In 1784, the clipper ship Empress of China set sail for Canton (Guangzhou) loaded with more than thirty tons of American ginseng ( Panax quinquefolius). Photo by Helen Lowe Metzman Historic Roots of the American Ginseng Story Intern Shirly Chang and project co-curators Arlene Reiniger and Betty Belanus (left to right) inspect the American ginseng growing in the Green Farmacy Garden near Laurel, Maryland. By sharing traditional knowledge about the many wonders of American ginseng, we seek to increase education and conservation efforts for the “green gold” of the plant world. Through presenting our research about the personal experiences of the people who interact with American ginseng, we hope to stimulate greater respect for the plant. Conservation efforts-protection by government agencies, education on good stewardship, cultivation in forest settings, and research into accelerating its propagation-help ensure the survival of American ginseng for future generations. American ginseng, as you will learn from its practitioners and advocates, is highly prized in Asian traditional medicine, and is the most valuable botanical plant that grows in the forests of the Eastern United States and on Midwestern farms.ĭue to its high value and the degradation of its natural habitat, wild American ginseng faces many threats, from encroaching suburban sprawl and extraction industries to the environmental impact of climate change.
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