The botanical name of Goldenseal is Hydrastis
canadensis L. and the plant is a highly valued medicinal herb which has been
collected from the forests in North America for hundreds of years. The plant is
suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 to 8.
Goldenseal Seed Propagation
Actually the propagation of
goldenseal from seed can be a little bit difficult with unpredictable results. The
germination rates of purchased goldenseal seed, which has usually been stored
in moist sand in a cooler or buried in the soil, can range from 0 to ninety
percent the first spring after seed harvest. In an effort to develop methods to
obtain reliable germination rates, seed handling studies were conducted by
researchers for several years. In the first study they actually found that the
best germination rates is the first spring after seed harvest were obtained
when seeds were quickly extracted from the fruit using a sieve method. The goldenseal
seeds were then stored in moist sand at seventy degrees Fahrenheit until sowing
in late fall. This treatment actually resulted in an average germination rate
of about thirty-seven percent (range twenty-five to eighty-eight percent). For
many of our treatments, the goldenseal seed did not germinate until the second
season after seed harvest. The highest germination rates the second season were
from the seed that were extracted from the fruit by the sieve method, held at seventy
degrees Fahrenheit for thirty days followed by forty degrees Fahrenheit until
planting or held at forty degrees Fahrenheit. In both cases, the goldenseal seed
were planted the spring after seed harvest and germinated 2 seasons later.
Average germination rate with this method was about forty-five percent (range thirty
to seventy-one percent). Over the years we have consistently found that the
immediate planting of the seed after extracting it from the ripe fruit results
in the highest germination.
Seed Sowing
The plant spacing actually depends on
how long you intend to leave the plants in the ground before harvesting. If you
actually intend to harvest after them 3 years of growth you can space the goldenseal
plants 6" apart in rows that are 8" apart; after four years, plant
8" apart in rows that are 8" apart; or more than four years, plant
8" apart in rows that are 10" apart. Make sure you cover the
rootstock with 2" of soil. Also keep them well-weeded, but take care in
weeding around the young plants in other to avoid disturbing the roots. Once the
goldenseal plant is well established you can easily apply mulch to prevent weed
growth.
Light requirement
The goldenseal plant actually grow
best in its natural habitat under a hardwood canopy with at least seventy-five
percent shade, comprised preferably of maple, oak, sycamore, or basswood trees.
Soil
The goldenseal plant actually prefers
a light loam soil that has high humus content and a pH of 5.5-6.5. Good drainage
is very important to ensure healthy goldenseal plants.
Harvesting
The goldenseal plants grown from root
divisions can be harvested after 3 to 5 years of growth. You can easily harvest
the roots in the fall (September or October) after the tops have actually died
back.
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