HO-73
R. Terry Jones, Department of Horticulture
Each year, the department of horticulture receives many calls requesting sources of various plant seeds or roots and technical information about their care and handling. The growers listed in this publication should not be construed as the only sources of seed, roots, or plants. The University is not recommending them over others not listed. The price of seed, roots, and plants varies from year to year due to demand and availability. Different suppliers ask differing prices during the same year. In addition, the quantity purchased may also affect the price.
If you are getting into medicinal herb production for the first time, be aware that prices growers receive for many of these plants can vary tremendously from season to season. Sometimes supply can exceed demand. Roots that sold for $50.00 per pound last year may only be worth $15.00 per pound this year.
Woods-grown or wild-simulated ginseng is one of the major medicinal herbs grown in Kentucky. Freshly harvested ginseng seed (in the fall) usually requires 18 months for the embryo in the seed to develop and mature before it will germinate. This fact explains why seed is stored in moist sand for about 12 months (a process called "stratifying the seed"). People new to the ginseng business should order stratified seed or freshly harvested roots. If your purchased seed dries out, germination will be drastically reduced.
At present, most commercial ginseng plantings in Kentucky are either woods-grown or wild-simulated. These are made by directly sowing seed using seeding rates of 10 to 30 pounds of seed per acre. Seed prices have increased in recent years with prices between $50 to $80 per pound; therefore, it may cost more than $2,400 per acre to plant ginseng from seed. For individuals just beginning, we suggest sowing seed 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep in a permanent bed. You may wish to plant seeds and grow one-year-old roots for transplanting to a permanent location. The roots should be set on a 45-degree angle with the bud 1 inch below the soil.
For more detailed information on planting seeds or roots and ginseng production, refer to Cooperative Extension publication Cultivating Ginseng in Kentucky (ID-60), available from your local Cooperative Extension office.
| Medicinal Herb Seed and Root Sources | |
| Medicinal Plant Species | Sources |
| Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga [Actaea] racemosa) | ABU, COM, DAB, JOH, LAK, RIC, SAN, SHO, BIL, WEL, CRO, HEL |
| Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) | BAR, COM, DAB, LAK, RIC, SAN, SHO, WEL, CRO, HEL |
| Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) | COM, CRO, DAB, RIC, SAN |
| Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) | ABU, COM, GOO, JEL, RIC, SAN, SHO |
| Coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia, E. pallida, E. purpurea) | ABU, COM, DAB, GOO, JEL, JOH, RIC, SAN, SHO, WEL |
| Joe-Pye-Weed (Eupatoruim fistulosum) | ABU, COM, DAB, GOO, JEL, RIC, SAN, SHO |
| Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) | AME, BAR, COM, DAB, GOO, HOL, HSU, JEL, JOH, PIC, RIC, BIL, WEL, RED |
| Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) | AME, BAR, COM, DAB, GOO, HEL, HOL, HSU, JOH, LAK, PIC, RIC, SAN, WEL |
| Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema atrorubens) | DAB, COM, JEL, SHO |
| Lobelia (Lobelia inflata) | ABU, COM, DAB, JEL, RIC, SAN, SHO |
| Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) | COM, HOL, JEL, RIC, SAN, SHO |
| Passionflower (May pop) (Passiflora incarnata) | DAB, GOO, RIC, SAN, SHO |
| Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) | COM, LAK, RIC, SAN, SHO |
| Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) | BAR, COM, DAB, GOO, JEL, RIC, SHO |
| Wild Yam (Discorea quaternata) | COM, RIC, COM, HEL |
| Valerian (Valerian pauciflora) | ABU, COM, DAB, GOO, JEL, RIC |
ABU Abundant Life Seed Foundation, P. O. Box 772, Port Townsend, Washington 98368; phone: (360) 385-5660; fax: (360) 385-7455; email: abundant@olypen.com; web site: www.abundantlifeseed.org; many plant species; seed source; catalog available.
AME American Ginseng Gardens, 404 Mtn. Meadow, Flag Pond, Tennessee 37657; phone: (423) 743-3700; ginseng and goldenseal seed and root source; catalog available, $1.00.
BAR Barney's Ginseng Patch, Barney L. Frye, 433 Hwy. B, Montgomery City, Missouri 63361; phone: (573) 564-2575; ginseng and goldenseal seed and root source; bloodroot and wild ginger root source; catalog available, $3.00.
BIL Bill Slagle, Rt. 3, Box 186, Bruceton Mills, West Virginia 26525; phone: (304) 379-3596; ginseng native farm seed available; black cohosh roots available; catalog and book of planting instructions with seed or root orders.
COM Companion Plants, 7242 N. Coolville Ridge Road, Athens, Ohio 45701; phone: (740) 592-4643; fax: (740) 593-3092; email: complant@frognet.net; website: www.companionplants.com; ginseng, goldenseal, bloodroot, black cohosh, wild yam, valerian, and twinleaf root source; Echinacea seed source; catalog available.
CRO Crouse, Nancy, P. O. Box 141, Mozelle, Kentucky 41749; phone: (606) 374-3374; black and blue cohosh, wild yam, and bloodroot; call for availability; rootstock available in spring and fall; will purchase fresh goldenseal rootstock.
DAB Dabney Herbs, P. O. Box 22061, Louisville, Kentucky 40252; phone/fax: (502) 893-5198; quality herbs, plants, essential oils, herbal supplies, and related products; ginseng, goldenseal, joe pye-weed, Echinacea, passionflower, bloodroot, and black cohosh.
GOO Goodwin Creek Gardens, P. O. Box 83, Williams, Oregon 97544; (800) 846-7359; website: www.goodwincreekgardens.com; Echinacea, Hydrastis, ginseng, goldenseal seed and root source; catalog available.
HEL Heller, Linda, HC-62, Box 841, Confluence, Kentucky 41730; phone: (606) 672-6444; feverfew, black cohosh, goldenseal, bloodroot, and wild yam; available spring and fall; seeds and rootstock; call for availability for the current year.
HIG High Falls Gardens, Jeanine Giblette, P. O. Box 125, Philmont, New York 12565; phone: (518) 672-7365; e-mail: hfg@Capital.net.
HOL Holbrook, Charles D., P. O. Box 561, Brodhead, Kentucky 40409; phone: (606) 758-8814; ginseng, goldenseal, and mayapple seed and root source; also, willow bark, sassafras, pawpaw, and crabapple available.
HSU Hsu's Ginseng Enterprises, T6819 Co. Hwy. W., P. O. Box 509, Wausau, Wisconsin 54402-0509; (800) 826-1577; email: info@hsuginseng.com; wild and cultivated ginseng and goldenseal roots; seed and other herbs; catalog available.
JEL Jelitto Perennial Seeds, 125 Chenoweth Lane,
Louisville, Kentucky 40207; phone: (502) 895-0807; fax:
(502) 895-3934; web site: www.jelitto.com; ginseng,
lobelia, and valerian; catalog available.
JOH Johnny's Selected Seeds, Foss Hill Road, Albion, Maine 04910; phone: (207) 437-9294; goldenseal, Echinacea purpurea, E. angustifolia, E. tennesseenis, E. paradoxa, E. pallida, black cohosh C. racemosa, Asian ginseng Panax ginseng, American ginseng Panax quinquefolium; seeds and roots; catalog available.
LAK Lake's Botanicals, Charles and Janet Lake,
2029 Poindexter Road, Cynthiana, Kentucky 41031; phone:
(859) 234-6884; email: lakefarm@kyk.net; certified organically grown planting stock of goldenseal,
bloodroot, black cohosh, solomon's seal, and Acorus
calamus; fall delivery only; no catalog.
PIC Pickerell's Ginseng Farm, 258 Ennis Mill Road, Hodgenville, Kentucky 42748; phone: (270) 358-4543; ginseng seed and roots; goldenseal roots; no catalog.
RED Red River Ginseng, Les R. Collinsworth, 220 Neff Road, Hazel Green, Kentucky 41332; phone: (606) 662-4091; email: Ginseng@eastky.com; ginseng grower, seed, and roots for sale.
RIC Richters Herbs, Robert Bathgate, Manager, 357
Highway 47, Goodwood, Ontario, Canada LOC 1AO; phone:
(905) 640-6677, ext. 201; email: roberts@richters.com;
ship worldwide; catalog available.
SAN Sandy Mush Herb Nursery, 316 Surrett Cove
Road, Leicester, North Carolina 28748-5517; phone:
(828) 683-2014; many medicinal plant species
available, roots available, catalog available, $4.00.
SHO Shooting Star Nursery, 444 Bates Road, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601; phone: (502) 223-1679; email: ShootingStarNursery@msn.com; plants, seeds, trees, shrubs, and vines available; descriptive catalog available.
SMI Smith, Pat, HC 61, Box 2750, Hyden, Kentucky 41749; phone: (606) 672-2252; herb seeds; call for availability and selection; can work with special requests.
WEL Well-Sweep Herb Farm, 205 Mt. Bethel Road, Port Murray, New Jersey 07865; phone: (908) 852-5390; ginseng, goldenseal, Echinacea, bloodroot, black cohosh; roots available; catalog available, $2.00.
Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm
in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement and does not
imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.