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Home GINSENG Pre-Stratified American Ginseng Root Seed Seeds for Planting
AMERICAN GINSENG-GINSENG
AMERICAN GINSENG
AMERICAN GINSENG-GINSENG
AMERICAN GINSENG

AMERICAN GINSENG

Herb | ginseng

USDA Zones: 3-8

Panax quinquefolius Wild specimens of American Ginseng, sometimes as old as a century or more, have been threatened by poaching and over harvesting. Increased cultivation has helped to preserve this traditional herb. Crops grown in wild simulated conditions can yield as much as $500 a pound at harvest. Considered an adaptogen, ginseng is said to reduce the body's various stress responses; studies have found energizing, cognitive-enhancing, and overall immune-boosting properties, among others. Native to woodland understory habitats throughout the eastern and central United States, it grows best in 70-90% shade and is ready for harvest in 3-10 years, depending on the growing method. There is a market for select leaves and seeds in the interim. Fresh seeds can take two years to germinate, but ours come pre-stratified for fall sowing to emerge the following spring. Hardy in zones 3-8.   

Ginseng seeds ships fall through spring. Order early for best availability. Detailed planting instructions are included with each order, and may be obtained below.
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Growing Tips & Guides

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Initial Instructions
The most successfully cultivated plots of American Ginseng are located in areas mimicking its natural habitat. Dubbed wild-simulated cultivation, this method of growing ginseng is the least labor-intensive but also the slowest. With this approach seed is sown thinly with minimal disruption to the ground. The plants are then left to progress as naturalized plants. By allowing the crop to stand up to natural growing challenges, they grow slowly, yet are more potent than those that have been pampered. Our ginseng seed has been stratified (exposed to a period of cool, moist conditions to encourage germination). The seed is ready to be planted immediately upon arrival in the fall, but if you are not ready to plant, keep the seed moist and cool (between 40 and 50°F). Sow seed directly into the ground, 1/2-3/4 inches deep and about 3 inches apart. Cover with a 3-4 inch layer of leaf or straw mulch and water well. Seeds planted in fall should emerge the following spring.

Rootlet Planting
Shipped in the fall, the rootlets are ready for direct planting. Simply dig a small hole the length of the root and bury it up to the crown, right where the stem begins, keeping any aerial portion above ground. Positioned this way, the ginseng will settle into its new environment as it prepares for winter dormancy.

Come spring, new leaf stalks will begin to emerge. Ginseng leaves are called prongs, and each year the plant puts out one new prong, shedding the old. This growth pattern allows live plants to be aged, and harvested roots can be dated by the number of leaf scars they bear. Very old ginseng roots develop long “necks” from these accumulated prong scars. These necks are fragile and contribute significantly to the root’s value.

Cultivation
Keep an eye out for new seedling sprouts, which should be visible by late May. They will look like 3 small strawberry leaves on a short stem. Remove some of the mulch if you don't see any sprouts, and replace the mulch layer once the seedlings emerge. The mulch will help keep the soil moist and weed-free. Keep the planting weeded and water regularly during the first growing season, but do not allow the soil to become soggy. Mature plants produce red berries in fall. The seeds from these berries will be dormant for 18-20 months and then germinate during the 2nd spring after ripening. Typically, a wild-simulated ginseng planting will be mature enough to begin harvesting roots after about 3 years. If properly maintained, these plantings will self-seed, regenerating the plant population for years to come.

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