Panax japonicus aka Japanese Ginseng

Panax japonicus is also known as Japanese ginseng. It belongs to the Araliaceae family. This perennial comes from temperate parts of East Asia. Kew gives Korea and Japan as its native range. Plants For A Future lists it on Japan’s four main islands. These are Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku. It grows wild in woods in Japan’s mountain areas. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This plant grows to about 2 feet [0.6 metres] tall. Its flowers have both male and female organs. The sources give no details of flower colour or season. They do not describe its leaves or fruit. Its small size fits the scale of a woodland garden. Plants For A Future suggests a shaded woodland edge. That entry rules out deep shade. Yet the same source’s growing notes allow full shade.

Plants For A Future says it prefers moist soil. It can grow in sand, loam, or clay. The stated soil pH runs from mildly acid to mildly alkaline. It can grow in part shade to full woodland shade. More detailed notes call for shade and soil rich in humus. Those notes draw on the needs of the genus as a whole. The source does not confirm how well it withstands British cold. Its native range suggests it may grow outdoors there. This estimate does not establish a firm hardiness zone.

The roots add flavour to tea and liqueurs. This limited food use comes with a warning about saponins. The roots may contain up to five percent of these compounds. They can harm people, though the body takes little of them in. Plants For A Future says cooking them well breaks them down. It warns that saponins can cause much more harm to fish. Reported uses include root decoctions, made by boiling roots in water. People have used these for coughs, fever, and stomach complaints. These reports do not prove that treatment is safe or works. The source suggests the root’s saponins might also serve as soap.

Grow new plants from seed or by division in spring. Seeds may take time to sprout and emerge at different times. The source says to sow fresh seed in a shaded cold frame. Young plants need pots deep enough for their roots. It advises shade and shelter through their first winter. Plants For A Future reports no weed potential.