Species At Risk List by United Plant Savers

We offer this species at risk list of wild medicinals of North America for the benefit of the plant communities, wild animals, harvesters, farmers, consumers, manufacturers, retailers, and practitioners. We hope to bring awareness to these sensitive species. Our intent is to assure the increasing abundance of medicinal plants and fungi which are presently in decline due to expanding popularity and shrinking habitat and range.

“Critical”

Elephant Tree – Bursera microphylla
False Unicorn – Chamaelirium luteum
Lady’s Slipper Orchid – Cypripedium spp.
Peyote – Lophophora williamsii
Sandalwood – Santalum spp. (Hawaii only)
Sundew – Drosera spp.
Trillium, Beth Root – Trillium spp.
Venus Fly Trap – Dionaea muscipula

“At-Risk”

American Ginseng – Panax quinquefolius
Black Cohosh – Actaea racemosa
Bloodroot – Sanguinaria canadensis
Blue Cohosh – Caulophyllum thalictroides
Butterfly Weed – Asclepias tuberosa
Cascara Sagrada – Frangula purshiana
Chaparro – Castela emoryi
Echinacea – Echinacea spp.
Gentian – Gentiana spp.
Ghost Pipe – Monotropa uniflora
Goldenseal – Hydrastis canadensis
Goldthread – Coptis spp.
Kava – Piper methysticum (Hawaii only)
Lomatium – Lomatium dissectum
Maidenhair Fern – Adiantum pedatum
Mayapple – Podophyllum peltatum

Oregon Root – Berberis spp.
Osha – Ligusticum porteri
Partridge Berry – Mitchella repens
Pink Root – Spigelia marilandica
Pipsissewa – Chimaphila umbellata
Ramps – Allium tricoccum
Slippery Elm – Ulmus rubra
Spikenard – Aralia racemosa
Squirrel Corn – Dicentra canadensis
Stone Root – Collinsonia canadensis
Stream Orchid – Epipactis gigantea
True Unicorn – Aletris farinosa
Virginia Snakeroot – Aristolochia serpentaria
White Sage – Salvia apiana
Wild Indigo – Baptisia tinctoria
Wild Yam – Dioscorea villosa
Yerba Mansa – Anemopsis californica
Yerba Santa – Eriodictyon californicum

“In Review”

Arnica – Arnica spp.
Chaga – Inonotus obliquus
Eyebright – Euphrasia spp.
Lobelia – Lobelia inflata
Skunk Cabbage – Symplocarpus foetidus
Solomon’s Seal – Polygonatum biflorum
Wild Cherry – Prunus serotina

Analog List for At-Risk and To-Watch Herbs

Compiled by Jane Bothwell, March 2000, revised 2006

After introduction to the United Plant Savers list of “At-Risk” plants, students always ask, “Well, what can we use in its place?” Often times the choice is simple: choose a cultivated species rather than one harvested from the wild. When cultivated species are not available, then it is best to find a plant analog. An analog is something having an analogy or similarity to something else. For our purposes, this indicates parallels in function or end results between two or more medicinal herbs.

Following is an alphabetical list of most of the United Plant Savers “At-Risk” and “To-Watch” lists, accompanied by suggested analogs. This list is compiled by the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of UpS.

Download Herbs & Analogs by Jane Bothwell (PDF)

Download the Species At Risk List

Our intent is to assure the increasing abundance of the medicinal plants which are currently in decline due to expanding popularity and shrinking habitat and range. UpS is not asking for a moratorium on the use of these herbs. Rather, we are initiating programs designed to preserve these important wild medicinal plants.