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A few clouds. Low 62F. Winds light and variable..

A few clouds. Low 62F. Winds light and variable.

Some of you may know that most of my adult life has been devoted to the study, cultivation and conservation of Panax quinquefolius, aka American ginseng. This native, North American, herbaceous perennial is perhaps the most fascinating wild plant in America, with a 300 year long history of collection and export. It was “discovered” about 50 miles north of Montreal by a Jesuit missionary named Francis Lafiteau in 1715. It looks almost identical to the closely related Panax ginseng, aka Asian ginseng, which has been one of the most important herbs in Chinese traditional medicine for about 2,000 years. Wild Asian ginseng has been almost extinct in its native range for hundreds of years, but it is widely cultivated in China and Korea today. Almost every “energy” drink you buy contains extract of Asian ginseng, due to its reputation as an energy stimulant. American ginseng is almost as revered as a medicine, but has slightly different chemical constituents and is used somewhat differently. Since 1975, wild American ginseng has been internationally protected by a treaty called CITES that is intended to protect and conserve rare and endangered plant and animal species.

There are 19 states that allow harvest of wild ginseng, including New York. Each of those states must have a conservation program to insure that the wild ginseng resource is not eliminated. The wild ginseng harvest season begins Sept. 1 nationwide. There are very specific rules and regulations regarding all wild ginseng harvests that differ slightly from state to state. In New York wild ginseng may only be harvested on private property, with written permission of the landowner. Ginseng plants must be at least five years old and of a certain stature. There is no legal harvest on any public property in New York. Copies of the state regulations may be obtained from the DEC.

Some states have some very boneheaded regulations that require even intentionally grown, i.e cultivated ginseng to abide by the rules that are designed to protect wild ginseng. In Kentucky, for example, ginseng seed may only be planted using no tool other than a finger. Even if it is being grown on private property, with purchased seed from commercial sources, the grower cannot transplant or harvest his or her ginseng, except in exact accordance to the regulations for wild. In West Virginia, anyone who wishes to grow wild simulated ginseng must get a permit that requires an inspection of the property, by a state forester, to insure that no wild ginseng is present on the proposed growing site. Ginseng has very exacting site requirements and the best indication of whether it will thrive or not, in any given location, is the presence of existing wild populations. West Virginia essentially bans farmers from growing ginseng anyplace that it grows naturally. That is like telling farmers who want to grow blueberries, for example, that they cannot grow it anyplace where wild blueberries are growing.

New York, fortunately, has regulations that make much more sense. Cultivated ginseng is recognized as an agricultural crop by the State Department of Ag and Markets, as well as the DEC. Landowners who wish to grow ginseng on private property, either for personal use or for commercial sale, are free to do so, as long as they follow normal agricultural procedures. Since every wild simulated ginseng plant that is intentionally grown can potentially replace a truly wild ginseng plant, this type of “conservation through cultivation” is the best possible way to insure survival of the wild populations. It’s a pity that too many other states don’t understand this fundamental conservation strategy.

I have been trying to teach people how to grow American Ginseng in a forested environment for the past 35 years or so, in classes and workshops all over the United States and Canada. The COVID pandemic put a serious damper on these educational workshops for the past few years, but I am pleased to announce that I will be offering a ginseng growing workshop 4-6 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Agroforestry Resource Center of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties in Acra (Greene County).

I will have stratified (ready to plant) ginseng seed for sale at this class and if the weather cooperates, I may even have some wild simulated rootlets to sell. Right now, it is much too dry to dig rootlets, but should normal weather return, I will try to dig some rootlets for resale.

In order to attend this class, you must pre-register by calling CCE at 518-622-9820. I would suggest you register as soon as possible, since these classes usually fill up quickly. Growing wild simulated, or woods cultivated ginseng is not a “get rich quick” scheme but if you are interested in growing some of this mysterious and ancient plant, this is for you!

Reach Bob at rlb14@cornell.edu.

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