Post by hoosierheightsfarm on Jul 29, 2007 17:15:33 GMT -5
I went for a walk yesterday and checked on some of my natural ginseng patches. I put "probably" next to what I guess the ages at, because it is hard (if not impossible) to tell age by the size of the plant above ground.
Once I dug a small, two prong plant, and after counting the cusps, it was 25+ years old.
A young plant (1-2 years probably)
A two prong, but with only 3 leaflets per leaf. (1-3 years probably)
Another two prong, this with 5 leaflets per leaf. In the crotch you can see the seeds, still green.
I did some "investigative excavation" after this picture. Counting the cusp that will be for this year this plant is 4 years old. It is only about 15 feet from the previous two pictures.
A very good picture of a two prong.
This is NOT ginseng. This is Virginia creeper. Looks very similar. Leaflets are shaped differently. Compare with picture above.
This is the whole patch. There are several different ages of plants here, and almost every leaf arrangment you will see.
Part of the same patch, with some really nice poison ivy right in the middle. ECH!
Ornate box turtles. Not the endangered Eastern box turtle.
A three leafed Goldenseal plant.
The beginnings of my goldenseal patch. Each rhizome can be cut into pieces and replanted, which will give the plants a 2 year head start, compared to starting from seed.
Patrick
Once I dug a small, two prong plant, and after counting the cusps, it was 25+ years old.
A young plant (1-2 years probably)
A two prong, but with only 3 leaflets per leaf. (1-3 years probably)
Another two prong, this with 5 leaflets per leaf. In the crotch you can see the seeds, still green.
I did some "investigative excavation" after this picture. Counting the cusp that will be for this year this plant is 4 years old. It is only about 15 feet from the previous two pictures.
A very good picture of a two prong.
This is NOT ginseng. This is Virginia creeper. Looks very similar. Leaflets are shaped differently. Compare with picture above.
This is the whole patch. There are several different ages of plants here, and almost every leaf arrangment you will see.
Part of the same patch, with some really nice poison ivy right in the middle. ECH!
Ornate box turtles. Not the endangered Eastern box turtle.
A three leafed Goldenseal plant.
The beginnings of my goldenseal patch. Each rhizome can be cut into pieces and replanted, which will give the plants a 2 year head start, compared to starting from seed.
Patrick
