How to Hunt for Wild Ginseng The root of the slow - growing ginseng plant has been used in Korean and Chinese herbal medicine for thousands of years , and today the therapeutic qualities of ginseng are prized the world over . American ginseng ( Panax quinquefolius ) is an understory plant found in the eastern deciduous forest of the United States and in southern Québec and ontario in Canada . 1 The plant and root were used by various Native North American tribes . 2 American ginseng has been harvested and exported to Asia for over 300 years , ever since a Jesuit priest named Joseph Francis Lafitau found ginseng plants growing near Montreal , Canada in 1716 . Today , wild ginseng roots are still exported to Asia , where the best quality roots can sell for hundreds of dollars per pound . StepsHunt for Wild Ginseng Step 1 . jpg 1 Learn the laws regulating ginseng production and harvesting in your country . Obtain any necessary permits or licenses . Ginseng has declined considerably since European settlement in North America primarily due to over - harvest of wild roots and loss of habitat . Because of the threat of over - harvest of natural populations , American ginseng is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ( CITES ) , which is an international treaty designed to control and regulate international trade in listed species . [ 1 ] To export ginseng roots in the US , please refer to the U . S . Fish and Wildlife Service web site to learn how to export ginseng roots . [ 2 ] In Canada , it is illegal to harvest wild ginseng , and it is classified as endangered both nationally and in ontario and Québec . The export of wild roots in Canada is prohibited . Before setting out to harvest wild ginseng , you should learn the regulations in your state and contact your state natural resource or agriculture department for more details on how to legally and responsibly harvest ginseng . The harvest of wild ginseng is regulated in 19 states ( Alabama , Arkansas , Georgia , Illinois , Indiana , Iowa , Kentucky , Maryland , Minnesota , Missouri , New York , North Carolina , Ohio , Pennsylvania , Tennessee , Vermont , Virginia , West Virginia , and Wisconsin ) , and is restricted or prohibited in all other states where it occurs . All of the 19 states have a designated harvest season , which is from September 1 to November 30 , and require diggers to harvest plants with red berries and to plant the seeds in the vicinity of the harvested plants . Eighteen states require wild ginseng plants to have 3 prongs ( 3 leaves with 3 - 5 leaflets each ) and plants must be at least 5 - years of age . In Illinois , plants must be 10 - years of age and have 4 prongs ( 4 leaves with 3 - 5 leaflets each ) . Also , some states require harvesters to have a state - issued harvest permit , as well as written permission by the land - owner to harvest wild ginseng . Most states prohibit harvest on state lands . The American Herbal Products Association ( AHPA ) has compiled all the ginseng laws and regulations for the 19 states at its web site . [ 3 ] A one - page brochure for each of the 19 states , titled “ Good Stewardship Harvesting of Wild American Ginseng , ” can be downloaded for free , which includes information on how to legally and responsibly dig wild ginseng and the relevant state laws and regulations . Some U . S . Forest Service National Forests issue harvest permits for wild ginseng while other National Forests prohibit the harvest of ginseng . Check with the National Forest in your area to know whether ginseng harvest is allowed . The harvest of wild ginseng on U . S . National Parks is strictly prohibited . Hunt for Wild Ginseng Step 2 . jpg 2 Learn to identify the ginseng plant . Ginseng is a perennial herb that emerges early in the spring with a single stem that terminates with a whorl of 1 - 4 palmately compound leaves , each leaf is comprised of 3 to 5 leaflets . The leaves die in the fall as temperatures and light decrease . After germination , a tiny plant emerges from the seed and produces a single thin stem 2 – 5 inches ( 5 . 1 – 12 . 7 cm ) high with one leave comprised of three leaflets . In the second year , a new stem is produced which usually grows to 5 or more inches ( 12 . 7 centimeters ) ( high , and plants generally have two distinct leaves or prongs , each leaf with 3 - 5 leaflets . In the third year , plants can produce a single umbel with 6 – 20 small yellow - greenish flowers and plants generally have 2 - 3 leaves or prongs . Wild plants can take many years to flower and set fruit . The flowers produce berries which turn from green to red when ripe in the fall . Over successive years ( ginseng plants can live 30 to 50 years ) , additional leaves or prongs grow , each with 3 - 5 ( usually 5 , but occasionally more or fewer ) leaflets and a mature plant may have a stem up to 20 inches ( 50 . 8 cm ) tall with 3 - 4 rarely 5 or more prongs . As plants mature , they can vary the number of leaves produced , such as 3 prongs one year and 2 prongs the following year . Hunt for Wild Ginseng Step 3 . jpg 3 Go where the ginseng grows . Ginseng is native to eastern hardwood forests of North America , from southern Canada ( Ontario and Quebec ) , west to South Dakota and Oklahoma , and south to Georgia . 1 Ginseng is also commercially grown outside its natural distribution in Oregon and Washington . only 19 states allow the harvest of wild ginseng in the United States . Ginseng is not heat - tolerant , so in southeastern states it is usually found only in mountainous areas . It usually grows in well - shaded areas ( especially north - or east - facing slopes ) of moist hardwood forests , especially where tulip poplar , maple , beech , hickory , walnut , and , sometimes , oak trees , particularly in the Appalachia and Ozark regions . The more mature the forest ( with large hardwood trees and a full canopy that shades out most shrubs , briars , etc . ) , the better for ginseng , as a thick understory of smaller plants will overshade or outcompete ginseng plants . The plant is highly sought , and known populations are kept secret , so you will generally have to venture deep into the forest to have any chance of finding it . Hunt for Wild Ginseng Step 4 . jpg 4 Look for companion plants . one indicator that you may be in an area where ginseng grows is the presence of " companion plants " plants which favor the same habitat conditions as ginseng and which are sometimes found growing among ginseng . These include trillium ( Trillium spp . ) , bloodroot ( Sanguinaria canadensis ) , cohosh ( Caulophyllum thalictroides - blue , Actaea racemosa - black ) , jack - in - the - pulpit ( Arisaema triphyllum ) , wild yam ( Dioscorea villosa ) , goldenseal ( Hydrastis canadensis ) , and Solomon ’ s seal ( Polygonatum biflorum ) . Of course finding these plants by no way guarantees that you ’ ll also find ginseng . Hunt for Wild Ginseng Step 5 . jpg 5 Harvest only mature plants with red berries . If harvesting wild ginseng is allowed in your state ( again , only 19 states allow harvest ) harvest only mature plants with 3 or more prongs ( leaves ) . If there are many mature plants in the patch , leave a few plants so that they can continue to reproduce , as well as any immature plants . You can protect these plants from other harvesters who might be tempted to dig the roots by removing the leaves of the plants . Leave all plants with green berries so that they can ripen . Mature plants are usually 5 - 7 years old or older . Even if you succeed in finding 3 prong ginseng plants , they may be not be 5 years of age . Many wild plants never have more than 3 prongs . The only way to tell the age of a root is to examine the neck ( technically called a “ rhizome ” ) which is between the upright stem and the root of the plant . The neck or “ rhizome ” has stem scars from previous years ’ growth and next year ' s bud . To age the root , follow the stem down in the ground until you reach the “ rhizome . ” Usually a root neck one inch long or longer indicates a mature plant , and will have at least 5 - 7 or more stem scars on it . If possible , count the number of stem scars on the root neck . A 5 year old plant will have 4 stem scars on the rhizome . If there are fewer than 4 stem scars , carefully cover the neck and root with soil to so that it continues to grow . Growing conditions are continually changing in our forests , and some plants which produce only 2 prongs in any particular year of its life may in fact be up to fifty years old or more . Harvest of plants with fewer than 3 prongs is illegal in the 19 states that allow the harvest of wild ginseng . In Canada any harvesting of wild ginseng is illegal . Be sure to harvest your roots sustainably . [ 4 ] Hunt for Wild Ginseng Step 6 . jpg 6 Dig carefully . When you find a mature plant with 3 prongs ( or 4 prongs in Illinois ) , carefully dig the root out so as not to damage it and the neck . Use a pitchfork or needle - nose spade to dig under the plant , and leave plenty of space ( about 6 inches / 15 cm ) between the plant and where you push the pitchfork or spade into the ground . That said be respectful of nearby plants and try not to disturb them . If the plant is close to immature ginseng plants , use a smaller tool such as a stout flat blade screwdriver about 8 or 10 inches ( 20 . 3 or 25 . 4 cm ) long , and work with extra care . If there is any risk of damaging the roots of adjacent immature ginseng plants , do not attempt to harvest the plant . After you have dug the root out , squeeze the red fruits into the palm of your hand and plant the seeds about 1 inch ( 2 . 5 cm ) in the soil near the harvested plant . Never remove ginseng seeds or immature plants from the woods . Step 7 Wash and dry the root ( s ) . When you get back home , briefly soak the roots in a bucket of cool water to remove excess soil . Do not wash them under a sink faucet or with a hose . Do not scrub them or wash them vigorously as some soil is desirable by the buyer and the surface of the root can easily be damaged . Then place the roots in a single layer on a screen tray to dry . Make sure the roots are not touching and let them dry on a wooden rack in a well - ventilated room between 70 – 100 ° F ( 21 – 38 ° C ) . We could really use your help ! Can you tell us aboutfinger snapping ? YesNoCan you tell us abouthairstyling ? YesNoCan you tell us aboutfashion and style ? YesNoCan you tell us aboutlove letters ? YesNoVideoTipsYou can get a good approximation of a ginseng plant ’ s age by counting the scars near the base of the stem . Each year the stem and leaves die back which leaves a new scar on the rhizome , so the number of scars will be equal to ( or very close to ) the age of the plant . [ 5 ] WarningsTo ensure survival of the species ( and to avoid being fined or imprisoned ) , always follow your state ’ s laws regarding the harvest of wild ginseng and the growth and sale of wild and wild - simulated ginseng . Never harvest immature plants ; never harvest outside of the designated season ; and don ’ t harvest wild ginseng at all if the law prohibits it . Exercise caution to prevent poaching . The best defense against poachers is secrecy . Make sure your crop is on your private property , well - hidden and unlikely to be disturbed . Don ’ t talk about it any more than necessary , and only deal with reputable suppliers and buyers . As plants approach maturity , be especially watchful . Should you catch poachers , try to deter them and have them apprehended by law enforcement officers . Be careful when confronting potential poachers , and avoid using force or violence to repel them .