The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Tree, Plant and Wood I.D. => Topic started by: weimedog on December 31, 2010, 04:00:18 PM

Title: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: weimedog on December 31, 2010, 04:00:18 PM
Have a section of my place where the conditions are wet, eastern slope, and full canopy of hardwood..there is Ginseng in this part of the world, wondering if I have some.
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: RynSmith on December 31, 2010, 04:46:24 PM
Only somewhat helpful but should get you started...

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PAQU

There's another pen and ink if you click on one of the plant guides.
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: Shotgun on December 31, 2010, 07:50:29 PM
Here's a picture of wild ginseng taken in the NW lower peninsula of Michigan.



(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10052/27/Ginseng_2.JPG)

Note the five leaflets.

Norm

P.S.: Jeff the photo posting with Java works well. I haven't posted a pic in a while, but did it intuitively. I didn't use the video. No problem.  Good job on the gallery, and thanks for making the video available.
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: SwampDonkey on December 31, 2010, 08:30:13 PM
We don't have it in NB, but they may have it in NS. Many have attempted to cultivate it here with no success and I don't here much about it these last few years. We have a lot of sarsaparilla and a few spikenard here which some people get mixed it. Spikenard gets huge with purple stems and clusters of red berries at the top. Nice plant, I've seen them 6 feet tall. The book of Solomon speaks of it, the one book you never here them preach from. ;D
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: beenthere on December 31, 2010, 08:42:12 PM
Norm
The power of positive thinking? :)

The leaflets of the ginseng look close to Virginia creeper. Neighbors say I have the ginseng in my woods, but I've not found any (or looked for any for that matter).
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: Shotgun on December 31, 2010, 09:01:37 PM
Quote from: beenthere on December 31, 2010, 08:42:12 PM
Norm
The power of positive thinking? :)


Yup, that must be it, bt.  I finally decided to see what all the roar was about.   ;)

Norm
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: RynSmith on December 31, 2010, 09:05:21 PM
At the risk of promoting "the competition" here's a good read: 

http://forestry.about.com/od/alternativeforest/ss/panax_ginseng.htm

Beenthere makes a good point - if you pull one plant and stuff moves 10 feet away, you have Virginia creeper  ;D

http://plants.usda.gov/java/nameSearch?keywordquery=Virginia+creeper&mode=comname
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: SwampDonkey on December 31, 2010, 09:11:10 PM
Creeper has naturalized around here, but again only where it's easy growing. In the natural woods it has no chance here. Those little black berries get eaten out by the telephone pole and the seed gets deposited under my white birch where there is a raised flower bed, no longer planted but growing new creeper. :D
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: weimedog on December 31, 2010, 10:11:22 PM
Quote from: Shotgun on December 31, 2010, 07:50:29 PM
Here's a picture of wild ginseng taken in the NW lower peninsula of Michigan.



(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10052/27/Ginseng_2.JPG)

Note the five leaflets.

Norm

P.S.: Jeff the photo posting with Java works well. I haven't posted a pic in a while, but did it intuitively. I didn't use the video. No problem.  Good job on the gallery, and thanks for making the video available.

Pic came out beautifully...thankyou!
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: WDH on December 31, 2010, 10:24:03 PM
It grows in y-shaped prongs.  The more prongs, the older the plant.
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: clww on January 31, 2011, 05:24:42 PM
Looks like $$$ to me!
We used to sell it for $100 per pound when I was in high school, at 50% profit after buying it from suppliers.
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: Raider Bill on January 31, 2011, 05:34:05 PM
I've got a bunch of those plants! Ginseng huh!!!!   I'm rich! I'm rich! smiley_flipping smiley_tom_tutnurhorn2 smiley_alcoholic_01
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: WDH on January 31, 2011, 07:50:24 PM
Raider,

What you probably have is virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia.  It is very very ginseng-like, but it is a vine and does not grow in prongs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthenocissus_quinquefolia

If not, then you will either be rich or if you keep it for yourself, you will be very robust, virile, and a dirty old man  :D.
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: SwampDonkey on January 31, 2011, 08:24:33 PM
I've seen a lot of creeper in NW Virginia climbing the oaks and sycamore, near openings like trails and roads.
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: Raider Bill on January 31, 2011, 08:28:00 PM
Quote from: WDH on January 31, 2011, 07:50:24 PM
Raider,

What you probably have is virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia.  It is very very ginseng-like, but it is a vine and does not grow in prongs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parthenocissus_quinquefolia

If not, then you will either be rich or if you keep it for yourself, you will be very robust, virile, and a dirty old man  :D.

Well looks like I'm keeping it. 8)
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: WDH on January 31, 2011, 08:36:38 PM
 :D :D :D :D.
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: bitternut on January 31, 2011, 09:05:16 PM
I find ginseng in my woods every year by looking for it at the end of August and the first week or so of September. At that time of year it has bright red berries and its pretty easy to find. I have never dug any of it. I just take the seeds and plant them in the area they are found. My hope is that maybe some will grow if I bury them in the duff before birds and the chipmunks find them. Not sure if I am doing the right thing to establish more ginseng but its a good excuse to walk around my woods.

Since I am west of you I would imagine any ginseng in your woods would be showing red berries at the same time period as my area. I suggest next labor day you take a walk through your woods looking for the bright red berries.
Title: Re: What does Ginseng look like?
Post by: SwampDonkey on January 31, 2011, 09:45:59 PM
Study the leaf in detail and the berries. There is also a red berry with a black dot and in clusters, are shiny. I doubt you would mix it up once you know the ginseng plant. But, this other plant harbours a deadly poison that can cause cardiac arrest from as few as six berries. It can be confused with sarsaparilla (false ginseng).  They call this red baneberry Actaea rubra. We also have it's white cousin up here to.

"The following illustrates a non-fatal case of experimental self-intoxication produced by the ingestion of fruit:

"At first there was a most extraordinary pyrotechnic display of blue objects of all sizes and tints, circular with irregular edges; as one became interested in the spots a heavy weight was lowered on the top of the head and remained there, while sharp pains shot through the temples.

Then suddenly the mind became confused and there was a total disability to recollect anything distinctly or arrange ideas with any coherency. On an attempt to talk, wrong names were given to objects, and although at the same time the mind knew mistakes were made in speech, the words seemed to utter themselves independently.

For a few minutes there was great dizziness, the body seeming to swing off into space, while the blue spots changed to dancing sparks of fire. The lips and throat became parched and the latter somewhat constricted; swallowing was rather difficult; there was intense burning in the stomach with gaseous eructations, followed by sharp colicky pains in the abdomen and also pain across the back over the kidneys. The pulse rose to 125, was irregular, wiry, tense; the heart fluttered most unpleasantly.

These symptoms lasted about an hour and were followed by a feeling of great weariness, but in three hours from the time of taking the dose all seemed to be again normal".

Bacon, A.E. An Experiment with the fruit of the [Actaea rubra] . Rhodora 5: 77(1903)