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Panax ginseng

Asian ginseng

Araliaceae

Northeastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and the Russian Far East

Attracts Pollinators

SunFull Shade – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 3–7

Overview

Panax ginseng is a herbaceous perennial 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) tall and 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) wide, growing from a fleshy branched taproot that reaches 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) long and 0.5-1 inch (1.3-2.5 cm) thick after several seasons. A single stem carries a whorl of 3-5 palmately compound leaves at its top, each divided into 5 toothed leaflets, the two lowest leaflets 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) long and the three upper ones 3-6 inches (7.5-15 cm). A solitary umbel of 15-30 greenish-white flowers, each about 0.1 inch (3 mm) across, rises on a stalk from the centre of the leaf whorl in June and July, followed by bright red drupes 0.3 inch (8 mm) across that ripen from August. Plants add one stem scar to the root neck each year, and the number of leaflets increases with age, from a single 3-leaflet leaf in the first season to the full whorl by year 4. The root reaches harvestable size in 4-6 years, and cultivation over that period demands 70-90 percent shade, cool soil, and control of root rot, which limits production to specialised growers. Seed requires 18-22 months of alternating warm and cold stratification before it germinates. Wild populations across the native range are severely depleted, and the species is listed on CITES Appendix II.

Native Range

Panax ginseng is native to northeastern China, the Korean Peninsula, and the Russian Far East, growing in the shaded understorey of mixed broadleaf and Korean pine forest on cool north-facing slopes. Wild plants are now rare across this range as a result of long-term collection, and populations in Russia are protected. Almost all material in trade comes from field cultivation in Jilin province, South Korea, and neighbouring regions rather than from wild collection.

Suggested Uses

Grown in forest-farmed beds and under shade cloth in USDA zones 3-7 at 6-8 inch (15-20 cm) spacing, and in woodland gardens as a shade understorey plant. The dried root has been used in Chinese and Korean traditional medicine for centuries and is sold whole, sliced, and as an extract; anyone taking prescribed medication should consult a physician before using it, as ginseng interacts with anticoagulants and some diabetes medicines. Red berries are eaten by woodland birds and are not part of the harvest.

How to Identify

A single unbranched stem topped by a whorl of 3-5 palmately compound leaves, each with 5 leaflets, separates Panax spp. from most woodland herbs of similar size. The two lowest leaflets on each leaf are markedly smaller than the upper three, giving each leaf an uneven outline. Flowers form one compact umbel of 15-30 greenish-white blooms held on a stalk from the centre of the whorl, and the fruit is a bright red drupe 0.3 inch (8 mm) across containing 2 seeds. P. ginseng is separated from the North American P. quinquefolius by its more sharply toothed leaflets and by geography, since the two do not overlap in the wild.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 2'

Width/Spread1' - 1'6"

Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Summer

Flowering runs from June to early July in the fourth or later season, lasting about 2-3 weeks. Plants under 3 years old produce no flower stalk. Fruit ripens from green to bright red between August and September and holds on the plant for 3-5 weeks before dropping. Foliage yellows and dies back by late September, leaving the site bare until shoots emerge in late April.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

Mid-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Shade SunPartial Shade

Requires 1-3 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 6.0(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

loam peat

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

4-6 years to harvestable root

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Growth requires 70-90 percent shade under a forest canopy or artificial shade cloth, with 1-3 hours of dappled light; direct midday sun scorches the leaflets within days. Soil should be a cool, humus-rich, free-draining forest loam at a pH of 5.0-6.0, with a 2-3 inch (5-7.5 cm) leaf litter mulch maintained year-round to hold soil temperature below 68F (20C) in summer. Watering to supply about 1 inch (2.5 cm) a week keeps the root growing without saturating the crown, and soil that stays wet brings Alternaria blight and Phytophthora root rot, the main causes of crop loss. Seed is sown 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) deep in autumn and takes 18-22 months to emerge, while stratified seed or 1-year-old roots planted in autumn shorten that wait. Plants are spaced 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) apart in beds and left undisturbed for 4-6 years until the root is lifted. Deer, rodents, and slugs browse the tops heavily, and unfenced plantings in deer country are commonly stripped before the plants reach flowering age.

Pruning

P. ginseng forms a single annual stem and needs no pruning. Growers producing roots remove the flower umbel in June once it appears, which redirects growth from seed production into the root and increases root weight over the season. Where seed is wanted, the umbel is left to ripen and the tops are cut at ground level after they yellow in autumn. Dead foliage is cleared from the bed each autumn, since it carries Alternaria spores into the following season.

Pruning Schedule

summerfall