Damon Mcknight
Ginseng is a plant native to Northeast Asia and North America. In the early 1990s, Fred Hosemans established Australia's first ginseng farm at Gembrook, in the Dandenong Ranges outside Melbourne. Hosemans defied botanists who believed the plant could never prosper in Australia. Today, there are only a few commercial ginseng growers in the country. Ginseng is typically grown in Tasmania, where the strong sun requires more shade cover. The plants take a long time to grow, with seeds taking two years to germinate and then four to six years for the plants to mature. While there are no known reports of ginseng growing wild in Australia, New Zealand has a wild-grown ginseng industry.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Commercial Ginseng Growers in Australia | A handful |
| First Ginseng Farm in Australia | Established in Gembrook by Fred Hosemans |
| Location | Dandenong Ranges, outside Melbourne |
| Optimum pH | 5.4 |
| Minimum Shade | 80% |
| Time for Seeds to Germinate | 2 years |
| Time for Plants to Mature | 4 to 6 years |
| Region | Tasmania |
| Soil | Fertile |
| Sunlight | Less than half an hour of sun per day |
| Certification | HACCP |
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What You'll Learn
Ginseng growing conditions in Australia
Ginseng, a plant native to northeast Asia and North America, has attracted many Australians with its potential to be a lucrative cash crop. However, despite the initial excitement, only a handful of commercial ginseng growers exist in Australia today.
Ginseng requires special conditions to flourish. Firstly, ginseng needs moist, well-drained soil with an optimum pH of 5.4. This pH level can be adjusted by applying lime, dolomite, and gypsum. Secondly, a minimum of 80% shade is necessary, provided by a canopy cover. At the Gembrook ginseng farm, the main canopy species are eucalypts, with an understorey of hazel pomaderus, tree ferns, and tea trees. The property's average yearly rainfall is 1200 mm, and a spring-fed dam provides additional water during drier years.
In addition to the challenges of creating the right growing environment, ginseng growers in Australia face constant problems from native animals and birds, such as deer, wallabies, kangaroos, wombats, bush rats, lyre birds, possums, and parrots, who invade ginseng plantings. While wire fences and electronic deterrents offer some protection, growers have found that wire igloos provide better security and peace of mind.
Growing ginseng in Australia can be a steep learning curve, and growers are advised to share information and attend regional field days to learn from others' experiences and techniques.
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The history of growing ginseng in Australia
Ginseng, a delicate plant with medicinal properties, has been used for over 2000 years. In the 1980s, Fred Hosemans, inspired by an American magazine article, became the first person to grow ginseng in Australia. He bought seeds and a three-hectare block of land near Gembrook, just outside Melbourne, and planted the seeds in six beds. After losing his job in 1989, Mr Hosemans moved his family onto the block, living in a converted shed and tending his crop. It took seven years for the first harvest of 300kg of fresh root per harvest.
Mr Hosemans then began touring the country, promoting the herb as a potential Australia-wide industry. He published books on growing ginseng and started the Australian Ginseng Growers' Association, which he led as president for 10 years. By the early 1990s, he had generated interest from people looking for a "retirement crop", lured by the prospect of a lucrative cash crop. However, despite his early success, Mr Hosemans' vision of exporting Australian-grown ginseng to China never came to fruition.
John and Jenny, who ran a ginseng farm for 15 years until they retired in 2014, also faced challenges with slugs and floods. They eventually found a property more suitable for ginseng growing, with moist, well-drained soil and a canopy cover to provide shade. Their farm, Orang Utan Organic Ginseng, continues the tradition of ginseng growing in Australia.
Today, only a handful of commercial ginseng growers remain in Australia, and there have been more failures than success stories. Despite the initial excitement around ginseng cultivation, many people gave up when they encountered difficulties, as the climate and conditions in Australia differ significantly from those in North Asia and North America, where ginseng is native.
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Ginseng's medicinal properties
Ginseng has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine and is now also used worldwide as a popular herbal supplement. The slow-growing, short plant with fleshy roots is a member of the Araliaceae family and is native to Eastern Asia and North America. While there are different varieties, the most common types used medicinally are Asian or Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). So, what about Australian ginseng? Does ginseng grow wild in Australia, and does it possess similar medicinal properties?
Unfortunately, ginseng does not grow natively in Australia, and there is little to suggest that it grows in the wild there. However, a species known as Australian ginseng (Withania somnifera), or more commonly 'Ashwagandha', is native to the Indian subcontinent and has similar medicinal uses. This species is not botanically related to Panax ginseng but has been given the name due to its comparable therapeutic properties. Australian ginseng is an adaptogen, meaning it can help the body adapt to stress and exert a normalizing influence, which is a key characteristic of herbal Panax ginseng.
Medicinally, ginseng is renowned for its ability to improve overall health and increase longevity. It is considered a tonic, or adaptogenic, herb, which helps the body resist the negative effects of stress, promotes homeostasis, and enhances physical and mental performance. Ginseng is believed to work by stimulating the immune, endocrine, and central nervous systems, and its effects are often felt quickly. The herb contains a range of active compounds, including ginsenosides, which are thought to be responsible for many of its therapeutic properties. These compounds have been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects.
The root of the ginseng plant is typically used medicinally, and it can be consumed in a variety of ways, including as a tea, tincture, or powder, or in capsules and tablets. Ginseng is commonly used to improve brain function and enhance cognitive performance, boost the immune system, reduce inflammation, and improve mood and energy levels. It has also been shown to have benefits for sexual function and fertility in both men and women. Additionally, ginseng may help lower blood sugar levels and improve diabetes control, as well as provide some protection against certain types of cancer.
Due to its stimulating effects, ginseng should be used with caution, and it is generally recommended to cycle its use, taking breaks of a few weeks between periods of consumption. Side effects are generally mild but can include insomnia, restlessness, and gastrointestinal upset. It is also important to note that ginseng may interact with certain medications, including diabetes drugs, blood thinners, and antidepressants, so it is always advisable to consult a healthcare professional before taking any herbal supplement.
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Wild ginseng in New Zealand
Ginseng is a herb with ancient roots in China and Korea, where it grows in the wild. Wild ginseng is highly prized for its superior nutritional properties, but the global supply of the herb is dwindling as the plant nears extinction in the wild due to overharvesting and poaching.
In New Zealand, a company called KiwiSeng has been growing ginseng under pine forests in the Central North Island since the early 2000s. The company sources its seeds from Mt Changbai in China and from North America. The ginseng is grown under a high-altitude forest with pure air, freshwater, and rich volcanic soils. The trees in the forest are uniformly aged and managed, with known soil, weather, and light conditions. This environment simulates the wild environments of China and Korea, where ginseng originates, while also offering the benefits of a more controlled environment.
KiwiSeng's ginseng is grown naturally over 15 years with no chemical inputs and little human intervention, allowing it to be classified as wild ginseng. The plants are typically harvested by hand at a minimum of 15 years of age, with care taken to not damage the fine root tips. The company's ginseng has all the characteristics of wild ginseng, including its appearance and superior nutritional properties.
KiwiSeng's ginseng is certified organic by BioGro New Zealand, as well as by other international organizations. The company's ginseng is expected to become a major export industry for New Zealand, with the potential to bring in $1 billion.
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The process of growing ginseng
Ginseng is a woodland plant, so when growing it, the goal should be to reproduce those conditions as much as possible. Ginseng grows in partial to full shade, with good air circulation. If you can't find a natural tree canopy to plant under, you can create your own with artificial structures.
- Choose and prepare your planting site. Your growing area should contain rich, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Choose a low-traffic area that gets partial shade or that you can provide with artificial shade. Remove any large rocks or debris that can obstruct your ginseng’s growth.
- Prepare a bed with soil up to 8 inches deep underneath mature hardwood trees, preferably on a northeast-facing slope.
- Plant your ginseng. Sow your ginseng seeds about one inch below the soil surface, spacing your seeds between 14 and 20 inches apart to encourage air circulation and reduce the chance of disease problems.
- Be patient. Ginseng seeds can take up to 18 months to germinate, while ginseng plants can take around three to five years to mature.
- Ginseng requires regular watering while establishing.
- Ginseng is also susceptible to leaf blight, which can be treated with a careful application of organic fungicide.
- Once your plants have reached maturity, to retain moisture, you can cover your plants with leaf litter—the only soil supplement your plants need.
- Harvest your ginseng. Loosen the soil around your ginseng plant and gently pull it up from the ground, carefully removing excess dirt from the roots.
- Wash the ginseng. Run the ginseng root under cool water and gently rub away the soil, taking care not to tear or break the roots.
- Dry your ginseng. Air dry on a rack in a warm environment and out of direct sunlight for at least two weeks until the inside of the ginger roots turn white.
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Frequently asked questions
Ginseng is not native to Australia, but it can be grown there. It is originally from Northeast Asia and North America.
Ginseng requires specific conditions to flourish. It needs moist, well-drained soil with an optimum pH of 5.4 and a canopy cover to maintain a minimum of 80% shade. The plants are fragile and need to be well-watered while establishing.
It takes two years for ginseng seeds to germinate and then four to six years for the plants to mature.
Wild ginseng grows in China and Korea. However, wild-grown ginseng is also cultivated in New Zealand under specific conditions to simulate the wild environments of China and Korea.
Wild ginseng has a unique appearance and high levels of active ingredients called ginsenosides. It is also rare and difficult to source ethically due to over-harvesting and poaching.
