Ginseng
Panax ginseng C.A.Mey.
Botanical family: Araliaceae
A perennial of the cool forests of Korea and China, whose fleshy root is the most famous reputed adaptogen of Asia ('root of life'). It needs several years of cultivation in the shade. To be distinguished from American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and eleuthero ('Siberian ginseng'), botanically different.
Shade to partial shade
Rich, humus-rich, cool and well-drained (woodland)
Regular: soil kept moist, without excess water, which damages the root
Hardy (but slow and demanding)
Overwinters in your zone
Role in permaculture
A woodland perennial of Asia, an emblematic, reputedly adaptogenic root. A long, shaded cultivation (several years); the wild species is overexploited.
Companions
No companion planting is documented for this plant: no recommended neighbour, no neighbour to avoid.
Seasons & availability
Root lifted in autumn, from plants several years old.
Available: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- Plants For A Future, « Panax ginseng » (pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Panax+ginseng)
- Kim D. et al. (2018), « Seasonal Variation and Possible Biosynthetic Pathway of Ginsenosides in Korean Ginseng Panax ginseng Meyer », Molecules 23 (7), 1824, doi 10.3390/molecules23071824
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
May be stimulating (avoid in the evening, caution in case of hypertension); possible interactions (warfarin-type anticoagulants, antidiabetics); not advised during pregnancy; short courses; favour cultivated sources.
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Species
Voices of peoples
Paraphrases attributed to their documented sources. Never an invented quote.
Chinese materia medica attributed to Shennong (the Divine Farmer) · China, a Han-era compilation (1st–2nd century), placed under the patronage of the mythical Shennong
The Classic of the Materia Medica of the Divine Farmer (Shennong bencaojing) ranks ginseng in the 'superior' class (shangpin 上品), that of plants reputed non-harmful, fit to support the spirit and to be taken over a long time. Its name, renshen 人參 ('man-root'), refers to the anthropomorphic shape of the root, a trait attested by the name itself. On the other hand, the folklore of a root endowed with a soul, or that is said to cry out when pulled up, belongs to a later popular elaboration.
Shennong bencaojing 神農本草經 (Classique de la matière médicale du Laboureur divin), classe supérieure (shangpin 上品) ; ouvrage compilé sous les Han (Ier–IIe siècle) et attribué au légendaire Shennong ; Wikipédia, article « Shennong Bencaojing » (ginseng en classe supérieure).
'Shennong' is a mythical figure: the work is a Han-era compilation, not the work of a historical author. The ancient ranking in the 'superior' class does not amount to a modern medical validation and is not to be read as a health claim.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers shade to partial shade exposure.
- • Ideal soil: rich, humus-rich, cool and well-drained (woodland).