Abstract: The study was carried on the relationship between the age and salidroside content in the root of Rhodiola sachalinensis, which were collected from 14 populations in field in the Nature Preservation of Chang Bai Mountain, Jilin Province in August 1998 and July 1999 and from a nursery garden of Da Xing An Ling Area, Heilongjiang Province in 1999, separately. The age was judged according to the numbers of bud scale scar on the rhizome of Rh. sachalinensis. The age and salidroside content in the root of Rh. sachalinensis cultivated in the nursery garden has the closely positive correlation, but has the less positive correlation in field in Chang Bai Mountain.

Key words: Rhodiola sachalinensis, salidroside, age