Harvest season for wild ginseng begins on September 1 in Virginia

GinsengPhoto byBosmin Kang/Ginseng Screenshot

WRIC 8 News reported that wild ginseng harvest season in Virginia begins on September 1 and ends on December 31.

About ginseng

Wild ginseng is a highly-regulated plant in Virginia. It has culinary and medicinal benefits. The root of the ginseng plant is used to treat a wide variety of ailments.

GinsengPhoto byGinseng/Wikipedia Screenshot

In 2023, about 1,700 pounds of ginseng roots were harvested by diggers in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) estimates the value of collected ginseng is nearly $1.2 million.

Rules for harvesting ginseng

VDACS warns that anyone who wishes to harvest ginseng must follow several regulations. Violating them could result in a $2,500 fine, 12 months in jail, or both.

• When harvesting ginseng from anywhere except your own land, you must only harvesting during harvest season.
• Ginseng that is less than five years old, has fewer than four stem scars on its rhizome, or has fewer than three prongs cannot be harvested.
• You must plant the ginseng’s seeds at the harvest site immediately after harvesting.
• It is illegal to harvest ginseng on most public lands, including state and national parks and forests.
• In the few public places where it is permitted, anyone interested in harvesting the plant must get a permit from the appropriate office or agency.
• On federal lands, harvesting any part of a ginseng plant is always a crime. A person could face a fine of up to $5,000, six months in jail, or both.
• If you wish to harvest ginseng from a person’s private property, you must obtain written permission to do so. That permission must be on your person while you harvest.

For more information on ginseng harvesting, click on VDACS’ website.