Will Hsu, Vice President of Operations
Asian Ginseng has been used by the Chinese and other
cultures for thousands of years, but American Ginseng
was only discovered in North America about 200 years
ago. Learn about how ginseng has traditionally been
used in Eastern medicine, the differences between the
major species of ginseng, the special place this prized
root holds in American folklore and its unique Central
Wisconsin history. Recently popularized by reality TV
shows, wild American ginseng will also be discussed
as the basis for today’s cultivated ginseng industry in
Wisconsin and what Hsu’s Ginseng Enterprises, Inc. is
doing to educate and promote sustainable harvest of
this rare woodlands plant.
The company was founded in 1974 by Paul C. Hsu
as a direct-to-consumer, mail-order business selling
cultivated Wisconsin ginseng. Since its founding, the
company has grown to become the largest grower and
retailer of ginseng in the country. Headquartered in
Wausau, Wis., the company has six branch offices across
North America (Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San
Francisco, Toronto and Vancouver), four offices in Asia
(Nanjing and Guangzhou, China; Taipei, Taiwan and
Hong Kong) and operates joint venture production
facilities in mainland China.