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Nanopanax trifolius (L.) A. Haines
Dwarf Ginseng
Federal Protection: No US federal protection
State Protection: No Georgia state protection
Global Rank: G5
State Rank: S1
Element Locations Tracked in Biotics: Yes
SWAP 2015 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): Yes
SWAP 2025 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): Yes
2025 SGCN Priority Tier: Moderate Conservation Concern
Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 6
Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Mesic hardwood-coniferous forests
Perennial herb with a single stem 2 - 8 inches (5 - 20) tall. Leaves are three in number, held in a whorl at the top of the stem; each leaf is divided into 3 - 5 coarsely toothed leaflets up to 3 inches (8 cm) long. There is one flower cluster per plant, about 0.8 inch (2 cm) wide on a stalk up to 2.4 inches (2 - 6 cm) long; each flower has 5 white petals. The fruit is an oval or round, yellow-green berry, 0.4 inch (1 cm) wide.
None
American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius, Special Concern) was once widespread in the Piedmont and in north Georgia, and occurred as far south as Clay County, in the Chattahoochee River drainage. Collection of roots for medicinal use has severely reduced the number of plants and is now regulated in Georgia by the Ginseng Protection Act. For more information, see: https://www.georgiabiodiversity.org/portal/profile?group=plants&es_id=17745
Rich, moist hardwood forests, cove forests, bottomland forests.
Dwarf Ginseng is a perennial herb that reproduces sexually by seed. It is called a “sex-changing” plant because a plant may produce male flowers (with stamens and no pistil) one year, and then another year produce flowers that have both stamens and pistils. Younger, smaller plants produce only male flowers; pollen takes less energy to produce than fruits, and younger plants have fewer carbohydrate reserves stored in their roots than do older ones. As the plant ages and has more stored reserves, it partially changes sex – producing flowers with both female (pistil) and male (stamens) parts. As the pistil matures, it draws on the carbohydrates stored in the plant’s roots to support the development of fruits.
Surveys are best conducted during flowering (April–June) and fruiting (August–October). Plants quickly wither after fruiting.
Georgia, north to Nova Scotia and west to Ontario and Minnesota. It is rare in Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Indiana.
Destruction of habitat by logging, clearing, and development. Invasion by exotic plants, especially Japanese Stilt-grass and Japanese Honeysuckle. Rooting by feral hogs.
| Threat 1 | Threat 2 | Threat 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Threat | Agriculture & Aquaculture | Residential & commercial development | Natural system modifications |
| Specific Threat | None | None | None |
Panax trifolium is ranked S2 by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, indicating that it is imperiled in Georgia. Six populations have been documented in Georgia, all on National Forest or state conservation lands.
Avoid logging or clearing in undisturbed forests. Eradicate exotic pest species, especially Nepalese browntop grass, Japanese Honeysuckle, and feral hogs. Protect sites from foot and off-road vehicle traffic.
Chafin, L.G. 2007. Field guide to the rare plants of Georgia. State Botanical Garden of Georgia and University of Georgia Press, Athens.
GADNR. 2020. Element occurrence records for Panax trifolius. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, Social Circle, Georgia.
Hilty, J. 2018. Dwarf Ginseng, Panax trifolius species account. Illinois Wildflowers. http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/woodland/plants/dwf_ginseng.htm
NatureServe. 2019. Panax trifolius comprehensive report. NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Panax+trifolius
Radford, A.E., H.E. Ahles, and C.R. Bell. 1968. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill.
Schlessman, M.A. 1991. Size, gender, and sex change in Dwarf Ginseng, Panax trifolius (Araliaceae). Oecologia 87: 588-595. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00320425
Schlessman, M.A. 1990. Phenotypic gender in sex changing Dwarf Ginseng, Panax trifolius (Araliaceae). American Journal of Botany 77(9): 1125-1131. https://bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/j.1537-2197.1990.tb13610.x
Weakley, A.S. 2015. Flora of the southern and mid-Atlantic States. University of North Carolina Herbarium, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. http://www.herbarium.unc.edu/flora.htm
Linda G. Chafin
L. Chafin, Jul. 2008: original account
K. Owers, Feb. 2010: added pictures
L. Chafin, Mar. 2020: updated original account
