What Types of American Ginseng Are There? An Introduction to Common Varieties

There are two kinds of American ginseng currently on the market in China: one is imported from the United States and Canada, and the other is introduced and cultivated. What they have in common is:

The root is cone-shaped and strip-like, thick and long like a finger, with no rhizome and no fibrous roots, with fairly obvious body rings of 5-10 circles near the head, and the surface has protruding transverse lenticels. The texture is hard, the cross-section is granular, with a light brown ring, and brownish-yellow oil dots. It has no off-odor, is slightly sweet, and has a strong bitter taste.

Counterfeit American ginseng is also cone-shaped and strip-like, but somewhat longer, with more rings around the upper end, and needle-like dots all over the body. Its cross-section is not granular and shows obvious chrysanthemum patterns, with no obvious brownish-yellow oil dots. It tastes bitter and cool, and in the mild bitterness there is no bitterness, etc.

The types of American ginseng are complex, and quality varies, and there are even counterfeits. Therefore, it should be identified when purchasing.

1. Imported American ginseng:

① The main root is round or spindle-shaped. The rhizome remains or has been removed; if remaining, it leans slightly to one side.

② The surface is light yellow or yellowish-white, with fine skin lines and protruding transverse lenticels.

③ The texture is plump and firm. The broken surface is slightly horny, and there are often small cracks between the bark and the wood or center. The broken surface is pinkish-white, and a brown cambium ring can be seen in the bark, with reddish-brown dots scattered inside and outside the ring.

④ The sweet-bitter taste is strong and reaches the throat.

The claim that imported American ginseng is better than domestic American ginseng is unfounded. Scientific research data and clinical application materials show that, whether in appearance or internal quality, domestic American ginseng is fully comparable to imported American ginseng.

2. Domestic American ginseng:

① It is long cylindrical, with thicker and sturdier branches and a larger rhizome.

② The surface is relatively smooth, the color tends to be dark, and the longitudinal lines are obvious.

③ The texture is light yet compact, like red bricks just out of the kiln, with poor flouriness and few cracked gaps.

④ It has only a bitter taste, with little or no sweetness, and after chewing for a long time it has a cotton-like feel.

3. Sun-dried ginseng passed off as American ginseng:

① The rhizome is long cylindrical or spindle-shaped, and the rhizome head has mostly been removed.

② The surface is earthy yellow or yellowish-white, with rough skin lines and thick but short transverse lenticels.

③ The texture is relatively crisp and loose, the cross-section is flat, white or grayish-white, showing radial cracks, and the reddish-brown dots in the bark are not obvious.

④ The taste is mild with sweetness or a beany, raw smell.