Where To Buy Ginseng Root To Plant
Ginseng has been harvested as a cash crop in West Virginia for at least 200 years. It has been used for centuries in North America and Asia. Allegedly teas, soups and medicines made from ginseng roots cure sickness, increase vitality, relieve mental and physical fatigue and prolong life. In China the roots themselves are often chewed.
where to buy ginseng root to plant
West Virginia Ginseng Season runs from September 1 through November 30 every year. Diggers have until March 31 of the following calendar year to sell to a registered West Virginia ginseng dealer or have roots weigh-receipted at one of the Division of Forestry weigh stations.
Digging on state forest land is prohibited. Digging on private land without prior written consent is prohibited. Digging on your own land is permitted during the digging season. Dig ginseng roots only when the plant has three or more prongs (with no fewer than 15 leaflets) indicating the plant is probably at least five years old and capable of producing fertile berries plant seeds at the root spot. The berries of the plant must be red in color indicating that they are mature. All ginseng wishing to be held till the next season must properly weight receipted.
West Virginia Code 19-1A-3a mandates that the Division of Forestry weigh and certify all ginseng roots dug in the state. Ginseng plants must be at least 5 years old or older and have at least 3 prongs before they can be harvested. Seeds from the plant must be planted on the site of the harvest. Ginseng must be certified before leaving the boundaries of the state. Only registered dealers can certify ginseng.
Requirements for the export of wild ginseng out of the country are established by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. All ginseng plants must be at least 5 years of age and have at least 3 prongs before being harvested and therefore eligible for export.
The age of a ginseng plant can be determined by looking at the base of the plant stem, where bud scars occur. A 5 year old ginseng root will have at least 4 scars; the first year the root does not produce a scar.
Yes. A determination must be done before planting any ginseng on your property. The determination is to make sure there is no wild ginseng in the area you are wanting to plant. Determinations are done between April 15 and June 15 of each year. For more information and to request a form for a determination to be done please contact Robin Black at 304-558-2788 Ext. 51764. After the determination has been done, you can become a ginseng grower and a permit will be issued.
"Wild ginseng," as defined by law, is the root of the ginseng plant (Panax quinquefolius) which is growing in or has been collected from its native habitat. Therefore, plants that arise from seed planted in the wild or plants that have been transplanted into the native habitat are considered wild ginseng. "Cultivated ginseng," means ginseng growing in tilled beds under shade of artificial structures or under natural shade.
The Department requires dealers submit a year-end report by May 1 of the year following the harvest season. The report shall be completed on forms provided by the Department. The Department will be asking for number of pounds purchased, certified and sold. The Department will also ask where the ginseng was shipped.
All ginseng purchased by licensed Illinois dealers must be certified as to kind (wild or cultivated), weight, and origin by a certification agent of the Department of Natural Resources, Office of Resource Conservation, Division of Forest Resources before they can sell or ship it. Certification will only be accomplished within the borders of Illinois. Certification will be done by appointment only. The ginseng roots and their purchase records must be examined by the agent prior to issuance of the certification papers. A copy of the Illinois Wild Ginseng Shipping Certificate must accompany shipments of Illinois ginseng for them to be legally exported from the United States. Procedures for certifying ginseng may vary from year to year. Licensed dealers will be notified of new or specific changes in procedures prior to the harvest season. Information on ginseng certification can be obtained by phoning the ginseng program manager at 217-782-3376. Certification of cultivated ginseng can occur at any time by appointment with the listed forestry division agents. Certifying of wild ginseng can only occur from the opening of the buying season until the following April 1. It is unlawful to have uncertified wild ginseng on hand from April 2 through the opening of the next buying season.
Illinois law defines cultivated ginseng as ginseng growing in tilled beds under shade of artificial structures or under natural shade. Ginseng seeded or transplanted into the woods but not tilled in beds is considered wild ginseng. Illinois law only regulates commerce in the roots of ginseng, not leaves or seeds.
"Wild ginseng" as defined by law is the root of the ginseng plant (Panax quinquefolius) which is growing in or has been collected from its native habitat. Therefore, plants that have been transplanted into their native habitat are considered wild ginseng. "Cultivated ginseng," means ginseng growing in tilled beds under shade of artificial structures or under natural shade.
The season for harvesting wild ginseng in Illinois is from the first Saturday in September through November 1, annually. The season is the same statewide. The harvest of wild ginseng shall be limited to plants that are 10 years of age (4 leafed) or older. When harvesting wild ginseng, harvesters shall plant all of the seeds from the harvested plants in the vicinity of the parent plants in a manner that will encourage their germination and growth.
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is a native perennial herb and an important forest crop. It grows on well-drained, rich soils under northern hardwoods. The root lives for many years, even though the stem and foliage die back to ground level at the end of each growing season. Much of New York State has the potential for growing ginseng, and it can be an important source of income for many New Yorkers.
Ginseng today is found in two forms, Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolium. These are two cousin plants which vary primarily due to climatic and growing conditions. They both contain active ingredients called ginsenosides.
American ginseng is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement between countries to ensure that international trade in certain plants and animals does not threaten their survival in the wild. American ginseng was listed in CITES Appendix II in 1975 due to concerns of the species being overharvested as a consequence of international trade. Appendix II allows trade that biologically sustainable and legal, and includes species that, although currently not threatened with extinction, may become so without trade controls. In order to ensure that American ginseng roots are legally and sustainably harvested, CITES permits issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are required to export American ginseng. For more information about CITES and American ginseng, please see the links in the right column.
In 1987 regulations were adopted that established practices for the harvest and sale of American ginseng in New York State (6 NYCRR 193.4-193.8) (leaves DEC website). These regulations established conservation practices including a ginseng harvest season and requirements for harvesting only mature plants. They also created a dealer permitting system and certification procedures. A year later, the United States Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) approved the New York State American Ginseng Program and lifted a ban on the export of New York grown ginseng. The program is reviewed annually to ensure that it meets all the federal requirements under CITES.
No ginseng may be harvested from any State Lands or from Finger Lakes National Forest. Ginseng diggers must obtain written permission from the landowner before harvesting on private property. Only mature plants may be harvested and the berries must be replanted immediately.
Oriental ginseng (Panax ginseng): native to eastern Asia, primarily China and Korea. It was found in the wild abundantly centuries ago. Because of its popularity, it was dug almost to extinction. Today it is commonly available as a cultivated plant.
White ginseng: the name given to the natural ginseng root which has not undergone any processing. It is the natural color of the ginseng root when harvested and thoroughly washed. The root, when dried, takes on a tan color.
Red ginseng: ginseng that has been processed using steam and heat to preserve it. The roots that are thus processed turn a red color. In order to withstand the heat, superior and older roots must be used, hence the claim of red ginseng being more potent than white.
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium): the botanical cousin to Panax ginseng and is indigenous primarily to the Appalachian mountain region of North America. It can be found growing wild in forests and cultivated in plantations in the U.S. and Canada.
Wild American ginseng: the ginseng plant in its natural form. Wild American ginseng grows generally in shaded hardwood forests and can live to be almost a century old, although the average plant grows to be about 8-15 years old. The plant is listed as a threatened species. The wild plant is regularly harvested by "shang diggers" under controls set forth by the various state and provincial governments.
Woods-grown American ginseng: grown in the forest where the soil has been mounded up to increase the yield of the crop. Most woods-grown ginseng is grown organically, and reaches 6-8 years old.
Cultivated American ginseng: the most common type of American ginseng found. It is grown under artificial shade in fields and yields a crop in approximately 3-4 years. Wisconsin and Canada are the leading growers of cultivated ginseng, where it is a large cash crop which uses modern farming technology. 041b061a72