[ West Virginia ] Wild ginseng diggers are getting ready to trudge deep into the hills as the harvesting season opens Friday. If West Virginia ‘ s crop is anything like last year ‘ s, more than $2 million worth of the perennial herb is laying ready in the soil. Last year nearly 4,800 pounds of ginseng were harvested. Much of the state ‘ s ginseng is exported, mostly to China , said Richard Strickland of the West Virginia Division of Forestry. The root is popular in Asia and is often brewed in teas to cure digestive ailments or headaches or act as an aphrodisiac.

News notes are courtesy of Southern Forests Network News Notes
www.southernsustainableforests.org