Chinese Fleeceflower Root: A Human-Shaped Medicinal Herb?

I first encountered Chinese fleeceflower root a few years ago, when I first began working in alternative medicine. My supervisor, a fan of traditional Chinese medicine, widely recommended a product he called "ho shou wu" or "fo-ti" to clients seeking help for male sexual dysfunction, infertility, and male pattern baldness. In other words, along with ginseng and tongkat ali, the herb was promoted as a catch-all treatment for the old-man-itis.

My brand of herbalism is primarily Western in origin; I don't usually use or recommend the herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine. So I didn't encounter Chinese fleeceflower-- as "ho shou wu," "fo ti" or any other name-- until a recent article published at Cracked.com.

The article, which hypothesizes that "Mother Nature is just ****ing with us," notes Chinese fleeceflower's tendency to form bizarre, humanoid shapes. The author cites several examples of Chinese fleeceflower roots with shockingly human-like figures.

One such photo, originally published in the Times, shows an example of this medicinal root in a freakishly precise Adam-and-Eve pose. The "couple" formed within the root is precise and anatomically correct-- the female has a waist and breasts, and the male has a phallus. Both of the root-people have perfectly formed faces with noses, lips and eyes.

Whether you're looking for Chinese fleeceflower roots for medicinal purposes or simply for your own knowledge, your first assumption may be that these products have been human-altered. In fact, Chinese fleeceflower roots have closely resembled human beings for thousands of years. Thanks to the doctrine of signatures and the rhizome's tendency to form male, rather than female, figures, its humanoid shape actually gave the plant its reputation as an aphrodisiac and treatment for old-man-itis.

Although Cracked.com's discussion of Chinese fleeceflower implies that the medicinal herb always looks like a human being, this is not the case. The Chinese fleeceflower's humanoid appearance is caused by bifurcations-- a botanical term applying to plant-parts that divide into two or more large knots. Most Chinese fleeceflower roots have one or two bifurcations, so they may look a tiny bit like a torso with a head. A knotty growth may vaguely resemble a nose, an arm, or a leg.

Therefore, most Chinese fleeceflower roots look slightly humanoid, but only to the same degree as other bifurcating roots. The mandrake root, a popular Western alternative with a similar reputation, also bifurcates into multiple branches to vaguely resemble the human form. But neither medicinal plant root looks shockingly humanoid on a regular basis.

Nevertheless, Chinese fleeceflower root's ability to form such stunning shapes makes it a fascinating medicinal herb warranting a second look. Of course-- as always-- talk to your health care provider before taking any medicinal herb by mouth.