Ningpo Figwort Tincture & Alcohol-Free Extract

Ningpo Figwort (Scrophularia ningpoensis), known in China as xuan shen, is a tall perennial of the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae, native to central and eastern China, where it is cultivated in Zhejiang around the city of Ningbo that gives it its name. It grows 1-1.5 m tall with square stems, paired oval, toothed leaves and loose clusters of small, dull purple, urn-shaped flowers. The thick, spindle-shaped roots turn black inside when dried and have a sweet, slightly bitter taste and a caramel-like smell. We extract the dried root.