Alternately, plant 1-year-old roots in spring. Set the roots horizontally in the garden bed, 6 to 12 inches apart, and cover with 3 inches of soil. Side dress with additional compost or leaf litter in early spring before the new leaves develop.
Monitor for slugs and other pests and hand-pick as needed. Over time, the plants will develop three to inch-tall, long-stalked compound leaves.
According to the Missouri Botanical Garden , each leaf will have three to five toothed leaflets that grow up to 5 inches long. In two to four years, the flowers will rise on a long stalk in late spring or early summer, generally in June or July, and mature into bright red ginseng berries. Harvest your ginseng between August and December when the roots have grown to a suitable size and age with three or more root prongs.
Use a garden fork to carefully dig up the roots, and rinse, but don't scrub, to remove any loose dirt. Place on screens to air dry; never use heat to dry the roots. Leave an inch or two of the stem on the plant. The active ingredients in Asian ginseng Panax ginseng and American ginseng are compounds known as ginsenosides.
In traditional Asian usage, American ginseng is considered "cooling," while Asian ginseng is "warming" and "stimulating.
Siberian ginseng Eleutherococcus senticosus , hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8, is a distant relative of the Panax species. Although it's not a substitute for Asian or American ginseng, like the Panax species, it's used as an adaptogen to help maintain your equilibrium and good health.
Forest Service National Forests issue harvest permits for wild ginseng while other National Forests prohibit the harvest of ginseng. Check with the National Forest in your area to know whether ginseng harvest is allowed.
The listing covers the export of whole live or dead plants, whole and sliced roots, and parts of roots including root fibers , but excludes powder or manufactured finished products e. For information on past meetings centered on exporting ginseng and permit issues, please visit our Archive page.
For information on exporting American ginseng, visit our Branch of Permits page. Please keep in mind that comments are moderated according to our comment policy. Toll-Free Friday, November 12, Western Pa.
Co-ops that once brought electricity to rural Ohio work to offer…. Public hearing set for Hancock Co. Stay safe against hepatitis A outbreak. Home How To How to find and harvest wild American ginseng. How To Top Stories. Share on Facebook. Sign Up. Method 1. Hunt during the season. All of the 19 states have a designated harvest season, which is from September 1 to November Plan your harvesting accordingly. If you have questions, contact your state natural resource or agriculture department for more details.
The American Herbal Products Association is also a resource for state laws and regulations. The export of wild roots in Canada is prohibited. Go where the ginseng grows. It usually grows in well-shaded areas especially north- or east-facing slopes of moist hardwood forests. The more mature the forest with large hardwood trees and a full canopy that shades out most shrubs, briars, etc. If you are interested in a certain area, check the USDA map [2] X Research source to see if ginseng has ever grown there before.
This will greatly increase your chances of finding some ginseng. Remember that the combination of shade and moisture create the best environment for ginseng to grow.
Ginseng grows well in the shade of these trees. If you begin to harvest late into the season, you may have more difficulty finding ginseng.
Look for deep, dark soil that is loose and covered with leaf litter. Look for companion plants. One indicator that you may be in an area where ginseng grows is the presence of "companion plants. Finding these plants does not guarantee that you'll also find ginseng, but it is a good place to start.
These companion plants include trillium Trillium spp. Poison Ivy is not considered a companion plant. Identify the ginseng plant. The ginseng plant has a single stem that ends with a whorl i. Each leaf usually has 3 to 5 leaflets i. The flowers will eventually produce red berries. However once you find the first plant, it will be easier to find more. Ginseng changes as it develops. If the plant is immature, you will see a single stem with only 3 leaflets total.
As the plant matures, each leaf will consist of 3 to 7 leaflets. A ginseng patch will have plants of all different stages of growth. It may be helpful to look at pictures of the ginseng plant before you go hunting or take a more experienced hunter with you. Harvest only mature plants with red berries.
You should protect these plants from other harvesters by clipping the stems from all 2-, 3-, and 4-pronged plants making sure to plant any ripe berries. For more information on sustainable harvesting methods, see: [8] X Research source. Dig carefully. When you find a mature plant with 3 prongs i. If the plant is close to immature ginseng plants, use a smaller tool such as a stout flat blade screwdriver about 8 or 10 inches If there is any risk of damaging the roots of adjacent immature ginseng plants, do not attempt to harvest the plant.
After you have dug the root out, squeeze the red fruits into the palm of your hand and plant the seeds about 1 inch 2. Never remove ginseng seeds or immature plants from the woods. Wash and dry the root s.
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