Panax trifolius L.
Dwarf ginseng
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass Asteridae A large class that encompasses asters
Order Apiales Includes carrots, celery, parsley, and ivy
Family Araliaceae Ivy family
Genus Panax Ginseng—means “panacea” for its curative properties
Species trifolius Latin for “three leaves”
About plant names...
Dwarf ginseng is native to northeastern North America.
Plants: 4-8″ (10-20 cm) in height,
easily missed among forest litter when not in bloom. American ginseng looks somewhat similar, but it is larger,
and has clusters of five stalked leaflets instead of three leaflets in dwarf ginseng.
Leaves: In clusters of three, with a larger
central leaflet; leaflets are toothed.
Flowers: Blooms are spherical in shape, composed
of many minute white or pinkish flowers about 1/16″ (2 mm) around, all emerging from a central point.
Blooms appear in May-June.
Up close, the blooms are delicate and quite beautiful.
Fruits: Yellowish berry clusters succeed the
flowers in July and August.
Medical: Dwarf ginseng root is not used in herbal medicine.
See American ginseng .
Online References:
Southeastern Flora, the Southeastern U.S. Plant Identification Resource
The U.S. Forest Service Celebrating Wildflowers site
The University of Wisconsin's Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium
The North Carolina Native Plant Society
Illinois Wildflowers
The Connecticut Botanical Society's Connecticut wildflowers site
CalPhotos
Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants
Delawarewildflowers.org
5/10/2021 · Gamble and Kennebec Trails, Berry Woods Preserve, Georgetown, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)
5/14/2013 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 11 × 7″ (26 × 17 cm)
5/10/2016 · Old Long Loop, Beaver Brook Cons, Hollis, New Hampshire
5/20/2014 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 16 cm)
5/14/2013 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 16 cm)
5/17/2021 · Bijhouwer Forest, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 4 × 6″ (11 × 16 cm)
5/4/2012 · Willard Brook State Park, Blue Trail, Ashby, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm)
Panax trifolius description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 11 Jul 2023.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
5/10/2021 · Gamble and Kennebec Trails, Berry Woods Preserve, Georgetown, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)
5/5/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
5/20/2023 · Knight’s Pond Preserve, Cumberland, Maine
4/27/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
5/10/2016 · Old Long Loop, Beaver Brook Cons, Hollis, New Hampshire
5/4/2012 · Willard Brook State Park, Blue Trail, Ashby, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm)
5/2/2013 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 16 cm)
5/11/2023 · White Trail, Knight’s Pond Preserve, Cumberland, Maine
5/20/2014 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
4/24/2021 · Green Point, Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, Phippsburg, Maine · ≈ 6 × 4″ (16 × 11 cm)
5/4/2012 · Willard Brook State Park, Blue Trail, Ashby, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
Range:
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