The difference between black Tianma and Tianma

1. Plant Differences

The plant of Gastrodia elata is 150 to 200 cm tall, with rhizomes and thick tubers that are oval or dumbbell-shaped, 8 to 12 cm long and 3 to 7 cm in diameter. The stems are gray-brown with white stripes.

The Gastrodia elata plant is 30 to 100 cm tall, sometimes up to 2 meters. Its rhizome is thick, tuberous, oval or nearly dumbbell-shaped, fleshy, 8 to 12 cm long, 3 to 5 cm in diameter, and sometimes larger. The stems are erect and are orange, yellow, gray-brown or blue-green in color, with no green leaves.

2. Flower Differences

The flowers of Gastrodia elata are yellow-green, nearly upright, with oblong-ovate petals, 6 to 7 mm long and 3 to 4 mm wide.

Gastrodia elata racemes, 5 to 30 cm long. The inflorescence contains 30 to 50 small flowers. The bracts of the flowers are oblong-lanceolate, 1 to 1.5 cm long, membranous, and twisted. The flowers are orange-yellow, yellow-white, blue-green or light yellow.