Ever see one like this?

[5prong]

I was out turkey hunting this morning and came upon this odd little 2 prong plant.  One of the prongs was a normal looking 5 leaf prong, but the other side had 8 leaves on it.  I've never ran across one before, just wondering if you guys have ever seen any like it? 

[Brad]

Thats pretty neat Jeff.  I've seen prongs with an extra leaf.  I've seen plants that had verigated foliage.  But, I've never seen anything quite like that.  Thanks for sharing that one!

[5prong]

No problem Brad.  I thought it was neat too, surely something you don't see every day.  I've found a few older plants that have added an extra leaf or two to each prong, but I hadn't seen one quite like this.  I did see a 2 prong plant that had six leaves on one side a couple of years ago, but they were on the same plane, with a smaller leaf pointing in opposite directions and two larger leaves between on each side.  Besides these two examples all other plants that I've noticed that had extra leaves were on pretty large older plants.  It's definately possible that I may have missed seeing some in the excitement of digging a nice patch though. 

[Brad]

I bet so!

I was just thinking today as the older plants in the raised beds keep showing up that its funny how all those smaller roots that I bought green last fall and planted are coming up as two-prongers.  I guess those guys who insisted they didn't dig anything but 3s or 4s might have been trying to pull one over on me huh?   

lol

[5prong]

Probably so, but some of the plants that I tranplanted last fall reverted back to having fewer prongs.  I know of a couple of 4 prongs that reverted back to 3 prongs, and at least 3 3prongs that came up as 2prongs this year.  Last spring I noticed that a 3 prong that I had transplanted the previous fall went the other way and became up a 4. 

I know that conventional wisdom says that the number of prongs for the following spring is already determined by the time they go dormant in the fall, but when I see them regress it kinda makes me wonder.  Stunted smaller tops from the stress of being moved makes sense, but regressing in number of prongs doesn't seem to make sense after the great growing season we had in my local area last year.

You don't really believe an old sang digger or fisherman would lie do you

[Brad]

I didn't believe it when they were telling me in the first place  (maybe its a side effect from the job).   Anyway, I substituted them for a couple big roots I dug and just burried them with the seed. 

I believe the top is already set in the bud by fall.  I've had very large 4s transplanted hundreds of miles (nuff said...it was many years ago) come up as 4s, only to revert back to 2s the following year and eventually back to 3s by the time I dug them and sold them.  I would argue that these were indeed 2s when they were dug.

[5prong]

The same plant a year later.  A little larger top this year, but fewer leaves.  It is still a 2 prong, but has 6 leaves on one prong and the regular 5 on the other.

[Brad]

Nice.  I'm impressed by how healthy and dark in color that plant is.  It really looks good.

I was thinking about you earlier Jeff, seems a buddy of mine who is growing some ginseng found a patch of wild with a 5-prong in it!