Panax quinquefolius

[Sidevalve45]

Hello,
Does anyone know what this is without looking it up?

Sidevalve45

 

[curious kat]

Razz-berry?

I looked at the pic closer...I'm wrong

 

[old digger]

Ginseng.

 

[tamrock]

Heck I don't know?...Could it be poison ivy??

 

[Sidevalve45]

Ginseng.

Yup! About fifteen years ago I dug some wild ginseng to sell and I got three hundred dollars for one pound of dried roots. In order to keep from depleting the resource the buyer was giving sellers an ounce of seed to replant. This plant and quite a few others are the result of planting those seeds. Each year in august I collect the seeds and replant them too. Each berry has two seeds typically but sometimes three.

Thanks,
Sidevalve45

 

[SyrocoKid]

How cool is that! Anything from the ground can be a treasure!

 

[old digger]

Is there still a demand for it? I believe it takes several years before the roots are ready for harvest.

 

[Sidevalve45]

Is there still a demand for it? I believe it takes several years before the roots are ready for harvest.

Yes demand is still high. I heard the current price is around $400.00 per pound of dried wild roots but I don't know that for a fact. In Wisconsin the law says the plant must have at least three prongs or leafing stems and a fruiting stalk to be legal to dig. I'm unsure how many years it takes to that point but I'd guess five years or more.

Thanks,
Sidevalve45

 

[Rob in KS]

I recognized the botanical name. I figured you lived in the north. There isn't any around here... I looked
Poison Ivy has 3 leaves LOL

Leaves 3, let it be
Berries white, poisonous sight