Rooting for an organic wonder in central Vietnam

Updated: 09:56, 18/06/2018

The ‘Vietnamese ginseng,’ grown in sylvan surroundings in Quang Nam Province, can fetch up to $4,400 per kilogram.

A panoramic view of the Truong Son mountain range, home to the Ngoc Linh Mountain.

Vietnamese Ginseng (Panax vietnamensis) is grown on the Ngoc Linh Mountain, which is 2,500 meters high. The range spans three provinces - Quang Ngai, Kon Tum and Quang Nam.

One place where residents grow this ginseng for a living is in the forests in Linh Commune, Nam Tra My District, Quang Nam Province.

The trees under whose shade the Vietnamese ginseng is grown.

There are four villages in the area. Houses here are typically made of wood. Tourists wanting to explore the mountain will need local guides to accompany them. Typically ginseng growers will not allow strangers near the cultivation areas for fear that the precious roots will be stolen.

A ginseng plant's fruit.

The root is grown organically, without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. It is believed to have antibacterial properties, reduce stress and fatigue and even inhibit tumor growth.

The plant flowers in spring. Each flower will bear from 10 to 30 fruits. These will be harvested and their seeds used to cultivate more plants. They typically ripen from July to September.

Two people harvest ginseng in the jungle.

The plant will wither away afterward, leaving only the ginseng root underground. It will sprout again after winter passes, typically next January.

A 5-year-old ginseng root is harvested. The ginseng is sold in local markets at the beginning of each month. A kilo of this ginseng can fetch between VND60 to 100 million ($2,600-4,400). The ginseng plant’s leaves, also having medicinal values, cost from VND5.5 to 6.5 million per kilogram.

Source: VnExpress