Types of Ginseng

There are three main species of ginseng. Oriental ginseng (panax ginseng) is grown in both China and Korea. In Korea it is called red panax. During the processing it turns red. White Oriental ginseng occurs because the root is allowed to dry naturally. Siberian ginseng (eleutherococcus stenticocus) is a distant cousin to panax ginseng. It is also known as the santa root and is native to East Asia, China, Japan, and Russia. American ginseng is a member of the ivy family and grew wild. It takes the root approximately five years to reach harvesting maturity.

Each type of ginseng possesses different qualities and healing properties. We will cover each type and its healing uses as this series continues.

A Series on Ginseng

Ginseng is the most widely used and most respected herb in the Orient. It is a short, perennial plant that grows on the slopes of ravines and shady, well drained mountainous hardwood forests.  It has five compound leaves on a single stalk with a gray bloom that turns into a cluster of crimson fruit from which the ginseng seed is extracted. The Chinese have been using the ginseng root for over 5000 years. The name means "Man Plant". Its' botanical name is Panax derived from the Greek for All Healing or Cure All. There is a variety of ginseng native to the North Americans continent that was used by the native peoples for healing. In this series we will cover the properties of ginseng.