Rural Action and United Plant Savers will conduct research into multiple cultivation methods for the commercially valuable forest crop goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis. Goldenseal is a high-value specialty crop; the root portion of the plant wholesales for $60/dry pound and retails for over $400/dry pound. Project leaders will compare goldenseal grown from seed, from rootlet (or rhizome), and from fibrous roots, and grow the plants out in three environments.
The objective of the study is to provide farmers and members of the herbal products industry with guidance on best propagation practices that will support the sustainability of the goldenseal supply chain. Findings from the project will be shared through four hands-on workshops, presentations at the 2024 and 2025 OEFFA conferences, and published in the Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation. The total award amount is $99,996.91.
USDA Fiscal Year 2023 Description of Funded Projects – Farm Bill
The project kicked off this fall with three planting sites Troutvaille Farm, Sugar Bush and the United Plant Savers Botanical Sanctuary. United Plant Savers was able to provide the necessary planting material from our “Hope for Hydrastis” project where we are cultivating several propagation sites on the sanctuary. We provided both seeds that were collected, root stock as well as fibrous roots for propagation experiments. We are looking forward to collecting data on these planting sites and sharing the data with herbal community and forest farmers. Stay tuned more articles to come on this project that we will. Publish in the Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation.
