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Panax quinquefolius L.

American ginseng (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Apiales > Araliaceae > Panax

Characteristics

Herbs, perennial, 20-50 cm tall. Rootstock spindle-shaped. Leaves palmately compound; bases of petiole and petiolules with numerous lanceolate, stipulelike appendages; leaflets oblong-obovate, 8-14 × (2-)2.5-8 cm, membranous, sparsely setose on veins or glabrous adaxially, margin coarsely serrate or dentate, apex abruptly or boldly acuminate. Inflorescence a solitary, terminal umbel 6-20-flowered; peduncle not exceeding petioles. Ovary 2-carpellate; styles 2. Fruit bright red, ca. 1.2 cm in diam. 2n = 48*.
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Root elongate, fusiform; stem solitary, 2–6 dm, with 1–4(5) lvs; lfls (3)5(7), oblong-obovate to obovate, 6–15 cm, acuminate, conspicuously serrate, on long petiolules; peduncle 1–12 cm; fls greenish-white, all or mostly perfect; styles usually 2; fr bright red, 1 cm thick; 2n=44, 48. Rich woods; Que. to Minn. and S.D., s. to Ga., La., and Okla., now rare. June, July. Some individuals in some populations have fls with only one style, locule, and seed.
A perennial herb. It grows up to 30 cm high. It spreads to 50 cm across. It has an aromatic branched rootstock. The leaves have short stalks. The leaves are divided into 3-7 leaflets that have teeth along the edge. The leaflets can be 15 cm long. The flowers are small and green-white. The fruit are red berries.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 0.5
Mature height (meter) 0.3
Root system fibrous-root tap-root
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

It is a temperate plant. It requires a deep moist humus rich soil. It should be in a shady position. It needs a well-drained slightly acid soil. It suits hardiness zone 3-9.
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Rich cool woods, often in deep shade.
Light 2-6
Soil humidity 4-7
Soil texture 1-6
Soil acidity 3-7
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 4-7

Usage

A tea is made from the leaves and roots. The root is candied and chewed. The root is steamed for 4 hours over boiling water before drying and packing.
Uses food material medicinal tea
Edible leaves roots
Therapeutic use Gynecological Aid (pod), Anticonvulsive (root), Expectorant (root), Gastrointestinal Aid (root), Other (root), Tonic (root), Pulmonary Aid (root), Panacea (root), Antiemetic (root), Antirheumatic (Internal) (root), Anthelmintic (root), Blood Medicine (root), Dermatological Aid (root), Dietary Aid (root), Ear Medicine (root), Eye Medicine (root), Febrifuge (root), Liver Aid (root), Misc. Disease Remedy (root), Pediatric Aid (root), Respiratory Aid (root), Tuberculosis Remedy (root), Hunting Medicine (root), Love Medicine (root), Reproductive Aid (root), Adjuvant (root), Antirheumatic (External) (root), Gynecological Aid (seed), Tuberculosis Remedy (tuber), Analgesic (unspecified), Gynecological Aid (unspecified), Oral Aid (unspecified), Dermatological Aid (unspecified), Diaphoretic (unspecified), Febrifuge (unspecified), Hemostat (unspecified), Unspecified (unspecified), Stimulant (unspecified), Tonic (unspecified), Venereal Aid (unspecified), Psychological Aid (unspecified), Adjuvant (unspecified), Love Medicine (unspecified), Panacea (unspecified), Pediatric Aid (unspecified), Sedative (unspecified), Witchcraft Medicine (unspecified), Apertif (unspecified), Aphrodisiac (unspecified), Cachexia (unspecified), Contraceptive (unspecified), Energy (unspecified), Forgetfulness (unspecified), Hangover (unspecified), Nerves (unspecified), Palpitation (unspecified), Worry (unspecified), Convalescence (unspecified), Thirst (unspecified), Insomnia (unspecified), Nausea (unspecified), Rejuvenation (unspecified), Rheumatism (unspecified), Sialogogue (unspecified), Fever (unspecified), Amnesia (unspecified), Chronic disease (unspecified), Fatigue (unspecified), General tonic for rejuvenation (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Seed should be sown as soon as ripe. Seed can be slow to germinate. Plants can be grown by dividing the clump.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -35
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Leaf

Panax quinquefolius leaf picture by marissa fontaine (cc-by-sa)
Panax quinquefolius leaf picture by theo van vugt (cc-by-sa)
Panax quinquefolius leaf picture by Cathie Brumfield (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Panax quinquefolius flower picture by Mathew Luebke (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Panax quinquefolius world distribution map, present in Åland Islands, Canada, China, Micronesia (Federated States of), Georgia, Malaysia, Nicaragua, and United States of America

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:300467-2
WFO ID wfo-0000263699
COL ID 4C9MC
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Panax cuneatus Aralia quinquefolia Panax americanus Ginseng quinquefolium Panax americanus var. elatus Panax quinquefolius var. americanus Panax quinquefolius var. obovatus Panax americanus var. obovatus Panax quinquefolius
WorldFloraDB 2024