Introduction

Ginseng is a slow-growing herbaceous perennial cultivated for its highly valued root as a medicinal herb in various temperate climate zones, particularly North America and Asia. Botanically, Panax quinquefolius, the species cultivated in North America, differs slightly from the principle species native to Asia, Panax ginseng. Other species of ginseng are cultivated to a lesser extent.

Ginseng is a member of the Araliaceae family of plants, which includes wild sarsaparilla, dwarf ginseng and spikenard. All of these plants can be found in the forests of Ontario; the climate and soils of South Central Ontario are ideally suited to the production of ginseng.

About 85% of the ginseng root grown in North America is sold to the Asian market, where there is a considerable distinction between North American and Chinese ginseng based on their medicinal uses.

Ontario grown American Ginseng, Panax quinquefolius, has become one of the best known medicinal plants since it was first discovered in 1716 by a Jesuit priest in Canada.

介紹
人參是一種生長緩慢的草本多年生植物，因其作為各種溫帶氣候區（特別是北美和亞洲）的藥用植物而備受青睞。 在植物學上，在北美種植的西洋參（Panax quinquefolius）與亞洲人參（Panax ginseng）的原生物種略有不同。 其他種類的人參種植程度較低。

人參是五加科植物的成員，包括野生sarsaparilla，矮人參和spikenard。 所有這些植物都可以在安大略省的森林中找到; 安大略省中南部的氣候和土壤非常適合人參的生產。

北美種植的人參根中約有85％銷往亞洲市場，根據其藥用用途，北美和中國人參之間存在相當大的差異。

安大略省種植的西洋參（Panax quinquefolius）自1716年由加拿大耶穌會牧師首次發現以來，已成為最著名的藥用植物之一。