Panax trifolius (Dwarf ginseng)

Panax trifolius L.

Dwarf ginseng

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Asteridae	A large class that encompasses asters
Order	Apiales	Includes carrots, celery, parsley, and ivy
Family	Araliaceae	Ivy family
Genus	Panax	Ginseng—means “panacea” for its curative properties
Species	trifolius	Latin for “three leaves”

About plant names...

Dwarf ginseng is native to northeastern North America.

Plants: 4-8" (10-20 cm) in height, easily missed among forest litter when not in bloom. American ginseng looks somewhat similar, but it is larger, and has clusters of five stalked leaflets instead of three leaflets in dwarf ginseng.

Leaves: In clusters of three, with a larger central leaflet; leaflets are toothed.

Flowers: Blooms are spherical in shape, composed of many minute white or pinkish flowers about ¹/₁₆" (2 mm) around, all emerging from a central point. Blooms appear in May-June. Up close, the blooms are delicate and quite beautiful.

Fruits: Yellowish berry clusters succeed the flowers in July and August.

Medical: Dwarf ginseng root is not used in herbal medicine. See American ginseng.

Online References:

Panax trifolius on Southeastern Flora, the Southeastern U.S. Plant Identification Resource

Panax trifolius at the U.S. Forest Service Celebrating Wildflowers site

Panax trifolius on

Panax trifolius at the North Carolina Native Plant Society

Panax trifolius at Illinois Wildflowers

Panax trifolius on the Connecticut Botanical Society's Connecticut wildflowers site

Panax trifolius on CalPhotos

Panax trifolius on Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants

Panax trifolius on delawarewildflowers.org

5/10/2021 · Gamble and Kennebec Trails, Berry Woods Preserve, Georgetown, Maine
≈ 2½ × 2½" (6.9 × 6.5 cm)

5/14/2013 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 11 × 7" (26 × 17 cm)

5/10/2016 · Old Long Loop, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire

5/20/2014 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 6 × 6" (14 × 15 cm)

5/14/2013 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 6 × 7" (15 × 18 cm)

5/4/2012 · Willard Brook State Park, Blue Trail, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 4½" (12 × 11 cm)

Panax trifolius description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 28 Aug 2021.

5/10/2021 · Gamble and Kennebec Trails, Berry Woods Preserve, Georgetown, Maine
≈ 3 × 3½" (8.3 × 8.6 cm)

5/5/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Pepperell, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 3½" (11 × 9.3 cm)

4/27/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Pepperell, Massachusetts
≈ 5 × 4½" (12 × 11 cm)

5/10/2016 · Old Long Loop, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire

5/4/2012 · Willard Brook State Park, Blue Trail, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 5 × 4" (13 × 10 cm)

5/2/2013 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 6 × 6" (14 × 14 cm)

5/20/2014 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 6 × 4½" (14 × 11 cm)

4/24/2021 · Green Point, Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, Phippsburg, Maine
≈ 3 × 3" (8.4 × 8.4 cm)

5/4/2012 · Willard Brook State Park, Blue Trail, Ashby, Massachusetts
≈ 4½ × 3½" (11 × 9.8 cm)

Range:

About this map...