Chinese Skullcap--making tincture, but which kind is best?

Hi all any many thanks for the great info you provide for us Lymies! I am finally, just today, able to make my own tinctures. I've been intimidated forever--for some reason just couldn't wrap my head around it and it's really so very easy. Anyway, I've read in a few places that Chinese Skullcap is not worth much in the powdered form. So I'm wondering, do I need to find a fresh source? Is it fresh root, or some other part? I happen to have a bag of the powdered form that I bought before I read about that. I wonder if I should bother still using it. Anyway, any information would be appreciated. Thanks!!

I have been making many of my own tinctures for the past year or so. At first I only purchased dried plant and ground myself, feeling it would be fresher that way. However, after wiping out one grinder on knotweed (very apt name) decided that I would order some herbs already ground. The skullcap photos (have not tinctured this myself) look as though it might be tough on grinder and powdered might be the way to go. If you have stored the powder in a cool, dry place and it isn't years old, I would go ahead and tincture.