Ginseng: Pennsylvania's little known wild herb shrouded in mystery

Sep. 17—In more than three decades of combing the woods of Schuylkill County, Dennis "Pap" Knauss has yet to see a wild ginseng plant.

"In all my years on the trail, I've never seen wild ginseng," said Knauss, 68, founder of the Spirit of Tuscarora Trail in Tuscarora State Park.

In a way, Knauss' experience is indicative of the mystery surrounding American ginseng, a highly-prized medicinal herb that grows wild in Pennsylvania and 18 other states in the Appalachia region.

Though it has been harvested since colonial times, few people know about it. If they had come across it, more than likely, they would not have recognized it.

But it's there, a four-pronged, green, leafy plant with a red berry pod in the middle, lurking in the rich loamy soil of shady deciduous forests.

Indeed, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources recently announced that harvesting season for wild ginseng began Sept. 1 and runs through Nov. 30.

"Ginseng continues to be an important part of Pennsylvania's heritage and its natural forest ecosystems, which is why we encourage harvesters to use good stewardship practices," said Cindy Adams Dunn, DCNR secretary.

American ginseng is classified by DCNR as "Pennsylvania Vulnerable," meaning it is in danger of decline due to harvesting for commercial and personal use.

Valuable

Much like wild mushroom pickers, ginseng harvesters guard the location of their stashes with vigilance.

Patrick M. "Porcupine Pat" McKinney, environmental education coordinator at the Schuylkill Conservation District, says pickers "zip their lip" when the subject comes up.

One reason the plant is shrouded in secrecy is that it's worth a good buck.

John W. Epler Jr., an Orwigsburg outdoorsman who's written two books about wild ginseng, says it's about $550 a pound on the open market.

Chris Firestone, who coordinates the state Bureau of Forestry ginseng program, said American ginseng is highly prized in China.

"About 90% of American ginseng harvested in Pennsylvania goes directly to China," she said. "It's also sold on eBay. It's a huge business."

In China, Firestone said, American ginseng is seen as more potent because it grows wild and is free of fertilizer and pesticides.

Knauss knew a Chinese family who harvested ginseng and marketed it in China. It was a commodity, for sure, he said.

"If the root is shaped like a man, it's prized in China," Knauss said. "The more it looks like a man, the more powerful and valuable it becomes."

Ginseng plants can live to be 70 or more years old, and the older the plant, the more valuable it becomes.

Mara E. Oesterle, pharmacist at Thomas Pharmacy in Orwigsburg, was surprised to find that ginseng is a North American plant.

People take it to boost energy, control cholesterol and combat diabetes, she said.

Eric Burkhart, a Penn State University professor, says ginseng is thought to help metabolic functions, have cardiovascular benefits and boost the libido.

"It has general well-being, like a vitamin," he said. "It's been taken for thousands of years in China."

"Wild American ginseng is particularly valuable because it is not duplicated anywhere in the world," Burkhart said. "There's a certain quality in the root of high-grade Pennsylvania ginseng that people on the other side of the planet value and will pay a high price for."

Schuylkill depleted

In the foreword to his second book, "All About Ginseng in the 21st Century," John Epler makes an appeal for conservation.

"The book is intended for future generations of outdoorsmen to find and grow this fascinating plant," he writes. "While it has always been my belief that plants and animals were placed here for the benefit of mankind, I also believe that it is up to mankind to protect species from extinction."

A long-time trapper, Epler said he harvested ginseng for many years before retiring.

His research indicated that the herb had once grown on Second Mountain, but strip mining disrupted the ecosystem where it flourished.

Firestone insists that ginseng is harvested in every county in Pennsylvania. However, Schuylkill is not in the top 20 counties in terms of production.

Ginseng is most plentiful in northern counties, like Potter, McKean and Tioga, she said, and southwestern areas like Westmoreland and Greene counties.

Typically, harvesting the herb is passed on from generation to generation, Firestone said.

While production varies from year to year, she said, output in Pennsylvania has seen a downward trend since 1989.

Ginseng is a perennial but is endangered because the root is taken during harvest. DCNR says planting the berry pod, which contains seeds, when harvesting will ensure the species' survival.

Ginseng plants are slow growing, taking up to 10 years to mature, DCNR says. They're subject to stresses like habitat loss, climate change, deer browse and illegal harvesting.

DCNR has established guidelines to maintain a healthy population of the wild herb:

—Harvesting is not permitted on state lands. It is permitted on private property, with the consent of the landowner.

—Only mature plants with at least three five-pronged leaves and red berries should be harvested.

—Ginseng dealers are required to obtain a Vulnerable Plant Commercial License to sell or trade the plant.

Taking ginseng out of Pennsylvania without a license is prohibited. The licensing program collects information on vulnerable plants exported from Pennsylvania forests.

Since 1975, American ginseng is protected under provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora, which protects endangered animals and plants.

"Maintaining a sustainable future for this vulnerable plant is the only way to preserve a longstanding American tradition of ginseng use, sale and trade," said Penn State Forester Ellen Shultzabarger in a DCNR news release.

Contact the writer: rdevlin@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6007