Wisconsin is known worldwide as the leading producer of American ginseng, prized for its medicinal properties and cultural significance. But beyond its role in cultivated, herbal medicine, wild ginseng offers an opportunity to restore a native species and potentially generate income.
Tony Johnson, a forestry outreach specialist with the UW-Madison Division of Extension, says his work focuses on non-timber forest products, such as maple syrup, log-grown mushrooms, and wild ginseng.
“Ginseng is a really important cultivated crop here in Wisconsin, but many landowners are not familiar with it in the context of their own woods, so part of this is conservation through cultivation,” he says. “The idea is to help landowners see this extirpated population back in their woodlands.”
Wild ginseng benefits both ecosystems and landowners, Johnson explains. The plant supports wildlife and, when grown under natural forest conditions, can fetch a higher market price than field-cultivated ginseng. However, Johnson cautions that the plant is finicky. It requires careful management of soil conditions, shade, and competing vegetation.
Ideal growing conditions include mature maple woods with at least 70 percent shade, he says. Unlike field-cultivated ginseng, which matures in about four years, wild ginseng takes up to 12 years to reach full maturity. But the longer it grows, the more valuable it becomes.
“The ginsensides or the medicinal qualities of the plant accumulate over time… and there’s a lot of mystery to this… but the roots take on a totally different shape,” Johnson says. “So any buyer can tell the difference between a field-cultivated and wild ginseng plant.”
Learn more: https://woodlandinfo.org/
