Ginseng intern Luke Mitchem explains the history of American Ginseng and delves into its lesser-known connection to the Ozarks. This was the inspiration for his original song about American Ginseng, Two Winters, found here: https://soundcloud.com/lukemitchem/two-winters-demo

1. A M E R I C A N
G I N S E N G

2. American ginseng is an herb plant that has one of
the longest germinating periods known, taking
nearly two years to sprout.
The first year, it squeezes out a grand total of three
leaves, only to die back again in fall, leaving just a
small root with a bud on top that will send up a new
plant the next spring. (Johannsen 2006, 6)
Ginseng is highly coveted for its medicinal
properties, especially in China.
What is
American
Ginseng?

3. $550-$800
PER POUND IN
2018
$5.38
PER POUND IN
1901
What is the historical value of American
Ginseng?

4. Where does ginseng
grow in America? (Part
One)IN THE UNITED STATES, THE MOST HOSPITABLE
ENVIRONMENTS FOR WILD GINSENG ARE IN THE
APPLACHIAN MOUNTAIN CHAIN AND THE OZARK
REGION THAT ENCOMPASSES PARTS OF MISSOURI
AND ARKANSAS.
WILD GINSENG THRIVES IN COOL, DARK, DAMP
CONDITIONS IN WHICH IT CAN GERMINATE
WITHOUT INTERFERENCE FROM OTHER FLORA
AND FAUNA.
*The following slides focus on research results found in
the Ozark region.*

5. W h e r e d o e s g i n s e n g g r o w i n
A m e r i c a ? ( P a r t Tw o )

8. Ginseng in
May
Ginseng in October
Drawings Courtesy of
Madison Woods

9. G i n s e n g N e w s f r o m t h e
A r c h i v e s
Photos courtesy of the State Historical Society of Missouri Online
Archives

10. Courtesy of theMissouri Digital
HeritageArchives
Newspaper excerpt from the
Liberty Tribune(Missouri)
- 1859-

12. Ozark Map courtesty of the Ozark Studies Institute
of Missouri State University (Springfield, MO)
Where are the
Ozarks?

13. W i l d G i n s e n g f r o m M i s s o u r i
Photos courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation

14. Ginseng Harvest Data
Arkansas

16. "There’s magic in the plants of
these Ozark hills... The miracle of
herbal remedies has been a
tradition in the Ozarks for ages
past and the practice is still going
strong."
STEPHEN MEEK, MAGIC OF THE HILLFOLK HERBALISM

17. Ginseng and Ozark Folk
Belief
Vance Randolph,
Folklorist

18. Ginseng as
'Medicine'
Ginseng has been used as an antioxidant to help
alleviate inflammation, stimulate brain function, boost
the immune system, and increase energy levels.
It has been used to create tinctures, tonics, a bitters
formula, and as a tisane, a tea used for medicine.
The state of Missouri classifies ginseng as a specialty
crop as well as medicinal herb.

19. "I just feel more like an advocate for the plant and
hope to establish a channel of communication for
all ends of the world surrounding this plant. A sort
of neutral ground where anyone interested in it
can come to learn more, and hopefully take away
a respect for how fragile the environment where it
grows wild is." - Madison Woods, Wild Ozarks
Ginseng Advocacy

20. Ginseng in
May
Ginseng in
October
Drawings Courtesy of
Madison Woods

21. "For me, it’s not about teaching someone what the plant looks like so
they can go out and dig it in the wild. It’s about teaching them what it
takes for a plant to live long enough to become that kind of value to
anyone. How the environment it lives in is crucial to the long-term
survival of all of them, and how to recognize such environments so that
they can be better protected. Until the environments themselves become
worth protecting, it’s going to be hard to ensure long-term conservation
of the plant..." - Madison Woods, Wild Ozarks