Schisandra chinensis is a woody vine which bears numerous clusters of tiny, bright red berries. The vine is typically of height 15 to 25 feet and width 5 to 10 feet. It flowers from April to May, with flowers of diameter about 1 inch. 
The plant is found throughout northern and north-east China (especially in Jilin, Lianoning, Heilongliang and Hebei) and the adjacent regions of Russia and Korea. The fully ripe, sun-dried fruit is used medicinally. It has a mixture of sour, sweet, salty, hot, and bitter tastes. This unusual combination of flavors is reflected in its Chinese name wu-wei-zi, meaning "five-taste fruit". Other names of Schisandra are "Schisandra", "Wu-wei-zi", "Schisandra japonica", "Maximowiczia chinensis" and "Kadsura chinensis".

Schisandra chinensis is a plant which bears fruit containing one or more naturally-occurring adaptogens, which have been shown to maintain the body's systemic tonicity and balance, improve concentration and attention-span, and increase acuity of vision and hearing. Schisandra is one of the most effective phytoadaptogen.