Where Have All the Flowers Gone? - herbal supplements threaten some herb species

Vegetarian Times, Sept, 1999 by Norine Dworkin

ND: What are the obstacles to widespread cultivation?

TB: Most of the herbs have never been cultivated before, so little is known about them. Most also require shade, which means you either use a shade cloth, which is incredibly expensive, or you cultivate in the woods, which is more difficult and expensive than open-field growing. Plus, many of these herbs grow very slowly and reproduce poorly from seed.

Prices are still too low for growers to make that investment. For these herbs to be cultivated, companies have to pay more money to the grower (Frontier pays less for wildcrafted herbs), and consumers have to be willing to pay a higher price.

They Fill eventually pay a higher price regardless, because as herbs become rare, prices will go up, and they'll go up a lot higher than the cultivated price we can set right now.

Going, going, gone ...

Habitat loss from logging and development, compounded by overharvesting, is threatening many North American native herbs.

The National Center for the Preservation of Medicinal Herbs (NCPMH) deems the 14 herbs listed below as "critical to cultivate." If we do not start growing these herbs for commercial use, warns Tim Blakley, NCPMH land manager, they are at risk for extinction. That means losing not only the plants' known healing qualities but other medicinal uses yet to be discovered.

Researchers at NCPMH are currently at work on determining the best methods of cultivating these herbs. Consumers can do their part by requesting that natural food stores stock only cultivated, certified organic herbs, rather than products made from plants picked in the wild.

Collecting herbs for their roots is the most destructive practice, since it almost always kills the plant. That's why all but two of the herbs on NCPMH's endangered list are ones that are gathered for their roots. The exceptions are partridge berry, a woodland plant that is sought for its leaf, and slippery elm, a shade tree whose inner bark is collected. (Stripping more than a small portion of bark can be lethal to a tree.)

Here are 14 healing plants, vines and trees whose method of collection you should question when you buy products made from them:

AMERICAN GINSENG (Panax quinquefolium) Boosts immune function and helps the body cope effectively with emotional and physical stress.

BLACK COHOSH (Cimicifuga racemosa) Relieves muscle spasms, PMS cramps and menopause symptoms.

BLOOD ROOT (Sanguinaria canadensis) As an ingredient in toothpaste, it prevents plaque from sticking to teeth,

BLUE COHOSH (Caulophyllum thalictroides) Encourages menstruation by stimulating the uterus.

Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) Boosts immune function and fights upper respiratory and urogenital infections.

False unicorn root (Chamaelirium luteum) Regulates the menstrual cycle, relieves cramps and menopause symptoms and treats infertility.

GOLDENSEAL (Hydrastis canadensis) Used for upper respiratory infections and digestive disorders.

GOLDTHREAD (Coptis spp.) Was historically used for upper respiratory infections; now it is largely unobtainable, due to overharvesting.