American Ginseng
Panax quinquefolium

Picture taken May 9, 2001

The dried roots of this plant are very much in demand in Chinese folk medicine. Because of this, it has long been dug and sold for export and now has almost become exterminated. The stem bears a whorl of three palmately compound leaves, each composed of five leaflets, hence the specific epithet quinquefolium (five leaves). In June, the plant forms a cluster of minute greenish white flowers which are followed by a cluster of red berries in August.

Please note: The ginseng plants we had in the garden last year did not come back this spring. We are not sure why --- if the drainage in the soil was inadequate, the roots might have rotted; or, occasionally ginseng will take a "vacation" and be dormant for a year. We improved the drainage in the soil, adding shredded pine bark to the soil, and planted replacements. Those are the plants you will see in the coming weeks. We will wait and see if last year's plants return in 2003.

Family Araliaceae (Ginseng Family)

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