Blue Cohosh
Blue Cohosh growing within a ginseng patch.
Blue Cohosh growing within a ginseng patch.
A new approach to cultivating and growing ginseng could expand opportunities for farmers and landowners while discouraging poachers. The goal is to cultivate and grow new plants in Appalachian forest. Doing so can create additional value—Wild American Ginseng being a valuable botanical and an endangered plant. It makes sense to take advantage of Appalachian agriculture…
Maidenhead Ferns grow in similar environments to ginseng, and they have the coolest black stems.
The last Male Northern White Rhino died yesterday. Like rhinos, wild American Ginseng is protected by CITES (convention on international trade in endangered species). Male White Rhinos are now extinct. Is Ginseng next? Wild American Ginseng is the last truly wild root on the planet. It is considered an indicator species for the health of…
Wild American Ginseng Published in the Spring 2019 Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation by George Lindemann Toward the end of April 2018, the Chinese Government imposed a tariff on imported wild American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). This little known wild root has somehow gotten into the middle of a brewing American/ Chinese trade war. I am…
Ginseng has quite the reputation. Did you know that Rasputin used ginseng to treat the hemophilia of the last Czar of Russia’s son? Or that ginseng’s scientific name Panax means all-healing in Greek? Now researchers are looking at ginseng to treat COPD and boost cancer-treatment drugs. Wisconsin farmers who cultivate the plant are hopeful that…
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.