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Growing American Ginseng in Your Woods
Growing American Ginseng in Your Woods
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For generations, Wisconsin’s hardwood forests (sugar maple, basswood, walnut and oak) provided the perfect sanctuary for American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). Today, however, due to decades of intense deer browsing, habitat loss, and unsustainable harvesting, wild ginseng is at an at-risk status across much of its native range.
By stewarding wild American ginseng or establishing a plot of wild-simulated ginseng, you aren’t just adding value to your woods—you are participating in a conservation effort to keep an iconic native species on the landscape.
If you are participating in the Ginseng Patch Project, you can follow along on this webpage for each month’s content and actions to take in your woods.
Assessing: Learn about American ginseng and assess your woods
Are you curious if your woodlot has what it takes to grow wild-simulated American ginseng? Dive into the biology of this remarkable plant and learn how to assess your forest for ginseng potential. Whether you are hoping to plant a test plot or just unsure if wild American ginseng is already growing on your land, here are some practical resources to get started.
Credit: Rural Action, United Plant Savers, and Appalachian Sustainable Development
Credit: Rural Action, United Plant Savers, and Appalachian Sustainable Development
Core concepts
- Know the background: Read about American ginseng’s history, biology, and fascinating lifecycle.
- Know the habitat: Ginseng thrives on north- and east-facing hillsides under a hardwood canopy (~75% shade), identify suitable ginseng habitat on your own land, and be able to identify American ginseng growing in the wild (see pics below).
- Know the indicators: Identify indicator plants—like sugar maple, basswood, maidenhair fern, bloodroot, blue cohosh, and Jack-in-the-pulpit—in your own woods. These indicator plants imply that your land may be suitable for American ginseng.
Determining percent shade
To determine the percent shade at a spot in your woodland, follow this process from a guide by Ohio State Extension:
“Place 10 white paper plates at even distances on the ground at approximately noon on a sunny summer day. Count the number of plates that are at least half shaded. Next, divide the number of shaded plates by the total number of plates placed on the ground. Multiply this number by 100. If this number is 70 or greater the site is probably shady enough to grow ginseng.”
Understanding slope and soils
Percent slope is determined by dividing the rise over run and multiplying by 100. For a 10 ft-wide plot, a 1 ft. drop from side to side equals a 10% slope (1/10 x 100 = 10%). Figuring the exact slope is less critical than understanding what you’re looking for. You want enough slope (10-20%) so water won’t pool, but not so much (>25%) that access and erosion become problems.
North- and east-facing slopes are preferred by American ginseng, and they are generally cooler and wetter than south- and west-facing slopes.
The USDA’s Web Soil Survey allows you to create a custom soil (and slope) map for your woods. New to Web Soil Survey? Check out this short video that outlines how to create your own slope and soil map.
UW-Madison Soil and Forage Lab offers soil analysis for helping determine your soil’s pH, organic matter %, and calcium levels. Check out the Field Soil Sampling Analysis page for instructions on completing your own soil analysis. Be sure to select ‘ginseng’ as the crop on the submission form and include the addition Calcium + Magnesium test. Each soil sample analysis costs $16 ($11 standard + $5 Ca Mg).
American ginseng identification
American ginseng look-a-likes
American ginseng indicator plants
Indicator plants grow in the same habitat as American ginseng. If you find these plants in your woods, there is a good chance that American ginseng could grow there too.
Not confident in your plant identification skills? Here are some resources:
- See our comprehensive tree identification learning page.
- Download the PictureThis or Seek plant identification app to identify plants in the field (but remember that app-based identifications are not always correct).
- Review the American ginseng profile on the Flora of Wisconsin website, which has great species profiles on all the indicator plants as well.
- If you are a Wisconsin woodland owner (with >10 acres of woods), invite your local DNR service forester out for a free property walk-through to help identify plants on your land. You can find the service forester for your county on the DNR’s Forestry Assistance Locator.
Next steps
- Understand: Review the basic process of growing American ginseng using the wild-simulated by reading the American Ginseng Cultivation & Growing Guide and watching the Ginseng Cultivation video from the United Plant Savers.
- Dig deeper into where American ginseng grows with the Selecting a Site resource from Ohio State Extension.
- Observe: Take a walk in your woods. Assess your shade, topography (slope and aspect), security, and use the woodland site assessment checklist to identify potential ginseng growing sites on your land. What types of trees and understory plants are growing in your woods? Try to plan for a few small test plots.
- Identify: Look for wild ginseng populations in your woods. If you have wild ginseng populations on your land, we recommend stewarding your plot and not introducing non-local seeds to your woods. Learn the practical steps for preserving native ginseng seeds and strains.
Recording of the Zoom meeting (8/27)
Prepping: Get your site(s) ready plant
Now that you know how to assess your woods for the perfect location, it’s time to get your hands dirty! This section focuses on the practical steps needed to prepare your test plot and get organized before the autumn planting window closes. Proper site selection and preparation, and smart seed sourcing are the keys to long-term success.
Core concepts
- Site preparation: Clear understory woody competition—including invasive plant species like honeysuckle, buckthorn, barberry, and multi-flora rose—to open up the planting location(s). Keep non-competitive native herbaceous plants, because they can help your ginseng patch blend in (also, ginseng monocultures have disease issues). Non-woody natives should senesce before planting and not interfere with raking and ginseng seed to soil contact.
- Smart sourcing: To improve odds of success, source high-quality seed that is pre-stratified and adapted to your local climate. Most commercially available American ginseng seed is a by-product of shade-grown ginseng farms, and Wisconsin is the leading U.S. ginseng producer. Talk to the Wisconsin ginseng farmer and know where your seed is coming from. We want our seed to be delivered when we are ready to plant, right before the first hard frost.
- The “stratified” secret: Stratified seed undergoes a seasonal chilling to mimic overwintering in the forest soil. Most ginseng seeds need two full winters to fully germinate. Raw ginseng seeds from ripe berries normally take up to 18 months to germinate, and if you buy pre-stratified seed, your plot will likely sprout its first green leaves this coming spring.
We do not recommend planting non-local seed if you have wild American ginseng plants in your woods. Each native population is a unique genetic reservoir that should be preserved if possible. Learn the practical steps for preserving native ginseng seeds and strains.
- Gathering tools: Planting ginseng only requires basic tools (hard-tined garden and leaf rake, pruners, loppers).
- Site security: Think about protecting your investment—consider patch visibility, and plan steps to deter poachers, like surveillance, discretion, and keeping the ginseng patch off the main path. If you can control the people problems, deer, slugs, and rodents might be the biggest threat to your patch.
Next steps
- Identify: Using the woodland site assessment checklist identify and mark up to FOUR 100 sq. ft. test plots in your best ginseng habitat, focusing on areas where you can clear unwanted plants (invasive species) and not disturb other natives species you want in your understory.
- Prep: Visit your planting site(s) and clear competing plants from the understory. Focus on woody invasive species first and remember that native companion plants can be good for your patch.
- Not sure what to clear and what to keep? Share pictures and questions with our ginseng grower email group!
- Source: We are organizing a bulk seed order of high-quality, pre-stratified seed with generous support from Hsu’s Ginseng Enterprises for program participants. Seed request form available via email. Get your rakes and helpers ready.
Live Zoom meeting 7-8 pm, Tuesday, September 29 — Link to PDF of the presentation slides
During the call we discussed site preparation and seed sourcing.
Planting: Sowing and protecting ginseng
The moment we’ve been preparing for has arrived! October brings the perfect planting window in Wisconsin as falling leaves begin to blanket the forest floor. This section walks through the basic steps to sow stratified seeds and establish your own ginseng patch.
Core concepts
- Know what you need: Gather a leaf rake, hard tined garden rake, handsaw/pruners, ginseng seed, data sheets, helping hands, and you’re good to go.
- Remember how to: Watch (or rewatch) this short ginseng cultivation video and read the planting seeds using the wild-simulated method section from the United Plant Savers American Ginseng Cultivation & Growing Guide.
- Understand the Bob Beyfuss test plot protocol (below): Read the expert protocol that was written by Mr. Ginseng himself and updated for use in Wisconsin. Know how to efficiently “rake, scuff, broadcast, and recover” to plant about 500 seeds per 100-square-foot plot.
Beyfuss Protocol (part 1)
If the site appears to be suitable, measure and mark 10 ft. wide by 10 ft. long test plots using survey flags. Survey flags are available from farm and home stores or forestry suppliers. Set up as many 10 ft. by 10 ft. square plots as you desire.
- Rake leaves back over each plot. Leave survey flags in place over the winter! Number or code each test plot by writing a number or code letter on the survey flag. Record all data on tracking sheet.
- Weigh stratified seeds into 1 oz. quantities and package in small plastic baggies (there are approximately 500 seeds per ounce).
- Rake back the leaves from each plot and scratch the soil surface with a 3-tined tool, garden rake, or similar light tillage implement. Remove rocks or roots that would prevent the seeds from contacting the soil.
- If available, also plant at least one three-year-old transplant rootlet in the center of each test plot. Seed dealers often sell transplantable rootlets in addition to seeds. Viable three-year-old plants are much more likely to tolerate some slug predation and will help to evaluate the site for future expansion of additional transplants.
- Scatter 1 oz of seeds evenly over each 10 ft. by 10 ft. test plot (5 seeds per square foot) and walk on them to ensure good soil contact. The best time to plant in Wisconsin is mid to late October.
- Re-cover the test plot with leaf litter and scatter brush on top to discourage deer and turkey browsing.
Snapshots of the process of covering recently planted ginseng seeds to begin a wild-simulated patch.
Hands-on takeaways
- Sow: Confidently plant your ginseng test plot(s) following the Beyfuss Protocol just as the leaves are dropping to give your seeds a natural winter blanket.
- Guard: Implement simple strategies like scattering brush and debris over planting site to protect your new ginseng bed from deer and turkeys.
- Monitor: Establish a low-maintenance, seasonal observation schedule to keep an eye on your plot with minimal weekly effort.
If you are participating in the Ginseng Patch Project, please record your planting information for each test plot using the Tracking Your Wild-Simulated American Ginseng data sheet and email your filled sheet to forestry@extension.wisc.edu. We also ask you to continue tracking your plot into the future and send the updated data sheet to us each year. Doing so will help you understand what worked and didn’t work in your woodland—plus, it will help us continue to refine the recommendations we give to Wisconsin ginseng growers!
If you are growing ginseng on your own (haven’t attended an Extension event about it), we still encourage you to use the data sheet for yourself. You are also welcome to share your data sheet results with us if you would like to do so.
Live Zoom meeting 6-7 pm, Thursday, October 29
Ideally, you have selected your 10×10 plot(s) and cleared away understory competition. Don’t worry if you don’t have your seeds in hand yet—we will cover the core planting techniques and protection measures so you are prepared when the timing is perfect.
Next steps: Monitoring your ginseng patch
Monitoring American ginseng patches
Now that your seeds are in the ground and under a blanket of leaves, your role transitions from planter to steward. Because wild-simulated ginseng relies entirely on the existing forest ecosystem, caring for your patch requires very little weekly effort, but it does require a watchful eye and patience.
Your first priority is setting up basic protection measures. You’ll want to subtly mark the perimeter of your plot with small stakes or branches to ensure you remember the location. As spring arrives, your main task will be occasional monitoring—checking the patch in May and June for invasive weeds like garlic mustard, keeping an eye out for heavy deer browse, and watching for slugs, which are one of the biggest threats to emerging seedlings. We encourage you to continue following the Beyfuss Protocol (below) to evaluate the success of your plantings over time.
Beyfuss Protocol (part 2)
Begin inspecting plots as soon as the snow melts in the spring.
- Thin successful test plots after three years of growth to a density of one plant per square foot.
- Position slug traps, one at each plot, to survey slug populations. You can make an inexpensive slug trap by filling a small, shallow saucer with beer. Position the saucer at ground level so that slugs can easily crawl into the saucer and drown. Replace beer after rain.
- If you trap more than one slug per plot over a period of several weeks as the ginseng is germinating, you will need to provide slug control by using poison baits. Beer traps are not effective as control agents but work well for survey purposes. Organic growers have several pesticide options available such as “Escargro” or “Sluggo” products. Conventional growers have even more options including poison baits made from metaldehyde (i.e. Deadline slug pellets). Read and follow all label directions when using any sort of pesticide, organic or conventional.
- Count number of emerged seedlings in May and continue to monitor them until fall. Record data on the tracking sheet.
- Determine which of the plots performed best and expand the plots in that immediate area. Abandon areas that have poor germination and or survivability. Within a few years you will have located the very best locations for serious expansion.
As the seasons change, tracking your plot becomes a multi-year journey of observation. In your first spring, you may be rewarded with the appearance of tiny, three-leaflet seedlings that look remarkably like wild strawberries. These small plants may stay small for a few years, slowly maturing into one-prong and two-prong plants. By year five or six, your ginseng will hopefully reach its reproductive stage, producing small greenish-white summer blooms that transform into vibrant red berries by September. Once these berries ripen, you can harvest them, crush the pulp, and plant the fresh seeds right next to your original plot, expanding your patch.
Finally, it is important to stay mindful of Wisconsin’s legal landscape as your patch matures over the next decade. Because wild-simulated ginseng is grown under a natural canopy without artificial shade or heavy tillage, it is governed by the Wisconsin DNR’s wild ginseng regulations.
While you can legally grow the plants and harvest their seeds to expand your patch at any time on your own land, selling the roots requires strict compliance. If you eventually choose to harvest the roots for commercial sale, you must do so only during the state’s official harvest window (September 1 to November 1) and secure a Wild Ginseng Harvest License. Keeping a simple paper trail of your seed purchase receipts planting records today is the perfect way to establish a clear legal record for your living forest legacy.
Frequently asked questions
Where do we get the seeds, and how much do they cost?
We strongly discourage buying random seeds online, as they are often unstratified or not adapted to our climate. In September, this program will discuss ways to buy high-quality, pre-stratified seed. For a 10×10 ft. plot (about 1 ounce of seed), the cost typically runs between $25 and $40.
Is it legal for me to grow and harvest ginseng on my own property in Wisconsin?
Yes, but it is strictly regulated to protect the species. In Wisconsin, wild-simulated ginseng grown on your own land is legally classified under the state’s wild ginseng regulations. You can legally harvest the seeds from your mature plants to expand your patch. If you eventually choose to dig and sell the roots to a licensed dealer, you must follow the state harvest season (September 1–November 1) and obtain a Wild Ginseng Harvest License from the Wisconsin DNR.
Additional resources
- American Ginseng Cultivation & Growing Guide (United Plant Savers, 2020) (primary resource for the Ginseng Patch Project)
- Wild Ginseng – An Opportunity For Your Wooded Acres? (podcast by Mid-West Farm Report, 2025)
- American Ginseng Cultivation Demonstration (video by United Plant Savers, 2023)
- The Practical Guide to Growing Ginseng (guidebook by Cornell Extension, 2017)
- WildAmericanGinseng.org (background on history and biology)
- Saving Ginseng Seeds: A practical guide to preserving American ginseng seeds and strains (Bat Cave Botanicals and Pennsylvania State University, 2025)
- Wisconsin Wild Ginseng Program: Regulations and Licensing (Wisconsin DNR)
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People and programs who provide assistance
If you have feedback on this webpage, fill out this form. If you have questions about growing ginseng in your woods, contact:
Tony Johnson
Forestry Educator
anthony.johnson@wisc.edu
608-386-8900
Page written by Tony Johnson (UW–Madison Extension). Last updated October 2026.
Additional photo credits:
- Sugar maple: Sky Hershberger, CC BY-NC 4.0
- American basswood: Iowa State Extension
- Butternut: Iowa State Extension
- Northern red oak: Wisconsin DNR
- Maidenhair fern: Charles T. Bryson, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org
- Bloodroot: Sky Hershberger, CC BY-NC 4.0
- Blue cohosh: Rob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.org
- Jack-in-the-pulpit: Sky Hershberger, CC BY-NC 4.0