春生苗叶，叶相对如山芋而不光泽。其茎蔓延竹木墙壁间。结子有棱似荞麦而细小，才如粟大。秋冬取根，大者如拳，各有五棱瓣，似小甜瓜。”植物的块根、藤茎及叶均可供药用，中药名分别为：何首乌、夜交藤、何首乌叶。中药何首乌有生首乌与制首乌之分：生首乌功能解毒（载疟）、润肠通便、消痈；制首乌功能补益精血、乌须发、强筋骨、补肝肾。
Spring seedlings and leaves are relatively taro but not lustrous. Its stems spread between bamboo and wood walls. The fruit is as small as buckwheat, but as big as millet. Take root in autumn and winter, big people like fists, each with five-edged petals, like small melons." The tuber root, vine stem and leaf of the plant can be used medicinally. The names of traditional Chinese medicine are: Polygonum multiflorum, Rhizoma Polygoni nighttime and Polygonum multiflorum leaves. Radix Polygoni Multiflori can be divided into raw Radix Polygoni Multiflori and prepared Radix Polygoni Multiflori: functional detoxification (carrying malaria), intestinal moistening and relieving fever; functional tonifying essence and blood, black hair, strengthening muscles and bones, tonifying liver and kidney.
由于人们现在大量采挖，导致野生何首乌数量减少，现在野生何首乌经过人工繁育的技术已经成熟，何首乌苗泛指人工培育的何首乌种苗，用于人工栽培用。
As a result of a large number of excavations, the number of wild Polygonum multiflorum has decreased. Now the technology of artificial breeding of wild Polygonum multiflorum has matured. Polygonum multiflorum seedlings generally refer to artificially Cultivated Polygonum multiflorum seedlings, which are used for artificial cultivation.