Panax trifolius, commonly called dwarf ginseng, is a plant native to the Northeastern and Appalachian regions of North America.

[4] The plant is a part of the Araliaceae[5] and occurs in a similar region with the more notable relative, Panax quinquefolium[6].

The plant grows to be about 4-8 inches high[9] with tiny white or pink flowers that are about 2mm wide,[10] radially symmetrical,[11] and cluster in a spherical shape.

[18] Each hermaphroditic flower of the plant will have three carpellate ovaries that make one seed each resulting in a slow rate of dispersal.

[20] The word "Panax" is Greek for "all remedy" which refers to the assumption of the ancient Chinese believing that the plant was a panacea.

[22] Panax trifolius grows in mesic forests or on the banks of small streams or rivers in undisturbed areas.

[25] The range in distribution can be from Ontario, Canada to the east of Nova Scotia; south of Georgia, northwest of Kentucky, Indianna, and Minnesota.

[35] These changes can happen multiple times from one year to the next and can be caused by the plants response to conditions that can hinder reproductive abilities.

[35] Sex is expressed by size and environmentally determined by resources accumulated during that growing season which affects the cost of reproduction.