenshan sanqi holds the status of a product with geographical indication.
History and Culture
mountainous counties of Wenshan Prefecture, Yunnan.
田七 (tiánqī), 金不换 (jīn bù huàn), 参三七 (shēn sānqī).
China's "sanqi capital"; Wenshan sanqi is a registered product with geographical indication.
Botany and Raw Material
perennial herbaceous plant, approximately 30–60 cm in height.
palmately compound, arranged in a whorl at the top of the stem.
terminal simple umbel of numerous small greenish-yellow flowers.
the entire umbel, cut before bud opening.
Terroir
Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (文山壮族苗族自治州), Yunnan.
approximately 1200–2000 m above sea level.
well-drained slightly acidic red soils, cool humid mountain climate.
cultivation under shading canopies (荫棚, yīnpéng).
Production
umbels are cut before flower opening, in the phase of dense green buds.
coarse peduncles and impurities are removed.
in the sun (晒干, shàigān) or gentle drying at low temperature.
by head size, color, presence of peduncle.
Organoleptic Profile
rounded greenish inflorescence-"balls" of small compressed buds.
faint herbaceous-green.
from pale greenish-yellow to yellow.
Taste: distinctly bitter with a cooling sensation, followed by a sweetish aftertaste.
Chemical Composition
triterpene saponins (皂苷, zàogān) — ginsenosides and notoginsenosides.
saponins of the Rb group (Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc), protopanaxadiol type.
flavonoids, polysaccharides, free amino acids, trace essential components.
Health Notes
classified as a "cooling" remedy, associated with the idea of "clearing heat and calming the liver" (清热平肝, qīngrè pínggān).
the biological activity of Panax notoginseng saponins (preclinical and preliminary work).
a food product, not a medicine.
Brewing
approximately 2–4 g (about 3–6 inflorescences) per 200–300 ml.
hot, about 90–100 °C.
glass cup, gaiwan, or teapot.
first infusion 3–5 minutes; withstands several steepings.
Storage
Container: tightly sealed, lightproof.
dry, cool place, away from extraneous odors.
moisture and mold, fading, loss of aroma.
Price and Authenticity
around 280 ¥/kg (highly dependent on grade and year).
large, dense, dark-green heads without peduncle (无梗).
excess peduncles, coloring, "sulfur" treatment, admixture of extraneous inflorescences.