TOPIC: The Man Root

Ok folks for years and years ive heard and I guess seen these supposed man roots my question is has anyone ever been paid for this because it was a man shaped root? Its kinda of a wired question I know but over 20 plus years of digging and 3 years of being a dealer working with several buyers I have never got an extra dime for such a root. Real or just folklore?

BS

never had chinese ask me for one

Never an extra dime either

I saw a Chinese photo of a root, in a red frame, with all the correct appendages, and as many hair roots as I've ever seen, about three years ago. It was of a Chinese auction, and the winning bid was something like 100,000 yen.

Having said this, I had no way of verifying it, or figuring out wether or not the auction was taking place in china . There were only oriental folks in the photo, and lots of Chinese writing in the pic.

I wish I could grow a few and then find out whether or not this was BS...

Whitjr,

There is a whole separate market for collectible roots. Unfortunately, they are not American Ginseng roots. I think they are Panax Ginseng roots. They are very old, have very long necks and are cultivated in a way that promotes advantageous roots coming from the neck all the way up. Those are the root 'hairs' of which you speak. I can't even find a picture of one on the net right now. But,the higher prized ones go for astronomical prices the equivalent (if memory serves) of over $1 million -not Yen.

The pictures I've seen form private collections are on cards/boards and framed and might be 30\" or taller with every root hair laid out in an orderly fashion and sown to the back.

I was in Malaysia a couple weeks ago and went to a herb shop. This went for about RM6800 which is about $1700. It was listed as American ginseng and they had 8-9 all boarded up about the same.

They had bin after bin of this stuff. Basically divide by 4 to get USD.