NATIVE ORCHID: The yellow lady’s slipper, both the small and
great, are a variety of native orchid both of which are listed as
endangered, threatened or vulnerable. Even the most enthusiastic
herbalists warn that people should grow their own supplies or at
least not harvest wild plants. Both rootstock and roots are
used.

Used as an antispasmodic and nerve tonic, the plant is known by
a variety of names, large yellow lady’s-slipper, yellow
lady’s-slipper, yellow moccasin-flower, Venus’shoe, Venus’-cup,
yellow Indian-shoe, American valerian, nerve-root, mate nervine,
yellow Noah’s-ark, yellows, monkeyflower, umbil-root and yellow
umbel.

VULNERABLE: In 1987, the state Department of Environmental
Resources established a recognized special status for wild plants
known as “vulnerable” to include plants “in danger of population
decline” due to great demand.

LICENSE: The vulnerable plant licensing program attempts to
monitor, not eliminate, commercial trade in native plant species.
People who need licenses include anyone who plans to buy a
vulnerable plant from a state resident on a commercial basis;
anyone who buys and then sells such plants; anyone who collects or
cultivates vulnerable plants and wants to sell them across state or
international boundaries.

People can apply at any time for the license which costs ,50
and is valid until June 30. Applications for the license and dealer
transaction report forms are available from the Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Forestry, P.O. Box
8552, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8522. Unsure you need a license? Contact
the DCNR Wild Plant Program Manager.

HARVESTERS: Since 2003, collectors and growers are also required
to complete a Harvester Certification Form for any ginseng they
harvest and sell to licensed dealers within Pennsylvania. This is
intended to protect private landowners from theft (poaching).

In order to reassure collectors, the DCNR notes that all
information on the form is kept strictly confidential – an
important consideration given that some folks hand down the secret
location of “sang” patches from generation to generation.

Harvesting ginseng is only legal a few months in the late
summer/early fall. There are also size and age restrictions; also
collectors are to sow the seeds when the plants are harvested. In
the best of conditions, it takes a ginseng seed 18 to 22 months to
germinate!

MORE INFO: We must admit we have been purposely vague about
plant descriptions and the prices paid – especially for ginseng
root – because we don’t want to see these plants become even rarer.
If you are seriously curious, why not check out one of the
workshops?