AHPA-ERB Foundation supports launch of new American Ginseng online exhibition

• By: AHPA
• On: 09/22/2022 18:09:54
• In: AHPA-ERB Foundation

September 22, 2022

Illustration by Rosalie Haizlett (@rosaliehaizlett)

The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage has launched American Ginseng: Local Knowledge, Global Roots, a new online exhibition presenting the stories of a wide variety of people with intimate knowledge of this endangered plant. The American Herbal Products Association Foundation for Education and Research on Botanicals (AHPA-ERB Foundation) is pleased to have provided funds in support of the development of this new resource.

American ginseng grows wild in the Appalachian region of the Eastern United States and on farms in the Midwest. Its roots are highly prized in East Asian traditional medicine as a natural cure-all, treating everything from low energy to cancer. Due to its high market value and the degradation of its natural habitat, wild American ginseng faces many threats. By sharing traditional knowledge about the many wonders of American ginseng, we seek to increase education and conservation efforts for the “green gold” of the forest.

The exhibition officially launched on September 1, in honor of the start of ginseng season, when the plant may be legally harvested and sold in many states. AHPA members and the herbal community are encouraged to explore the site and share their own ginseng stories by uploading text and images.