Shrub of the family of Aralia, up to 2.5 m (8.2 ft) height. Each hive is made up of 10 or more branching shoots. Stems with light bark, densely covered with thin spikes. Leaves on long stalks. The flowers are collected in a spherical umbrellas. They are small, yellow and purple. Fruit - round, black berry. Flowers in July - August; fruits ripen in September - October. It grows in the eastern region of Russia, as well as in Korea, Japan and the north - eastern China. It grows in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests on mountain slopes and in valleys. The most favorable place for this plant - it is the lower most moist and well-warmed by the sun the southern slopes and riparian habitats with high humidity. Drug use has Eleutherococcus roots. Harvest them in the fall, in September and October. They shake off the soil, washed in water, is separated from the stems and dried in a dryer at a temperature of 70 - 80 degrees Celsius (158 - 176 F) or in attics, under a tin roof. Dry the roots cut into pieces, packaged and placed for storage in a dry, cool place. The extracts of Siberian Ginseng root is used in medicine as a tonic, acting drugs like ginseng. In folk medicine, the roots of this shrub are used in 16 health problems. When sowing seeds in the spring of Eleutherococcus their pre-stratified for 2 - 4 months. When sown in autumn artificial stratification is not required.
