![]() ![]() Long before North America was colonized, various Native American peoples used ginseng in medicine. The history of American ginseng use and trade stretches back much further than the Declaration of Independence. Without income provided from the ginseng harvest, the early history of the United States may not have turned out the same way. Even today its dried roots can fetch as much as $600 a pound. The harvest and trade of American ginseng has been a booming business for centuries. ![]() Was the United States founded on ginseng money? Quite possibly.Īmerican ginseng ( Panax quinquefolius) is a plant native to the deciduous forests of North America whose root is a treasured medicinal in East Asia. “ In passing through the mountains, I met a number of personsĪnd pack horses going over the mountain with ginseng.” Watch for more articles shedding light on this native plant in the coming months. Editor’s note: The fascinating history of American ginseng and the many people involved in its current cultivation, harvest, trade, medicinal use, and conservation are the subject of a proposed program for the 2020 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |