TOPIC: How far south does it REALLY grow?

I live in the Ouachita Mountians in West Central Arkansas. I grew up out in the woods and don't recall ever coming across a ginseng plant. According to Scott Persons map, my area is included in the growing range but I am skeptical. Especially since I talked to a local root digger(he digs wild indigo...etc) and he said it is too hot here. My latitude is about the same as Huntsville, Alabama. Any body else have any experince this far south?

I have some buddies I hunt with in Fort Payne and Scottsboro AL and they have never found it or heard of anyone seeing it in their area. My ex brother in law lives just below Atlanta GA, is an outdoorsman as well and hasn't managed to find any. I also have some hog huntin buddies in Texarkana Arkansas and they had never even heard of it before. I would say somewhere between that line and TN is where it stops. TNhunter is the furthest South in TN i know of finding it. Im sure there are plenty spots for it to grow down there but I imagine slightly warmer temps has made it hard for it to naturally migrate. Just as the plains and Rocky Mountains hasn't let it move West. It's selective where it grows here in Northern TN (like a North or Eastern slope) but as you go even farther North it will then grow on Southern and Western slopes.

Hillhopper

I know a few guys who find it in Northern Alabama around Scottsboro. That's as far south as I know of. I wondered about the Ozarks in Arkansas if anyone could tell me?

Bought seed from these folks before. Did well with it.

ozarkmountainginseng.com/

Latt

This is good information. Thank you.

My first post here. I've been trying to find out if the ginseng grows in SC. Can it be grown and harvested there.. If so are there any dealers in that state. I've checked with the extension school at Clemson with no results. Thanks for the help. I haven't start my Ginseng adventure but I am looking forward to it.

All honesty if you are in the area the best thing to do is head up to Sumter National forest around the chattooga river, find a trail then dive off the trail and look for it to confirm its there. I know its not that easy but if I was a betting man I would say its in North Western SC in that area.


Only do this if you are an experienced woodsman though I don't want anybody to get hurt. Watch TN Hunters and Billy's videos on finding ginseng and being a good steward of the land. Obey the laws but use this time to scout it out.

Boani- Welcome to the forum!

I have been growing 'sang for about 15 years in the Yellville, AR area. It will grow much farther South than N. AR. Pretty much any place that it will get the required cold stratification period will provide for it to grow.

Get you some seed from Lindy (Ozark Mountain) as someone posted the link above and give it a try!

K

There's a good bit of wild ginseng here near Starkville, MS... Oktibbeha, Choctaw, and Winston Counties. We're pretty far down in Mississippi.