Poria
The dried sclerotium of Poria cocos, a fungus that grows underground on pine roots, sold as chalky white slices, cubes or pressed rolls (茯苓卷). It contributes almost no flavour, softening to a mild starchiness, and earns its place by function, the damp-draining workhorse of four-herb and dampness soups.
TCM properties
Nature · neutral Flavour · sweet、bland Meridians · heart、lung、spleen、kidney
Traditional food therapy
In Cantonese food therapy poria is used to drain dampness and promote water flow while supporting the spleen and calming the spirit, mild enough for the everyday pot.
Cautions: read first
- Use with care if you run cold and depleted with seminal leakage, or if your qi is depleted and sinking.
Preparation
Soak and rinse the dried slices; they stand up to a long boil.
Origin · Geo-authentic (道地) source
Yunnan is the geo-authentic (道地) source, which is where the name yun ling (雲苓) comes from; Yuexi in Anhui and the Dabie Mountains are the modern main producers. AU supply is herbal-dispensary retail (including poria rolls, 茯苓卷)
Availability in Australia
Herbal shops / specialists
