TOPIC: Dwarf Ginseng: The little, little noticed Ginseng

I wonder if this plant was cultivated by the Native American Indians living near and along the Lower Cheat River in West Virginia!!?? As I previously stated, during Spring Turkey (Gobbler) Hunts, I found these little plants growing all over some of the ridges, wooded hollows and some wooded valleys not far from the Lower Cheat River. If they were cultivated by the Native American Indians in this area, this would explain the plants abundance where I hunted. I have literally sat in patches of these plants that numbered in the thousands (no kidding) and these patches were everywhere in this area. I can still remember the first time I saw them! I was setup just inside the woods above a small clearing with grass, waiting for the big Gobbler across the creek to come to my calling. Little did I know at the time, that Gobblers don't like to get their' feet wet and since thay don't like to fly once they have flown down off the roost, I was unable to coax the big boy across the creek to my position. It took me three years and a lot of strategizing to finally bag the 22 pound old bird which had two 10 3/4 inch beards.


Frank

Interesting. I've never looked for it. Maybe I should just for giggles!

BCastle wrote:

Interesting. I've never looked for it. Maybe I should just for giggles!

You may have to smoke the leaves or roots for that! LOL!!


Frank

Ittiz wrote:

They seemed to be associated with this other little plant a lot. They seemed to like growing around roots of trees in damp peaty areas as well. Although it seems leaf cover inhibits them, but ferns don't to my surprise.

A note about the companion plant to the dwarf ginseng I pointed out here. I did a huge amount of digging and found out it's called Threeleaf Goldthread (named after it's golden threadlike roots) and it worth money in it's own right because it has exactly the same medicinal properties as Goldenseal and is often used in it's place.

Ittiz wrote:

A note about the companion plant to the dwarf ginseng I pointed out here. I did a huge amount of digging and found out it's called Threeleaf Goldthread (named after it's golden threadlike roots) and it worth money in it's own right because it has exactly the same medicinal properties as Goldenseal and is often used in it's place.

I could be wrong but I don't believe that the Threeleaf Goldthread (Coptis trifolia) plant is the same as the true Dwarf Ginseng and the subject of this thread! As you and the information on this plant (Coptis trifolia) states, it is named after it's golden threadlike roots. Well, the Dwarf Ginseng has a small but very bulbous root which is not at all threadlike!


Frank

Maybe you should reread what I wrote, I was talking about the companion plant to dwarf ginseng. The little thing with the shiny leaves in the picture.

Ittiz wrote:

Maybe you should reread what I wrote, I was talking about the companion plant to dwarf ginseng. The little thing with the shiny leaves in the picture.

Sorry! Too much talk about companion plants!


Frank

Ittiz wrote:

They are Ginseng, just the other of the two species that grow in North America. There haven't been many studies (only two I found) that look at Dwarf Ginseng and their results differ. Though both seem to show less gensenoids than American Ginseng. They were used my the native americans medicinally and from what I've heard they have a better taste than other ginsengs. I think it's the root shape that really turns the Chinese off.

Yeah but if you could find a Dwarf Ginseng root in the shape of a Man with a big set of those bulbs between it's legs, some Chinese would probably give their' set to obtain it! LOL!!!!


Frank

Test

It's a bit late in the year for it. Maybe someone up in Maine or Canada could find some. The tops are all gone in my area.