Where does ginseng grow wild?

Wild ginseng grows in the United States and Canada, as well as in Eastern Siberia, Northeast China, South Korea and Bhutan. Ginseng's natural habitat is in the eastern deciduous forests of the United States.

American ginseng is found in 34 states, and 21 of those states list it as a conservation concern. Fifteen states prohibit the sale of wild ginseng. American ginseng produces few seeds and grows fairly slow, taking between three to eight years to reach sexual maturity. Habitat loss, overharvesting, white-tail deer and invasive species cause wild ginseng to decline in numbers. White-tail deer eat large areas of ginseng before the plant can reproduce.