Flowers of "Doraji"/Chinese Bellflower/桔梗花/도라지꽃

1. Flowers of "Doraji"/Chinese Bellflower/桔梗花/도라지꽃

   
   I believe that those friends who like to eat "bibimbab", they know about the "doraji",one of the main ingredient for bibimbab. These are  the flowers of "doraji" ...

   
   

   
   

   我深信那些喜欢吃韩式拌饭（ Bibimbab）的朋友们，他们都懂得“doraji”/桔梗，拌饭的主要材料之一。。。这是桔梗花。。

Platycodon grandiflorus (from Greek "πλατυκώδων", meaning a broad bell) is a species of herbaceous flowering perennial plant of the family Campanulaceae, and the only member of its genus. It is native to East Asia (China, Korea, Japan and East Siberia). This species is known as platycodon. Depending upon the region, it is also referred to as the Korean bellflower, Chinese bellflower, Japanese bellflower, common balloon flower, or balloon flower (referring to the balloon-shaped flower buds).

Growing to 60 cm (24 in) tall by 30 cm (12 in) wide, it is an herbaceous perennial with dark green leaves and blue flowers in late summer. A notable feature of the plant is the flower bud which swells like a balloon before fully opening. The five petals are fused together into a bell shape at the base, like its relatives, the campanulas. There are varieties with white, pink and purple blooms in cultivation. In Korea, white flowers are more common. This plant together with its cultivars 'Apoyama group' and 'Mariesii', have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

The root of this species (radix platycodi) is used extensively as an anti-inflammatory in the treatment of coughs and colds. In Korea, the plant is known as doraji (도라지) and its root, either dried or fresh, is a popular ingredient in salads and traditional cuisine. The Chinese bellflower (called 桔梗 in Chinese) is also used in traditional Chinese medicine.

桔梗（学名：Platycodon grandiflorus，英语：Balloon Flower），别名包袱花、铃铛花、僧帽花，为桔梗科桔梗属植物，生长在中国、朝鲜半岛、日本和西伯利亚东部。根可入药，嫩叶可腌制成咸菜，在中国东北地区称为“狗宝”咸菜。在朝鲜半岛，中国延边地区，桔梗是很有名的泡菜食材，当地民谣《桔梗谣》所描写的就是这种植物。單憑名稱，有人會誤以為桔梗乃桔子的梗，但實際上與桔子或柑橘屬沒有直接關係。

多年生草本，高40－90厘米。植物体内有乳汁，全株光滑无毛。根粗大肉质，圆锥形或有分叉，外皮黄褐色。茎直立，有分枝；叶多为互生，少数对生，近无柄，叶片长卵形，边缘有锯齿；花大形，单生于茎顶或数朵成疏生的总状花序；花冠钟形，蓝紫色或蓝白色，裂片5。蒴果卵形，熟时顶端开裂。

中医上以根入药，性平、味苦辛，功能宣肺、祛痰、排脓，主治咳痰不爽、咽喉肿痛、肺痈等症；根含有桔梗皂苷，能增加呼吸道的分泌而发挥祛痰作用。

(source: wikipedia)