Well, I was in china town at the stores full of ginseng and various chinese herbs and medicines.

I asked the lady for some valerian root. She had no idea what I was talking about as she couldnt speak much english.

So my mom wrote down "valerian root" on a peice of paper, she gave it to the other guy working there, and he comes back with a big bag of stems and leaves.

He sells me about an ounce and a half for a couple of bucks. I asked are you sure its valerian root? He sais "Ya, ya".

So anyway, I know that it is not the root because it is stems and leaves. the leaves are thin and dark green. (Its all dry by the way.) It has some flower or bud type looking things which look slightly redish in color.

The stems have some small thorns on them though, I do not see any thorns on valerian pictures on google images.

What do you think it could be?

Why not by the tincture at the store d'health? You do know that many herbs are available there? In whole form/powder/caps/tinctures...

those are just jazz and pop.... they dont do shit. The potency of the shit at vitamin stores is fucking horrible.... herbs are meant to be green... not indiscriminately dried and powdered...

those are just jazz and pop.... they dont do shit. The potency of the shit at vitamin stores is fucking horrible.... herbs are meant to be green... not indiscriminately dried and powdered...

Sooo...did you have much luck going upstate in NY this weekend & collecting fresh ones?

Sooo...did you have much luck going upstate in NY this weekend & collecting fresh ones?

Air-mail from Africa gets fresh khat into the city...
go figure...

Air-mail from Africa gets fresh khat into the city...
go figure...

And if he doesn't want to spend $50/day on khat? What other herbs could he source fresh?

And if he doesn't want to spend $50/day on khat? What other herbs could he source fresh?

little china stores have hoards of semi dried/dried botanicals in little draws that line up, down and along the whole wall. These, whole, herbs preserve the semi-volatile oils and essences better then the ground up crap.

Besides most of the times a single Oz per small teapot is used.... Per daily serving
While, a few caps of powdered herb do shit-didly-squat.

Try getting an equal volume of powder from caps, you would need to open more then half, if not more then the whole, bottle.

smell it...valerian has a very distinct odor, not unlike vomit & feet.
ALL valerian smells this way, and if it dosent, youve been had.

This, but it isnt THAT bad.....I have a tincture and its quite.....pungent. :D

Have you ever made a mash from raw root? try that, and say it isnt that bad...the thought of it makes me gag.

Valerian isn't recreational. When you first start taking it though it is great for sleep. Along with everyone else the shit is foul.