Description
Panax – Ginseng –
There are about 5-11 slow growing, herbaceous perennials in the Araliaceae family, in this genus. They occur in moist woodlands in the Northern Hemisphere in Eastern Asia and Eastern USA. They have aromatic, thickened or tuberous rootstocks which stems shoots up from annually, each bearing a single whorl of 3 mid or dull green palmate leaves, with 3-7 leaflets, and a single, terminal umbel of tiny, star shaped, greenish white flowers, followed by fleshy fruit. The roots of ginseng are much prized for their stimulative and restorative properties. It is suitable for growing in a herb garden, and as a groundcover in a woodland garden. Harvest the roots 6 years after sowing.
Grow in deep, fertile, humus rich, moist soil in light dappled or partial shade in a site with good air circulation.
Prone to rhizome rots, leaf blight, wilt and gray mold.
P. quinquefolius – American Ginseng – Sang – This perennial from Eastern North America grows 36″ tall and 24″ wide. From branching, carrot shaped, aromatic roots it produces long stalked, mid green leaves, to 1″ long, each with 3-7 ovate to obovate, narrowly pointed, coarsely toothed leaflets. In early summer, it bears star shaped, green white flowers, 3/8″ long, followed by bright red fruit.
