Ginseng
Ginseng root is native to eastern Asia and North America. It has been used for thousands of years as a folk medicine and tonic among the people of China, Korea, Thailand, VietNam, Manchuria and the Native Americans. Materia Medica of Divine Plowman written in China about 2,000 years ago records ginseng as the highest quality herb. Ginseng has been praised in many folklores and mythology in Asia and by Native Americans.
The modern story of ginseng began in the early 18th century when Father Jartoux, a Jesuit missionary working in China, found the potency of this herb, and published a paper titled "The Description of the Tartarian Plant Ginseng" in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London in 1714 [Secrets of Ginseng, by Winifred Conkling, 1999]. Once introduced with ginseng, Canada became one of the large producers and exporters of American ginseng. Ginseng gained popularity in America, especially during 19th century.
Ginseng is a perennial plant and is a member of the Araliacae family.. It is often found in heavily wooded areas and requires rich soil to thrive. Ginseng takes several years to mature, with most roots cultivated when the plant is between 3-10 years old. The plant itself is very attractive, with well shaped green leaves and bright red berries; however it is only the root that has any medicinal value. Its original name means Man Root, due to the shape of the ginseng root which strongly resembles the form of a human body.
