United Plant Savers
Description
United Plant Savers is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting native medicinal plants of the United States and Canada and their habitat. It was founded in 1994 by herbalist Rosemary Gladstar to address the decline of wild medicinal herbs from overharvesting and habitat loss. It is headquartered in Rutland, Ohio, where it manages a 370-acre botanical sanctuary.
The organization maintains an “At-Risk” list of more than 40 medicinal plants threatened by wildcrafting and habitat destruction, such as American ginseng and goldenseal. Its sanctuary includes medicinal plant trials, a seed bank, and an herbarium, and it runs a Medicinal Plant Conservation Certificate Program. It also coordinates a network of Sacred Seeds conservation sanctuaries, working with local communities to preserve plants, traditions, and ecosystems.
United Plant Savers promotes cultivation of at-risk species as an alternative to wild harvesting, and supports forest farming of ginseng and other woodland medicinal herbs. It hosts educational events such as the Medicinal Plant Conservation Conference and advocates for ethical wildcrafting practices and community-based conservation. Its work aims to ensure an abundant, renewable supply of medicinal plants for future generations.
Latest news
Sacred Roots of Colombia: How This Journey Came to Be
Sacred Roots of Colombia:How This Journey Came to Be By Natalia Chaparro 08/26/2026 Something I love about herbalism is how plants weave relationships between people, places, stories, and traditions. Much like mycelium, one connection leads … Read more
26 Aug 2026
Grow Your Own Goldenseal & Ginseng
…Support Wild Populations While You’re At It Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) are two of the most sought-after, and most vulnerable, medicinal plants in North America. Decades of wild harvesting, combined with … Read more
18 Aug 2026
A visit to Les Colombières, on the Côte d’Azur Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey with Matt Damon opened in movie theaters this month to the kind of numbers usually reserved for superheroes. What you may not … Read more
23 Jul 2026
2027 Call for Articles and Contributions for the Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation
We also welcome these contributions from our members: Submission Specifications: Submission Deadline: March 31, 2027 Submission Form
23 Jun 2026
Journal of Medicinal Plant Conservation 2026 (Free Download)
The online edition is available for all to download.
18 Jun 2026
Monograph From Medicinal Plants of the Southern Appalachians
by Patricia Kyritsi Howell | wildhealingherbs.com COMMON NAME: Spicebush BOTANICALNAME:Linderabenzoin FAMILY: Lauraceae (Laurel) OTHER NAMES: Wild Allspice, Spicewood DESCRIPTION: Spicebush, a deciduous shrub five to fifteen feet tall, has alternate, oval leaves with smooth edges. … Read more
15 Jun 2026
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