What does American ginseng look like?

1. Plants

The taproot of American ginseng is round or spindle-shaped, with a light yellow or yellow-white surface and a glossy color. The surface texture is very delicate, full and firm, and its cross-section is also very clean, showing a relatively clear chrysanthemum texture. The rhizome is short, the stem is cylindrical, about 25 cm long, and has longitudinal stripes.

2. Blades

It has palmately 5-compound leaves, usually 3 to 4, whorled at the top of the stem. The petiole is about 5 to 7 cm long. The leaflets are membranous, broadly ovate or obovate in shape, about 4 to 9 cm long and about 2.5 to 5 cm wide. The leaf tip is pointed, the margin has coarse serrations, and the base is wedge-shaped.

3. Flowers

The peduncle of American ginseng emerges from the center of the petiole at the end of the stem and is in an umbel shape with many flowers and 5 petals that are green and white.