Hsu's Ginseng SKU 130-4 | Half Short Extra Large | Cultivated American Ginseng from Marathon County, Wisconsin USA

American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.), a wild, native plant of North America, primarily grows in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States. The root resembles a parsnip, can grow from 6" to 18", and usually bears 3 leaves with 3-5 leaflets. This perennial plant takes 3-5 growing seasons to reach full maturity and be cultivated. American ginseng is highly prized worldwide for its unique taste, which is imparted by the rich soil, minerals, and climate found in Marathon County, Wisconsin. The Chinese and Native Americans' recognition of its "cure-all" properties led to the establishment of the cultivated American Ginseng Industry.

Hsu's Ginseng, a family-owned business, was started in 1974 as a mail-order company by Paul Hsu. In 1976, Paul hired his first employee, Ron Sandquist, as the farm manager. In 2011, the second generation of the Hsu and Sandquist families integrated into the company. Will Hsu and Nick Sandquist now carry on the tradition of growing the highest quality American Ginseng in Marathon County, WI.

Hsu's Ginseng currently has over 1,000 acres of prime American ginseng farmland available for cultivation. Selecting the right growing conditions is crucial, as ginseng plants prefer loamy, well-drained, shady, and humus-rich soil at least 12 inches deep with a high organic content and a pH of 5.5. American Ginseng only thrives in virgin soil, and in Wisconsin, the fertile soil used for ginseng cultivation is never used again for ginseng, only for raising other crops. These special characteristics ensure that American Ginseng grown in other areas of the USA may not look or taste the same.

The harvesting process is labor-intensive. In early fall, the American ginseng seeds are gathered as the stems and leaves of the plant above ground begin to yellow and die off. For the gardens planned for harvest, the shade fabric, posts, and cables are removed, and the beds are scraped to remove the straw cover, leaves, and stems. The roots are then harvested by hand off the ground.

After harvesting, the roots are sorted and graded by lot. The dried roots are washed and chilled in walk-in coolers for weeks before being sorted and graded by hand for final packaging. All of the grading and packaging facilities follow current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

The roots are graded based on diameter (inches) and length (inches) once dried. Hsu's Ginseng uses a grading scale developed by Paul Hsu when he started the business, and applies SKU numbers to the different grades before wrapping the products for final sale.

Hsu's Ginseng Farm in Wausau, Wisconsin, U.S.A., provides the highest quality American Ginseng roots directly from the garden. Each item contains an outer box for protection and one free single American ginseng tea bag. As an agricultural product, the item may vary slightly from the product image based on the crop that was harvested.

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