Endangered Species: Ginseng

A Christiansburg Elementary Project
Submitted by Brandon
Christiansburg Elementary School, Christiansburg, U.S.A.

Ginseng

Photography courtesy of Virginia's Endangered Species
Why Study This Topic? What Was Already Known Search for Information Description of Plant or Animal Habitat Requirements
Adaptations Reasons for Endangerment Restoration Actions What Was Learned Conclusions from Research

Why Study This Topic?

  My topic is a plant. It is called ginseng. One reason that I chose ginseng is because I wanted to find out more than I already knew. I thought that if I did a report on ginseng, I would learn more about it . Then I might have a chance to grow some and make some money. I also chose ginseng because I was interested in this unique plant.
 

What Was Already Known

  Before I searched for ginseng, I already knew that it was hard to grow and hard to find. I also knew that it was a plant. I knew it was a root too. I knew that if you could grow it, you could get a lot of money for it.

Search for Information

  My teacher provided some pages out of a book, and I had to look in the pages and get the information. I had problems too. I forgot to bring my folder that had all my information in to school, so I had to find the pages that I had and recopy them. It took awhile too.

Description

  Ginseng can grow to be 15 centimeters long, and nine centimeters wide. Ginseng can be a large, spindle shape or sometimes it can be forked. The colors of ginseng aren't what I though they would be. They are white to greenish white and some drops of red.

Habitat Requirements

  Ginseng grows in rich deciduous forests.

Adaptations

  Ginseng's predator is man. People collect too much of it, so there isn't much left in the wild. People collect it because of its worth. It is worth a lot because it is priced as a health food. Ginseng is worth a lot of money if you can grow it.

Reasons for Endangerment

  Ginseng is endangered because people over collect it. There used to be a lot of it. It used to grow a lot in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Now, there is very little left. When people found out it was worth a lot of money, they started collecting it. Then people started over collecting, and its population went down.

Restoration Actions

  People have taken action in saving ginseng. Virginia passed an endangered plants and insects species act in 1979. Since 1985, people have to have a licence to collect ginseng.

What Was Learned

  I learned a great deal. I learned all the colors that ginseng can be. I learned its shape and size. I also learned where it mainly grows. I also learned why its endangered. I learned a lot more than I already knew.

Conclusions From Research

  I learned more about how to research projects. I also learned not to forget things at home and bring them to school. Now, I have more experience with research. I also have more information about ginseng.

Bibliography

  Terwilliger, Karen.1991. "Virginia's Endangered Species" Pages: 133-134
left arrow Return to Plant page.

If you would like to add to these Endangered Species
pages then email your contributions to Christiansburg Elementary

© copyright 1997 

Christiansburg Elementary
Last updated on March 9, 1998