COLUMBUS, OH - Ginseng dealers and collectors in Ohio are reminded of three significant changes to state ginseng regulations this season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
- Opening date for ginseng collecting is moved to September 1 from August 15
- Ginseng collectors are now required to immediately plant the seeds from collected plants at the place where the plants were collected
- The fee for certification of wild ginseng by state wildlife officers is raised from $1 to $3 per pound
Ohio has formally regulated the harvesting and sale of wild ginseng for medical purposes since 1979; the state adopted legal rules for ginseng management that met federal requirements in 1984. Failure to adhere to federal standards will prevent Ohio from exporting its ginseng.
Ginseng is the most popular medicinal plant in the world. The value of the dried wild root is estimated to be $400 per pound on the Asian market, where it is highly prized. References to the use of ginseng date back 4,000 years in Chinese literature.
The ginseng plant takes two years to germinate and at least five years to mature. By law, only mature plants, those with three or more branches of five leaflets, can be harvested.