• • • • • • • wild AmericanginsengintheStateof wild Nolicense is required todigwildginseng Theharvest seasonforwild ginsengin Ohiorequires thatallharvestedplants AnOhioGinseng Dealer’s Registration Harvest ofginseng isprohibited onall TheOhio Dept. ofNatural Resources, Apermitisrequired tocollect ginseng in Important informationforharvesting records bycounty andcollection date. harvest, andtokeep accurate harvest required tohavewrittenpermission to on privateland inOhio,but diggersare sold from September 16toMarch31. September 1,anddried ginseng maybe Fresh ginseng maybesold beginning on Ohio isSeptember 1toDecember 31. collected. planted atthe place where the plantwas have atleast 3 prongs, and thatseeds be state laws. must beinformed ofandcomply withall resale or export fromthe state.Dealers Permit isrequired tobuyginseng for state-owned lands inOhio. contacted by calling (614) 265-6300, or: ginseng coordinator. This office can be Division ofWildlife, serves asthestate’s the Forest’s offices forinformation: offices the Forest’s Wayne National Forest. Contact anyof but doesnotreplace theactual laws thatgovern the harvest andsaleof ginseng.you Makesure The information hereisbelieved tobe accurate know and follow allstatelaws andregulations 2045 Morse Road, Building G Nelsonville: (740)753-0101 Marietta: (740) 373-9055 Ohio Division ofWildlife Pedro: (740) 534-6500 Columbus, OH43229 Ginseng Coordinator where ginseng. you harvest Ohio

------fold here ------

† † † † † When harvestingwildAmerican ginseng, (740) 742-4401 (740) 742-4401 Plant seeds under ¾to1inch ofsoil.

Leave some mature plants forthefuture. Dig onlyplants withredfruit. Harvest onlymature (3- and 4-prong) plants http://www.ahpa.org/GinsengBrochures make sureyoufollowall of thesegood that areatleast 5yearsold. Get permission toharvest. To print additional copies, download from: G (301) 588-1171 (301) 588-1171 Information Provided By OOD www.unitedplantsavers.org stewardship practices: S TEWARDSHIP ♦ (800) 358-2104 (800) 358-2104

© July 2006. May be reprinted with attribution. attribution. with May reprinted be July 2006. © www.rootsofappalachia.org ♦

[email protected] C HECKLIST

------foldfold here here------longstanding American tradition. American ginseng, and preserving a protecting a sustainable future for wild guidelines, you arecontributingtoand and of its habitat. Byfollowing these ginseng toact as stewards of the plant people American collectwild who brochure are provided toencourage The harvest practices presented in this For specific export requirements see not detrimental to the survival ofthespecies. harvested inamanner that isboth legal and must ensure that exported ginseng is wild the U.S. Fish& Wildlife Service (FWS). FWS which requires its export tobe regulated by Flora),Fauna ofEndangered and Wild Species CITES (Convention onInternational Trade in international1975 undertreaty an known as American ginseng has been protected since Americanwild ginsengeveryyear. buycountries, morethan30which tonsof biggest market has always been inAsian the beginning of the 18th Century. The continuouslyin international commerce since American ginseng roots have beentraded bright red.Plantsdieback inthefall. inmid-summer,green fruit matureto which produce flowers smallgreenish-yellow and and Canada. Plantscome upinearly spring, ofmountain areas the States Eastern Unites plant that grows in throughoutwoodlands the American ginseng isa long-livedperennial http://www.fws.gov/internatio G ( Panax quinquefolius OOD nal/animals/ginindx.html H A ARVESTING OF ARVESTING S MERICAN G TEWARDSHIP

INSENG W : ILD

.

OHIO )

Stewardship Harvesting of Wild American Ginseng

There are a number of harvest practices that must be followed for a collector to be a ginseng steward:

GET PERMISSION TO HARVEST HARVEST ONLY IN THE Whether you are on private or public land, always HARVEST SEASON get permission before digging ginseng. Some The harvest season for wild National Forests and state-owned lands will allow ginseng varies by state. Make harvest of ginseng but require you to obtain a sure you know the legal state permit. Harvest is not allowed in any National harvest season where you dig Park. ginseng, and always comply When digging on public land, always obtain with the state rules. required permits and comply with all rules. When Never harvest plants before the digging on private property, get the permission of fruit is ripe (red). This is a the landowner or his/her agent. Also, report any requirement in most states, signs of property damage, habitat loss, or and is an essential good trespassing to the landowner. stewardship practice.

RESPECT AMERICAN GINSENG’S LIFE CYCLE PLANT RIPE FRUIT!!! American ginseng’s life cycle, as shown, illustrates Experienced harvesters know the life stages of the plant. Seedlings have only 1 to plant ginseng’s red berries prong (leaf), which usually has 3 leaflets. The next as they dig the roots. This phase has 2 prongs, with 3 or 5 leaflets on each. stewardship practice may Mature plants have 3 or 4 prongs, each with 5 explain why ginseng is still in leaflets. the woods after three centuries Researchers have estimated that each ginseng of digging. plant in the wild needs to produce over 30 seeds The best practice is to plant the to replace each plant harvested. Never harvest red berries under ¾ to 1 inch of Drawing from: WS Persons and JM Davis. Growing & Marketing Ginseng, seedling (1-prong) or juvenile (2-prong) plants, or soil. Researchers have found Goldenseal & Other Woodland Medicinals. Bright Mountain Books, plants that are less than 5 years old with at least 4 that planting the ripe seeds at this depth can 206 Riva Ridge/Fairview NC 28730. ©2005. Used with permission. “bud scars” on the “neck” at the top of the root. produce up to 8 times more seedlings! Roots from younger plants are not allowed to be OTHER STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES exported and many ginseng buyers won’t buy PROTECT AMERICAN GINSENG’S HABITAT Every ginseng steward should be aware of a few these small roots, so it’s best to leave these plants Stewards of wild ginseng must care for the other practices: in the ground for future harvests. plants, as well as its native habitat. • After you dig some of the mature plants in a ginseng patch, and have planted all of the red DIG SOME, LEAVE SOME Be aware of land-use and zoning activities in your ripe seeds, break the stems off of any Good stewardship requires diggers to leave community and join with local organizations to remaining plants so that others don’t take more enough plants so that populations continue to be make your voice heard. Though landowners’ plants from the same population. healthy and plentiful. Always leave some mature property rights should be respected, make sure • Think about planting your own woodland plants in every ginseng patch where you dig. they are aware of the value of ginseng and other ginseng patch with local native seeds so that non-timber plants on their land. even more ginseng is produced for the future.