At-Risk Medicinal Plants and Conservation: Goldenseal, American Ginseng and Others
Some plants sold as herbs come from shrinking wild populations. See what the sources say about goldenseal, American ginseng, rhodiola and others, and the part Indigenous knowledge plays.
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Many medicinal plants are still collected from the wild, and some of them are in decline. A 2026 review estimates that more than 15,000 medicinal plant species are considered threatened by extinction, because of habitat loss, overexploitation and land-use change. [1] The reasons to care are practical as well as ethical: supply, price, legal trade rules and the risk of cheap substitutes. This page names the plants the sources describe best. It does not tell you how to find or gather any plant.
Plants named in the sources
| Plant (part used) | What the sources say | Source type |
|---|---|---|
| Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis; rhizome, the underground stem) | Wild goldenseal has been overharvested and is available in limited amounts; the plant is grown commercially but is expensive to cultivate. [2] It is listed as "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List and is in CITES Appendix II because of over-harvesting for commerce. [3] Researchers report that commercial harvest stayed high, from 5,006 to 25,604 kg a year between 2011 and 2017. [3] | NCCIH (US); 2025 field study of goldenseal habitat |
| American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius; root) | Wild populations are threatened by overharvesting, deforestation, suburbanization, climate change and deer browsing. [4] It is in CITES Appendix II, which the authors describe as meaning it is likely to be threatened by extinction if trade is not controlled. [4] In Canada it is classed as endangered and protected under the Species at Risk Act on federal land. [4] Cultivation is widespread, with shares reported as Canada 60%, the United States 30% and China 7%. [5] | 2025 forensic study; 2024 review |
| Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng; root) | A review says demand in the 18th century nearly removed it from the wild. It adds that most commercial ginseng material now comes from cultivation and controlled sustainable wild harvest. [6] | 2020 review |
| Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea; root) | The 2024 review lists it in CITES Appendix II and says overharvesting poses a significant threat to wild populations. [5] | 2024 review |
| Pepper-bark tree (Warburgia salutaris; bark) | The review says it is threatened by overharvesting and habitat loss and is readily cultivated, but cultivation does not yet meet demand. [5] | 2024 review |
For each profile, see goldenseal, American ginseng and adaptogen regulation and conservation.
What the rules do
CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. [3] For American ginseng, the forensic study says the CITES rules allow only mature plants to be harvested, so that they can reproduce first. [4] Laws do not always stop illegal harvest: a review reports that illegal harvesting of American ginseng in forests continues despite protection. [5] Researchers are testing a lab method meant to help identify poached wild American ginseng. [4]
Indigenous knowledge and stewardship
Goldenseal's medicinal role for the Cherokee, Catawba and other Native American groups is recorded as older than European settlers' records. [3] A 2026 review warns that uncontrolled harvesting and commercialization can reduce the availability of medicinal plants for Indigenous and local communities that have relied on them for generations, and that traditional knowledge is at risk when plants become scarce. [1] It also calls for participatory research with Indigenous peoples and local communities that ensures equitable benefit-sharing and protects intellectual property rights. [1]
In a stakeholder survey on wild ginseng summarized in that review, many participants doubted that top-down regulation alone would work and stressed traditional stewardship practices, local knowledge and community involvement. [1] The 2024 review likewise recommends engaging Indigenous groups in conservation and writing traditional knowledge into legal frameworks to protect Indigenous rights. [5]
Proper evidence not found for how any particular Native nation cares for goldenseal or ginseng. We looked in the reviews above, and they do not describe specific practices. Such knowledge belongs to those communities, so we do not describe it here.
Safety and what to ask
- Scarcity and high prices invite substitutes. In ginseng, price differences are described as the main driver of intentional adulteration, including selling leaves, stems or flowers in place of root. [6] See adulteration and substitution of herbs.
- Conservation status says nothing about safety. Medicine interactions, pregnancy and breastfeeding, children, liver and kidney conditions and surgery are covered on each herb's page and in how interactions work. Ask a pharmacist or clinician.
- Do not collect wild plants to use as medicine. Look-alikes can be poisonous and laws may apply. See foraging, wildcrafting and growing herbs safely.
- For labels that mention wild harvest, see organic, wildcrafted and sustainably harvested herbs. For traditions, see sourcing in Chinese medicine and sourcing in Ayurveda.
Frequently asked questions
Is goldenseal endangered?
It is listed as "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List and in CITES Appendix II. [3] NCCIH says wild goldenseal has been overharvested and is available in limited amounts. [2]
What does CITES Appendix II mean?
The ginseng study's authors explain that a species in Appendix II is likely to be threatened by extinction if trade is not controlled. [4]
Is cultivated ginseng or goldenseal better for conservation?
Proper evidence not found for a direct comparison of environmental effects in the sources we read. They do say cultivation of American ginseng is widespread [5] and that goldenseal is grown commercially but is expensive to cultivate. [2]
Can I tell from a label whether an herb was wild-harvested?
The sources we read do not describe a reliable way to tell. Ask a pharmacist, and see our page on organic and wildcrafted claims linked above.
How do Indigenous communities fit into conservation?
Reviews say traditional knowledge and community involvement are important and that benefit-sharing and rights should be protected. [1] They do not describe specific practices, and we do not either.
References
- Budau R, Bei MF, Dejeu DA, et al. Endangered and Protected Medicinal Plants in Forest Ecosystems: Diversity, Conservation Status, Therapeutic Potential, and Management Strategies. Plants (Basel) 2026 (review). Read 2026-10-23.
- NCCIH (US). Goldenseal. Read 2026-10-23.
- Houston E, Burkhart EP, Zuiderveen G, Chen X. Identification of Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L.) Habitat and Indicators in Pennsylvania, USA. Ecol Evol 2025. Read 2026-10-23.
- Shaw JE, Brunswick P, Lesuk J, et al. A high throughput ambient mass spectrometric approach for identifying the poaching of wild American ginseng. Environ Syst Res 2025. Read 2026-10-23.
- Mykhailenko O, Jalil B, McGaw LJ, et al. Climate change and the sustainable use of medicinal plants: a call for "new" research strategies. Front Pharmacol 2024 (review). Read 2026-10-23.
- Ichim MC, de Boer HJ. A Review of Authenticity and Authentication of Commercial Ginseng Herbal Medicines and Food Supplements. Front Pharmacol 2020. Read 2026-10-23.