What are some tricks to finding american ginseng?

Question

I have looked and looked and can't find any in the woods. The woods have all the perfect growing conditions, in central new york. do you have to go really far into the woods to find it??

Answer 1

I used to find it regularly  when I was growing up in Iowa.... but that's probably because no one really searched for it.  I just knew what it was.... and walked right on passed it.  One friend of our family came once a year to search the forests around our house.... he used to come out with large bags full... and I'm sure he made good money for his time.  

I no longer live there but I think you hit it on the head with the last part of your question...

New York apparently exploits wild ginseng fairly heavily because of commercial sales.  So with lots of people searching it becomes necessary to go deeper and deeper into the forest to find areas suitable for ginseng growth which have not been repeatedly harvest.  I have never tried, but I understand it doesn't grow very well under cultivation.... much better in wild environments.  Sorry man.

Peace.

Sorry....

Answer 2

In new York American ginseng is classified as "Exploitably Vulnerable", so it might be the best to cultivate from seeds or buy some container plants for "home made" ginseng extract.

Or to use one of the standardized meds.

Nevertheless, here some links:

"The Status of American Ginseng Today " and a lot of details about the plant and results of research on occurring populations and re-introducing :

http://www.esf.edu/ResOrg/RooseveltWildl...

http://www.esf.edu/ResOrg/RooseveltWildl...

A distribution map and some characteristics:

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symb...

An image of the flowering plant and growing conditions:

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result....

About cultivation and more:

http://www.easywildflowers.com/quality/p...