| Habitats
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Woodland Garden Shady Edge; not Deep Shade;
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| Edible Uses
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Edible Parts: Root.
Root - chewed. This probably refers to its medicinal uses.
A tea is made from the root.
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| Medicinal Uses
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Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Adaptogen; Anticholesterolemic; Emetic; Expectorant; Hypoglycaemic; Nervine; Tonic.
Ginseng has a history of herbal use going back over 5,000 years[238]. It is one of the most highly regarded of herbal medicines in the Orient, where it has gained an almost magical reputation for being able to promote health, general body vigour and also to prolong life[218].
The root is adaptogen, alterative, carminative, demulcent, emetic, expectorant, stimulant and tonic[165, 176, 178, 218]. It both stimulates and relaxes the nervous system, encourages the secretion of hormones, improves stamina, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels and increases resistance to disease[238]. It is used internally in the treatment of debility associated with old age or illness, lack of appetite, insomnia, stress, shock and chronic illness[238]. Ginseng is not normally prescribed for pregnant women, or for patients under the age of 40, or those with depression, acute anxiety or acute inflammatory disease[238]. It is normally only taken for a period of 3 weeks[238]. Excess can cause headaches, restlessness, raised blood pressure and other side effects, especially if it is taken with caffeine, alcohol, turnips and bitter or spicy foods[238]. The roots are harvested in the autumn, preferably from plants 6 - 7 years old, and can be used fresh or dried[238].
A dose of 10ug/ml of ginseng saponins has been shown to be significantly radio-protective when it is administered prior to gamma-irradiation[218].
The leaf is emetic and expectorant[218].
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| Cultivation details
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Requires a moist humus rich soil in a shady position in a woodland[200].
Ginseng is widely cultivated and also collected from the wild in the Orient for its root which is commonly used as a medicine[178]. The root is prepared in a number of different ways, including by steaming it for 4 hours in wicker baskets over boiling water[200].
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| Propagation
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Seed - sow in a shady position in a cold frame preferably as soon as it is ripe, otherwise as soon as the seed is obtained. It can be very slow and erratic to germinate. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a shady position in the greenhouse or frame for at least their first winter. Make sure the pots are deep enough to accommodate the roots. Plant out into their permanent positions in late summer.
Division in spring.
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| Links / References
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| [165]Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
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| An excellent small herbal.
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| [176]Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas.
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| An excellent Chinese herbal giving information on over 500 species. Rather technical and probably best suited to the more accomplished user of herbs.
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| [178]Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica.
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| A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
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| [200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
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| Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
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| [218]Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China
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| Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
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| [238]Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
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| A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
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