One of the most potent forms of ginseng is unfortunately one of the hardest types to find in the world today. Back in the 4th century or so, Chinese emporers had discovered wild ginseng and realized exactly what the root could do for their energy and well-being. It was for this reason that emperors often hailed the power of the plant as one to be revered. This triggered one of the first ginseng industries to grow, where traders and robbers alike would be on the hunt to harvest wild ginseng wherever it could be found growing. Unfortunately, this would also be the start of its demise.
It only took several decades before China had literally been wiped clean of wild ginseng and the business of harvesting it had simply been wiped out. Korea realized the potential for a new export industry around that time and began exporting the wild root to China. However, they would face the same demise that China did only a few hundred years later. When American settlers discovered that wild ginseng grew on American soil, they also looked to take advantage of a profitable export. Again, wild ginseng plants had all but dried up by the mid 1700’s, completely erasing a once profitable industry.
Due to the aggressive harvesting of wild ginseng, it’s often considered rare and in most cases, endangered. While it’s not illegal to harvest the plant, they are often harvested faster than it can grow. Often, wild ginseng can take several years before it reaches a point of ripeness.
Today, there are several programs in place to help support the growing of wild ginseng. Even if this were to be successful, there’s often the worry that illegal farmers would make the effort to harvest the product due to high demand and potential for big profits. Nonetheless, several states in America, including Maine, West Virginia and others have been creating woods-grown ginseng, which has similar physical properties to that of the once flourishing wild ginseng. It is expected that these programs, which encourage the growth of wild-ginseng could take several years before they are deemed successful.