NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details
Panax quinquefolius
Ginseng, American Ginseng, "Sang"
Scientific Name: |
Panax quinquefolius |
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Genus: |
Panax |
Species Epithet: |
quinquefolius |
Common Name: |
Ginseng, American Ginseng, "Sang" |
Plant Type |
Herb/Wildflower |
Life Cycle |
Perennial |
Plant Family |
Araliaceae (Ginseng Family) |
Native/Alien: |
NC Native |
Size: |
1-3 ft. |
Bloom Color(s): |
White |
Light: |
Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day, Less than 2 hours of sun per day |
Soil Moisture: |
Moist |
Bloom Time: |
May, June |
Growing Area: |
Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plain |
Habitat Description: |
“Cove forests, mesic hardwood forests, generally in nutrient-rich forests though tending to avoid the richest coves” (Weakley 2015). Uncommon in NC Mountains and Piedmont; rare in Coastal Plain. |
Leaf Arrangement: |
Basal |
Leaf Retention: |
Deciduous |
Leaf Type: |
Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like |
Leaf Form: |
Compound |
Life Cycle: |
Perennial |
Wildlife Value: |
Has some wildlife value |
Landscape Value: |
Suitable for home landscapes |
State Rank: |
S3: Vulnerable, S4: Apparently secure (*Key) |
Global Rank: |
G3 - Vulnerable, G4 - Apparently Secure (*Key) |
State Status: |
W1: Watch List: Rare but Relatively Secure, Exploited (*Key) |
Notes: |
"P. quinquefolius is gathered in quantity throughout its range for the herbal trade; most of the North American harvest is shipped to China, where it is prized for medicinal uses. Dried roots command prices in excess of $500 per kilogram; in our area, "sang" is a multimillion dollar industry. Formerly abundant and occurring in large populations, P. quinquefolius has been reduced in most of its range to small populations of scattered individuals, a classic example of a "predator-prey" relationship. Collection and trade in ginseng is monitored and regulated in most states. In NC, it is illegal for ginseng dealers to buy ginseng from collectors before September; this allows the plants to mature fruits prior to collection." Weakley 2015 |
Tom Harville Taken from above, you see the classic 5 leaflet shape. |
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Martha Baskin I've heard that the more rings you can see on the root, the older it is and more prized. |
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Tom Harville |
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Tom Harville |
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Links: |
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