Panax trifolius (Dwarf ginseng)

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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

Delaware Wildflowers

5/10/2021 · Gamble and Kennebec Trails, Berry Woods Preserve, Georgetown, Maine
≈ 2½ × 2½" (6.9 × 6.5 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
≈ 6 × 6" (14 × 16 cm)

5/14/2013 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 6 × 7" (16 × 18 cm)

5/4/2012 · Willard Brook State Park, Blue Trail, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 4½" (12 × 11 cm)

5/10/2021 · Gamble and Kennebec Trails, Berry Woods Preserve, Georgetown, Maine
≈ 3 × 3½" (8.3 × 8.6 cm)

Panax trifolius description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 11 Jul 2023.

5/5/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Pepperell, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 3½" (11 × 9.3 cm)

5/20/2023 · Knight’s Pond Preserve, Cumberland, Maine

4/27/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Pepperell, Massachusetts
≈ 5 × 4½" (12 × 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
≈ 5 × 4" (13 × 10 cm)

5/2/2013 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 6 × 6" (14 × 14 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
≈ 6 × 4½" (14 × 12 cm)

4/24/2021 · Green Point, Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, Phippsburg, Maine
≈ 3 × 3" (8.4 × 8.4 cm)

5/4/2012 · Willard Brook State Park, Blue Trail, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 3½" (11 × 9.8 cm)

Range:

About this map...