Visual Site Assessment for a Woodland Ginseng Growing

Operation By Bob Beyfuss Cornell

Cooperative Extension of Greene County

What is this?

• A “tool” I developed to help prospective ginseng growers evaluate their woodlands for possibly growing ginseng

• It is based on the ecology of wild ginseng as well as some practical considerations for would be growers

• Points are awarded for each of 6 different categories, the higher the score, better the chances of success

Category ADominant Tree Species (50% or

more of large trees present)

• Sugar Maple……………10 points

• Big Sugar Maple (diameter over 24 inches) 15 points

Old Sugar Maple Groves are often excellent sites

White Ash, Butternut, Basswood are worth 8 points

Tulip tree and black birch are worth 6 points

Oaks and Cherry are worth 5 points

Aspen and Hop Hornbeam (ironwood) are worth 3 points

Evergreens such as fir and spruce are worth zero

Dominant tree species continued

• Mixed stands containing some white pine, some hemlock, beech, some black cherry and some red maple plus some sugar maple are worth 5 points

• Sites dominated by yellow or white birch are worth only 2 points

• Disturbed sites dominated by Norway maple, ailanthus and or boxelder score 2 points

Category B Exposure (orientation)

• 1. North or northeast………5 points

• 2. East or southeast……….3 points

• 3. West or southwest……...0 points

Category C Slope

• 1. 10% to 25% …………..5 points

• 2. Level to 10%................2 points

• 3. Greater than 25%........0 points

Slope

• Ginseng will grow on very extreme slopes but unless you are part Billy Goat you will not want to try to work on slopes greater than 25%

• Depressions or low spots that might hold water for any length of time should be avoided

• Wild ginseng is most often found mid-slope

Category D Soil Physical Characteristics

• Few stones, 75% plantable……10 points

• Moderate, small stones

• (50 to 75% plantable)……………8 points

• Very Stony, 25% to 50%.............5 points

• Large rock outcrops, boulders, less than 25% plantable soil………………..3 points

• Soil too rocky to stick a pole in….0 points

What is “Plantable”?

• Walk the site carrying a four foot long pointed stick

• Every few steps jam the stick into the ground

• If you hit nothing but soil to a depth of six inches, three out of four times, it is 75% plantable.

• If you hit soil half the time it is 50% plantable etc.

Category E Herbaceous Understory Plants

• Reproducing population of healthy wild ginseng is, by far, the best indicator plant

• Score 15 points

Reproducing populations will have several age categories present

Even Sparse populations of wild ginseng are worth 10 points

Maidenhair fern and rattlesnake fern are worth 8 points

Rattlesnake fern is also called “Shang Pointer”

Red or white baneberry are worth 6 points

Blue cohosh and Xmas fern are also worth 6 points

Bloodroot and Foamflower are worth 5 points

All species of trillium score 5 points

False Solomon’s Seal and Mayapple score 5 points

Sarsaparilla and Lady’s slipper score 3 points

Other plants are also commonly found with ginseng

Dis-indicator Plants

• Ginseng is not usually found in wet spots with skunk cabbage, willows, shrubby dogwoods, alder or false hellebore

• Nor is it common in disturbed sites dominated by garlic mustard, exotic honeysuckle, and Japanese barberry

Category F security

• Very Close to occupied, full time residence of potential grower within easy viewing of residence……………………10 points

This site is practically in the grower’s back yard

Noisy, outside dog housed nearby adds 5 bonus points

They don’t have to be vicious!

Security continued

• Forested Land within 100 yards of grower’s property, patrolled regularly scores 8 points

• Remote woodlot within one quarter mile patrolled regularly scores 3 points

• Non-resident grower, weekend visitor scores zero points

Results of points scored

• 40 to 60 points means excellent site

• 30 t0 40 points means potentially good site

• 20 to 30 points, marginal site do complete soil test

• Less than 20 points means poor site, look elsewhere

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