• A ginseng harvester’s license is required for anyone who harvests wild ginseng in Illinois and the license must be in the harvester’s possession when they dig or sell wild ginseng.

• A ginseng dealer’s license is required for anyone who buys ginseng that is grown or harvested in Illinois.

• The harvest season for wild ginseng in Illinois is from the first Saturday in September to November 1.

• Wild ginseng may only be sold to a licensed Illinois ginseng dealer, and only from 2 weeks after the start of the season through March 1 of the next year. Possession of wild ginseng between March 2 and the beginning of the next season is prohibited.

• Illinois state law requires all harvested plants be 10 years old (4 leaved) or older.

• Illinois requires that harvesters plant all of the seeds from the harvested plants in the vicinity of the parent plants in a manner that will encourage their germination and growth.

• Ginseng may not be harvested on state land in Illinois, nor in the Shawnee National Forest or Midewin Tall Grass Prairie.

• The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Law Enforcement, serves as the state’s ginseng coordinator. This office can be reached at (217) 782-6431 or:

One Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702-1271