While six or seven types of ginseng are known worldwide, the most common types are the Asian Ginseng (PanaxGinseng) grown in Korea and North-East Asia, the American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolium L.) grown in the U.S. and Canada, and the Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosis) grown in China. The Asian ginseng root, whose shape resembles the human body, is categorized as a different species from the American or Siberian types. To distinguish it from other ginseng grown in the world, all of the ginseng cultivated in Korea is referred to as Goryeo ginseng.
Goryeo
ginseng is a perennial, shade loving plant, and as mentioned, the root forms
“legs” and a “trunk” like a human body. A cultivated ginseng plant can take
from four to six years to grow, from selecting the seeds to harvesting, and the
more attention given to cultivation, the greater its medicinal effect. Korea
has the optimal conditions for ginseng, whose cultivation requires the right
natural environment. It is particularly sensitive to climate, to the amount of
sunlight, and to soil. Considered a cure for various illnesses even in modern
times, Goryeo
ginseng has more effectiveness than any other type of ginseng and is effective
towards prevention and treatment of most diseases. Because of this, Goryeo
ginseng is more expensive than other kinds of ginseng. Sometimes ginseng
produced in other countries is remade into Goryeo ginseng.