Bonnet bellflower is a twining vine native to East Asia, grown mainly for its fragrant, ginseng-like root, which Korean cooks grill with chili paste or serve fresh. It isn't found wild in the United States. It's also known by its Korean name, deodeok.
Appearance
- Growth form
- A hardy perennial vine that twines up other plants, usually reaching about 6.5 ft (2 m) and up to about 15 ft (4.5 m). The top dies back each winter. Cut stems and roots ooze white sap.
- Leaves
- Lance-shaped leaves (the source of the name lanceolata), clustered in fours at the tips of short side shoots.
- Flowers
- Nodding, bell-shaped flowers, pale green outside and marked with purple inside.
- Flowering time
- Late summer into fall (about August–October in Korea).
- Fruit
- A dry ; seeds ripen in September–October.
Look-alikes
balloon flowerPlatycodon grandiflorus
Balloon flower grows upright, 16–40 in (40–100 cm) tall, with puffy balloon-like buds that open into blue, white, or pink flowers. Deodeok is a twining vine with hanging green bells.
Why they get mixed upBoth are in the bellflower family, and both roots (doraji and deodeok) are staples of Korean cooking. Balloon flower is widely sold as a garden perennial in the U.S. (zones 3–9).
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Moist woodlands
- Forest edges
- Hillsides
- Range
- Native to Korea, Japan, China, and the Russian Far East, usually in woodland at about 650–5,200 ft (200–1,600 m).
- Preferred conditions
- Prefers light to medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade.
Growing it
- Propagation
- Usually grown from seed sown on the soil surface. It dislikes having its roots disturbed, and young plants are prone to slug damage.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
Culture and stories
- Culture and stories
- Popular Korean dishes include deodeok-gui (sliced root grilled with a gochujang glaze), fresh seasoned salads, and pickles, including kimchi. It's also steeped into a homemade liquor.
More species to explore
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