Ginseng FAQ: What it is, where it’s grown, uses & commercial value
Posted May 6, 2015 2:52 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Information compiled by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Ontario government
What is ginseng?
Ginseng, scientifically known as Panax quinquefolius L., is a slow-growing perennial plant with fleshy roots. There are 11 species in total, including American ginseng and Asian ginseng.
What does it look like?
The herb has a long stalk and green oval-shaped leaves, with a tan-coloured and forked-shaped root.
The name ginseng is derived from the Chinese ren-shen, which is translated as “man-shaped root” due to its resemblance to the human form, the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says on its website.
What is American ginseng?
According to a provincial website, American Ginseng resembles a gnarly parsnip, and each plant leaf has five leaflets. The plants can grow up to 60 centimetres tall featuring bright-red berries.
What’s the value of American ginseng?
According to the province of Ontario, American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is endangered, which means it lives in the wild in Ontario but is facing “imminent extinction.”
In 1988, it was listed as “threatened” by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said on its website.
What is the commercial value of ginseng?
According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, dried wild ginseng roots from Canada have sold for around $200 a kilogram, while cultivated roots sold for $50.00.
Canada’s production of ginseng is also on the rise, with around three-quarters shipped to Hong Kong.
Where is American ginseng grown?
American ginseng grows in moist and mature woods, and is found in southern Ontario and southwestern Quebec.
What is ginseng used for?
Ginseng has been used in Asian medicine for around 5,000 years and traditionally has been used as preventative medicine and to help treat several medical conditions.
In Western countries, it is viewed as an aphrodisiac, believed to slow down the aging process, lower blood pressure and provide energy. Elsewhere, it is also believed to improve digestion and relieve fatigue.
What the side effects of ginseng?
Some of the side effects include insomnia, tummy upset, headache, itching and increased heartbeat.
According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the potential for adverse reactions is very low, but research suggests those with hay fever, asthma, emphysema, cardiac or blood clotting problems, and women who are pregnant, should limit consumption.
