TOPIC: Sharing my Ginseng

Hello!
I was given a lovely Ginseng plant by a coworker and have been enjoying its leaves in salads. It has grown enough now that I need to re-pot it (I live in an urban area where planting outdoors is next to impossible). I'm wondering if there is a best practice for growing Ginseng in a pot, and when I do re-pot, how (if possible) can I take a cutting from the roots for another friend who lives in a rural area to grow? I know that I'll need to plant the cutting in moss at a 45 degree angle for him to keep in the 'fridge, but I'm not sure how much root, and what part of the root he will need. Any insight would be helpful! Thank you so much for your generous help!
-K

Katrina,
I do not think you are talking about ginseng.
Latt

Katrina,

I tend to agree with Latt - seems you may have something other than a wild ginseng plant.

Below is a pic of a wild ginesng plant with root dug up and shown.



While it is possible for ginseng to re-produce by vegetative propigation (dividing the root) I would not really advise that.

If you did cut off the lower part of the root, it would probably take it a year or more to develop a bud spur and send up it's own top.

You would be better off getting a new complete root for your friend.

It would also be difficult (but perhaps not impossible) to grow ginseng in a pot (indoors).

If you can provide a pic of what you have, perhaps we can figure out what you have.

TNhunter

Thanks guys! As I kept researching, I did start to notice that my plant looks nothing like the ones pictured. At first I just assumed that I had some other type of Ginseng, but now I have no idea. It was given to me by the woman who owns my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, but her english isn't so good, and she insists that it is Ginseng.

So, now after several hours of looking at plants online, I still have no clue what it is - all I know is that the leaves are tasty and since I'm not dead, edible (sort of like baby spinach). In the second image, you can see little flower buds forming, they blossom into teensy tiny bright pink flowers with 5 petals.
Any idea what I've got here? Thanks for your help!

Looks like something in the brassica family, mustard, kale, turnip, etc.,but I don't think it's one of those three. Most brassica are good eaing.

I am not sure what it is. All I know is this. I would stop eating it if I did not know what is was and it was given to me by a person that does not know what it is.
Latt

This is probably a ginseng ficus. There are many different kinds. I would also have to agree I would not eat it anymore. U have no clue what it might do to u in the long run. Some plant are poisonous but don't do any damage unless eaten for a pieriod of time.

I agree


Latt wrote:

I am not sure what it is. All I know is this. I would stop eating it if I did not know what is was and it was given to me by a person that does not know what it is.
Latt