TOPIC: Is this ginseng?

Hi, I'm a newbie. I've been looking at every picture on the net and reading everything I can get my hands on. My sister and I walked all over her property in North Georgia, its in the Chatahoochee National Forest. Finally on the third day I found a plant I think is ginseng, the stems were green all way to ground unlike Virginia Creeper. The leaves looked right and there was three plants growing out of the same place, and each stem had three prongs so I dug out around it; no berries, we didn't see any berries, is anyone finding berries? Anyway, one of the smaller plants has the neck that looks like all the pictures but the one I dug up is big with a LOT of tendrels (or what ever you call 'em) but if doesn'thave the neck (that I can see anyway). It has a very distinct aromatic smell to it I've never smelled before, it's not over whelming but it's unique. I'm attaching some pictures but the leaves are wilted so their not much help.

Any advice on how to spot ginseng and seperate it from the imposters would be appreciated.

Thanks and here's hoping your season is prosperous.

Nact by the way you describe the smell it quite doen't soound like it is ginseng but i don't want to give you a definite answer without seeing a pic of what you are talking about,

Try and get those pics up and then we will be able to tell you for sure.

If you have some photos that would get it identified.

all my 3-leafer 'sang is purple stemmed. Hope you didn't dig posion ivy! Laughing..... just kidding....

I tried to upload a couple but got an error message that the file was was to large. I will try again.

I am trying to upload pics again. I hope it works this time.

Okay. I've resized and trying to upload again.

another pic. The stem was green with a purple hue to it. There's three plants with roots twined together

no, it aint sang. if its your first time it will be very very difficult to see them. it would be helpful if you went with a experienced digger and see it in real life enviroment, i still have hard time, especially in the green section where most grow. just take your time . i look for serration on the leaf edge

Hi,
Shot bush, Small Spikenard, Wild Liquorice, Rabbit Root, Wild Sarsaparilla are all names for what I think you have in the photo.

Thanks digdug. I wish I knew somebody thats experienced. I will just have to keep stumbling around and hope \"this blind squirrell finds an acorn\", so to speak.. Is there ANYTHING at all you can tell me besides \"look for red berries\" that will be a determining factor in narrowing it down?