Description
North American perennial is a valuable ages old medicinal herb used by many cultures. Mature plants bear up to three large palmate leaves evenly divided from a single main stem. A white flower umbel is nestled between the leaf stems. By August, red berries are ready to harvest with two seeds borne in each. Roots become medicinal grade in 5-7 years. Flowers in 2-4 years. Fitting 1/2 inch hardware screen over the pot will help thwart rodents. We prefer unused coffee grounds as the caffeine is effective in controlling slugs. Ginseng translates as ‘Man-Root’ aptly named after the human-like shape of mature roots. Hates cedars & deep shade
- Seed Count: 40-50 (pkt)
- Collection Date: Aug 2022
- Hardiness Zone: 4-9
- Height and Width 45cm x 45cm
- Habitat: Dappled to bright shade. Good fertile humus rich well draining moisture retentive soil.
- Germination test type: float/visual
- Family: Araliacea
How to germinate Panax quinquefolius seed:
Stratifying seed. Keep moist. Never let seed dry out. Sow in the fall or keep in cold stratification until the spring. Check seed often as it will germinate in the fridge. Sow 2 cm deep in a humus enriched soil with mineral fertilizers. Mulch. Don’t let stratified seed freeze. Transplants well. Can be grown in one gallon pots (3 plants/pot) for two years before planting out to a permanent bed. Use the same soil type you would use for roses, peonies, and Japanese maples; deep, fertile, and loamy. Protect from slugs, rodents and wandering neighbours. Roots don’t attain quality medicinal grade until at least 5-7 years old but its well worth the wait considering that you’ve been saving your own seed and expanding your patch since they first bloomed at 3-4 years old. Plants get bigger with age. Very long lived perennial (100 years).
This information is included with our seed packets at Seedy Saturdays/Sunday. By that time the 18 month cold stratification cycle will be complete. It reads: 18 months stratification period complete. Sow thinly in deep nursery pots of fertile humus rich soil. Keep moist; if seed/seedling dry out, it is fatal. Granular fertilizer burns young plants. Habitat: semi sun to dappled shade; mimic open woodland setting; good fertile humus rich well draining moisture retentive soil. Loves leaf mould mulch. Protect from varmits & thieves. Roots take on a man like form over the years. Medicinal grade in 5-7 years. Flowers in 2-4 years. Hates conifers & deep shade. Fitting 1” hardware screen to the pot will help thwart rodents. Caffeine in unused coffee grounds kills slugs.
