• A ginseng collecting permit is required to be obtained annually by anyone in Maryland who collects or harvests ginseng intended for sale. Permit holders are required to record the amount of ginseng collected in each county and the name and address of the dealer to whom they sold their ginseng, and to maintain these records for 3 years; and to certify their ginseng with the state prior to sale.

• Anyone who buys ginseng in Maryland for resale is required to register with the state as a ginseng dealer.

• The harvest season for wild ginseng in Maryland is from August 20 to December 1.

• Maryland state does not allow the harvest of ginseng plants with less than 3 prongs or with immature seeds (green fruit).

• Maryland requires that all seeds be planted in the vicinity of the collected plant immediately after harvest.

• Ginseng may not be harvested in any Maryland State Park but may be collected on certain state forest lands.

• The Maryland Department of Agriculture, Plant Protection and Weed Management Section, serves as the state’s ginseng coordinator. This office can be reached at (301) 982-3224 or

(410) 841-5920, or by addressing correspondence to:

Robert B. Trumbule
Ginseng Management Program
Maryland Department of Agriculture
50 Harry S. Truman Pkwy.
Annapolis, MD 21401