The Zenmai (Osmunda japonica) belongs to Osmundaceae (the Osmund fern family). It is a summer-green fern that is native throughout Japan, Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula, China and around the Himalayas. This fern grows in mountain wettish places and can reach 50-100 cm in height. The sterile fronds are borne from April to June. The young sterile fronds are covered with white wooly hairs. They are used as food. The Japanese name is derived from "zeni-maki", which refers to the spiral shape of the plant as a "zeni" (coin). In Taiwanese, it is called "紫萁", and in Chinese, "紫萁" (zi qi).