Profile: Various popular names for Schisandra chinensis include magnolia berry and five-flavor-fruit. It is one of Traditional Chinese Medicine's 50 fundamental herbs, and it is claimed to have all five basic flavors: salty, sweet, sour, pungent, and bitter. Schisandra berries are the fruits of a deciduous woody vine endemic to the woods of northern China and eastern Russia. They are commonly used to make juices, wines, extracts, and sweets in these areas. Macerated in fruit juice, tinctured, and infused as schisandra berry tea, the berries can be used in a variety of ways.

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Schisandra is said to "calm the heart and quiet the spirit" in Chinese mythology, and it has a long history in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Schisandra, sometimes known as Magnolia vine because of its propensity to climb upward, is a native of Northern China, Russia, and portions of Korea. Schisandra is a woody vine with oval pink leaves and vivid red berries that can be seen in many beautiful gardens across the world. China and Russia are the countries where it is most commonly used. The Chinese name for it is wu-wei-zi, which translates to "five-tasting fruit." The taste of Schisandra is typically sour, sweet, bitter, warm, and salty, therefore the moniker "five taste." For ages, Russian hunters have used it as a tea to relieve weariness. Schisandra chinensis, often known as northern schisandra or schizandra, is a Schisandraceae family member.

Some people take 1 teaspoon each day, and it produces a beautiful fruit juice infusion. Allow 12 cup of dark fruit juice to soak in a 1-gallon pitcher for one day. As needed, strain and consume. Schisandra is also useful as a liquid herbal extract and can be used in tea decoctions and herbal brews (slow simmer). Allowing the berries to soak in Glycerin for a month produces an efficient schisandra syrup.