• No license is required to harvest wild ginseng on private land in Virginia, but permission must be obtained from the landowner or managing authority.

• Anyone in Virginia who purchases ginseng for resale state must obtain a dealer’s license from the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

• The harvest season for wild ginseng in Virginia is from August 15 to December 31, except that this does not apply to harvest on one’s own land. Ginseng harvested during this season must be sold to a dealer by March 31 or be certified by the state.

• Virginia’s ginseng coordinator recommends that wild ginseng be harvested only after the berries are red, and that harvested plants have at least 4 prongs. The state’s ginseng coordinator also recommends that seeds from harvested wild ginseng be planted at the site of digging.

• The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Plant & Pest Services, Endangered Species Coordinator, serves as the state’s ginseng coordinator, and can be reached at (804) 786-3515 or by addressing correspondence to:

P.O. Box 1163
Richmond, VA 23218

• A permit is required to collect ginseng in George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Only plants with at least 4 prongs may be taken, and only from September 15 to November 30. Contact the office for these Forests at (540) 265-5100 or via mail:

5162 Valleypointe Parkway
Roanoke, VA 24019