The root can be boiled and eaten like potatoes or macerated and then boiled to yield a sweet syrup. The roots can also be dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereal flours. Rich in protein, this powder is used to make biscuits etc.

The seed is very small and fiddly to harvest, but it has a pleasant nutty taste when roasted. An edible oil is obtained from the seed. Due to the small size of the seed this is probably not a very worthwhile crop.

Pollen - raw or cooked. A protein rich additive to flour used in making bread, porridge etc. It can also be eaten with the young flowers, which makes it considerably easier to utilize.

The pollen can be harvested by placing the flowering stem over a wide but shallow container and then gently tapping the stem and brushing the pollen off with a fine brush.

The pollen is diuretic, emmenagogue and haemostatic. The dried pollen is said to be anticoagulant, but when roasted with charcoal it becomes haemostatic.

It is used internally in the treatment of kidney stones, internal haemorrhage of almost any kind, painful menstruation, abnormal uterine bleeding, post-partum pains, abscesses and cancer of the lymphatic system.

It should not be prescribed for pregnant women.

Externally, it is used in the treatment of tapeworms, diarrhoea and injuries.

This is Plum Flower brand's nitrogen-flushed vacuum pack.

Plum Flower is one of the most distinguished herb houses in the world.

Sulfur Free, Chlorine Free, Aluminum Phosphate Free.

Sulfites are used to give herbs the appearance of freshness. As with dried fruit, unsulfured herbs look different than those that are adulterated with preservatives. Herbs that are preservative free are more natural looking and are generally darker. The brightness of the herbs may be appealing, but it indicates the presence of harmful additives. Despite their appearance, unsulfured herbs are more fresh and safer than regular commercially available products.

The use of sulfur, chlorine and aluminum phosphate was made unnecessary through the establishment of Plum Flower processing stations in China. Herb harvesters slice and process the herbs fresh, avoiding the need to rehydrate dried herbs later to process. This first step is crucial, as rehydration leads to decomposition and thus the need for preservatives.

The herbs are then packed and the packages vacuum-packed, injected with nitrogen, and sealed. The nitrogen process combined with the lack of sulfur treatment inhibits the growth of anaerobic organisms, resulting in safer, higher quality herbs. After opening, store in a cool dry place.

The facilities in Lanzhou and Guang Zhou, China, scientifically test each batch of herbs before, during and after the processing to make sure that all the active ingredients are present. Herbs are also tested to ensure that the formulas surpass all FDA guidelines regarding heavy metals. Those herbs exported to the U.S. are voluntarily submitted to the FDA for approval.

Finally, batches are regularly sent out for quality control testing in third-party labs to double-ensure that Plum Flower products are 100% free of pharmaceuticals, preservatives and dyes.

The Lanzhou and Guang Zhou factories are so clean, they are certified by the Australian Government’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (GMP). These standards surpass any of the FDA, and are considered the highest for any government agency in the world.