Seedlings of North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) were grown to full canopy establishment and then leaflet or leaf removal at different times applied to determine the effects on plant growth and performance. Leaf removal at 47, 57, 69 and 78 days after seeding resulted in 82.1, 59.8, 41.3 and 29.8% reduction, respectively, in root dry matter (economic yield) ; this indicates that leaf removal during the early root growth period causes greatest reduction in root yield. Removal of 1, 2, and 3 leaflets at 42, 52, 62 and 70 days from seeding reduced root weight at harvest (80 days from seeding) linearly, particularly at earlier removal dates. The perennating bud formed on all roots and was not influenced by treatment. This would suggest that if leaf loss occurs after canopy establishment the plant will re-grow the next year after the obligatory dormancy period.