Hydrastis Species, Goldenseal, Orange Root, Yellow Puccoon

This shy plant survives in a shady location, in reasonably well draining soil with a healthy dose of hardwood leaf mulch and adequate moi...Read Moresture. It is most tolerant of full shade or a short dose of morning sun. It does not tolerate dry conditions for long periods. Once established, it tends to spread via runners, so look for new stalks emerging each season.

"To help prevent its extinction, gardeners should ensure that plants are nursery propagated rather than collected."

It rea...Read Morelly doesn't know how to act endangered and on the verge of extinction: It keeps popping up unbidden in my garden, and the woods are full of it.

bloom in may in Minnesota

I have not found this plant growing wild in my woods, however, I did take a few plants from my parents land(they had large patches of it ...Read Moregrowing wild), a couple of hundred miles from me and transplanted it and it thrived. I had to transplant it again when I moved, but now it has a nice home in the woods. It survived the second transplant even. It seems to be fairly hardy and I hope it continues to do well and multiply.

It spreads from runners under the ground. I have actually used this medicinally though you have to be very careful. Goldenseal is poisonous. But in the right amounts, it is good as an antibiotic and I have successfully used it as that without prescription drugs. I had made a small amount of tincture using vodka and the Goldenseal root. The roots need to be at least 4 or 5 years old, I believe.

A good antibiotic substitute though is Oregon Grape and I do not promote wildcrafting this herb for use. I will probably never touch mine. I had used a couple of the roots I dug for transplanting and haven't made any since. It is an endangered plant and needs to be protected.