Ginseng 20 grams: ground root of Panax ginseng
Ginseng is the root of Panax ginseng, a perennial in the ivy family (Araliaceae) that grows wild in Korea, northeastern China and Siberia. These days the species is also cultivated in Europe, Australia and the Caucasus. Above ground there is not much to see: a herbaceous stem of roughly 30 to 60 centimetres carrying three to six palmately compound leaves, each with three to five leaflets, topped by a small umbel of flowers that later turns into round red berries. The plant prefers shade and takes its time. It usually flowers only after two years, reaches maturity after five, and the root is lifted in its sixth year.
The root is the whole point. It is fleshy and spindle shaped, generally with one or two main branches, which is why it often looks a little like a human figure with arms and legs. The Chinese name rénshēn is commonly explained as man root for exactly that reason. The root contains ginsenosides, a group of tetracyclic terpenes characteristic of the genus Panax. How much of them a root holds depends on its origin, its age and which part of the root is analysed, and the profile differs between species: ginsenoside Rf occurs in Panax ginseng but not in American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius).
Telling the ginsengs apart
The word ginseng gets attached to quite a few plants, which makes comparing products confusing. Panax ginseng is Asian ginseng, also sold as Korean or Chinese ginseng, and that is the species you are ordering here. Panax quinquefolius is American ginseng, a separate species with a different ginsenoside profile. Siberian ginseng, Eleutherococcus senticosus, does not really belong on the list at all: it sits in the same plant family but is not a true ginseng. When you compare products, go by the Latin name.
What you get and how it is used
This pack holds 20 grams of powder from ground ginseng root. The usual preparation is an infusion: pour hot water over a small teaspoon of powder, leave it for a few minutes and stir it through. The powder also goes into tea, coffee or a smoothie, although milled this fine it never dissolves completely. Store the bag cool, dry and dark and keep it properly closed, and the powder stays fresh for longer. Ginseng powder is a herb and no substitute for anything else. If you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, speak to your doctor or pharmacist first.
About the herbs at Avalon
At Avalon Magic Plants ginseng sits with the energy herbs, next to Gotu Kola 50 gram, Yerba Maté 100 gram, Ginkgo biloba 50 gram and Ashwagandha 50 g. For something in the same corner of the range, have a look at Colanut 50 gram or Acorus calamus 100 gram as well. Every order leaves our warehouse discreetly packed.
