Large Four-Prong with 21 Leaflets

This month National Geographic has a feature on ginseng emphasizing violence and crime. While theft is an important challenge, the plant faces many other challenges as well.  I have written a “top twenty” list explaining 20 of my favorite ginseng factoids. Please read my story on medium here.

Ever since the kids and I found ginseng, we’ve been fascinated by it. Finding it, studying it, seeing shapes in the physical roots, and drinking it in tea. But we’re also worried about ginseng. For one thing, it gets stolen and too frequently the thieves don’t respect the “take” failing to plant the berries into…

Making sure that the plants identified are Ginseng by digging up a plant, tasting, and examining the root.

A Young Three Prong Shoots Up from Previous Plantings

Large four-prong Ginseng plant with new berries

Sam Lindemann researches in the field.