Hope for Hydrastis - United Plant Savers

With support from our members, we have launched the “Hope for Hydrastis” program, a five-year project for the propagation of goldenseal.

We began in the fall of 2019 by planting over 100 pounds of roots across three different plots in the forest at the sanctuary in Rutland, Ohio. We will continue to add organic inputs while documenting and monitoring these plots. In three years we will harvest and divide the roots from these plots.

Planting goldenseal in the forest fall 2019 with the help of AmeriCorps volunteers — Baby goldenseal before being planted.

This spring we are putting row covers over the plants to enable the collection of seeds. This helps protect plants from critters that also love to eat goldenseal fruits! We will then plant seeds in a shade garden as we propagate from both seeds and roots for this project.

We will continue to expand our propagation program as we are able and share our methods with forest farmers in our Forest Grown Verification Program and with our members.

To learn more about the plight of goldenseal view the short film, Hope for Hydrastis, and see our newly published The Forest Farmers Handbook.