Ginseng, goldenseal and botanicals

$500 or more per pound, depending on quality and age.  History of cultivation in Pennsylvania goes back at least 100 years, with publications on cultivation methods dating as far back as 1902.  This publication will present some modern information on ginseng production in Pennsylvania.  Ginseng production is not a new idea for Pennsylvania, but a time tested, traditional crop.  Indeed, many "wild" roots are remnants of old plantation.


Goldenseal

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) is another botanical with a long production history.  While having a somewhat less colorful history than ginseng, overcollection has reduced the population to dangerously low levels in many states.  CITES also lists goldenseal and the US Fish and Wildlife Service regulates its collection. 

Sale prices in late 1999 saw an average of $33 per pound at auction in West Virginia.  Prices at least double that have occurred under high demand conditions.

Cultivation of goldenseal also is at least 100 years old.  Published procedures for cultivation date to 1912.  Because herbivores do not prefer browsing on goldenseal, it is a perfect choice for much of Pennsylvania.

Other Botanicals


Numerous other products can be grown and sold successfully with a bit more creativity in marketing.  Unlike ginseng and goldenseal, which have a fairly well-established group of licensed brokers, many other botanicals are more difficult to market. 

Difficulty in marketing does not make these herbs less attractive to a grower, but instead requires the grower to approach cultivation with much more care.  Numerous botanicals have current market potential.  For forest cultivation these include but are in no way limited to:

  • Black cherry bark

  • Black cohosh root

  • Bloodroot root

  • Mayapple root

  • Pipsissewa plant

  • Rose hips

  • Sarzaparilla root

  • Slippery elm bark

  • Teaberry plant

  • White oak bark


Profit yielded from forest cultivation of many botanical products can vary tremendously, depending on the plant, its success and its market.  Many products, like mayapple root for example, have good demand and easy cultivation, but very low price.  Others, like wild ginger, have good demand and good price, but uncertain cultivation techniques.  Selection of a potential crop should not occur without substantial  research on the cultivation techniques and multiple calls to potential brokers.  Entering any business activity is risky; going in with you eyes open increases your chances of success.

Types of Ginseng
Most people have heard of ginseng, even if it is just through brand name ginseng product television advertisements.  Names like Siberian ginseng, red ginseng, Asian ginseng, and American ginseng appear in the news, in advertisements, and in stores.  Siberian ginseng (Elutherococcus senticsus) is a plant discovered when researchers were attempting to find alternatives to American ginseng.  It is native to northern Asia and has little value as a crop for America.  Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) is the original ginseng.  This plant has been used by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for thousands of years.  Commercial cultivation of roots in Asian is a HUGE industry.  American

-------Forest Cultivation???-------

While many botanicals can grow in field situations, this publication addresses forest cultivation.  If you have a woodlot, even a small one, many of these species might work for you.  Woodlots present a unique growing condition.  Most sunlight passing through the tree canopy strikes the ground as  sun flecks (patches of sunlight that move as your woodlot's angle to the sun changes during the day) or as indirect rays (sunlight coming in at different angles due to reflection).  These conditions are horrible for

some crops like corn and most other field crops; however, these conditions are perfect for many shade-loving plants, like ginseng and goldenseal.  Added benefits to growing in woodlots include reduced crop losses due to poor weather conditions (the forest reduces the intensity of many weather fluctuations) and increased use of your land holdings.

Good forest soils for growing ginseng and goldenseal are rich, moist, well-drained.  The