Anyone have any [b] good [/b] pics of Ginseng , all the mag pics look like poison ivy //// I think my property is loaded with it.

Lots...

[url=http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off&q=ginseng&sa=N&tab=wi]Ginseng[/url]


ByteTheBullet (-:

I went through those pics some of them were different and claimed to be ginseng, it was no help, but thanks.

Maybe a whore-to-culture site? I don't know of any...sorry.[:\]


ByteTheBullet  (-:

[b]Here ya go![/b]

[img]http://www.drugs.indiana.edu/graphics/photographs/drugs/marijuana.jpg[/img]

I deleted the pictures of the 'sang that I dug but I will tell you what to look for. It does look just like poison oak but the serrations around the leaves are much finer. The stalk will be pulpy instead of woody. If you see a woody stalk dont even bother with touching it! Poison oak will turn yellow but gensing will turn golden about the end of July to early August. The berries will be green  untill about the same time then turn brilliant red just before the leaves turn.

The best place to search is the south side of a hill or the deepest shade in the woods. If you find it on a hillside, look both up and downhill from your initial find.

Look for the snakiest place there is and there will be gensing if it grows in that area.

Wear your deet. The ticks will be there too.

[img]http://www.catskillginseng.com/images/ginseng/ginseng20.jpg[/img]

Main thing to look for is the leaf pattern.  3 large leaves, and 2 smaller leaves on each "prong".  A new plant will be considered a seedling and will be a single prong.  As it ages over the years it gains prongs or, in other words, branches.  For Example, the pic above shows a 3 prong.  Each prong has it's own set of 5 leaves.  Occassionally, in a very mature plant (10 years), you will actually see a couple more small leaves for a total of 7.  This is rare, but I have dug plenty of them.  The vast majority of plants only reach 4 prongs at full maturity year after year.  I don't recall ever running across a 6 prong, but have dug a couple dozen 5 prongs.  Actually have a few 5's transplanted around the house.  They don't always come back every as a 5 either.  Some years, they will be 4 prongs, and other years they wil be 5 prongs.  I am also convinced that ginseng does not even come up every year.  

I spent several late summers into fall digging "sang".  It is great exercise climbing the mountains around here, and actually can be a nice payday if ya get lucky.  On my best day I found just over 3 pounds, green.  It normally dries out about 50% weight.  Last time I sold any it went for $350 a pound, dry.  I have an uncle who is retired who typically finds over $10,000 worth a year.  He does it every day during the season though.  He is tight lipped about where he goes too. It's odd, but nowadays some of the biggest patches are found near homes or roadside ditches.  While everyone else is 5 miles from the nearest dirt road looking up a dry holler, the next guy is a hundred yards from someones back door digging it as fast as he can put it in his poke.

Remember, never dig it all. Always leave enough for next year and the year after.  Also, replant the seeds after they turn red.  That will insure future generations of this "green gold"      

Cope  

That's it, thank you very much Cope, that was very informative and helpful.