| American Ginseng (𝘗𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘹 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘶𝘴) American Ginseng is a slow growing perennial with a long story to tell. As early as 1716, a lucrative market saw thousands of tons of the root dug up and exported as a medicinal herb. Overharvesting has led to the decline of the plant throughout its range, and it is now highly regulated. Habitat loss and the introduction of invasive species (such as earthworms and wild pigs that disturb the soil, or garlic mustard that outcompetes it) have also made this plant rare to encounter in the wild. |
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| Thankfully, this story has its good parts too. Organizations such as Rural Action in SE Ohio are working to restore populations of native plants such as American Ginseng. By educating the public and reintroducing the plants to their native range, they hope to preserve rare plants like this well into the future. Scioto Gardens has been raising our seed-grown Ginseng for three years, and many are now ready to find their new homes in your landscapes. They prefer part-shade to shade in moist, rich soil. Once they are mature enough, they’ll sport umbels of tiny greenish-white flowers that will produce clusters of red fruit. |
May 2024 Newsletter
