Plants Harvested in the United States for Medicinal Purposes

American Ginseng

• American ginseng, or Panax quinquefolius, is indigenous to the eastern half of North America. Wild ginseng is an endangered species in several states, and the costs and intensity of farming ginseng can be prohibitive, conditions that create a lucrative market for the medicinal root. Each year, wild-harvested and cultivated ginseng bring more than $25 million, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. Ginseng has many medicinal uses, including preventing colds and flu, treating diabetes, strengthening the immune system and preventing stress.

Osha

• Ligusticum porteri, also known as osha, mountain lovage or loveroot, is indigenous to mountainous regions of the western U.S., including Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. Osha roots are used internally to treat respiratory problems, gastrointestinal disorders, sore throats and rheumatism; smoked osha root is thought to help ease nicotine addiction. External uses include treatment for insect stings, wounds and infections. According to the Pollinator Partnership, trade in wild-harvested osha dropped dramatically after 2002, creating a demand for cultivated version of the plant. Osha is generally sold in the form of ground or whole roots, tinctures and seeds.

Goldenseal

• Goldenseal, or Hydrastis canadensis, grows in the woodlands of the eastern U.S. and is "one of the oldest documented medicinal plants of North American origin," according to Pollinator Partnership. Goldenseal has long been used as a remedy for respiratory and intestinal issues and inflammation, and is believed to have antibacterial and antifungal properties. Goldenseal is among the most popular herbal supplements sold in the U.S. Though most goldenseal root is harvested in the wild, cultivation is increasing as native populations are shrinking and disappearing due to pollution, overharvesting and encroaching development. The plant is listed as endangered or threatened in several states.

Prickly Pear Cactus

• Thirty-four species of Opuntia, also known as nopal or prickly pear cactus, grow in the U.S. north of the Mexican border. The pads, fruit and flowers have been used as medicine for thousands of years, according to the Pollinator Partnership. Medicinal uses include treatment of diabetes, gastric ulcers, hyperglycemia, artheriosclerosis, asthma, colitis, rheumatic disorders and skin conditions such as warts, burns and cuts. Indigenous cultures use the prickly pear to aid in childbirth and to treat snakebite, nosebleed and inflammation of the eyes. The plants are both cultivated and harvested from the wild. Prickly pear fruits are sold as food and used to make juice, and the pads are used as a food source for humans and for livestock.