"The most revered medicinal plant in the world;" that's how Kim Derek Pritts describes ginseng in his new book, " Ginseng : How to Find, Grow and Use America's Forest Gold."
And with all that reverence comes a price - namely hundreds of dollars per pound of dried root. The state Bureau of Forestry maintains regulations that will hopefully ensure the future of this Pennsylvania native.
Harvesting wild ginseng isn't like picking raspberries. Since the valuable portion of a ginseng plant is the root, when it's harvested, that plant is gone forever. Each summer, though, the mature plant produces a cluster of berries, and the harvest season, Aug. 1 through Nov. 30, is set to coincide with the ripening of those berries.
The digger is limited to harvesting only mature plants, that is plants with at least three "prongs," or leaves, each having five leaflets. The ripe, red berries must be removed from the plant and planted in the immediate vicinity. These seeds may not be removed from the site, and diggers planning to cultivate their own plots at home must obtain commercially produced seed from a licensed dealer.
Harvesting plants prior to Aug. 1 is illegal and, even if the digger were to plant the seeds, will eventually eliminate ginseng from that site, since the seeds within the berries aren't mature enough to germinate before the berries are red. A digger caught with freshly dug plants before Aug. 1 is liable for fines of up to $100 per plant.
Although the season runs until Nov. 1, practically speaking, the digging season ends in early October when ginseng plants shed their leaves, says Kim. The long season is meant to include the root-drying period which takes about two weeks. Kim points out that bowhunting and ginseng go hand in hand,since hunters can easily scout for deer and ginseng at the same time during August and September. But whether or not you're satisfied to take a spike or a forkhorn buck, it's best to hold out for "trophy" ginseng , ssays Kimm. It takes wild ginseng at least eight years to reach harvestable size, and even then it's best to get a fix on the plant's location and give it a few more years to bulk up.
Properly dried, top quality wild ginseng can be worth $500 or more per pound, but you'll be digging about 350 plants to make up that pound if you settle for barely legal eight-year-olds.
On the other hand, you'll be digging only half that many plants if you hold out for 15-year-old plants growing in good soil. And be sure to plant those seeds near the parent plant. Kim says it takes at least seven seeds to eventually yield one mature plant.
There is no limit on the amount of ginseng you may harvest, but if you plan to dig the plants on state forest land you'll need a $5 permit obtainable at the state forest district office. Digging ginseng is not permitted in state parks or on state game lands.
No state permits are required to dig ginseng on private land, but the season applies, and always be sure to ask permission first. - J.H
- SOURCE: Sunday News Lancaster, PA1996.08.04
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