No, but carefully prepared, the root can be used as a medicinal herbs, and if you may have been doing some more research then you will know that people before our time used this as a herb.

Auk wrote:

bob wrote:

Ginseng has many uses, one option from me would be to grow it as a herb and take small bits of the roots now and then. Of course it is your decision.

Oh my... you really think Panax is the same as Ficus ?

Ficus benjamina, no, ginseng, yes. Ginseng can be consumed.

I have been reading about my plant. Ginseng is often used in tea, but the ficus isn't actually ginseng, it's called that because the roots look like it. So if it were actually ginseng, yes I would love to grow it as a herb.

I've bought a new pot for my little tree to hopefully let it grow out a bit, it's very scrawny.

bob wrote:

Ficus benjamina, no, ginseng, yes. Ginseng can be consumed.

Ficus Ginseng is NOT Ginseng, Bob.

I was wondering, is there any hope at all that my plant will grow taller? I know that I can shape the branches, but I think if it gets taller it will look more tree-like. I re potted it so it will have more room, but it looks as though the top of the trunk was cut short. I attached some photos.

In the pot I put some potting soil (the ingredients contained peat, forest compost, and a few other things) and some small gravel along the bottom of the pot and a bit mixed the soil. Do you think that will be okay?

bob wrote:

No, but carefully prepared, the root can be used as a medicinal herbs, and if you may have been doing some more research then you will know that people before our time used this as a herb.

As adviced in another thread. Do not counter argue everything, and sometimes just sit back. Your advice aboce may very well kill someone. As pointed out several times: Ginseng is NOT a ficus species, and is NOT wat is used in this plant.

moondragon wrote:

I was wondering, is there any hope at all that my plant will grow taller? I know that I can shape the branches, but I think if it gets taller it will look more tree-like. I re potted it so it will have more room, but it looks as though the top of the trunk was cut short. I attached some photos.

The plant will grow taller. but.. As you have noticed yourself, these plants are actually tricky; They consist of a rootstock combined with a canopy, combined though grafting. As such, you have a nasty place where these have been grafted onto one another. This will make it very dificult to make look as a true tree.

The top part was actually selected to not grow extremely quick, so the plant will keep its 'pom pom look'.

Sorry, what I mean is literally what I am saying, the tannins and alkaloids in practically all the species can be eradicated usingthe preparation. Sorry for the confusion.

You can if you wish to do what I purpose but I would not advise it, the method of extracting the the alkaloids is this:process it with alkaline solutions then extract it several times with organic solvents.

bob wrote:

You can if you wish to do what I purpose but I would not advise it, the method of extracting the the alkaloids is this:process it with alkaline solutions then extract it several times with organic solvents.

You just won't stop... you made a mistake, you thought Ficus Ginseng was Ginseng. Just admit that and we're good.
Don't pretend you meant something else, it's just silly.

And yes, you DID advise it:
"take small bits of the roots now and then"

Once you have done this it should not be poisonous and will slightly improve your digestive system, but of course you can buy more effective products.