About Rhodiola rosea L.
Rhodiola rosea L. is a fleshy plant that grows 5 to 40 centimetres (2.0 to 15.7 in) tall. It produces several stems from a short, scaly rootstock, and multiple shoots growing from the same thick root can reach 5 to 35 centimetres (2.0 to 13.8 in) in height. This species is dioecious, meaning it has separate female and male individual plants. Its flowers have 4 sepals and 4 petals, colored yellow to greenish yellow that is sometimes tipped with red. The petals measure about 1 to 3.5 millimetres (0.039 to 0.138 in) long, and the plant blooms during the summer. Rhodiola rosea grows in cold regions around the world, including most of the Arctic, the mountains of Central Asia, scattered locations in eastern North America, and mountainous areas of Europe. It grows on sea cliffs and on high-altitude mountains. For culinary use, the leaves and shoots of Rhodiola rosea are eaten raw (they have a bitter flavor), or cooked in the same way as spinach, and are sometimes added to salads. An extract from the plant is sometimes added as a flavoring agent in vodkas.
