American Ginseng: Benefits, Uses & Survival of a Legendary Root

Why have so many herbalists stopped using American ginseng — and what would it mean to welcome it back?

In this episode, I sat down with Appalachian herbalist Phyllis Light to discuss American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), an herb that her family has had an intimate relationship with for generations. Wow, what a wealth of information she had to share about this legendary herb! Our conversation wound through the folk history of ginseng’s use in Appalachia, ginseng trade routes, and the many, many ways we can work with it to benefit our health. Phyllis also explored the widespread belief that American ginseng is ‘too endangered to use’—and why the truth is more complex than we might think.

Phyllis shared about several different herbal preparations of American ginseng, including her recipe for Ginseng Honey—a simple and delicious way to work with this beloved herb. You can download your beautifully illustrated recipe card here.

There are so many ways that American ginseng can benefit your health! Here are just a few reasons you might want to work with American ginseng:

► To improve memory and cognitive ability

► To benefit your immune system (and even help antibiotics work better!)

► To help you build strength and muscle mass, boost energy, and increase endurance

To learn even more ways that you can work with American ginseng, be sure to check out the entire episode!

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► How the global ginseng market impacts use of American ginseng in the United States

► Why Phyllis considers American ginseng to be a “panacea herb”

► How American ginseng can be worked with to benefit sleep—and the particular kind of insomnia that it is most appropriate for

► When it’s best to use American ginseng on its own, and when to formulate it with other herbs

► The legal and ethical implications of buying wildcrafted American ginseng (or of wildcrafting your own!)

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Phyllis D. Light, a fourth-generation herbalist and healer, has studied and worked with herbs, foods, and other healing techniques for over 30 years. She is traditionally trained in Southern Folk Medicine with lessons from her grandmother as well as Tommie Bass, a renowned Southern herbalist. 

Phyllis has a master’s degree from the University of Alabama in Health Studies, nutrition and healthcare.  She has taught CEU classes for allied healthcare professionals. She is director of the Appalachian Center for Natural Health and is the author of Southern Folk Medicine: Healing Traditions from Appalachian Fields and Forests.

I can’t wait to share our conversation with you today!

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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

Would you prefer watching this episode? If so, click here for the video.

You can find Phyllis at PhyllisDLight.com.

For more behind-the-scenes of this podcast, follow @rosaleedelaforet on Instagram!

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On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.