JANGSU, June 14 (Korea Bizwire) — An association of traditional ginseng diggers, called “simmani” in Korean, said Tuesday the discovery of 15 wild ginseng roots on Mount Jiri in Jangsu, some 260 kilometers south of Seoul.
A herb gatherer in his late 50s and his son found these roots beneath a rock in the mountain valley over a three-day period., according to the association.
An appraisal revealed that the largest ginseng root, known as the “mother ginseng,” had roots measuring 45 centimeters in length, indicating an age of over 100 years.
The remaining 14 ginseng roots are referred to as “baby ginsengs” as they originated from the mother ginseng’s seed. Each of these roots is estimated to be between 25 and 75 years old.
The Wild Ginseng Appraisal and Assessment Association valued the wild ginseng roots at 120 million won (US$93,860).
“These wild ginseng roots have grown over five generations. The mother ginseng, weighing 39 grams, is exceptionally rare,” said Jeong Hyeong-beom, chairman of the Korea Simmani Association.
Image Credit: Gurye County Office / Korea Simmani Association / photonews@koreabizwire.com
