Goldenseal Production for Sustainable Woodlot Management

Goldenseal (hydrastis canadensis) although botanically unrelated to ginseng, it has a very similar culture and natural habitat i.e. a mature mixed hardwood forest. Goldenseal like ginseng will produce mature market size roots at the end of three years and like ginseng can bring a high dollar return. Unlike ginseng, goldenseal is not native to Maine although it is native to some of our New England neighbors. Nevertheless, it has been grown here successfully albeit to a much lesser extent than ginseng and in many cases under cultivated rather than "wild stimulated" conditions. Currently, those businesses that are processing raw goldenseal into various herbal remedies are buying from out of state. There is a great deal of interest and excitement however on the part of these processors at the prospect of being able to obtain raw goldenseal root from a local source. It is the purpose of this proposed project to demonstrate that goldenseal can be successfully grown and marketed in this bioregion under small (less than one acre) woodlot conditions. And furthermore to show that goldenseal production can be economically viable both in terms of potential income and time investment.