In this paper, a method of rapid and undamaged identification of wild and cultivated Gastrodia elata Blume, and one of its fakes by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is reported. The results show that Gastrodia elata Blume and its fake have different characteristic infrared spectra, by which Gastrodia elata Blume can be identified from its fake. Wild winter, wild spring, and cultivated Gastrodia elata Blume can be discriminated by FTIR, according to the differences of their spectral peaks and absorbance ratios. By the differences of absorbance ratios of several peaks, different grade of Gastrodia elata Blume may be classified. FTIR has proved to be a rapid, simple and nondestructive method for the identification of Gastrodia elata Blume.