High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Eleutherococcus is a genus of 38 species of thorny shrubs and trees in the family Araliaceae. They are native to eastern Asia, from southeast Siberia and Japan south to the Philippines, with the greatest diversity in central and western China. Some species, notably E. senticosus (Siberian ginseng), are used for herbal medicine. Several species are also grown as ornamental garden shrubs. Several dietary substances contain Eleutherococcus senticosis. Members of this Genus may have certain qualities similar to the ginsengs, though further scientific study is needed.