Plant Images In the event you are new to wildcrafting, plant identification can sometimes prove difficult. Following are descriptions of a few of the plants which we purchase. Click on the thumbnail to view the full-size photo.

American Ginseng (Panas quinquefolius) Other Names: Sang, Manroot, Redberry, Five Fingers. Where Found: Rich, humus woodlands. It grows mostly on the north facing hills, but will also grow on west, east and even south hillsides. Part Harvested: Roots, herb Description: Perennial, growing as high as 4 feet. It usually has 5 leaflets on each leaf stalk or prong. It can have up to 8 prongs. It has tiny white flowers that turn into red berries in the Fall. It has a golden yellow color of leaves in the Fall.

Black Cohosh (Cimicifrega racemosa ) Other Names: Bugbane, Cohosh Bugbane, Black Snakeroot, Papoose Root, Rattle Root, Rattlesnake Root, Rattle Top, Yellow Ginseng, Squaw Root Were Found:Rich Woods -- Part Harvested: Root Description: Perennial growing up to nine feet high at top of flowering stem. Each leaf has 2-5 leaflets. The flowering stalk has white, light-yellowish flowers borne on spike that grows way above the leaf top. Roots are black in color.

Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides ) Other Names: Papoose Root, Blue Ginseng, Squaw Root, Blueberry Cohosh Where Found: Rich Woods. -- Part Harvested: Root Description: Perennial growing to 3 feet high with a bluish tint to the whole plant. leaves are 2-3 lobed. Flowers are yellowish-green turning into blue berries in the fall.

Bloodroot (Sanguineria canadensis) Other Names: Red Puccoon, Puccoon, Red Indian Paint, Turmeric, Tetterwort, Snakebite, Puccoon Root, Coomroot, Pauson. Where Found: Mostly rich, humus woods.  Harvest - Root Description: Perennial, flowering in February, March and early April. Grows to 16 inches high with a dark green leaf on top, and bottom of leaf is grayish to light green. White flowers are 1-2 inches across. The flowers fall off in 3-4 days after flowering. The root is red and if broken open emits a substance that looks like human blood.

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) Other Names: Yellowroot, Yellow Puccoon, Yellow Indian Paint, Indian Dye, Eyeroot, Ground Raspberry. Where Found: Rich, humus woods. -- Harvest: Root, herb Description: :Perennial growing up to 18 inches high. The plant can have 1 or 2 leaves at the top of the stem. It has small white flowers in the early stage of growth that mature into a red seed pod resembling a red raspberry.

Elm (Slippery) (Ulmus rubra) Where Found: Moist woods mostly in valleys Harvest: Bark, especially the inner bark. Description: Tree, growing to 60 feet tall with oval leaves that are sharp, double-toothed edges. Leaves are sideways at base and sandpapery on top and soft on bottom. Flowers are yellowish-green turning into one-seed fruits in March - May.

Star Grub (Chamaelirium luteum ) Other Names: Fairywand, Devil's Bit, False Unicorn, Star Root, Starwort, Grubwort, Blazing Star Where Found: Acid soil in pine barrens, upland woods, oak woods. Part Harvested: Root Description: Perennial growing to 24 inches high with a rosette of basal leaves on the ground. Flowers are borne at the top of stalk and are white on male plants and green on female plants.

Trillium (Trillium erectum ) Other Names: Bethroot, Nosebleed, Purple Trillium, Bumblebee Root, Birthwort, Birthroot, Bathwort, Wake Robin Where Found: Rich humus woods mostly in the mountains Harvest: Root Description: Perennial growing to two-feet high with a single stem and a 3-part leaf at top. Flowers appear at top center of leaf. There are 7 kinds of this plant, all with the same medicinal use.

Virginia Snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria ) Other Names: Red River Snakeroot, Texas Snakeroot, Birthwort. Where Found:  Dark, moist and hilly woods Harvest: Root Description: Grows up to about one foot in height with shiny leaves. The flowers can be found hanging in a downward position from the stem. The root has a gingery, camphor-type smell.

Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens ) Other Names: Smooth Hydrangea, Ninebar, Ninebark, Sevenbar Where Found: Rich Woods -- Harvest: Root Description:  Perennial growing to 10 feet high with woody stems. Leaves are opposite, large ovate. Flowers are in flat-like heads at top of branches and are white.

Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa ) Other Names: Atlantic yam, devil's bones, colic root, china root Where Found: Rich or poor woods, especially in the mountains. Harvest: Root Description: Perennial vine growing to 20 feet long with much veined heart-shaped leaves. Flowers are tiny and green turning to a triangular capsule.

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