TOPIC: large root

Would like to know how old this ginseng plant might be and how much it might be worth. This is a monster!!! Largest root I have ever found. Any information on how to market this root would be greatly appreciated.

For age just count the neck rings--one per year. For value, cultivated ginseng isn't worth nearly as much as wild.

How much does that bad boy weigh? Nice root congrats

omg123,

Welcome to the Wildgrown forums! We hope you will stay with us and share many stories, more pics, experiences and knowledge of and about Ginseng!

The only way you can determine how many times the root has sent up a top is to count the neck scars on the neck. However, this will in no way determine the true age of the root as most Ginseng roots and especially older one's such as the one you found, have more than likely had to go dormant several or more times during their' lifetime. The dormancy (when the root does not send up a top) can last one year, 5 years, 10 years and even up to 20 years with some of the real old roots. The length of the dormancy depends upon what the plant and root suffered which caused it to go dormant and conditions in following years after it goes dormant. These can be due to natural disasters such droughts, fires or storms that down trees that provided it with enough shade to survive. It can also be due human intervention such as logging, construction or even sometimes, the transplanting of a root to a new location. Another problem in determining age of a root is whether the neck which includes the neck/growth scars is totally intact and has never suffered damage, it is not totally intact due to damage (mainly damage from rodents but sometimes disease) and/or it is the original neck (i.e. sometimes a root will grow a new neck or grow a new fork on the neck due to damage).

I would recommend keeping the root fresh, finding a Ginseng Dealer/Buyer that will get the root certified for you (probably at some cost), obtain a printout of the certification which shows where it was harvested, the Date and weight, then list the root on eBay for auction. Make sure to include really good pics of the root with the Auction Listing and a pic of the certification sheet. You can keep the root fresh by placing it in a bag with the root surrounded by Moss or Log Moss, kept moist and stored in the crisper drawer of your' refrigerator.

Note: I have copied and pasted your' pic of the root to my' PC, orientated the pic to the upright position and posted it below.


Frank

Beautiful root brother!! the information frank gave you is the best you will hear from anyone on the site as he is (extremely knowledgeable) same as myself. Now as far as marketing your root follow your state laws and to get the most money for your hard work try to sell that root to a reputable CHINESE dealer as us Caucasian dealers would all give you FAR less...many will not like this comment but the diggers are the ones doing the hard work and risk all the elements of the many dangers in the woods...if you let me know what state your in i will gladly set you up with the best person. Just so you know up north here we are paying 400-750 a pound green (fresh) for prime old root with long rhizomes (necks) down south the dealers are paying 190$ a pound, maybe and hopefully more by now? i am probably going to be kicked off the site for this information and if so always listen to the pertinent information frank gives as he is the wisest and most knowledgeable on the site!! study the laws closely and learn what the word export REALLY means. Say a northern dealer would have to have a dealers license IN YOUR STATE to purchase your roots...good luck and i wish you the best brother

Vermontshang wrote:

i am probably going to be kicked off the site for this information and if so always listen to the pertinent information frank gives as he is the wisest and most knowledgeable on the site!!

Vermontshang,

I appreciate the vote of confidence but I am truly not the wisest and most knowledgeable person on Wildgrown! I may know more than some and some know more than me but on these forums, I believe that we compliment each other in trying to provide folks with the best advice, information and help that we can.


Frank

Just when I was sure Vermontshang was working for Frank....

BCastle wrote:

Just when I was sure Vermontshang was working for Frank....

LOL!!

dude that's sweet! Congrats

that is one fine ginseng root nice