Single Chinese Herbs, One Herb Per Bottle
A single-herb tincture contains one herb and nothing else. That makes it the building block of Chinese herbal practice — you use it to construct your own combination, to reinforce one part of a formula you are already taking, or to learn what an individual herb actually does before it disappears into a blend. This collection holds more than 40 single Chinese herbs, each $14.
What's In This Collection
- Qi tonics — astragalus root (Huang Qi), codonopsis root (Dang Shen), Asian ginseng (Ren Shen), white atractylodes (Bai Zhu).
- Blood and yin — white peony root (Bai Shao), polygonum / fo-ti (He Shou Wu), dendrobium stem (Shi Hu).
- Calming — zizyphus (Suan Zao Ren), albizzia tree bark (He Huan Pi), mother of pearl (Zhen Zhu Mu).
- Clearing heat — honeysuckle flower (Jin Yin Hua), oldenlandia (Bai Hua She She Cao), Asian dandelion (Pu Gong Ying).
- Moving and transforming — aged tangerine peel (Chen Pi), pinellia tuber (Ban Xia), hawthorn berry (Shan Zha), sargassum seaweed (Hai Zao).
- Circulation and structure — teasel root (Xu Duan), ginkgo (Yin Xing), uncaria vine thorn (Gou Teng), poria cortex (Fu Ling Pi).
- Adaptogens — gynostemma / jiaogulan (Jiao Gu Lan), rhodiola rosea, horny goat weed (Yin Yang Huo).
When Should You Use a Single Herb Instead of a Formula?
Traditional practice leans on formulas, because herbs balance and direct each other. Single herbs earn their place in three situations: you are adding emphasis to a formula that is nearly right, you are working with a practitioner who is building something specific for you, or you want one herb's effect isolated — astragalus on its own, jiaogulan on its own — without the rest of a blend.
If you are starting out, a complete herbal blend is usually the better first purchase.
How These Are Made
Each herb is extracted whole in small batches rather than reconstituted from bulk powder, so what is in the bottle traces back to identifiable plant material. Herbs are sourced directly from established suppliers, and every batch is lab tested for heavy metals, pesticides and sulfur. Our staff herbalist, certified in both Chinese and Western herbal medicine, oversees the selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I combine single herbs into my own formula?
You can, and that is largely what this collection is for. Be aware that classical formulas are balanced deliberately — herbs are included specifically to offset others. Building a combination without that structure is more likely to be ineffective than harmful, but it is worth learning the logic or asking a practitioner before you go far.
What's the difference between Chinese and Western single herbs?
Mostly tradition and framework rather than chemistry. Chinese herbs are classified by properties like temperature, taste and the channels they are said to enter, and are almost always used in combination. Western herbs are more often used singly and described by function. We carry both — see single Western herbs.
How do I know which single herb I need?
Start from what you are trying to support rather than from a symptom list, and read the individual product page — each one describes the herb's traditional properties and typical use. If you want a recommendation, reach out to our team.
Are single herbs weaker than formulas?
Not weaker, narrower. A single herb does one thing without the supporting or moderating action a formula provides. For some purposes that focus is exactly what you want; for others, the balance of a formula matters more.
Can I take a single herb alongside a blend?
This is a common and traditionally sound approach — a base formula plus one herb for emphasis. It is still worth checking with a licensed herbalist, especially if you take prescription medication.
Why Shop root + spring
root + spring was founded to make authentic Chinese herbal medicine approachable for people who did not grow up with it, and reliable for people who did. Our herbs are sourced directly from established suppliers rather than commodity brokers, and every batch is lab tested before bottling. Orders over $99 ship free within the United States.
Prefer whole herbs for cooking and decoctions? See our premium raw herbs, or browse the root + spring journal for ingredient guides.
