Ground Nut, Dwarf ginseng
Panax trifolius

Family: Araliaceae

What it is like

Panax trifolius is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. It is in leaf from April to June, in flower in April. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 0.2

Where it is found

Rich woods and damp clearings.

Eastern N. America - Nova Scotia to Pennsylvania, west to Georgia, Indiana, Iowa and Minnesota.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Root - cooked. A very palatable taste after being boiled. When cold it has a taste somewhat like nuts.

Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicine

Rating: 2

Although closely related to the well-known herbal medicine ginseng, this species has been little researched for its medicinal virtues. A tea made from the whole plant has been used in the treatment of colic, indigestion, gout, hepatitis etc. The root is analgesic. It has been chewed as a treatment for headache, short breath, fainting and nervous debility.

Miscellany: Various medicinal actions that need more clarification.

Other

Rating:

Miscellany: A rag-bag of items that are difficult to categorise.

Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.

How it is grown

Requires a moist humus-rich soil in a shady position in a woodland. The plant has leaves above the ground for only two months each year. Although plants are hermaphrodite, individual flowers are often male. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is a runner spreading indefinitely by rhizomes or stolons. The root pattern is tuberous with swollen potato-like roots .

Propagating it: Seed - sow in a shady position in a cold frame preferably as soon as it is ripe, otherwise as soon as the seed is obtained. It can be very slow and erratic to germinate. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a shady position in the greenhouse or frame for at least their first winter. Make sure the pots are deep enough to accommodate the roots. Plant out into their permanent positions in late summer. Division in spring.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; not Deep Shade;

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 3-7

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Full shade, semi-shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Aralia trifolia.